Sunday, August 28, 2011

the Republic of Whangamomona

The above two photos are from this webpage
Photo in the NZR magazine of November 1937
Hidden in in the Taranaki Hill Country, this isn't a township that has many residents or much claim to fame, apart from the annual 'Republic Day'.  It is on the 'Forgotten World Highway', SH43, as well as on the Stratford-Okahukura Line which links Taranaki to the North Island Main Trunk, although naturally Steven Joyce would love to take his sharpened railway destroying axe to it.  It last saw regular passenger trains in 1983, but there are frequent excursion trains run over it.

For more history and pictures of the railway, see our books.

2 comments:

Rod said...

that looks like a former Wellington City diesel bus in the second picture.

transpress nz said...

Indeed, an AEC Reliance from 1962-63 with an NZMB body, 40 seats. A chocolate fish for you.