Last-minute bid secures 38-tonne beast
With a last-minute bid, a Nelson man has bought a piece of Wellington’s railway history.
Metlink listed the English Electric two-car train on Trade Me last week. However, with the exception of a 4-year-old whose $29,990 bid was removed, the train had received no bids until yesterday.
At 11.05am yesterday a Nelson bidder named ‘‘Hans’’ bid the same amount, and was unchallenged.
One problem for a train owner in Nelson is that the region has no railway, apart from the short line at Founders Heritage Park, run by the Nelson Railway Society.
Its manager, Bob Murray, said he didn’t know of any of its members buying the train and reckoned it was more likely someone had bought it for accommodation. ‘‘That’s pretty cheap, you wouldn’t get accommodation built for that.’’
The Ladleys in Eighty-Eight Valley, Wakefield already have a 1930s train carriage converted into guest accommodation on their farm.
Scott Ladley said his parents, Pam and Colin Ladley, acquired it from Founders more than 10 years ago and had converted it into two little self-contained units.
Greater Wellington regional council spokeswoman Philippa Lagan also said the train, which had operated in the Wellington area since the late 1940s, was likely to be turned into some form of accommodation. The buyer would have to ship the 38-tonne beast to the South Island.
Metlink customer services manager Zelda MacKenzie, who ran the auction, said the interest in it was overwhelming. It received more than 85,000 views.
‘‘When the number of views rose from a couple of hundred to 20,000 within a few hours, I thought we were going to be in for a bit of fun. And we sure were.’’
The English Electric trains took their final Wellington journey last week with a round trip to Melling.
The last run heralded the start of the Matangi era. Thirty-five new Matangi trains already operate out of Wellington, with a further 13 due later this year.
Negotiations have begun with two private firms, individuals and heritage societies looking to buy about 20 of the 35-strong English Electric fleet.
English Electrics, named after their manufacturer, began running in Wellington after the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation of the North Island main trunk line. The fleet began with six two-car units and was expanded almost tenfold in the early 1950s in preparation for train services to Upper Hutt.