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Dunedin surveyors Dylan Hills (left) and Toby Stoff start creating a super-accurate model of...
Dunedin surveyors Dylan Hills (left) and Toby Stoff start creating a super-accurate model of Baldwin St as part of their battle against Guinness World Records to reclaim the street's crown as the world's steepest. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Thousands of dollars have been raised by former classmates to get a Dunedin surveyor to Wales to try to reclaim the world's steepest street title.

Toby Stoff has been vocal about Harlech street Ffordd Pen Llech claiming the record, saying it was not measured using good surveying practice.

He recently remeasured Baldwin St himself with his own surveying equipment.

Graduates of the Otago Survey School class of 1992 have started fundraising to get Mr Stoff to Wales to survey its street properly.

The idea is for him and potentially one support person to travel to do the job, but the estimated cost is $10,000 to $12,000.

Former classmate Mike Constable, now the chief executive of Huawei Marine Networks, said from Singapore yesterday they had already raised $4500.

"So hitting $12,000 should be pretty easy."

They were now reaching out to the graduating classes of 1991 and 1993 for help.

"Toby has quite an interesting personality, so if nothing else it will be quite a hoot."

They have set up a wider public crowdfunding campaign.

Mr Stoff said his classmates seemed to be keen to make the trip happen as soon as possible.

"We could probably do something good PR-wise."

Now they would need to work out logistics.

One of the masterminds of the Wales campaign, Gwyn Headley, would be out of the town until October.

"That would make it a bit pointless. There are a number of things we've got to consider first,' Mr Stoff said.

If the trip did happen, he could either travel with someone else, or use a robotic total station.

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This is now becoming so embarrassing...
Have we not got better things to do?

Some of us don't stay sitting down when we get cheated out of something.

What's 'so embarrassing' about wanting to reclaim a title?, is it 'so embarrassing' for the all blacks to want to reclaim the rugby world cup if they loose?, or a hockey game or soccer. Would you rather we just accepted defeat?, no because it's called being competitive (something New Zealander's do well at but sounds like you don't) if Toby can bring back the title then good on him I say.

Danf - I don't feel it's embarrassing at all, good on the lads for chasing it up.
I reckon they are right and it makes for a pretty funny work story.

I'll be pitching in a sly fiddy for the fund. Though I personally think the DCC should cover the surveyor fees and flights. The city will make more back from tourists and sightseers if we still have the World's "steepest street" than not chasing it. Good luck lads.

Not for the rest of us. This guy a Dunedin hero. I'll help with a donation.

You sound like a barrel of laughs.

DCC should chip in lol because they built very overdue public toilet near Baldwin St just before it's lost the title

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