Quote from: Bealman on March 05, 2016, 08:33:18 PM
How cool is that railcar!!  May I ask how far the line runs, please?

Akaroa looks nice... a place I don't think I've been to, or if I have I don't recall. Maybe I drove straight through without looking.  I'll bookmark it for next trip.

Wonderful photos once more. Looking forward to the next episode!   

George

Thanks George

The railcar track is only 2 kilometers but great fun! Akaroa is a great place for a short stop and the road there is quite interesting! And thanks to Martyn for his insight into some of the history of preservation in NZ

We said our first trip would be a one off but we're now trying to work out if we can manage a third, I'd like to fit in a few of the preserved lines when they are running!

Cheers for now    David

For anyone who wants to get the flavour of NZ steam in action, the NZ national film unit made a series of films which are/were available on tapes; I don't know if they are available on disc. One, though shot in black and white, 'Kb country', is worth it to see this class of 4-8-4s full out going over Arthur's Pass  (I think-South Island).
Other titles have  been released by independent makers which include main line and preserved railways; there are also a number of clips on Youtube.
Don't forget that NZR is 3'6" gauge. Many of their steam locos were UK built, as were the first generation diesels; newer locos tend to be US based, I think, but not necessarily built there. A number of classes were built locally in NZR workshops.
Martyn

In respect of Martyn' comments, the following may be of interest:

'Kb Country' is on Youtube and was produced and masterminded by Ian Cross- a railway enthusiast who was also an  exceptional modeller in Sn 31/2 scale. Unfortunately he died some years ago, It was filmed on the 'Midland Line' the track that goes from one side of the South Island to the other and which is now a popular tourist line.

In respect of NZ's motive power history: In precis many of the early locomotives were certainly built in the UK, BUT delivery problems and the realisation that US-sourced locomotives were more suitable for local conditions, eventually meant that Baldwin's products became the 'locomotives of choice' a situation that lasted until  1915 when the Aa (A a) class arrived; theses being the last locomotives built by Baldwin's for the NZR.

HOWEVER, the  NZ Government Railways Department (NZGR) had a very long history of building their own locomotives, starting with the W class 2-6-2T's in 1889 and continuing through to the Ja (Jay A) 4-8-2, the last of which was built in 1956.

The NZGR design office took the best of both US and UK steam locomotive design and seemed to be able to combine the various attributes into very efficient and  powerful locomotives, some of which (the K Ka [Kay A], Kb and Ja [Jay -a) classes) were considered to be on a par with the best of contemporary British and US standard-gauge types.  Certainly David Morgan ('Trains' Magazine) considered the K-and Ka class 4-8-4's to be exceptional.

In respect of innovation BTW, it should not be forgotten that the NZGR introduced the 'Pacific'-type (4-6-2) locomotive to the world with the 'Q' class of 1901, and also the 'Mountain'-type (4-8-2)  in the form of the 'X' class of 1909.

Sadly, as with steam power, the 'First Generation' of diesel-electrics, while sourced from the UK (specifically English Electric) brought with them myriads of problems and were ultimately deemed to be unsuitable for the task.  They had been ordered as a result of pressure from London, at a time when Britain was trying to rebuild itself after WWIi and while remaining in secondary use for many years, were rapidly replaced on main line services by US-built equipment (Specifically EMD's G-12 and G-8 'export' types) in the 1950's. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the EMD product (of classes Da [Dee A) and Db [D-bee])were more suited to local conditions.  The Da (EMD G-12) eliminated steam power on the North Island's 'main Trunk line which runs from Wellington (the Capital) to Auckland (the largest city), while the Db (EMD G-8) was a lighter locomotive for 'secondary' lines.  it also came to dominate steam, lading to the demise of that form of power.   EMD continued to hold sway until the late 1970's when a brief incursion by US manufacturer General Electric proved the superiority of the EMD product.  Due to World Bank pressure associated with the Japanese economy and NZ exports to that country, Mitsubishi also made a batch of locomotives for New Zealand, but these were somewhat less than successful and remained in the South Island for their entire NZR career.

Currently,  the largest class of diesel-electrics are the Chinese-built Dl's which started entering service some 5 years ago.

Hoping that this is of interest. 

It most certainly is! Thanks for posting! 

Komata;
Thanks for the precis of NZGR loco history. I was trying to avoid making as lengthy a post as you have made! Also, as I said in my original post, I haven't been there since 1978, so any memories are now dim(ish), but I did keep in correspondence with one of the members of the Glenbrook railway until about 1988, and received magazines from him to keep me up to date until then.
I also haven't watched my NZ tapes for some years, due to the change in technology! I think the tape referred to also had the delivery trip of a 'Wab' from the South Island to, I think, Glenbrook; and also two other short films, but I can't remember what. Another tape is of main line running with either Glenbrook's or Steam Incorporated locos.
I think that when I was last down there, the Dx class was the newest one.
Martyn

Martyn

Thank you. Sadly, while railway preservation is going well and some real gems are being restored, the actual railway system is dying-off as the trucks start to take ascendency; helped in no small measure by a railways board that has no railway members and who seem content to do nothing to gain business back from the road transport people. Death by inaction if you will.

At least you saw it in its 'better days'

And on to Nelson where we went up Botanical hill referred to as the centre of NZ to get this view



A look round some early settlers houses





And then a trip to Cape Farewell, first seen from the plane as we flew into Christchurch it's the long sandbar on the right, looks abit like a Kiwi's beak! It's the northernmost point of the south island



They use special buses with large allwheel drives to get through the loose sand at each end of the bar



The area is kept as natural as possible and the tour people stop to pick any litter or unnatural flotsam & jetsam



The interesting lighthouse, originally there were 3 keepers whose cottages lie just behind the lighthouse, the keepers were responsible for planting the trees to give themselves some shelter



A view seawards from the cottages



The headland at the landward end of the bar, looks just like Durdle Door just down the road from me.



We drove to the Cape from Nelson which involved a twisting road with lots of tight bends which we had got used to but it was the 1st time we had come across a 15kph! advisory sign and it meant it.

From there we went to Blenheim for a wine and mussel tour, first "Cloudy Bay"





And then Nautilus whose wine we preferred although it was all good





On to Havelock home of the greenlip mussel and on to the boat





Out to the mussel bed



Where the boat was tethered alongside and we had a feast of mussels, so busy stuffing myself I forgot to take a piccy, nice glass of wine to go with it as well!

On the way back passed this lucky guy who'd just caught a Kingfish, they are very tasty and the captain of our boat was horrified when the guy put it back



When we got back to the town our lunch stop was right next to the town museum with this fellow standing outside



And her history



Finally off to Picton  which featured in my 2014 saga, drop off the car and ferry to the north island and Wellington via the picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound.

Before I leave the South Island the pump clip of the first beer I had on arrival in Christchurch



Now guess which bunch that reminded me of?

I'll catch up with you all soon cheers    David

Komata;
can you please confirm if the Midland line of the South island includes Arthur's pass, and the Otira tunnel, which I think at least for a time was electrified (the Otira tunnel bit, that is)?
When I was there on the meat ships, the frozen carcasses would come by rail to the tranship sheds, and then loaded direct to the ships; at Bluff and Timaru via the huge covered loaders, and in other ports, by means of cradles on the ship's derricks. I think wool arrived by rail as well. On my last couple of trips, the containers also came by rail. A shame if this is now lost to road.
TIA

Martyn

Martyn

Thanks for the question.  Yes, the 'Midland line' does indeed include the Otira Tunnel and Arthurs Pass. The 'Electrics' have all gone BTW, as have the 'break bulk' handling procedures you would have seen.  Containers rule everywhere on what remains of the railway system and the only 4-wheeled wagons still in revenue service are a small group still operating as log haulers on the Dargaville branch in Northland (top of the Nth island).   The trucks (with political help) have largely taken the 'cream' and the railway carries whatever may be left.

More great pictures, David! 

So onto Wellington I do like this city, some nice buildings





A ride on the cable car



And the view from the top



A couple of examples of British engineering, a Stothert & Pitt dockside crane



The floating steam crane Hikitia built in Scotland in 1926 and last used in 2013 during the construction of flats on the old Ocean terminal site.



Just 3 buildings from our hotel a lovely Belgian bar with a good range of beers



A peaceful view of the harbour



And on to Steam Incorporated at Paekakariki, another place we came across on a day when nothing much was going on, we did however have a good look round. JA1271



Cab detail



AB 608 "Passchendaele"





And its plaque



Cab detail



DA1471 nearly ready for the off!



DA1431



Coach under restoration



A rake of the finished article



Next stop is the Len Southward Car Museum a must for car enthusiasts, just a taster on here as we've got a long way to go, see you all soon, you've guessed it its nearly time

Great pictures, David. I too, have a fondness for Wellington. My old schoolmate and his wife live and work there and we go there quite frequently. Never been to the railway  museum though! 

And so on to the Len Southward Car Museum, a most impressive collection including Marlene Dietrich's V16 Cadillac



A beautiful Bugatti



How's this for a "kettle" a Stanley steamer



A view of some of the exhibits including the white Cord roadster in the middle



And a few of the motorbikes with a nice BSA sloper



Up the road the Makohine viaduct



And it's info plaque



A view from the top of Mt Ruopehu while we were staying at Ohakune



On the way down the Mangewhero falls



Not very wet at the time of year!



The woodland path to get there



Back in Ohakune there is a railway exhibit which features info on the Tangiwai disaster on xmas eve 1953



And a model of the accident site



As well as the Café Loco



And an old poster for the much missed Kingston Flyer



another viaduct undergoing renovation, an enormous amount of lead based paint had to be removed



And its details



A view of Mt Tongariro near the "Top of the Bruce"



My little treasure coming down the ski lift, not really my thing I waited in the bar!



A countryside view



And across an estuary



In Ohaupo we came accros a lovely café at the back of a clock shop



And found this sign, which sums me up perfectly!



And next it's on to Hamilton as we make our way up to the Bay of Islands via Auckland
Cheers for now,    David

More great pictures, David! Once again fond memories for me as I've been to most of those places.

We are off there again on July 4 for a couple of weeks, but I doubt there'll be much railway content as it will be South Island only and Mrs B is making noises about going skiing!   

On the way back passed this lucky guy who'd just caught a Kingfish, they are very tasty and the captain of our boat was horrified when the guy put it back

Looks undersized to me!! B