The Incline
The Summit tunnel entrance on the Wairarapa side
The Rimutaka Incline was one of only 3 sections of railway in the world that used the Fell system, comprising a centre rail that was gripped by a special wheel in the middle of the engines as they hauled a train up a steeper than normal gradient. Whereas a normal steam train would struggle with a 1 in 30 grade, the Fell system could cope with 1 in 15, which is the grade over most of the Rimutaka Incline.
This multi-cache requires you to read all of the information panels from the Cross Creek car park to the Summit Tunnel, plus locate a few other objects and signs on your journey, in order to answer the clues required to calculate the co-ordinates for the final cache. In the course of doing this you will find out a lot more about this wonderful feat of Victorian engineering as well as what life was like for the people who worked on building the line, who ran the trains and who travelled on them over many decades, so I won't go into any more detail about it in the cache description.
Notes about your journey
Even on a warm day down at the car park, it can get quite cold as you get higher up the Incline, especially at Siberia, where the wind whistles through the gully at the best of times, so make sure you have suitable clothing. The picnic area at Summit has some sheltered spots to have a picnic before returning, as well as a covered shelter that you can use when the weather is really against you.
The track is in good condition over most of its length, though it is a bit rough and potholed in the two lower tunnels that you have to go through and is quite narrow getting from the car park to Cross Creek. The two lower tunnels are both quite short, but are curved, so you can’t see the far end when you enter them. The Summit tunnel is very long and you certainly need a decent torch to get through that one, but the surface is much better.
A swing bridge has been built across the gully at Siberia, but moves a LOT in strong winds (as attested to by GSEL: many thanks to him for the info about it). If you are scared of heights or the wind is too strong you are advised to take the path down at that point to ford the small stream at Siberia instead of using the bridge. The ascent and descent into the Siberia gully is steep on both sides. If cycling you are advised to dismount for this section unless you are using the bridge in calm conditions. If it has been raining a lot, be careful (the rocks across the stream can be slippery) and expect to get wet feet if not using the bridge. The stream that used to need to be forded at Summit now goes through a culvert and you keep your feet dry for that one.
There is a lookout platform off the track between the Siberia and Summit tunnels which gives you a good view of a lot of the track below as well as the top end of Price’s Tunnel.
The view from the lookout platform
There are flushing toilets located at Summit, a well-maintained long drop at the Cross Creek car park and 3 rather old long drops at Cross Creek itself.
If you haven’t already found them, don’t forget to check out the other caches that exist at both ends, plus along the track and at Cross Creek.
Obtaining the co-ordinates for the final
The final cache is located at S 41° AB.CDE, E 175° FG.HIJ. The cache is a 200 ml Sistema and contains a log sheet and a small treat for the FTF. Make sure you bring your own writing implement to sign the log. You need to calculate the values for A to J from the 30 answers a to z and aa to dd using the following calculations. The checksum for a to dd is 205.
A word of warning: BE CAREFUL (two words actually). Make sure you read the question carefully before finding and recording the correct answer. If you are doing this cache one-way from Summit you do NOT want to get to the car park at the bottom and discover that the checksum doesn’t work out and you have to go back to Summit to get a correct answer! If you are doing this as an out-and-back trip you don’t have that worry: if the checksum doesn’t work out when you get to WP17 at Summit you can recheck your answers as you go back down to the car park to discover your mistake.
The Calculations
Calculate the values A to J using the following formulae. The asterisk symbol (*) is used where you need to multiply.
A = a+b
B = c+e
C = h-g
D = o+s
E = l-x-y-p
F = d/2-(dd*aa)
G = f-j+cc-m
H = k+q-t
I = w-n-z
J = (u*bb)+(r*v)-i/3
The questions that you need to answer to obtain the values a to z and aa to dd at the various waypoints are as follows:
| Waypoint |
Sign / Object containing the answer |
Question |
| WP1 |
A Feat of Engineering |
The year that Fell patented his system: a = the sum of the first 2 digits minus the sum of the last 2 digits |
| WP1 |
A Feat of Engineering |
The number of years that the Fell engines were in service: b = first digit minus last digit |
| WP1 |
Engineered for Feet |
c = The number of kms from Cross Creek to Summit |
| WP2 |
Working the H-Class (board 1) |
d = the number of mms the brake blocks could wear down in a single descent from Summit.td> |
| WP2 |
Working the H-Class (board 2) |
dd = the number of cleaners who worked on the Fell engines |
| WP3 |
Comings and Goings |
The elevation above sea level of the turntable: e = first digit minus last digit |
| WP4 |
A Day in the Life |
When electricity arrived at Cross Creek: f = last digit of that year |
| WP4 |
Then and Now |
g = The number of species of moa that lived in the Rimutaka Range |
| WP4 |
Six Little…Could |
The number of kms logged by the Fell engines: h = sum of the digits in that number |
| WP4 |
Welcome to Cross Creek |
i = the number of years that Les Veale lived and worked at Cross Creek |
| WP5 |
Centre Rail Begins (board 1) |
j = The speed in kph once the centre wheel had gripped. |
| WP5 |
Centre Rail Begins (board 1) |
The number of turns it took the fireman to engage the centre wheel: k = first digit of that number. |
| WP5 |
Centre Rail Begins (board 2) |
The number of the Fell engine in the picture: l = the sum of the digits in that number. |
| WP6 |
The Chosen Route |
m = The number of diagrams showing the Rimutaka Tunnel |
| WP6 |
Te Karu o Te Ika a Maui |
n = The number of things that local tribes hunted from Lake Wairarapa |
| WP7 |
Fire On The Incline |
Date of the extract from ‘The Evening Post’ that is shown on the information board: o = third digit of the year |
| WP8 |
The Long Straight |
Length in metres of the longest straight on The Incline: p = second digit minus the sum of the first and third digits |
| WP9 |
Time for Tea |
q = The number of components that gangers working on The Incline had to repair |
| WP10 |
Price’s Tunnel plaque |
r = The number of workers who died when the roof of Price’s Tunnel caved in during construction |
| WP11 |
Old power pole above Price’s Tunnel |
s = The number of upright bolts on the old power pole that is visible on the hill above the tunnel, looking south from WP11 |
| WP12 |
Siberia |
Date of the only fatal accident on the Rimutaka Incline: t = the day in the month |
| WP12 |
Nature’s Reroute |
u = The height in metres of the embankment that used to cross the Siberia Gully |
| WP13 |
Slip Sliding Away |
The number of the Archives reference for the picture that is displayed: v = first digit of the Drawer number |
| WP14 |
Siberia Tunnel plaque |
The grade through the tunnel: 1 in w |
| WP15 |
Summit Tunnel bridge signs |
x = The sum of the digits in the speed and weight limits of the bridge that lies just outside the tunnel on the Wairarapa side |
| WP15 |
Making the Grade |
y = The difference in minutes between maximum and minimum times it took a fully loaded Fell engine to ascend the Rimutaka Incline |
| WP15 |
Incline Sport |
z = The number of letters in the name of the flowers that were picked when people got off the train in the story (count the ‘s’ at the end as well) |
| WP16 |
Summit Tunnel plaque |
aa = The number of years it took to build the tunnel |
| WP16 |
Summit Tunnel plaque |
The length of the tunnel in metres: bb = last digit |
| WP17 |
Summit toilet block |
cc = The number of metal manhole covers on top of the septic tank near the toilet block |