A Jaunt to Wellington

Our journey starts at Papakura station, where DFB 7307 arrives with train 201. On Platform 2, AM 960 and AM 932 wait to run a service to Waitematā

13 July 2024

On the rear of train 201 is luggage van AKS 5868, with our carriage AK 2053 being the last passenger carriage

13 July 2024

At Hamilton, passengers were able to jump off the train for a leg stretch. DFB 7307 undergoes a crew change while passengers wander around and new passengers board

13 July 2024

DFB 7307 waits for departure from Hamilton station at the front of train 201

13 July 2024

Cafe car AKC 2511 in the middle of train sits underneath Hamilton's blue skies

13 July 2024

Further down the line, the collection of stored SA and SD carriages has shrunk, with a number scrapped and GVR now starting to relocate theirs to Pukeoware. Seen here are SDs 5626, 5648 and 5999, all owned by KiwiRail

13 July 2024

A line of SAs and SDs in the yard at Taumarunui, owned by KiwiRail

13 July 2024

In Wellington station, DFB 7307 sits at Platform 9 after arriving with train 201, becoming the only active train in the platform. All Wellington metro lines were bus replaced out of Wellingtion station on this day

13 July 2024

Passengers leave the train for their final destinations while DFB 7307 waits for a tow back to the yard

13 July 2024

Later in our visit, we head for a short journey up the Johnsonville Line. FP 5131 sits at Platform 2 waiting to run a Johnsonville Line service

15 July 2024

We jump off the train at Crofton Downs, the first stop on the line after snaking through the hills out of the city

15 July 2024

Shortly after the departure of the outbound service, FP 5033 arrives at Crofton Downs in the other direction, with the two trains crossing at the next station at Ngaio

15 July 2024

FP 5033 arrives at Crofton Downs station on its way back into Wellington

15 July 2024

At Petone station, FP 4218 heads to Wellington on its own as a 2-car set

15 July 2024

Some time later, FP 4339 and FP 4322 pull into Petone station on a run into Wellington

15 July 2024

FP 4339 takes the lead on the Hutt Valley service into Wellington

15 July 2024

Our train now arrives at Petone, with FP 4316 leading a Melling Line service to the namesake Melling station

15 July 2024

FP 5200, soon to lead the train back to Wellington, sits at Melling station. The station was originally due to close temporarily in July 2024 for construction of a new interchange, however was pushed back for replanning of the project

15 July 2024

FP 4316 stands at the end of the line at Melling, with the modern stop block in place. The block was replaced after two different units overran the end of the line, with one ending up on top of the old concrete stop block

15 July 2024

FP 4316, now on the rear of the train, sits under the Melling station building waiting to return to Wellington

15 July 2024

FP 4316 in front of the stop block and alongside State Highway 2 at Melling

15 July 2024

On our journey back to Wellington, we spied DCP 4801 fresh off Q4 shunt from Hutt Workshops. The locomotive returned to the South Island the following day

15 July 2024

Next to DCP 4801 is DH 2839, fresh out of Hutt Workshops with a repaint into the KiwiRail livery

15 July 2024

A number of other locomotives were also sitting in the yard waiting for their next duties. Here, Wairarapa locomotive DFB 7348 waits for its next train, with DL 9792 and DFB 7145 sitting behind

15 July 2024