Miscellaneous and Happenings

With fading paintwork and general grime, ADL 803 sits across the yard. (Site accessed with permission)

16 May 2021

ADL 803's stainless steel shines in the sun, contrasting with the faded and peeling paintwork on the cab. (Site accessed with permission)

16 May 2021

The two units are visible from Pukeoware Road, seen here among other various rolling stock in the yard. (Site accessed with permission)

16 May 2021

On a public run, Ww 480 passes through Pukeoware, passing the two stored DMUs

16 May 2021

On one of its monthly trips down to Ohakune, DBR 1254 repositions a short 3-total consist from Glenbrook to Pukekohe to pick up the first passengers, seen here crossing Heights Road

11 June 2021

With AG 49 and two 56-foot cars in tow, DBR 1254 heads to Pukekohe to collect passengers. The train is heading down to Ohakune on one of its monthly trips over winter, as part of Discover Ruapehu rail tours

11 June 2021

With primer applied, DC 4818 sits in the depot at Pukeoware under overhaul

6 June 2021

Parts of DC 4818's long hood sitting in the depot at Pukeoware, waiting for painting

6 June 2021

A visitor to GVR in the form of DSA 483, seen here inside the workshop. The locomotive was swapped for GVR's DSA 243, with the visiting locomotive at Pukeoware for mechanical work and DSA 243 covering at Winstone Pulp at Tangiwai

6 June 2021

Passing through Paerata as the light starts to disappear, ADL 809 heads north on a run from Pukekohe to Papakura

2 July 2021

Running half an hour late at this point, DFB 7335 leads train 101, the first evening Te Huia service, through Paerata. The train was held up at Papatoetoe due to a trespasser, briefly closing the line

2 July 2021

Bringing up the rear of the train, SRV 5859 trails behind DFB 7335 and the third Te Huia set as it passes through Paerata behind schedule

2 July 2021

Passing through Takaanini with the empty Te Huia service, DFB 7335 leads train 102 north towards Otahuhu

7 July 2021

Heading around the curves, DFB 7335 leads its four-car train through Takaanini empty towards Otahuhu

7 July 2021

Arriving into Papakura, AM 849 trails another second-generation AM unit as the train pulls into Platform 2

21 July 2021

DFB 7335 leads train 102 out of Papakura empty, heading for Otahuhu

21 July 2021

The following day, DFB 7077 leads train 102 just before crossing Taka Street and passing through Takaanini station. The train is running with one fewer carriage due to carriages with a certain type of drawgear being temporarily pulled from service, after train 101 parted south of Papakura the previous Monday evening

22 July 2021

On a foggy Saturday morning, AM 319 drifts down the grade from Remuera to Newmarket on an Onehunga Line service towards Britomart

24 July 2021

As the fog slowly burns off, AM 319 heads out of Remuera station towards Newmarket

24 July 2021

Heading through Remuera, DFB 7295 leads train 104 on its first run to The Strand station with passengers on board. On the tail end, DFB 7077 is along for the ride, and will lead the train back to Westfield as train 104E

24 July 2021

With an extra carriage on the consist, train 104 drifts down the grade from Remuera to Newmarket. The train normally runs via Panmure, but is running via Newmarket today due to track work on the North Island Main Trunk

24 July 2021

DFB 7077 brings up the rear of train 104 as it heads down the grade from Remuera to Newmarket

24 July 2021

Pulling into the loop at Pukekohe, DFB 7335 leads train B66 to Westfield, restricted to 40km/h. The train is heading up to Westfield empty to use the lathe, as part of remedial works after parting while in service

11 August 2021

Train B66 pulls into the loop at Pukekohe. The train consists of the set that parted just north of here at Karaka

11 August 2021

DFB 7335 stops in the loop while waiting for one of the last shuttles of the day before continuing north

11 August 2021

At the end of the train, SR 5746 sits in the loop

11 August 2021

DFB 7335 sits in the loop with train B66 while waiting for an ADL to arrive and depart. As the train is restricted to 40km/h, it was sent out behind a shuttle service

11 August 2021

Coming off the Mission Bush Branch, DBR 1254 tows AL 1991 from Glenbrook to Westfield. The carriage is heading back to Northland for use on KiwiRail work trains, and GVR was granted permission to relocate the carriage as essential work under Alert Level 4

8 September 2021

Heading the other way, ADL 810 heads to Pukekohe while DBR 1254 heads to Westfield

8 September 2021

At Otahuhu, works at the approach to the Westfield yard are under way during Labour weekend, in relation to the third main under construction

24 October 2021

Part of the new track layout at Otahuhu includes a crossover from the Centre to the Down Main, just north of the platforms

24 October 2021

In the yard itself, part of the yard has been lifted for reconstruction

24 October 2021

South of the station, a pile of crossovers allow access between the Up, Centre and Down Mains

24 October 2021

An assortment of locomotives sitting around at Westfield, with DFB 7282 prominently in the frame. Hidden behind the DLs are DC 4847 and DC 4191, two withdrawn locomotives that travelled to Auckland for an unknown new owner

24 October 2021

On a wet weekend, AM 103 pulls into Penrose station on a shortened Southern Line run. The train is terminating here due to multiple track work sites south of Penrose

13 November 2021

AM 103 pulls into Penrose station shortly before heading back towards Britomart

13 November 2021

At Newmarket, AM 103 pauses on Platform 1 before continuing to Parnell and Britomart

13 November 2021

Shortly afterwards, AM 415 also pulls into Platform 1 on a Western Line run to Swanson

13 November 2021

As the rain starts to ease off, AM 415 exchanges passengers at Mt Albert before continuing to Swanson

13 November 2021

Heading towards Newmarket and Britomart, AM 225 crosses Morningside Drive as the skies open up again

13 November 2021

Not long afterwards, AM 319 crosses Morningside Drive in the opposite direction. While road traffic was held for both trains, the pedestrian crossing on the platform side allowed pedestrians to cross the unoccupied track

13 November 2021

AM 319 crosses Morningside Drive as it pulls into Morningside station. Pedestrians at this stage are still allowed to cross the Down Main, with the crossing essentially acting as three individual crossings - one for road traffic, and one each for the Up and Down Mains from the platform

13 November 2021

Taking advantage of the large white canvas, Auckland Council has put on a Christmas display on the side of the Chief Post Office building used as Britomart Transport Centre. The display transforms the CPO into Santa's Workshop, and also features Christmas carols sung in Māori and English. With GVR's Christmas lights cancelled due to COVID-19, this is the only rail-related Christmas display in Auckland this year

10 December 2021

On a test run, DFB 7077 leads one of the Te Huia consists through Pukekohe, with DFB 7295 on the rear. The test train is making sure that the rolling stock is still in good order after sitting idle for some 4 months due to lockdowns and Auckland border restrictions, as well as crew training

15 December 2021

DFB 7077 brings the train to a stop just south of Pukekohe station for a compulsory stop board. This is the first time Te Huia has travelled to Auckland since the service was suspended in August after lockdown, although the service is not set to resume until 24 January after the holiday track work

15 December 2021

Now stopped at the board, DFB 7077 waits for clearance to proceed through the work site ahead

15 December 2021

With DFB 7295 dead on the rear, the Te Huia test train passes through the work site at Pukekohe heading back to Hamilton

15 December 2021

With Te Huia set to resume on 24 January, a number of certification runs have been carried out in preparation for the resumption of the service. Here, DFB 7335 leads a 5-car train on train A083 into Papakura, with DFB 7077 on the tail

19 January 2022