End of an Era - Celebrating the ADL DMUs

ADL 809 and ADL 808 pair up for the day, running a shuttle service to Pukekohe across the recently upgraded Crown Road level crossing. This service connected with the Mission Bush Family Express put on by the Glenbrook Vintage Railway, with the extra capacity required for passengers for this train

23 July 2022

ADC 858 brings up the rear of the 4-car train as it heads through Paerata towards Pukekohe

23 July 2022

Alongside the celebration at Papakura station, the GVR put on the Mission Bush Family Express from Pukekohe to Mission Bush and return. Here, DBR 1254 climbs the grade from Paerata on the second trip of the day towards Mission Bush

23 July 2022

On the return journey to Pukekohe, DBR 1254 coasts downhill as it approaches Union Road, running long hood leading. DBR 1254 was itself once part of Auckland's diesel suburban fleet, being one of two DBRs assigned to the SX set from 2003 to 2014

23 July 2022

DBR 1254 curves around the trees as it heads onto a straight section of track under Union Road

23 July 2022

DBR 1254 leads its 6-car train underneath Union Roadback to Pukekohe. The capacity of the 6-car train roughly matches that of a 4-car ADL set

23 July 2022

Catching the afternoon sun, DBR 1254 heads back to Pukekohe with a load of passengers

23 July 2022

At Pukekohe, ADL 806 and ADL 802 pair up for the connecting service back to Papakura for GVR's train

23 July 2022

DBR 1254 arrives into Pukekohe on the Down Main, to drop off its passengers who will then change to the AT Metro shuttle service back to Papakura

23 July 2022

DBR 1254 pulls into Pukekohe station long hood leading

23 July 2022

At Pukekohe, both platforms are in use as the 6-car GVR train connects with the 4-car shuttle service to Papakura

23 July 2022

DBR 1254 sits at Pukekohe waiting for passengers to disembark before moving into the loop to run around

23 July 2022

At Papakura, the end of an era event also had photos of the ADL class from the past, dating back all the way to 1993 during the commissioning of the class. Making a cameo in this collage is DBR 1254 (trailing DC 4507), now GVR's mainline locomotive

24 July 2022

As part of the event, a marquee contained information about the electrification project, including new stations and the temporary replacement of the shuttle service with the 394 bus

24 July 2022

Sammy the Steam Train was also giving rides on Platform 3, seen here between trips

24 July 2022

ADL 806 pairs up with ADL 808 for the day, running a shuttle service to connect with the GVR train at Pukekohe. Shuttle services departed from Papakura Platform 1 for the weekend, and electric services from Platform 2, due to the event on Platform 3

24 July 2022

The replacement for the ADL class, AM 810 teams up with AM 375 to run a Southern Line service to Britomart. AM 810 is one of the newest units, entering service in 2020

24 July 2022

Looking out the door of ADL 806 onto Platform 1 at Papakura

24 July 2022

Now at Pukekohe, ADL 806 leads ADL 808 for the return journey back to Papakura, with ADL 805 sitting in the stabling yard. ADL 806 and ADL 808 had a full load of passengers to Pukekohe to meet DBR 1254

24 July 2022

ADL 806 and ADL 808 empty out their passengers onto the platform at Pukekohe. DBR 1254 is sitting right behind the train waiting for the shuttle to depart

24 July 2022

Joining in on the action, DL 9285 brings train MP7X underneath Stadium Drive onto the new track layout at Pukekohe

24 July 2022

DBR 1254 moves onto the platform at Pukekohe, waiting to depart for Mission Bush

24 July 2022

At Mission Bush, stored in the yard is rolling stock owned by Dean McQuoid and Mainline Steam, including locomotives DA 1429 and DC 4421

24 July 2022

Heading back to Pukekohe, DBR 1254 leads its train long hood leading back onto the North Island Main Trunk. Although not in sight here, new signals have been built in preparation for resignalling of the section between Papakura and Pukekohe, including the Mission Bush Branch at Paerata only

24 July 2022