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Help us to extend our Miniature Railway Track in Whakatane

  • ‘ Chattanooga Choo - Choo

      6 September 2022
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    Anyone arriving at Dave Fitton Station around 3pm would have seen John Lawson successfully driving his loco

    ‘ Chattanooga Choo-Choo ‘ on its maiden circuit on the River Edge Miniature Railway. No one would be more thrilled that the late Dave Fitton to witness ‘ Chattanooga Choo-Choo ‘ sparkling in its new paint and bright work making its first run on ‘ his ‘ railway. An hour later John was in charge of our BBQ turning out plenty of delicious sausages & onions. I suggest this was a nice way to celebrate the conclusion of your ambition to build a very special miniature locomotive - and we al enjoyed the sausages!

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  • Light up Whakatāne

      8 August 2022
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    River Edge Miniature Railway annual ‘ Glow in the Dark ‘ unfortunately had to be cancelled this year due to the very soggy grounds. This is a hugely popular event that hundreds of locals & visitors attend, luckily for everyone Trust Horizon are running a ‘Light Up Whakatāne Light Festival’ from 19 - 28th August and River Edge Miniature Railway will be operating from 5 -8pm on Saturday 20th August

    ( weather permitting).

    Let’s all help to Light up Whakatāne! Every $ helps towards our dream of extending the track.

    Thank you from the train team 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂

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  • Wow what a day we had 🌞

      5 July 2022
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    A huge thank you to everyone that supported River Edge Miniature Railway on Sunday 3rd July. A Special mention to three local children Roslyn, Tom & Charlie who made up 37 individual bags of lollies for passengers to purchase & the proceeds of $37 they gave to help our track extension. Thanks heaps from everyone at River Edge Miniature Railway 😊

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  • All Aboard!

      7 June 2022

    At exactly 10am on Sunday 5th June passengers were queuing up to purchase tickets until closing at 3pm. Wow ! 500 ++ kept us busy as! A Huge Thank You to one an all that purchased tickets & gave generous donations to help us achieve our dream of extending the track.

    River Edge Miniature Railway staff says a big thank you 🙏 🚂🚂🚂

    Photos to follow.

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  • All Aboard!

      5 May 2022

    Tickets please! Finally River Edge Miniature Railway is steaming ahead after months of lockdowns, traffic lights, vaccine passes! We can now look ahead to running 1st Sunday of the month & extra Sundays during school holidays. Please help us to achieve our dream of extending the track. Your donation is so important.

    Thank you, thank you 😊 from the Railway Team 🚂🚂🚂

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  • Open Weekend

      28 August 2021

    Meandering through a beautiful patch of land along the Whakatane River, River Edge Miniature Railway has been offering a fun unique way for families to spend the first Sunday of the month since 2002 with views of White Island in the distance and nestled comfortably between the skate park & the Rose Gardens it is not difficult to see why this family friendly activity shows no sign of slowing down.

    An open weekend was recently held with visitors and locals enjoying a fun time especially between 5pm & 7pm when ‘ Glow in the Dark ‘ was held.

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  • Birds Eye View of River Edge Miniature Railway

      20 July 2021

    A great little view of the railway track & bridge! How cool is that!

    We are so appreciative of the $$ received that is helping us to get closer to extending the track.

    Thank you so much :)

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  • W.M.R. No. 10

      15 July 2021
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    In July 1892 the Wellington Manawatu Railway (W.M.R.) Company’s U.S.A. Built “ No. 10 “ ran a speed trial over the 135 km route at an average speed of 68 k.p.h reaching a top speed of 103 k.p.h., a world record for a narrow gauge railway and celebrated in poem by Will Lawson in his epic the “ Big Bull Yank “ written in 1900 and can be read on the platform of Paekakauriki station.

    The late Dave Fitton built this miniature replica of W.M.R. No 10, seen here on the steaming bay at River Edge Miniature Railway after a days run on the rails. Having built this miniature steam loco Dave was inspired to attempt to organise the construction of a local miniature railway system. This he accomplished with the help of quite a few railway enthusiasts.

    Our organisation the E.B.O.P. Society of Model Engineers aims to improve what we already have, hence the railway extension project at River Edge Miniature Railway.

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  • Union Pacific F3 A

      4 July 2021
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    What a glorious day in Whakatane today! This is just one of the trains that many visitors rode on. It’s based on a Union Pacific F3 A which in the United States carried wagons of Oxygen.

    This one is 24 volt electric.

    Thanks to everyone that joined us enjoying the sunshine & trains.

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  • Train Rides

      2 July 2021
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    Weather is looking good for this Sunday 😊 Train rides start at 10 am & run until 3 pm. Come and join us & help our track extension fundraising.

    Choo......Choo ........ 🚂

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  • Local Paper Story

      24 June 2021
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    A big thank you to The Beacon, our local paper in Whakatane printing a great story about River Edge Miniature Railway Fundraising.

    Thanks so much to all our supporters !

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  • Total Cost of Extension

      16 June 2021
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    More information on the Track Extension- the total project is 180K & to date we have raised & spent 80K on the bridge & trestle which was raised from train ticket sales & support from WDC Community Board & Kopeopeo Lions Whakatane.

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