News for Apr. 09, 2006

It's Peter Jackson's new toy railway

4/09/06, 1:24 am EST - Xoanon

Hollywood director and Kiwi multi-millionaire Peter Jackson is adding another flourish to his Wairarapa mansion - his own railway track. The region's most famous local bought the $5 million, 30ha property with his partner, Fran Walsh, seven years ago and has been transforming it into a fairytale property, with castle-like buildings and ornamental lake. Train enthusiast Ian Welch, of Mainline Steam Trust, told the Sunday Star-Times Jackson had bought a replica of a 1900s steam train from Canada. Welch supported Jackson's venture and the train was "beautiful... a gorgeous replica of an early period of steam. It's very American, like a cowboy train". [More]