History and Aims of The Society

The Westport Railway Preservation Society was formed in March 1993 by a group of local enthusiasts to recover the historic C class locomotive from its resting place in the Buller Gorge.

The group’s aim is to acquire and preserve local railway history and eventually run a tourist railway.

The Society acquired the former NZ Railways goods shed and offices to house the C and future rolling stock which forms the basis of its museum today. The museum now houses a comprehensive photographic collection.

One of the Society’s other main assets is the former Milburn Cement’s shunting locomotive which members have restored to full working order. The group already has a wide range of historic rolling stock, including a 1940s guard’s van, Q coal wagons, goods wagons, Denniston Incline ammunition wagon, bulk cement wagons and several distinctive motorised trolleys.

Forthcoming projects including reinstating Westport’s turntable, putting in new tracks and steam-era signals, and re-erecting the Buller station and trolley shed.

This content taken from the promotional poster – author unknown and currency open to variation.