Moving onto Murchison.

It looked like a foggy journey first thing this morning with visibility down to a hundred metre’s but as the sun got higher in the sky conditions improved. It was still to be a wet and miserable sort of day. Leaving camp we called into the railway station so I could take some more photographs and learn a little more of the history of the place.

Reefton Engine Shed. The only single track, double loco shed in existence.

The engine shed was built in 1892 for the Midland railway company on the South side of the Inangahua River at Taipoiti  but was dismantled and shifted to it’s present location in 1907. It’s the only single track, double stall  loco shed still in existence connected to the main line. It’s listed with the Rail Heritage Trust and despite the windows being boarded over was restored in 1997/98.

Heavy goods yard crane needing some restoration work at the Reefton engine shed.

I had a good look around the goods yard where the gold ore is transported in containerised skips to Palmerston (Otago). A truck and trailer carry two skips and a railway wagon capable of carrying 2 x 20 foot containers carries four. Coal loading is not as mechanised as the plant we saw at Ngakawau but it is done by wagons slowly passing under a conveyer belt.

Reefton goods yard with Oceania Gold skips awaiting movement to Palmerston. Top loading containers on the right.

The journey up through the upper Buller Gorge was quite spectacular with many waterfalls due to all the recent rain. Here there are still many one way bridges one of which being controlled by traffic lights.

Newton River Bridge in the Upper Buller Gorge. Headroom 4.45m.

The NZMCA camp site at Murchison is right in the township which is handy. We had a brief visit to the I Site to gain some information and we will return tomorrow to visit the museum which has been greatly enlarged since we were last here.

Commercial Stables building in Murchison. What time is the next stage coach?