The Last Decade of the Thames Branch

摘要

The Thames Branch between Waitoa and Thames North closed in 1993, although regular freight services were suspended on 28 January 1991 .The line was lifted in sections with the last completed in February 1996. Dave Nelson recorded activity on the branch between 1986 and 1996. In 1986 there was only one scheduled return train a day, five days a week between Te Rapa and Thames. These were Train 351 down and Train 352 up and the main clients were A & G Price at Thames North, Campbell Industries Toyota car plant at Thames, timber mills at Kopu and Matatoke, Morrinsville Thames Valley Dairy Company at Paeroa and Leach's quarry ballast siding at Tirohia. Because of light rail on most of the branch the DBR class was the main locomotive used to haul trains.