NZ Folk Song * The Rimutaka Line

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Trains climbed over the top of the Rimutaka ranges before the
tunnel between Upper Hutt and Featherston was constructed.

Key of Eb. Capo on first fret and play D chords

D If you're tra-vel-ling by tunnel through the Rimutaka hill
You're A7 tra-vel-ling so smoothly that you think you're standing still
You D should have been much earlier and G seen the steep incline
When we A7 travelled to the city on the D Rimutaka line

CHORUS Two miles an hour, upwards we go
A7 headed for the summit buried in the snow
You D never think she'll get there, you G worry all the time
Oh there A7 never was a railway like the D Rimutaka line Now Wellington's a windy place, the wind is like a curse
But on the Rimutaka hill the wind is even worse
One day as they were climbing up and they were doing fine
....till a gust of wind blew them right off the Rimutaka line

Now the curves are so terrific and she winds about a lot
You really think the train would tie itself into a knot
And she climbs a long so slowly up the steep and narrow track
I think they keep the brakes hard on to stop her sliding back!

Now if you go to Featherston by tunnel through the hill
You'll see an engine standing there, quite alone and still
She looks so old and battered and she's really past her prime
But she did all the hard work on the Rimutaka line.

The Rimutaka Line

The Rimutaka rail line was opened in the 1880s to take produce from Wairarapa farms to the port at Wellington for export.

Trains had an easy climb of 120 metres from Upper Hutt to the Summit station on a long winding track with a standard gradient of one in 50, or one degree.

But trains climbed 250 m from Cross Creek to the Summit on a shorter but much steeper climb of one in 15, or four degrees, up the unique "Rimutaka Incline". To haul a 250 tonne train of wagons up this steeper slope without the engine wheels spinning, a raised centre rail was added. This was gripped by horizontal driving wheels under the specially built "Fell" engines.

Trains of 1000 tonne weight, like this 1955 excursion train, were hauled up the incline with 4 Fell engines spaced at regular intervals. The Rimutaka tunnel opened not long after this excursion, and this mountain railway was closed.

Neil Roberts

Frederick Neil Roberts was born in Wellington in 1912, to Frederick Roberts and Frances Ellen (nee) Battersby. He was the eldest in the family and had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The family were strongly involved in The Salvation Army, and Neil's early musical influences were singing hymns and playing in the brass band.

He spent most of his life in Wellington though also lived in Gisborne for a time. He maintained a keen interest in music all his life, and was also a keen tramper and environmentalist. He is best known for his song Sticky Beak the Kiwi.

Neil was universally loved by his 3 children and his many nieces and nephews.

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Webpage put onto folksong.org.nz website July 2016