Northern Explorer

The journey starts at Wellington Railway Station, unusually with DXB 5097 in charge of the train. The Northern Explorer is normally hauled by a DFT or DFB class locomotive

27 July 2014

The train shortly before departure from Wellington

27 July 2014

The previous day's locomotives, DFT 7051 and DFT 7282, sit in the Wellington yard. DFT 7051 only got as far as Mercer on the southbound trip before developing faults, and had to be assisted by DFT 7282

27 July 2014

Passing through Tunnel #1

27 July 2014

Looking out from the warmth of the AK class carriages over the Porirua Harbour

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 passes slowly through the closed Muri station

27 July 2014

The train waits at South Junction, for train B40 to clear the section ahead

27 July 2014

Passing through the single track section between South and North Juntions

27 July 2014

Looking back towards Wellington

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 glistens in the sun as it approaches Manakau

27 July 2014

The train changes drivers at Palmerston North

27 July 2014

DXB 5097's running board could do with a clean

27 July 2014

Capital Connection carriage S 3190 in the storage siding at Palmerston North

27 July 2014

The train approaches Feilding

27 July 2014

Feilding and District Steam Rail Society's yard next to the Feilding station. Da 1401, aka DA 28, can just be seen in the shed

27 July 2014

A common trend among farm animals is that sheep run from trains, as demonstrated by this flock

27 July 2014

Cows, on the other hand, just stare at the train going past

27 July 2014

Passing the Marton platform. The station is the junction of the Marton-New Plymouth Line

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 coasts around the curve out of Marton

27 July 2014

Cliff faces near Rangitieki

27 July 2014

Crossing the first viaduct of the journey, the Makohine Viaduct

27 July 2014

Looking over State Highway 1

27 July 2014

The western view from the Makohine Viaduct

27 July 2014

Passing under State Highway 1

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 negotiates the curve as it tows the light train north

27 July 2014

A photographer captures the moment as the train heads towards Tunnel #10

27 July 2014

Passing through Mangaweka, one of the few places where State Highway 1 crosses the North Island Main Trunk at a level crossing

27 July 2014

The train on the Mangaweka Deviation

27 July 2014

Crossing the South Rangitikei Viaduct

27 July 2014

The view from the other side

27 July 2014

Taihape's famed gumboot at the entrance to the town

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 enters the Turangarere Horseshoe

27 July 2014

The bridge on the northern side of the horseshoe

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 negotiates the 180 degree curve

27 July 2014

The train has already travelled over the track seen here

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 notches up out of the curve

27 July 2014

Crossing the Whangaehu River, the Whangaehu River, the site of the Tangiwai disaster in 1953

27 July 2014

DC 4064, looking worse for wear, stabled at Ohakune with a rake of new YL class ballast wagons

27 July 2014

The Ohakune station building

27 July 2014

DXB 5097 stopped with train 200 just before venturing onto the Hapuawhenua Viaduct, to wait for permission to enter a work site

27 July 2014

The train eases onto the viaduct

27 July 2014

A classic scene, albeit usually with a different locomotive class, as the train sweeps around the Hapuawhenua Viaduct

27 July 2014

The old Hapuawhenia Viaduct in use as a walking and cycling track

27 July 2014

The curved Hapuawhenua viaduct behind the train

27 July 2014

State Highway 4 passes down below the Makatote Viaduct

27 July 2014

Between National Park and Waiouru, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe are visible

27 July 2014

Mt Ruapehu, with plenty of snow, is also visible

27 July 2014

The tail end of a very late train 391 departs National Park after crossing 200

27 July 2014