About

Saturday 30th March 2024 ((From 11:00am ’til 4:00pm))

The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum History

The story of The Plains Vintage Railway and Historical Museum begins nearly 130 years ago, in May 1878. It was in this year that the first section of the branch line railway that would in time become the 'Mt Somers Branch' and later, operating on the first approximately 3 kilometres - to the old Frasers Road railway crossing - The Plains Railway was laid. The branch was different from a great many of the other branch-line railways built by the New Zealand Government Railways at the time, in that its sole purpose was not the opening up of the land for agricultural activities, but instead for the cartage of lignite coal and lime from deposits behind Mt Somers - an extinct volcano, on the edge of the Southern Alps.

Becoming a Member

The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum is always looking for new members for a variety of roles, from helping to crew and maintain our trains to doing a spot of gardening! Since The Plains is a museum full of variety there is always something to do! If you are interested in coming along on Saturdays, or can spare some time any other day of the week, to lend a hand please click the button below to download a membership application form.

You can find us at 20 Maronan Road, Tinwald, Ashburton, which is beside the Tinwald Domain, where there is plenty of parking available.

You can also type ‘The Plains Vintage Railway’ into your phone map app or click here for directions.

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