Snapped during the era of my Foxton visits, 1989-1996 (taken quite possibly in August 1990), a view of a new feature at the time to the Main St. streetscape was the Tram Station cafe building which was built as replica of a 1901 railway station building.
A purpose built shed was later added on the south side of the building to house a horse-drawn tram as well as a separate street entrance to the building’s toilet facilities at the east end of the building so that the public could enter the toilets when the cafe and information centre was closed.
The rear of the Foxton horse-drawn tram can be viewed parked alongside the building, having been acquired in 1988 as a tourist feature for the township.
HORSE TRAM DETAILS:
The tram, horses and equipment were purchased in 1988 from Garry Coster in Dunedin. Garry had assembled these under the sponsorship of Speights Brewery. Built on a truck chassis, this replica of an 1800’s tram is both new and old. The exterior is constructed with fiberglass, while the interior contains the same timber work as used in original constructions.
During its years in Foxton, the tram, horses, harnesses and necessary support items have gone through several changes with repainting and refurbishment as required.
When not in operation the tram can be seen through the internal windows of the Dutch Oven Cafe & Bakery.
In 2014 the building had a makeover and is now the Dutch Oven Cafe & Bakery where bread is also made using stoneground flour from the nearby Foxton windmill.
The Foxton tram station building was officially opened on Saturday, 9 December 1989.
OPEN DAY THIS SATURDAY
Manawatu Herald, Wednesday, December 6 1989
The tram station tourist complex is nearing its opening day and that’s great, says Foxton Tourist and Development Association patron Andrew Paddison.
The complex is expected to be opened by Tourism Minister Fran Wilde and Employment Minister Annette King this Saturday [9 December 1989], and there is speculation that former Tourism Minister Mike Moore will return to Foxton for the occasion.
Mr Moore had been guest of honour at a gala function to launch tourism in the town during 1986.
The tram station proposal was first introduced to the public four years ago when Levin’s former promotions officer Grant Stevenson suggested constructing the 1873 shed outside the post office as part of plans to revive the town’s horse-drawn tramway. At the time he told local retailers they had turned their backs on the town’s number one asset and its historic significance. He said that to advance into the 1990s, Foxton should go back to the 1890s.
The Chamber of Commerce decided to investigate public reaction to the proposals and set up a small subcommittee which grew into the Foxton Tourist and Development Association.
The tramway proposal also grew as association researchers realised the need to provide essential services for visitors to the town. These were good quality public toilets and an information centre.
Research showed the more appropriate site would be closer to the Foxton Borough Council Chambers and the association was given permission to continue planning with the adjacent reserve land in mind.
The more ornate and larger 1881 tram station building was selected as the basis of the new design with a veranda linking this building with the public ‘toilets and tramhouse.
Fundraising for the project, expected to cost at the time $156,000, started with a gala dinner which Tourism Minister Mike Moore and New Zealand’s Concorde King Ken Irons attended as special guests.
Within months the association was advised that an application for a Government tourism grant had been successful. The community and public sector grant scheme was set up for substantial projects which would attract the international visitor market. Foxton was allocated $60,500. The condition was, however, that the association should raise the remaining funds before a deadline the following year.
The target of raising $90,000 within nine months was yet another challenge for the association which was also preparing plans to cobblestone the town’s Main Street footpaths and develop hospitality bays, while also encouraging shopowners to carry out restoration of shop frontages.
From February until the end of April many groups in the community worked hard to raise funds backing four young women contesting the town’s queen carnival. The winner was Country Queen Penelope Purcell and the association was able to announce at the crowning ceremony that the community had raised $30,500 toward its goal.
The tram station project was again changed with Palmerston North architect Bryan Elliott recommending the use of two buildings, a replica of the 1873 shed and the 1901 railway station. The estimated cost of this project including landscaping was $300,000.
The project went through a final change last year when the association decided to house the public toilets, information centre and associated business in the one building, eventually agreeing to build an enlarged 1901 replica.
This cut the cost back to $112,000 and the association approached the Foxton Borough Council this February to find the shortfall of $38,000 to uplift the CAP’s grant.
Mr Paddison estimates however that the final cost of the project would be approaching $140,000.
The official opening ceremony takes place at the tram station tourist complex at 10am this Saturday.
The Tram Station Tourist Complex opening day programme on Saturday, December 9: 8.30am:
Champagne breakfast for invited guests and those with tickets. 10am: Official opening of the complex by Tourism Minister Fran Wilde. 11am: Street parade with the arrival of Father Christmas. 12 noon: River boat ride, trolleybus and pony rides. Zone Three dog agility club demonstrates, and there will be a craft market.
[Around 1985/86 it is also understood that Ian Little was invited to set up a trolleybus (aka a trackless tram) operation in Foxton as part of Foxton’s tramway heritage revival after his attempt to set one up in Featherston failed. A horse drawn tram and the building of a trolleybus system in Foxton was eventually seen as an easier undertaking than the construction of a tramway like that which Wanganui now has as a tourist drawcard.]
TRAM STATION OPENED IN STYLE ON SATURDAY
Manawatu Herald, Wednesday, December 13, 1989
By Anne Hunt
FOXTON’S Tram Station Tourist Complex was officially opened by Horowhenua MP. Annette King on Saturday [9/12/1989].
Mrs King said Tourism Minister Fran Wilde had been unable to attend because Parliament was sitting, and only one member of Parliament was allowed out to attend the function.
Mrs King passed on messages of congratulations from Mrs Wilde and former Tourism Minister Mike Moore. She also passed on a letter from Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer, which was placed in a time capsule deposited in the ground with 50 other capsules. A former council employee, Jim Neville, said he hoped they would have better luck than they had with the capsule inserted in concrete on the spur of the moment 50 years ago.
"It has gone all crumbly," he said, saying that the tobacco tin had included ‘the names of the men who built the fence. Another capsule, which had gone missing, contained some coins.
Patron Andrew Paddison briefly thanked all those people who had helped with the construction of the tram station, stating that this list was too enormous to name.
The auction held shortly afterward with district councillor Bob Vinsen as auctioneer attracted keen bidding with David Pritchard from Otaki leaving with the star attraction, a Carl Goldie portrait of Pataia Te Tuki.
Mr Goldie had donated the portrait to the association to be auctioned in recognition of the work carried out by RESTART workers on the project.
Mr Pritchard said he had come especially for the portrait, as he had a lot of admiration for someone who had been able to fool people. for so long. He said it would be a talking point in his boardroom.
The tram station building is owned by the Horowhenua District Council and in 2014 was leased to the Foxton Windmill Trust who transformed it into the Dutch Oven Cafe & Bakery.
Was closed for some 10 months in the transformation process and opened for business on the 5th February 2015, but sadly missed out on the Christmas/New Year holiday trade during the 2014 summer months.
