The Winding Gear
The original winding gear used to haul the cable cars up the incline has been restored to working order and can be seen on the lower level of the museum.
Audiovisual presentations
Video presentations play continuously while the museum is open, outlining the history of the Wellington cable car system and providing information on other Wellington attractions.
A popular addition to the line-up is Wellington’s Private Cable Cars by Ocular Films. This film was commissioned by the museum in 2006, recognising that visitors were intrigued by the number of privately owned cable cars they saw around the city.
The Wellington Cable Car Museum houses a collection of national significance, including:
Restored grip cars and trailer
Central attractions are two of the original cable car system’s three grip cars and a trailer. Grip Car 1 (1901) and its trailer (originally a horse-drawn tram c1882) have both been restored to their 1970s appearance. Grip Car 3 was meticulously restored over a nine-month period to its appearance c1905 in line with a detailed conservation plan (click here for images and information about this restoration).
Interpretative displays
Attractive display panels detail the 100-year history of the Wellington cable car and the development of the Wellington suburb Kelburn. Interpretation is also provided on the surrounding area, including the Wellington Botanic Garden, and on the nine-month project to conserve and restore Grip Car 3.
