All aboard!

This week-end must have been the week-end for trains in our little town.

?First, on Sunday morning, a distinctive, very loud, high-pitched whistle alerted the neighbourhood of the arrival of a wonderful old steam train that was arriving into town to pick up over a hundred train enthusiasts as it made its way north to Auckland. I dashed out of our house armed with my iPhone to take pictures only to discover an array of people already lined up to record the moment with much more sophisticated-looking cameras. I never thought of myself as a train spotter but I certainly felt like one!

?About two hours after it had departed, another train turned up at the station opposite our house. More excitement, but for a difference reason. This was the Northern Explorer, the scenic train that runs between Auckland and Wellington. This was the first running of the train since it was ‘hibernated’ owing to COVID last year. There were many passengers on board indicating its ongoing popularity.

?Evidently, there is still an appetite for train travel in New Zealand. Following neglect over many years, New Zealand is finally investing in its rail network but it is still light years behind most developed nations. While it is good to see investment being put into the rail network in our major cities, there is still a long way to go before passengers in this part of the world can enjoy a rail service that offers more than just a scenic day out!