Miscellaneous and Happenings

On the tail end of its first mainline outing with passengers, DC 4818 leads DBR 1254 up the Whangarata bank with train A060, the last leg of the East & West Rail Tour for 2024. The train visited Napier and New Plymouth on a 10 day tour around the North Island

14 November 2024

The train disappears behind a line of trees as it heads up the grade towards Papakura, before returning to Glenbrook

14 November 2024

Still sitting at the steel mill at Mission Bush is DA 1429, at the front of a rake of wagons in storage. Also visible is DC 4421 and a rake of SA carriages owned by GVR

20 December 2024

A rake of SA carriages stored at Mission Bush by GVR. The SAs are stored here due to a lack of storage space at Pukeoware

20 December 2024

With the points failure at Glenbrook, a number of trains were not able to depart. Seen here are the rakes for trains 345, 134 and 142. Train 345 departed later that night, with a DL locomotive heading up two days later to collect the coal wagons and return them to Huntly

20 December 2024

Sitting in a paddock near Hastings is SXC 1742, converted into accommodation. After leaving Auckland suburban service, the carriage was eventually sold to the Railway Enthusiasts Society for $1 alongside the rest of the SX set, before each carriage was onsold to other owners

28 December 2024

SXC 1742 sitting in a paddock with other railway items around the property. The move of the carriage to this location was featured on the TV show Moving Houses

28 December 2024

Sitting at Wiri depot during the 2024/2025 shutdown are AM 157, as well as new arrivals AM 1033 and AM 1046. The units are resting in the new extension to Wiri depot, built to accomodate more trains required for the City Rail Link

7 January 2025

AM 1033 and AM 1046 sit in the yard at Wiri, having not yet entered service

7 January 2025

Another two new arrivals, first of the batch AM 1005 and AM 1020, sitting in the extended sidings. The new batch of AMs are built in CAF's facility in Mexico, instead of Spain

7 January 2025

Four new arrivals, AM 1033, AM 1046, AM 1005 and AM 1020, sitting together in the yard extension at Wiri

7 January 2025

Down the line at Homai, the pedestrian crossing at the northern end of the platform has now been decommissioned, with access to become via the new ramp only

7 January 2025

The new ramp under construction at Homai, replacing stairs from Browns Road. This ramp allows the two pedestrian crossings at the station to be removed

7 January 2025

The new ramp being installed. The ramp has been under construction from well before the closure, with the stairs being removed and access only via the crossings in the short term

7 January 2025

The ramp under construction, with the pedestrian crossing across the Down Main also decommissioned

7 January 2025

The old stairs lie on a hill in the park and ride area. The stairs were originally installed around 2012 when the Browns Road bridge was rebuilt for electrfication

7 January 2025

A concrete pump truck works on securing the ramp in place, reaching over the railway to complete its work

7 January 2025

Heading south through Pokeno, low-loader ETM 595 rolls down the Whangarata grade

29 January 2025

DFB 7049 leads train 200 through Pokeno, with AKS 5926 behind. This is the first run of train 200 all the way through to Auckland for 2025, with the train terminating at Hamilton since Wellington's rail network reopened

29 January 2025

New to the train for 2025 is AKP 2030, offering the full Scenic Plus experience on the Northern Explorer for the first time

29 January 2025

AM 362 and AM 877 sit side by side at Manukau station, with AM 877 being the next to depart

11 February 2025

At Otahuhu, AM 281 arrives at Platform 3, heading for Pukekohe

11 February 2025

On the head of train 228, DL 9688 leads dead DL 9400 out of Mercer and through Kellyville. DL 9688 is the first DL to be fitted with ETCS, and is seen here on its first post-fitting revenue service as part of a test run

20 March 2025

DL 9688 heads through Kellyville, with DL 9400 and train 228 in tow. Note the text below the number on the cab, indicating that ETCS is fitted

20 March 2025

DL 9688 leading a short train 228 through Kellyville, with DL 9400 in tow

20 March 2025

Pulling out of Puhinui perfectly on time, SRV 5859 leads DFB 7335 as train 100 pulls away from Puhinui station, after dropping off passengers

25 March 2025

SRV 5859 meets AM 892 just north of Puhinui station, as the 4-car set accelerates away and heads for The Strand

25 March 2025

DFB 7335 pushes its set out of Puhinui, meeting AM 892 heading for Pukekohe

25 March 2025

A near-cloudless sky over Puhinui station, with AM 892 stopped on a run to Pukekohe. Above, a United Boeing 777 makes its final approach into Auckland Airport

25 March 2025

Looking the other way from the same bridge, AM 565 and a partner arrive at Puhinui near the end of their run to Manukau

25 March 2025

A semi-regular feature in the last few weeks has been this charter trip, running from The Strand to Waharoa. DBR 1254 takes charge of the short train, heading to Waharoa with a load of passengers before returning to Glenbrook empty. Note the red stop disc on the third main, waiting for the completion of Middlemore station

25 March 2025

DBR 1254, rolling through peak hour traffic on the Northern Explorer slot, approaches Puhinui station on its journey south to Waharoa

25 March 2025

At Shakespeare Road, Ww 480 waits for passengers to reboard after a photo run, with its exhaust steam flowing around the tree overhead

6 April 2025

Viewed from on board an older unit, AM 1005 stops at Te Mahia on a run to Pukekohe. The brand-new unit entered service in the last few days, making its way across all of Auckland's lines

8 April 2025

AM 958 and AM 714 sit at Manukau station, with AM 958 on the tail of the next service to Waitematā

8 April 2025

A large pile of ballast has appeared at Papakura station, higher even than the nearby bridge. The ballast is to be used between here and Homai during track renewals

8 April 2025

Sitting in a shed at Taumarunui, DBR 1213 and DBR 1200 hide from the weather at the Taumarunui Rail Action Centre. The locomotives are owned by DBM Contracting, and are stored here pending a future

28 April 2025

AM 1018 stops at Puhinui station, heading for Manukau. This is also one of the brand new units, entering service after the Easter 2025 shutdown

29 April 2025

AM 1018 departs Puhinui for Manukau, heading through the rain

29 April 2025

DL 9319 rolls down the Whangarata bank with train B33, consisting of ETM 731 and ETM 744. The brand-new tampers are heading south to Palmerston North, where the units will be based when entering service

3 May 2025

The two new tampers under tow en route to Palmerston North on train B33

3 May 2025

The new tampers feature an adaptation of the same KiwiRail livery applied to locomotives, in addition to the usual yellow-all-over colour

3 May 2025

Hiding behind wagons at the steel mill yard in Mission Bush is DBR 1295, on loan to the mill from the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. The locomotive is on loan to the mill while their own locomotive is repaired

4 May 2025

Sitting in the backshunt at Pukekohe, AM 932 and AM 661 have finished service for the night

20 May 2025

AM 116 and AM 390 depart Pukekohe heading for Waitematā, running a 6-car weekend service

24 May 2025

Heading towards Pukekohe and passing train MP6, AM 525 leads newbie AM 1020 into the station

24 May 2025

AM 524 takes the lead with AM 1020 bringing up the rear

24 May 2025

AM 1020, in service for just a few weeks at this point, brings up the rear of a Southern Line service arriving at Pukekohe

24 May 2025