New Zealand 2020

[geoffk]

Wellington is the home of the NZ beer revolution and for a capital city is very compact, probably due to the surrounding hills. It has an electrified suburban rail network and a funicular – the Wellington Cable Car – leading up to the suburb of Kelburn and the botanic gardens. There are still, I think, some peak time loco hauled services on the suburban network to outlying towns. From Wellington the Northern Explorer runs to Auckland 3 times a week, it’s an 11 hour journey but you do at least have the opportunity to stretch your legs a bit during the journey. It now arrives into Auckland Strand station rather than the main Britomart station as it did during my visit.

Auckland has a modern electrified suburban rail network and is being extended with a city centre tunnel under construction to make Britomart a through station. You don’t need to walk far in the city centre to find these works!

I guess the OP's planned trip to NZ is on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Can I use this thread to mention the recent Bill Nighy TV travelogue on the Northern Explorer? A fascinating line. The whole route seemed to have OHLE yet the train was diesel-hauled. Is there no suitable electric locomotive? And, other than the suburban networks at each end, what use would be made of the wires (anyone know)?

 

[Bald Rick]

I guess the OP's planned trip to NZ is on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Can I use this thread to mention the recent Bill Nighy TV travelogue on the Northern Explorer? A fascinating line. The whole route seemed to have OHLE yet the train was diesel-hauled. Is there no suitable electric locomotive? And, other than the suburban networks at each end, what use would be made of the wires (anyone know)?

When I was there twenty odd years ago, there were significant sections in the middle that weren’t electrified.

There was, however, a steady stream of timber trains with electric locos on the front on the wired sections.

 

[hexagon789]

I guess the OP's planned trip to NZ is on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Can I use this thread to mention the recent Bill Nighy TV travelogue on the Northern Explorer? A fascinating line. The whole route seemed to have OHLE yet the train was diesel-hauled. Is there no suitable electric locomotive? And, other than the suburban networks at each end, what use would be made of the wires (anyone know)?

There are suitable electric locos but from what I remember reading the passenger trains are diesel-worked throughout now. They also de-wired some steeply-graded sections on some mainlines after diesels of sufficient power became available rendering the original need for the electrification null.

 

[Haywain]

There are suitable electric locos but from what I remember reading the passenger trains are diesel-worked throughout now. They also de-wired some steeply-graded sections on some mainlines after diesels of sufficient power became available rendering the original need for the electrification null.

I am pretty sure that it wasn’t continuously electrified at any time in the past. It certainly wasn’t when I was there. In addition, I can’t be certain that the Wellington and Auckland systems use the same voltage.

 

[hexagon789]

I am pretty sure that it wasn’t continuously electrified at any time in the past. It certainly wasn’t when I was there. In addition, I can’t be certain that the Wellington and Auckland systems use the same voltage.

Sorry I didn't intend to imply it was, and yes there are various systems in use. Simply I meant that the use of electric locos has declined and while a number of inclined and tunnelled sections were electrified in the early 20th century, dieselisation rendered those obsolete

 

[barrowjack]

There has been a couple of New Zealand journeys on Channel 5' Great railway journeys series. Last week was the Northern Explorer. Link below to the catch up if you are interested in watching them

https://www.channel5.com/show/worlds-most-scenic-railway-journeys/