New Zealand: Cape Gauge Winter Steam on the North Island

Steam Charter trains for Photographers in New Zealand 14.6. – 22.6.2026

Welcome to the other side of the world! Two large, scenic islands, magnificent volcanoes, lush meadows and dream beaches on the North Island, the high mountains of the New Zealand Alps and a rugged, fjord-riddled coastline in the south, friendly, open-minded people with a high regard for the culture of the Maori, the indigenous people – all this is offered by the land far away  and ‘down under’ – and, of course, a highly interesting Cape gauge railway network.

There has never been a trip like this before! Authentic special trains for railway photographers using vehicles from two competing companies on state railway lines in New Zealand! The preparation and logistics costs are enormous, which is reflected in the tour price, but anyone who misses our on this event may be missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

New Zealand's railway history dates back to 1863, and by 1873 the Cape gauge (1067 mm) had been established as the standard gauge. In the 1950s, the railway network, already nationalised before the First World War, reached its greatest coverage. The subsequent expansion of the road network resulted in the closure of some branch lines, but the establishment of the railway ferry service connecting the North and South Island networks in 1962 brought a new boom.

New Zealand Railways then followed the almost global trend of gradual decline. Another very trendy move in 1990 was the privatisation as a state-owned company, New Zealand Rail Ltd. After complete privatisation in 1993 (renamed Tranz Rail in 1995), the decline accelerated. Various passenger and freight transport companies began to hinder each other instead of cooperating. The infrastructure fell into disrepair until the government finally pulled the emergency brake. On 1 July 2008, renationalisation was completed. KiwiRail (transport company) and Ontrack (infrastructure operator) were founded.

Steam operation, which from 1967 onwards was only on the South Island, ended in New Zealand as early as October 1971. A considerable number of steam locomotives were preserved for museum purposes and, since 1983, have been allowed to be used on state railway lines in front of special trains. Ian Welch was one of those who bought steam locomotives and preserved them for posterity. In addition to a few small associations and operators, there are two major providers of steam train services on the North Island. One is Ian Welch's Mainline Steam Trust, the other is Steam Incorporated.

In 2026, at least two of New Zealand’s second largest steam locomotives will be operational on the North Island, and on top of that, hopefully, Mainline Steam's KA 942, which is streamlined and looks massive. Currently, Mainline Steam's J^B 1236 and Steam Inc.'s J^A 1231 are operational. In order to have a reserve locomotive available in case one of these large machines breaks down, Steam Inc. brought A^B 608 back from the South Island to the North Island – an extremely complex and expensive undertaking because the railway ferry across Cook Strait was decommissioned in 2025.

Why not the South Island, one might ask? On the one hand, the railway ferry sailed to India for scrapping in 2025, and on the other hand, the termination of a lease agreement means that there is no suitable storage facility for Mainline Steam's steam locomotives. There are a maximum of two operational steam locomotives on the South Island -  the A^B from Steam Inc. and the A^B from the Kingston Flyer, which is used there on a short tourist railway isolated from the rest of the network. A 428 from the Weka Pass Railway is not operational. I consider the risk of a failure to the only freely available engine to be too high, given the effort involved in travelling to the end of the inhabited world and although here is a solution, it is not financially viable at present.

If we can successfully complete the trip in 2026, then I would give it a try. Ian is definitely committed, which means he is more than just interested. With the last surviving K^B from Christchurch across the New Zealand Alps, it is a dream that does not have to end. It just requires a good six-figure sum in New Zealand dollars.

To get you in the mood, I recommend the two videos by Toni Schweizer:

https://vimeo.com/1148878462

With an interview with Ian Welch: https://vimeo.com/1149627190

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Itinerary

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Line description

The big problem with organising this trip was that Mainline Steam has blue passenger carriages in its fleet, which may be ideal for tourists, but are a no-go for any photographer who likes authentic trains. Steam Inc., on the other hand, has authentic carriages available. However, it so happened that these two companies were once one, and differences between the people involved led to a split. The starting point was therefore that they did not want to talk to each other, let alone couple the authentic carriages from Steam Inc. behind a Mainline Steam locomotive. So, in July 2025, I flew to New Zealand and tried to make the impossible possible. Before I could finish asking the question of all questions, I was told, ‘And the answer is no!’ So let's just say it was a major challenge. Fortunately, it was overcome and so we will be able to experience two of the large 4-8-2 Class J locomotives pulling authentic trains.

The non-electrified line to New Plymouth branches off from the electrified Auckland–Wellington main line in Marton, and the non-electrified line to Napier branches off in Palmerston North. The former runs through agricultural land with steep gradients, through hilly terrain, sometimes close to the sea, and features several tunnels and bridges. The most impressive gradient is just west of Whanganui, where the line climbs steeply for 140 metres and our engine will be put to the test.

The route to Napier runs between Adhurst and Woodville through an impressive gorge between the Tararua and Ruahine ranges. This is very difficult to access and also difficult to photograph, which is why we want to spend a little more time here and run the line several times. After crossing the mountain range, the landscape is flat at first, but then becomes hilly, and by the time we reach the fantastically preserved Ormondville railway station, there are numerous photo opportunities and photogenic steel lattice viaducts. We travel to Waipukaru. It is possible that we will have a diesel locomotive pushing the train in the area of the long tunnels through the mountain range. However, as we will hardly be able to see the end of the train in the gorge section, this is not a problem, at least from a photographic point of view.

The 4-8-2 series J^A and J^B locomotives used were at home on the lines on which we will be running them. If the refurbishment of the 4-8-4 K^A 942 is completed before the start of the tour, it will also be used. With an axle load of 14 tonnes and a total weight of 94 tonnes, the K class is significantly heavier than the J class family with its approx. 11-tonne axle load and 70 tonnes of weight in total. Despite their driving wheel diameter of only 1.372 m, both locomotive types were fast runners. The Class K locomotives converted to Baker valve gear were reported to reach top speeds of over 120 km/h. It is important to remember that the locomotives ran on Cape gauge with their small driving wheels. The J class was equipped with Baker valves from the beginning and was predestined for express trains, but also proved its worth in freight train service. After delivery in 1939/1940, both classes immediately had to cope with the increased transport volumes due to World War II and were used in front of all types of trains, from Mixed on branch lines over freight train service to the most important express trains on the main lines. Their star began to fade in the mid-1950s when the first D^A class diesel locomotives took over their duties. By 1967, their decommissioning was almost complete, and in 1971, steam operation on the state railway came to an end.

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Small Print

New Zealand, an island nation located in the southern Pacific Ocean, consists of two main islands separated by the 23 km wide Cook Strait. The state of New Zealand belongs to the British Commonwealth and therefore drives on the left.

New Zealand has a time difference of 11 hours from Central European Time (CET) +11 hours.

Due to New Zealand's location in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed when compared to Europe. The country's climate is influenced by the subtropical high-pressure belt in summer and the westerly wind belt in winter. The climate is slightly warmer than in Central Europe. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. Every season in New Zealand is suitable for a visit due to the mild climate, which knows neither extreme heat nor cold. At worst, we will experience temperatures around the freezing point, but as a rule, even winter on the North Island is often frost-free.

We will stay in smaller mid-range hotels and motels, although these will not necessarily be at the end point of our day's excursion. However, we have hired a charter bus to take us across the island. We will travel both by charter bus and by charter train. Some particularly beautiful photo spots are not accessible from the road.

The focus is on taking good photos, so we will sometimes set off before sunrise. This is not a problem, as the sun hardly rises before 7:40 a.m. in June and sets behind the horizon again at around 5 p.m. Meal times may vary and may also be served as packed meals or could be cancelled altogether, so you should always pack a few snacks for the day out on the line.

New Zealand is considered one of the safest countries in the world to travel to. Many nationalities only need a valid passport (valid for 3 months after the return date) and an

e-Visa, which can be applied for and delivered online, to enter New Zealand.

The locomotives and some of the carriages we’ll use last saw regular service on the state railway almost 60 years ago. Technical problems and even breakdowns of one or more locomotives without replacement or compensation are to be expected. However, as at least three different locomotives are available, we are almost certain that we will always be able to find a solution. We may not be in Africa, but mechanics following the same physical principles all over the world, and that includes malfunctions, broken valves or leaking tubes. You need to be aware of this when you take part in this tour. If you can't accept that an 87-year-old locomotive just may break down, you should not book this trip.

This type of photo event is virtually unknown in New Zealand, so we must expect unexpected difficulties. I am sure that everything can be resolved to our satisfaction, but no one there has experience with photographers, such as say a loco driver on the Vişeu de Sus forestry railway in Romania.

Those who wish to do so can book an extension to the trip to see scenic highlights and landscapes after the tour.

Allow me to make a few specific comments, because it ‘happens’ time and again that people who are actually interested tell me that the trip is too expensive. I am well aware that with an average net salary of £2,200, a trip that costs a total of £6,000 is a huge investment. On the other hand, some people think it's a good idea to simply hire a car and then take photos at a few locations. If enough people follow the same idea, there will be no more special trains running anywhere. What's more, it is socially reprehensible to sponge off the honey pots if you haven't contributed anything yourself – and possibly even to put yourself or your vehicle in the picture of the honest participants. Such trips can only take place if a sufficient number of photographers and videographers participate honestly. To this end, I am, sometimes, investing six figures in advance and risking losses of the same magnitude. How do you actually define ‘too expensive’ when you can't get this trip cheaper anywhere else? There has never been a trip like this with the companies involved. However, anyone is free to fly to New Zealand themselves, organise such a trip and then offer it at a much lower price. So why doesn't anyone do it? Why are there only pictures of Mainline Steam-locomotives with blue carriages? Anyone who takes the trouble to find out will agree with me: for what this trip has to offer, the price is almost ridiculously low.

Please note that although New Zealand is a highly developed country, it is still necessary to point out the dangers that can arise from using and being near the railways or in road traffic. Always use common sense, e.g. when crossing roads and, if necessary, railway tracks. Be cautious and careful. The state railway company is relatively strict about this, and we must follow the instructions of the staff. We recommend that you take out international accident insurance and international health insurance, which is important in any case. Neither the state railway, the participating railways, the local organiser nor FarRail Tours are liable or can be hold responsible in any case for accidents of any kind, damage, loss or inconvenience, additional costs, etc., which may arise, for example, from necessary rebooking or delays of all modes of transport. It is also recommended that you take out travel cancellation insurance. The trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility.

As such charter train journeys for photographers are extremely rare in New Zealand, I do not yet have any suitable photos. Three of the pictures shown here are by Darryl Bond from the 1990s, two from Alexander Jesserer from 2000, the others are from my preparatory trip in 2025 – without a train.

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Price

The tour price includes:

• All transfers in New Zealand to and from Wellington Airport
• All hotels and motels in a shared double room, single rooms available at extra cost
• Half board (sometimes packed meals) excluding alcoholic or sugary drinks
• Local tour guide (flights are without tour guide)
• Charter trains as described and only if available/operational

The tour price does not include:

• Personal expenses such as telephone, hotel bar, laundry service, etc.
• Drinks
• Tips for local guides, railway staff, etc. (we expect approx. £95)
• Visa (if required)
• Travel to and from Wellington Airport