Restoration Gallery

Some pictures of the restoration work being done at our Silverstream site.

We have Wellington and Manawatu Railway Carriages 42, 48 and 52 which were made in the Thorndon Workshops of the WMR Company 1905-07. WMR 48 is well under way with restoration as can be seen in the photos under Restoration tab. Work on rebuilding WMR 52 commenced in 2023 and is progressing steadily and WMR 42 is waiting it’s turn.

Unless stated otherwise, all photographs by Rod Merrifield, Bill Prebble and Glen Fitzgerald.

 

Cover Me Ltd. of Upper Hutt has made the upholstery and fitted it all, based mainly on photographs of WMR carriages being built. The seats are leather, padded with foam rubber in preference to the original horsehair.

Adding the finishing touches to the seat squabs. Principal Dion Hunter is looking on.

Cover Me Ltd staff who contributed to this work posing on completed seats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carriage 48, drawn out into the sun.

 

 

 

Signwriting completed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Door hinge parts: left, as received from the foundry; right, ready for final assembly.

Photo: Bruce Shadbolt

 

 

 

 

 

Salvaged parts that have to be replaced and/or reproduced as we progress with restoration: left to right, window latch, door hinge, catch-plate for door locks.

Photo: Rob Merrifield

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part assemblies for reproduction kerosene lamps to go in WMR 48. This shows the large central oil reservoirs with brackets holding burners and their glass chimneys. Two burners per lamp.

Photo: Bruce Shadbolt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Flashback to 2018 – members visiting the North End Workshop