Piako County Tramway

The Piako County Tramway was built in 1882-83, just south of Te Aroha. It was a 2 mi 22 ch (3.7 km) long,[1] horse powered tramway.[2] It carried quartz from gold mines in the Kaimai Range to water-powered batteries in the Waiorongomai Stream valley below.[1]

Piako County Tramway
Butler’s Spur Incline, Piako County Tramway. The maximum gradient was 1 in 2.
History
Opened	1884
Closed	after 1924
Technical
Track length	3.7 km (2.3 mi)
Track gauge	2 ft 9 in (838 mm)
Highest elevation	430 m (1,410 ft)

It was built to the rare 2 ft 9 in (838 mm) gauge, thought to be that used on bush tramways in the Waitawheta and neighbouring valleys.[3]

A & G Price's first locomotive was built for the line, but proved too large for the curves and was sold for less than half its cost in 1885.[4] It was later used for log haulage on Smyth Bros tramway at Kennedy's Bay.[5]

The line included 3 self acting inclines, the longest being 400 m (1,300 ft) up a 1 in 4 gradient.

Repairs ceased in 1924 and by 1932 the line was overgrown and unusable.[1]

During the 1950s and 1960s, some rails were sold to local contractors, but in 1966 permission to remove rails was refused and in 1976, council scheduled the tramway as of historical and scientific interest.[1] The tramway was listed as Category 1 in 1997.[3]

DOC has restored parts of the tramway, now used by Waiorongomai Valley tramping tracks.[6]

Water race and tram terminus at the Waiorongomai public gold battery, with the tram terminus in the right foreground. pre 1898.