Wairarapa

Woodside and the Greytown branch

The 3 mile long Greytown branch was opened in 1880 when Woodside was the terminus of the line from Wellington. There was an early experiment in 1926 using 'RM4', a Ford railcar but it was very underpowered. The line closed in 1953 and Greytown Station was moved to Woodside to act as the goods shed, now restored to its former glory.

Woodside goods shed	Woodside Goods Shed	Woodside Goods Shed	Woodside Goods Shed history
Woodside Junction history	Woodside Station
Greytown branch track	Greytown branch trackbed	Greytown branch trackbed	Site of Greytown Station
Greytown branch history	Greytown Station, 1922	'RM4', a Ford railcar at Greytown

Carterton

An aged signal post	A small workshop and oil tank	Museum Society wagons	Museum Society wagons
Carterton ground frame	Carterton station	3-way point, Carterton	DC 4323 on the Masterton train
DF 7213 on the Masterton train	DC 4323, DF 7213 to Masterton	DC 4323 on the Masterton train	DC 4323 on the Masterton train
Carterton level crossing	Carterton station	Carterton station	Carterton station
Carterton station	Looking towards Masterton	Looking towards Wellington	Daffodil Express notice
Daffodil Express with Ja 1271	Daffodil Express with Ja 1271	Daffodil Express with Ja 1271	Daffodil Express with Ja 1271
Daffodil Express with Ja 1271	Daffodil Express with Ja 1271	Daffodil Express with RM31	Daffodil Express with RM31

Around Masterton

DC 4692 at Masterton
Mikimiki logging tramway	Mikimiki logging tramway	Mikimiki logging tramway	Mikimiki logging tramway
Ruined Ruston, Otahome	Ruined Ruston, Otahome	Ruined Ruston, Otahome

Pahiatua Railcar Society

Pahiatua Railcar Society open day

Hudswell Clarke D597, Pahiatua	Drewry Tr 36 of 1939, Pahiatua	Drewry Tr 36 of 1939, Pahiatua	Price 206 from Kapuni at Pahiatua
Price 206 from Kapuni at Pahiatua	Drewry railcar Rm 121, Pahiatua	Drewry railcar Rm 121, Pahiatua	Drewry railcar Rm 121, Pahiatua
Drewry railcar Rm 133, Pahiatua	Drewry railcar Rm 133, Pahiatua	Drewry railcar Rm 133, Pahiatua	Rimutaka railcar Rm 5, Pahiatua
Rimutaka railcar Rm 5, Pahiatua	A&G Price Tr 632, Pahiatua	A&G Price Tr 632, Pahiatua	Steel boxvan Kp 2714
The Jigger hard at work, Pahiatua	The Jigger hard at work, Pahiatua	The Jigger hard at work, Pahiatua
Rm 31 'Tokomaru', Pahiatua	Rm 31 'Tokomaru', Pahiatua	Rm 31 'Tokomaru', Pahiatua	Rm 31 'Tokomaru', Pahiatua

Hawkes Bay

Gisborne

Unfortunately the line from Napier to Gisborne is disused though an occasonal logging train may reach Wairoa now. Gisborne is the home of the City Vintage Railway and the East Coast Museum of Technology. The Gisborne Harbour branch is also well worth walking along.

Gisborne engine shed	Gisborne engine shed	Gisborne Station	Gisborne station
Wagons at Gisborne CVR	Wagons at Gisborne CVR	Wagons at Gisborne CVR	Wagons at Gisborne CVR
Gisborne station approach	Gisborne industrial siding	Gisborne station approach
Gisborne harbour branch	Gisborne harbour branch	Gisborne harbour branch	Gisborne harbour branch
Gisborne harbour branch	Gisborne harbour branch	Harbour branch terminus	Gisborne harbour slipway
'Anne Mettie Bulker' at Gisborne	'Kawatiri' at Gisborne	'Pukunui' at Gisborne	'Pukunui' at Gisborne

The East Coast Museum of Technology

A quick look at the stock of the East Coast Museum of Technology at Gisborne just as it was closing for the day.

The Chaplin VB loco or crane	'DSa 278' Drewry / Vulcan of 1953	'PWD 526' Davenport 1860 of 1921	'PWD 526' Davenport 1860 of 1921
'PWD 526' Davenport 1860 of 1921	Makaraka Goods shed at ECMT	Matawhero Station at ECMT	Tank wagon at ECMT, Gisborne

Mohaka Viaduct and the Napier - Gisborne line

Mohaka Viaduct was built between 1930 and 1937 by the PWD and is 908ft long and 312ft tall, being the highest viaduct in New Zealand, in fact the whole of Australasia. The line was disused from 2012 to 2017 but logging trains have begun again from Wairoa.

Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay	Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay	Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay	Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay
Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay	Mohaka Viaduct, Hawkes Bay		Bridge on the road to Gisborne

Taranaki and Whanganui

Stratford and Dawson Falls

DCs 4409, 4605, 4634 and 4692	DC 4409 at Stratford Station	DXB 5097 at Stratford station	DFT 7077 at Stratford station
DC 4398 at Stratford station	DC 4605, DCP 4634 at Stratford	DC 4398, DC 4692 at Stratford	DFT 7008 at Stratford station
Stratford station, Taranaki			Dawsons Falls Generator, Taranaki

Makahu Tunnel

Between Stratford and Whangamomona off SH43 near Strathmore. Constructed in 1907, the timber lining had decayed by 1919 and was replaced by the present concrete pillars. A major upgrade followed in 1998.

Makahu Tunnel, Taranaki

Makahu Tunnel, Taranaki

Makahu Tunnel, Taranaki

Moki Forest and Tunnel on SH43 near Tahora

The old boilers are from 1930s and 1940s logging operations in Moki Forest by Fazackerley's Milling Co
The Moki Tunnel was one of five tunnels proposed by Joshua Morgan (a surveyor in Whangamomona) in the 1890s, before his unfortunate death in 1893. This tunnel was the only one to be constructed out of the five, constructed in 1935-1936 by the Public Works Department, after they had completed metalling the road. Mr. Townley was the engineer, and Mr. Birss the overseer. It was dug using two power jack-hammers driven by a coal-fired steam compressor, which was situated at the western Tahora end of the tunnel. The coal was supplied from the Tangarakau Gorge mine, and was brought to the site by Mr. Ron McCartie, a Tahora settler. As the work on the tunnel continued, the coal-fired compressor was replaced with a diesel-powered air compressor, lessening the need for coal. While the tunnel was being dug, many unique fossils were found. The spoil from the tunnel was carried out by horse and skip on steel rails that had been laid from the tunnel to the tip face, making the road wider on either side and was used to fill where the road presently runs, which has been broadened to a two-lane sealed road.
The tunnel is approximately 180 metres long, and was originally built five metres high. However, with the introduction of stock trucks and trailers onto the road, this was not high enough. In 1985, Colin Boyd (from Inglewood Metal Supplies) lowered the floor a further two metres. About two decades ago, a witty traveller nailed up a sign re-naming the Moki Tunnel as the "Hobbit Hole". This nickname is still used today.The Moki Tunnel is a fine example of the unusual and well thought-out work completed by the road engineers and surveyors of early New Zealand. It has been appreciated b

Moki Forest, Taranaki	Moki Forest boilers, Taranaki	Moki Forest boilers, Taranaki	Moki Forest boilers, Taranaki
Moki Forest boilers, Taranaki	Moki Forest boilers, Taranaki
Moki Tunnel, SH43, Taranaki	Moki Tunnel, SH43, Taranaki	Moki Tunnel, SH43, Taranaki	Moki Tunnel, SH43, Taranaki

Opunake beach

In 1882 a jetty was built at Opunake on the Southwest coast, followed by a breakwater and wharf in 1924. Unfortunately a ship hit the end of the wharf in 1929 and it was demolished in 1933.

Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki
Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki	Opunake beach, Taranaki
Opunake beach, Taranaki

Tangahoe Valley Road bridge and tunnel, near Hawera

In 1937 a new bridge was built over the Tangahoe River on the Tangahoe Valley Road replacing a structure that had been destroyed by floods. It has an arch span of 24.2 metres. This is an interesting bridge, the deck passing through the arch about mid-point, with the legs of the arch anchored into the abutments in a visually impressive manner. This is known as a half-through arch. The bridge was designed for the Hawera County Council by the Public Works Department to give a 2.4m clearance above the highest recorded flood level.

The Tangahoe Tunnel was constructed in 1928. At 160 metres long it's one of the longest of Taranaki tunnels. A plaque inside the eastern portal records the guniting of tunnel in 1954. (Gunite or shotcrete is concrete sprayed under pressure to consolidate walls.) Another plaque at the west portal commemorates the re-opening of the tunnel after repairs in 1997. In 1986 part of the roof collapsed in an earthquake and the tunnel was closed. A deep and unstable cutting alongside, which proved to be often unpassable, served for traffic until the tunnel was repaired and re-opened in 1997.

Tangahoe bridge, Taranaki	Tangahoe bridge, Taranaki	Tangahoe bridge, Taranaki	Tangahoe bridge, Taranaki
Tangahoe tunnel, Taranaki	Tangahoe tunnel, Taranaki	Tangahoe tunnel, Taranaki	Tangahoe tunnel, Taranaki
Tangahoe tunnel, Taranaki

Wanganui

'Waimarie' on the Whanganui River

Old marine boiler at Whanganui

'Wairua' on the Whanganui River

The North Island Main Trunk Line and beyond

One of the great rail journeys of the world - with an overnight stay at the Tongariro Chateau with complimentary volcano smoking away behind your room - it's just got to be done....

Foxton

'Palmerston' was built in 1872 at Dunedin by R S Sparrow & Co for the Foxton to Palmerston North Railway. Neither the loco or the line were successful so the wooden rails replaced by iron and 'Palmerston' was replaced by 'Opossum', 'Skunk' and 'Wallaby' built by Mills of Wellington. These in turn were replaced by NZR locos and were sold off. 'Palmerston' continued in use on works trains etc until scrapped. 'Opossum' is preserved at Shantytown, South Island and the replica of 'Palmerston' was made in 1993.

'Palmerston' at Foxton

'Palmerston' at Foxton

'Palmerston' at Foxton

'Opossum' from Foxton

Palmerston North

Palmerston North, DSC DSC 2556	Palmerston North, DSC 2746	Palmerston North, DSG 3005	Palmerston North, DSG 3061
Palmerston North, DF 5097	Palmerston North, DF 5108	Palmerston North, DF 5137	EFs 30157 and 30232
DX 5166 and EF 30013	DX 5166 and EF 30013

The Overlander to Auckland

View from the train and EF 30013	View from the train and DC loco	View from the train and DC loco
Ohakune, Tr 989, Price 190	Ohakune signal box	a spare bogie at Ohakune	Ohakune, EF 30013
National Park Station, DC 4571

Around and about in North Island

Putaruru Museum, A&G Price 218

DL 9072 at Waharoa

DL 9072 at Waharoa

Kawakawa and the Bay of Islands Railway

Auckland breakdown train coach	A steam loco once upon a time	Drewry 2730 of 1967	'Gabriel', Peckett 1730 of 1927
Peckett 1645 of 1924	Rotorua Express coach	'Ruby' Drewry 3659 of 1973	Main Street, Kawakawa

White Island Sulpher Works

White Island or Whakaari in the Bay of Plenty contains one of New Zealand’s most active volcanoes. Early in the 20th century it was an important source of sulphur for the manufacture of superphosphate. Mining ended after 10 or 11 men were killed in a landslide in 1914. Some mining resumed in 1923, but eventually ceased in the 1930s when the sulphur was depleted.

White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works
White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works	White Island Sulpher Works