Driving Creek Railway

The Driving Creek Railway is a narrow gauge bush and mountain railway located on the northwestern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on New Zealand's North Island, on the outskirts of the town of Coromandel. It operates as both a functional transport line and a major tourist attraction, bringing over 30,000 visitors annually to ride the steep inclines and view the surrounding landscape. The railway climbs to a height of 167 meters above sea level, overcoming an elevation difference of 110 meters to reach a viewing platform 165 meters above the surrounding countryside. The project is notable as one of the few completely new railway lines constructed in New Zealand in recent decades, and it integrates civil engineering with nature conservation and pottery arts.

Potter Barry Brickell acquired a 22-hectare property north of Coromandel in 1961 to establish a pottery collective. He built an initial 10.5-inch gauge railway with a 20-meter tunnel and a wooden truss bridge, later extending it 250 meters to a kiln and clay pit by 1968. This first line was dismantled in 1973, with materials repurposed for a larger endeavor. In 1975, Brickell purchased a 60-hectare block and began constructing a new 15-inch gauge line, inspired by the bush tramways historically used in New Zealand forestry. Initially, the railway transported clay and pine wood fuel to his kiln, while also aiding the replanting of the hillsides with native flora like kauri. Track materials came from decommissioned coal mines in Huntly, Rotowaro, and Benneydale, and later from the Wellington municipal works yard. The project was financed by pottery revenues, bank credits, and eventually tourism. By 1984, tourism income surpassed pottery earnings, and by 1988 it was promoted as a tourist attraction, initially requesting donations due to the lack of passenger transport licensing. Official state approval for passenger service was granted in 1990, with the formal opening on October 20, 1990. The main line reached its final state in 2002 after 28 years of construction. A major washout in 2004 caused by heavy rain damaged the track near the Double-Deck Viaduct and the Cascade switchback, necessitating the construction of two replacement bridges and a concrete retaining wall to stabilize the area.

Beyond its function as a railway, the site serves as an integrated landscape of art, engineering, and ecological restoration. The grounds feature a sculpture park where pottery and brick artworks are distributed along the rail line and across the property. Structural elements of the railway itself incorporate artistic touches, such as retaining walls constructed from glass bottles. The surrounding land functions as a wildlife sanctuary and a regenerating native forest, where replanting efforts have focused on indigenous species, restoring the temperate rainforest that was entirely logged from the area in the mid-19th century. This combination of functional infrastructure, artistic expression, and environmental rehabilitation reflects Brickell's vision of a harmonious synthesis of humanity, nature, and technology.

The railway's rolling stock, entirely built on site in the railway's own workshops, constitutes a significant part of its holdings. The passenger fleet includes three diesel railcars: Possum, a 14-seater single-car unit built in 1999; and Snake (1992) and Linx (2004), which are 36-seater, three-unit articulated sets. Two diesel locomotives complement the fleet. Dieselmouse, an 0-4-0DM constructed in 1979, was the first locomotive used on the line and now serves as a shunting engine around the potteries and firewood drying shed. Elephant, a more powerful 0-4-4-0DM built in 1980, is used on work trains and to rescue failed railcars, and it can haul the solitary passenger carriage known as the Vintage Train when extra capacity is required. Freight wagons remain in use for transporting clay and firewood to the workshops.

The 2.7-kilometer main line traverses steep and complex terrain, featuring grades exceeding 7 percent, making it one of the steepest pure adhesion railways in the world. The route includes five major bridges, three tunnels, and five reversing points where the train zigzags across the hill face. The most significant engineering feature is the Double-Deck Viaduct, a 13.9-meter span that the line crosses twice at different levels after traversing a spiral. Only one train is permitted on the viaduct at any time. Reversing point number 5 is also structurally notable, as its end sits on a bridge-like structure projecting high over a valley. The tunnels were originally constructed as steep, deep cuts and later converted into tunnels. The line terminates at the Eyefull Tower, a wooden building completed in 2004. Its octagonal design is based on the Bean Rock Lighthouse in Auckland Harbour, and a large viewing deck was added in 2005. A separate toilet facility at the terminus is stylistically reminiscent of the Hundertwasser toilet in Kawakawa. Midway along the route is the Hoki Mai station, which features a passing loop.

The Driving Creek Railway is located on the outskirts of Coromandel on the Coromandel Peninsula. The round trip takes approximately one hour, including a pause at the terminus. The railway operates a scheduled passenger service, offering two trips daily in the winter season and six in the summer. During periods of high demand, multiple trains run consecutively on the same schedule. The attraction is highly popular, with reservations recommended by operators and local tourism authorities. By the end of 2011 and early 2012, the railway welcomed its one-millionth passenger. Much of the proceeds from the railway's operation funds ongoing nature conservation works on the property.