During the build up to Christmas the Ocean Beach Railway will be operating their first Christmas themed train on Sunday 13 December 2020. Trains rides will be departing from 11am till 4pm and instead of the usual fare, volunteers will be accepting a gold coin donation or a can of food in return for a train ride.

Donations and proceeds will be on-forward to our local food banks to support the increased demand and pressure that our local food banks are currently having due to Covid-19 and unemployment.

A group of volunteers will decorated the heritage train to give the railway more Christmas cheer in time for Christmas. A Christmas tree will also be placed in the lovingly restored Station for members of the public to admire and they are welcome to bring along a decoration and place it on our Christmas tree in remembrance for any family members of New Zealand Railway / Kiwi Rail that may have passed on over the years.

Our organisation is so over whelmed with community support we are currently getting, so it makes sense to share the love with other community groups who are in need and in return it assists with good mana for everyone.

Trains will operate regardless of weather for this special event.

About the Ocean Beach Railway

Governed by the Otago Railway and Locomotive Society Inc. the Ocean Beach Railway was established in 1961 with the purchase of a small 0-4-0 Fowler tank locomotive, the railway can claim some NZ firsts, including being NZ’s first preservation railway along with being the second preservation railway built by enthusiasts in the world.

The railway today houses one of the most diverse railway collections in the country. Operating most Sundays from Labour Weekend (October) till Queens Birthday (June). The collection of rollingstock includes items from the original 3’6” Port Chalmers – Dunedin Railway Company built/imported in the early 1870’s that Josephine once hauled, a ministerial carriage that was allocated to the South Island built in 1897 along with other items including steam locomotives and an array of other wagons, carriages and railway infrastructure including the former Katiki Railway Station built in 1878 which has recently undergone some refurbishment and painting.

The railway relies on the generosity of community sponsors and funding along with 100% volunteer labour force. People of all skill sets are welcome to volunteer.

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