Media Release

Coal trains to resume between Rapahoe and Stillwater as Solid Energy washery commissioned

10 December 2007

Coal trains will start running again from Rapahoe, near Greymouth, from mid-December with the commissioning of Spring Creek Underground Mine’s upgraded coal washery at Rocky Creek. 

Solid Energy and rail operator, Toll Rail, expect that initially two trains a day will run to Rapahoe and, once loaded, return south to Stillwater and on to Lyttelton Port of Christchurch.  The initial schedule has trains travelling north to arrive at Rapahoe at approximately 6.30 am and midday, and leaving fully loaded at approximately 8.30 am and 2 pm.  The trains, carrying a total of 1,500 tonnes of coal in 30 wagons, take approximately two hours to load. 

“Drivers and pedestrians using level crossings should be alert for trains at all times as we expect additional trains and schedule changes,” says Barry Bragg, Solid Energy’s Chief Operating Officer.  “In the last year or so people will have become less accustomed to watching for trains.  From next week trains will be using that line often.” 

Commissioning the upgraded washery is an important step in the multi-million dollar redevelopment of Spring Creek Underground Mine, the first in a series of equipment and systems tests before coal extraction restarts.  Over the last 14 months Solid Energy has been undertaking a redevelopment of the mine designed to access more than 3 million tonnes of low ash, low sulphur, semi-soft coking coal. 

The washery upgrade allows the mine’s entire output – expected to be in excess of 65,000 tonnes a month – to be processed and for a greater proportion of the output to be low ash, making it more attractive to higher-end markets such as steel-making. 

Spring Creek Underground Mine, owned by Spring Creek Mining Company, is a joint venture between Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, which owns 51%, and Cargill, the international food, agriculture and energy company.  Solid Energy is the operator of the mine.