Brian's place - Ghost Railways - Denniston and Conn's Creek

Brian's place

Denniston and
Conn's Creek

HOME : Trains : Ghost Railways : Denniston and Conn's Creek

Some of the images can be clicked on to enlarge. Click here for the South Island map. I have joined these two locations on one page because, well, I felt like it. And they both start with 'R'. The Denniston incline was built in 1879 (or late 1878 - no-one remembers!) , and runs down approximately 1.8 km of bush clad mountain side. It was a cable operated incline which connected the Wellington Company's private coal mine line to the NZR rail head at Conn's Creek. The coal was then transferred to the Westport Port and shipped to destinations unknown. Well, I don't know 'em, anyway. Newcastle, probably. The incline operated until 1967. For the whole of that time it used the ubiquitous Q class wagons. I've never seen these until I got to the coast, I thought that they might have been extinct. There was a rake of six on the wharf at Westport, two at the top of the incline, two at the bottom, two just sitting beside the river in the Buller gorge, and 4 at the top of the Rewanui Incline! UPDATE January 2004: I have used the pictures off my new digital camera (a lovely Nikon 5700) which are far superior to my original scans. Hope you enjoy the new images. This page should really be titled 'The Denniston Incline and Conn's Creek branch'

This is a *very rough* diagram of the Incline. So sue me, I'm not an artist! If this image is not easily viewable, click on it for a larger version. The lettered arrows are referred to in the photo's below. Note that the track layout has been simplified for clarity. There is an excellent track plan on a plinth at the Conn's creek end of the incline if you want a more accurate plan. The view from point 'A' looks at the top of the incline, although the line to the Coal mine actually extended a considerable distance back into the hills. The flat bit in the middle is called 'Middle Brake', and actually splits the incline into two. The superb little loco (!) at the bottom awaits at Conn's Creek. The descending loaded wagons pulled the empty ones up. The huge cable drums in the sheds braked the wagons. Occasionally the hooks would break and a wagon would plummet off into the bush, they must have gone for a far way because they're still there. The incline was far too steep for them to stay on the track. Notice also how the single sections used a common centre rail. If you're interested in this, go and see Coal town in Westport. An excellent display including one of the cable drums, and a wagon set up on the same angle as the steepest bit. How they got any coal down at all amazes me. Coal town is very recommended.
		This is view 'A' in the diagram above. It looks down on to the work area at the top of the incline. This whole area was covered in very large buildings. The railway track plummeted off just in the right hand side of the small hill smack in the middle, where the 'Q' wagon waits to take it's last plunge. The structure just to the left of the white car is the foundation for the brake drum building.

The view down the incline (B). Yes, they are clouds down there! In the original photo you can just make out the track area of Middle Brake (a brown area in the bush). This thing is unbelievably steep! The vista out to the coast is superb, I love the West Coast. .

Ja1250 and J1211 crossing Rough Creek, Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

View 'C' looks back up from just over the start of the incline. That hill in the background was covered by some very large buildings. Note the railway sleepers still embedded in the ground. This Q wagon has been placed here since my last visit in 1999. Somebody is looking after the area and there are lots of information boards around the place.

This is the view from on top of the brake drum building's foundations, looking towards the incline. The cloud rolls in, then rolls away, this is a magical place.

J1211 at Rolleston

Lots of big wheels - these things were at least three times my height. They have been restored and mounted on the plinths since my last visit.

Photo 'D' shows the two 'Q' class hopper wagons. The hopper part was lifted off the base of the wagon to load the coal onto the waiting ships at Westport. The Q class was made up of about 5 sub-classes.

Photo 'E' shows the road back, and the scene up the Coast to Westport. It was raining lightly when we were there (late December 2003) but the weather just adds to the mood of this beautiful place. You can just make out Westport in this shot.

This is the view from Conn's Creek, the incline looks like a track going up the hill beside the remains of the original crane. There's still pieces of steel cable lying around, and some railway tracks or sleepers are visible further up the incline (not shown in this picture).

Same two Q's but a better picture. I think the Denniston Incline and Conn's Creek branch are very beautiful, well worth visiting even if you're not interested old mining junk and railway remains. A very steep drive up to Denniston but well worth it, no substantial walking so the mobility impaired would get a lot out of this area too.

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