Ocean Beach Railway general manager Mike Kilsby scrapes paint on the carriage. PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIEN

An important part of Dunedin’s rail heritage is being painstakingly restored by a team of volunteers at the Ocean Beach Railway in St Kilda.

Carriage A1254 was built in 1913 and saw long service on the Dunedin and southern lines before being retired.

The 50-seat wooden carriage has recently returned to Ocean Beach after more than 30 years on the Taieri Gorge line with Dunedin Railways.

Ocean Beach Railway general manager Mike Kilsby said the full overhaul of the carriage, including returning it to New Zealand Railways livery, should be completed in five to six months.

The railway’s operation of heritage trains had been badly affected by Covid-19 but it hoped to have the popular attraction back on track by February, he said.