Isn’t it intriguing that a spot along the Rimutaka Rail Trail is called Siberia? Here at Siberia Embankment we are standing on a place of harsh beauty and historical significance.
Siberia Embankment is more than just a scenic point. It is a reminder of the challenges faced by those who built and maintained the Rimutaka Incline. The pick-and-shovel workers in the 1870s initially named this spot Horseshoe Gully. The track swung a full 144 degrees over just 100 meters. Soon the ferocious winds that tore through the area prompted the name Siberia.
This embankment is part of the Remutaka Rail Trail. The trail runs between Maymorn and Cross Creek. It follows 22 kilometers of the original Wairarapa Line. This line crossed the Remutaka Range. The Rimutaka Incline was world-famous.
The name Siberia evokes images of a vast cold land of exile. New Zealand has sixteen places named Siberia. This harsh spot on the Rimutaka Incline is one of them.
The only fatal train accident during the Rimutaka Incline’s 77-year history happened here. On September 11 1880 a gust of wind blew two railcars off the track. Three children died instantly. A fourth died later from injuries.
In 1967 a massive washout obliterated the high curving embankment. Trains once chugged across it. Now hikers and mountain bikers cautiously pick their way across an ever-shifting gully. They then regain the line of the track.
The Rimutaka Incline was completed in 1878. It was a temporary fix while funding for a tunnel could be secured. The 8.8 km tunnel wasn’t completed until 1955 because of two world wars and an economic depression.
The Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply Board took ownership of the railway corridor land. This was after the railway line closed in 1955. They kept the railway bridges to maintain access for forestry. Trees were planted by forestry staff from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.
The Siberia embankment collapsed during a severe storm in 1967 because its drainage became blocked.
The Rimutaka Rail Trail opened on November 1 1987. It was a joint project between the Wellington Regional Council and the Department of Conservation.
The Department of Conservation manages the Cross Creek to Summit section. The Greater Wellington Regional Council manages Summit to Maymorn.
Points of interest along this section include Price’s Tunnel. It is 98 metres long. It is also on an S-curve. There is also Siberia Tunnel which is 108 metres long.
Imagine working on the Rimutaka Incline. Imagine traveling through Siberia every day. As Graham Murrell recalled his Fell-engine cab trip through Siberia Tunnel. He said he could barely breathe. His ears felt as if they were on fire. His fingernails felt as if they were being burnt with a hot poker.
Siberia Embankment stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the unforgiving power of nature. As you continue along the trail remember the lives touched by this place. Remember the echoes of the past that linger in the wind.