Christmas Lights - Trains at Night 2024

DBR 1295 sits next to the signal box at Glenbrook station, on one end of a 9-car train. Ww 480 is yet to arrive, but will take its position on the other end of this train

8 December 2024

High demand for services in past years has led to the addition of a second train on busier nights, this one hauled by DBR 1254 and Ww 644, and travels to Mission Bush and return on KiwiRail tracks. The train is seen here before the event starts standing at a temporary platform

8 December 2024

Pressed into service for the event is A 56030 (aka A 1860), which was prepared for service in less than a week and allowed the GVR train to remain at 9 carriages

8 December 2024

A 56030 and its sister A 56180 sitting at the front of the train, waiting for passengers

8 December 2024

A 56180, running on the GVR as A 1908, was also quickly pressed into service for the event. The carriage is seen here coupled to A 56030 as well as mainline car Aa 1494, with a quickly modified gangway to allow the carriages to connect

8 December 2024

The ticket tent at the entrance to Glenbrook station, set up to handle the expected crowds

8 December 2024

AG 49 sits at the end of the mainline connection, providing power to the ticket tent and other devices in the area

8 December 2024

Santa's Grotto, set up in the Kingsland station shelter, awaits the arrival of Santa for the night

8 December 2024

Just after the departure of the first train, a queue of people has already formed for the next train

21 December 2024

Wandering around the station site at Glenbrook, lights in trees can be spotted, providing extra lighting effects at night

8 December 2024

A tent full of inflatables sits at the eastern end of Glenbrook station, one of many displays set up for the event

8 December 2024

Powering the inflatables in the tent is SD 5842, cleaned and repurposed for the event. The passenger area in the SD is also being used for office space

8 December 2024

SD 5842 sits right at the end of the line, with the generator running and the park lights turned on. The carriage was cleaned from its time in storage, though some scars from its time in Taumarunui remain

8 December 2024

SD 5842 sits next to the light tunnel that passengers walk through to leave the train. Passengers are sent around the end of the line to exit

8 December 2024

Almost 100 years of suburban railway rolling stock come together at Glenbrook, with 1910-built Ww 480 sitting at the end of its train, next to SD 5842 which first entered service as an SD in 2006

8 December 2024

Ww 480 sits next to SD 5842 at Glenbrook station, with the steam train waiting for passengers

8 December 2024

The GVR train sits at the platform at Glenbrook, with lights on ready for the night

8 December 2024

Down at Pukeoware, the train briefly stops to shift control from DBR 1295 to Ww 480 for the return trip to Glenbrook

8 December 2024

New for 2024, lights fitted to the side of the carriage underframes provide colourful scenes as the train travels

8 December 2024

Back at Glenbrook, a long line has formed for train rides as the sun starts to come down

21 December 2024

DBR 1295 waits for passengers and a signal, as passengers also board DBR 1254's train for the steel mill

21 December 2024

After running a trip to the mill, Ww 644 passes a sign showing the reason for another train and 15 total carriages of capacity. On this particular night, wait times reached 80 minutes

21 December 2024

The sun sets over Glenbrook station, with passengers' cars parked in a field

21 December 2024

Down at Morley Road, Ww 644 heads up the grade towards Glenbrook. On the night this shot was taken, damaged points prevented trains from entering the Mission Bush Branch from Glenbrook, and two trains were run on the GVR instead to compensate

20 December 2024

Ww 644 is silhouetted against the setting sun, with its carriages standing out with their Christmas lights

20 December 2024

The side carriage lights light up the grass area at Glenbrook Model Railway on Morley Road, as DBR 1254 lends a helping hand from the rear of the train

20 December 2024

The colour-changing lights make for an impressive view as trains roll past

20 December 2024

DBR 1254 with its own Christmas lights, pushing Ww 644 from the rear of their train

20 December 2024

The actual GVR train, led by Ww 480, makes its own run back uphill to Glenbrook. The two trains took turns running to Pukeoware, allowing one train to run while the other train loaded passengers

20 December 2024

The carriage side lights light up Morley Road as the train heads back to Glenbrook. Dozens of people were present watching the colourful trains go by

20 December 2024

DBR 1295 pushes the 9-total train from the rear

20 December 2024

Between trains, the reflective signs are the only sign that a railway is present as the sun drops below the horizon

20 December 2024

On its next run, DBR 1254 leads the nominally mainline train down the grade to Pukeoware

20 December 2024

DBR 1254 crosses Morley Road, with plenty of lighting on the road

20 December 2024

GVR's mainline fleet lit up for Christmas heading south towards Pukeoware

20 December 2024

Ww 644 brings up the rear of the train, already ready to lead the train back to Glenbrook

20 December 2024

Down at Pukeoware, the side carriage lights light up the yard while the train changes directions

8 December 2024

The Pukeoware yard lit up by the carriage lights

8 December 2024

En route back to Glenbrook, fields get a splash of colour as the train passes through

8 December 2024

Back at Glenbrook, the Christmas train stands under the decorated station platform

8 December 2024

The following night after points had been repaired by KiwiRail, DBR 1254 and Ww 644 were able to resume running to the steel mill. Here, both trains are departing Glenbrook at the same time, with DBR 1295 heading to Pukeoware in the foreground and DBR 1254 in the background heading for Mission Bush

21 December 2024

Exhaust from DBR 1295 blurs some carriage lights as the two trains depart side by side from Glenbrook. DBR 1254's train is departing from the exchange siding onto KiwiRail tracks without entering any other GVR lines, allowing the trains to depart simultaneously

21 December 2024

The trains converge as they both head out on their respective journeys

21 December 2024

Ww 480 returns to Glenbrook with the 9-car train in tow. Visible in the background is the mainline train, waiting for the switchlock to be set for the exchange siding

21 December 2024

Ww 644 again passes the sign informing passengers of wait times, now up to 80 minutes. This wait time meant an extra train needed to operate to clear the queues

21 December 2024

A 56030, seeing passengers for the first time in over 10 years during this event, shines bright at Glenbrook station while passengers board

21 December 2024

A long queue of passengers wait to board the train after dark, the most popular time for train rides during the event

21 December 2024

Ww 644 and Ww 480 run side by side back into Glenbrook on the following trip, with carriage lights the only lights the camera can see

21 December 2024