10 Years in Pōneke – Part One!

I’ve been living in Pōneke for ten years this February, and honestly – I can barely believe it. It certainly doesn’t feel like ten years have passed since I was left to fend for myself at Weir House, ready for my first year at university – but somehow, the time has passed and here we are.

Wellington was always my first choice for uni. I never even applied to anywhere else. I was going to do a BA in Politics (the serious choice) and Theatre (the fun choice), but after about a month of dealing with the Very Big opinions of people who willingly chose to study politics, I dipped out and started studying just theatre and film, with some Classics and English classes in there. I went on, after that, to get a MFA in theatre, and now I work in theatre, and have an incredible interest in politics, so I suppose my study life… sort of worked.

Here I am. Ten long years in Pōneke, a city that I adore, despite its many foibles. I’ve performed here, played here, found a community. So, between now and the end of the year, I’m going to embrace this city and do ten new, interesting or strange things to celebrate my time here; reflecting on the last ten years along the way. I’ll write an article about each, tell you some stories, and maybe you might even find some new things about this place or look at the city a little differently.

So.

#1 – Travel long distance via steam train

People know me as the train girlie. It’s a title I sort of fell into, due to my significant interest in the world of trains. If you know me better, you’d know I’m more into mapping, and train routes, rather than trains themselves, but I digress.

I’m from Tairāwhiti.

Gisborne doesn’t really have trains. We did, once, with the Gisborne-Wellington train route being one my mum used to travel on a lot when she was younger, but since the early 2000s, the track’s been unused. There’s a ton of local interest in bringing it back, but that’s all far in the future.

These days, Gisborne has one train.

It’s called the WA165, and it’s a steam train. It runs from the Gisborne train station and out to Muriwai on public holidays and special times across the year. It is also possibly the only train line in the world to run across an airport runway. The train has to get permission from Air Traffic Control to cross!

When I was a kid, I remember taking this train all the way out to Beach Loop – that’s 33 km south of Gisborne on the Palmerston North – Gisborne line – but since then, the rail line has been completely washed out, and despite public interest, there’s not a whole lot of government thought towards fixing the line. Thus, these days, the WA165 runs on its merry way 16km out to Muriwai and it’s nice. But it’s not a train system, and it’s certainly not anything more than a fun experience for tourists.

Which brings us to Wellington.

Despite our many complaints about the Wellington public transport network, and the many valid improvements that are needed (the day the trains actually run during the holidays my life will be complete), our six train lines are incredibly well trafficked and provide a necessary public transport link to the commuters of our city.

There’s also a lot of heritage train services that run out of Pōneke.

And as I write this, though likely not when I publish it, I’m on one of them!

If you’re not familiar with my work, I’m a theatremaker here in Wellington. I’m also very, very interested in history. My father was a history teacher, and my parents both encouraged my interest in history growing up. I run a radio show on Wellington Access Radio about artistic history and have done shows in the Heritage Festival for the last two years. I’m predominantly interested in epidemiological history and theatrical history, but also in transport history; what we had in the past and can take from for the future.

Thus, a steam train. There’s a surprisingly large amount of heritage services that run in this country, but I saw that Steam Incorporated was offering a weekend pass to Whanganui for Wellington Anniversary Week, and… well. I have a mate in Whanganui who I’ve been trying to see for a long while. Two birds.

Steam Inc. offers a ton of tours, and they’re remarkably well priced. Just over $100 for a return trip to Whanganui is nothing to scoff at, especially since this return trip has aircon, snacks and bathrooms, and isn’t the hellish experience that is an Intercity bus. This isn’t sponsored, they don’t know I’m writing this, but I appreciate good service, and they’ve been great.

And so, this morning, I hopped onto the train in Paraparaumu, and off we went.

There’s something kind of magical about steam trains. They’re louder, and bumpier; there’s no faint electric hum of the overhead lines, and the seats are wider and more comfortable. I’ve been on a lot of trains – none of them have ever been this keen on passenger comfort; but I suppose that’s the thing about the time in history where items were designed for comfort first.

Excluding the steam that gets into the carriages when you go through tunnels. That bit is less fun.

It also feels a bit like you’re on a mystical journey to ~somewhere else~ when you’re riding in a steam train. If it wasn’t for my Michael Crichton novel and my earbuds, I could be traveling forth across the Spanish riviera, en-route to meet Hercule Poirot to solve a baffling crime with an equally as baffling villain.

The history that I’ve found myself in is apparent. The carriage I’m sitting in is eighty-seven years old, all soft grey seats and wire racks. In this same train, there’s carriages from even earlier, marked up with ‘First Class’. The bathrooms have NZ Rail branding, and then, of course – there’s the steam engine itself.

The lives that have been built inside this carriage are innumerable, and the stories are too. I’ve never traveled on the Marton – New Plymouth rail line, as passenger trains just don’t travel it anymore, but I can imagine some of the worlds of those who did in the past; who they are and what they’ve seen.

We’ve passed railway stations that are totally disused now, but way back when they were an important stopping point on long rail journeys. You see old houses from the rail line that would have been standing proud twenty years ago. We shouldn’t glorify history, but recognize it for what it was, and this train has seen it all.

I feel very privileged to get to be on this service today.

In a just world it would be more frequent and more accessible. Aotearoa could be a bastion of long distance rail travel if we’d just make the effort. The beauty and mystery of going on a steam train is one thing, but I’d hope to see in my lifetime electric rail that has more longevity. If I could take a train home to Tairāwhiti, I’d certainly be going there more often.

On Monday I return back to Pōneke, via steam train and electric train. This experience has been wonderful, and eye-opening, Steam Inc has been incredibly kind, and I’m regretting that I haven’t been on one of these trains sooner. I truly can’t recommend the experience highly enough.

I just wish we could have more of it.

In future weeks I’ll be doing nine more exciting, interesting, or bizarre Pōneke things, and telling some more stories. Join me, if you like.