Rimutaka Incline

Cycling the Rimutaka Incline - October 3rd, 2002

Nine kilometres into the Rimutaka Ranges northeast of Upper Hutt is what was once the old Upper Hutt to Featherston railway line. Opening in 1878, the "Rimutaka Incline" railway used a Fell engine system. Part of each train was a special brake van because of the steepness. The line closed late October 1955, being replaced by an 8.8 kilometre railway tunnel through (under) the hills.

What remains today is a well-maintained track whose gradient is 1 in 15 at most, rising from 240m above sea level at the start to 360m at the Summit, then dropping to 60m at the finish. The surface is in excellent condition (as our brochure accurately stated) and the route is both scenic and historic - ideal for biking, and that's what six of us set out to do one Thursday near the end of the school holidays in early October. The weather was somewhat overcast and quite windy at times, fortunately blowing on our backs! The rain held off (apart from a few drops at the Summit) and, at a somewhat relaxed pace with several stops to enjoy our surroundings, we completed the 17 kilometre course in a leisurely 4 and a half hours.

It was a very pleasant outing, as these photos show.

	9.47am About to set off - Nicola, Rebecca, Malcolm, Rick, Dave, Kate		9.59am We were actually on our way at 9.50am - this shot is 9 minutes later
	10.15am Approaching the first of four tunnels		10.31am Bridge stop
	11.47am The Summit at 1141 ft (360m). It should have taken only an hour to this point, but we had experienced a bit of a mishap along the way!		11.52am Early lunch stop during very light rain at the Summit
	12.09pm Approaching the longest tunnel - more than half a kilometre		12.15pm The other end of the tunnel - waterfall at left
	12.26pm Our track around the side of the hill		12.37pm Just outside another tunnel - looking at info about the Siberia bend
	12.43pm Siberia bend - gully down which the wind can blow furiously		12.44pm Siberia bend - the train used to go across huge embankment here
	12.38pm Siberia bend (other way) - embankment used to be as high as structure		Model of embankment at Siberia bend as it once was - "blank" at top is wind-swept gully
	B & w shot of train (4 engines) steaming around embankment at Siberia bend		1.10pm Continuing downhill
	1.11pm Pleasant river view		1.18pm Cross Creek - end of our descent (but the bike ride not yet over)
	1.20pm There were a number of houses at Cross Creek once - but nothing now		1.32pm One of several pits at Cross Creek for viewing the under side of a train
	1.46pm The "goat track" leading out from Cross Creek to the car park		2.15pm The very end - or the beginning, depending on your point of view