News
At last, work is underway on the upgrade of the old Mataura Railways Station building
In August last year, then minister of railways the Rt Hon Winston Peters announced that additional funding would be provided for the refurbishment of the historic building and that ownership would be transferred from KiwiRail to The Rail Heritage Trust.
An update from the Trust says after a year of planning and consultation site works began early last month when sections of the timber windbreaks at either end of the platform canopy were removed to provide site access, and the corrugated iron on the rear section of the canopy roof was removed so the station could be scaffolded and tented.
Stage One will see the asbestos cement roof tiles and old sarking removed. New sarking will be installed after any damaged roof timbers have been repaired or replaced. The chimneys will then be cleaned and repointed before new rhomboid tiles are laid in a diamond pattern to match the look and colour of the original roof.
While the scaffold and tent remain in place new spouting and downpipes will be installed with the exterior timberwork repaired and repainted down to the top of the windows. After the scaffold and tent have been removed mobile scaffolding will be used to repair and repaint the rest of the exterior. The focus will then turn to completing the interior renovation.
The restoration project will see the station returned to how it looked when built in 1921, including the installation of period signage. The Rail Heritage Trust would welcome any assistance in researching the names of any local advertisers c1920 and the colour of their signs before creating replicas. If samples of the original paint are found during the restoration process, these colours will be used when the station is repainted.
The aim of the restoration is to find a tenant for the station so it can continue to play an active role in the community it’s served for more than 100 years.
At the time Mr Peters said KiwiRail will increase its annual contribution to the Trust from $125,000 to $500,000. The funding will go towards restoring historic railway buildings and structures around the country.
“This is about our national industrial heritage and the volunteer power and engineering pride of railway communities,” Mr Peters said.
At the gathering for Mr Peters announcement, Mataura Community Board Chair Nicky Coats welcomed the news. “It’s fantastic for the Mataura community to see this historic building on our main street being brought back to its former glory, restoring and preserving a piece of our local history for future generations.”
Long-time advocates Neville Phillips and Laurel Turnbull expressed relief that progress is finally being made. “We’re all happy that something is being done at last,” said Turnbull.
The station, designed in 1921 by celebrated architect George Troup, reflects a key era in New Zealand’s railway heritage. The restoration is expected to bring a renewed sense of pride and identity to the Mataura community.