Ed Said - Having fun without going off the rails

I’ve been ‘training.’ Well, nothing strenuous. In fact quite the opposite. Self and ‘er indoors last weekend took a trip on the scenic Overlander train from Auckland to Wellington. With winter pending, timing with work made things a little difficult but in the end you just have to get up and go don’t you? So we did, and probably couldn’t have planned it better.

It’s a good ten hour run starting just before eight in the morning and arriving at Wellington around 6:30pm.

Despite the forecast telling us of following rain in the afternoon, the weather remained fine though cloudy for the trip and with only 34 travellers on board the whole unit consisted of the engine, the open-sided viewing car, two passenger cars and the diner. It wasn’t long before we realised the dining car was the place to be and, as there were few diners, we stayed there for the duration of the trip enjoying the large, deep windows which gave us virtually 180 degree viewing.

There were only four very short stops on the way, the first of which was at Papakura. The railway yards of the near south – Southdown, Otahuhu – seem to have changed little in over half a century with one noticeable exception, that of tagging. Row upon row of retired and derelict carriages have been the target of taggers for some years now. I’m well aware of the fine line between tagging and graffiti but there appears to be some very talented artists in those communities and though we passed by fleetingly one can’t help recognise the almost unlimited scope of the aerosol can in the right hands. It’s just a different medium.

Picking out viaducts and landmarks also became a bit of a game but was aided by the in-house commentary.

Of course we had to spend some time in the viewing car to get the feel of the open air which was bracing after the heating inside, and by the time we reached the Central Plateau one could easily have become hypothermic from the chilly wind whistling through.

On reflection our timimg was spot on too. Apart from being always at the mercy of the weather this time it was kind to us. Had we travelled in summer, the trees would have all looked the same, and likewise the farmland. However as we moved southward the English trees glowed with their yellow, amber and purple foliage thanks to the greater variation in temperature we don’t have in the north. Following the drought, pastures were resplendent in green and formed a delightful patchwork around block-grazed cattle framed, through the Waikato at least, by the neatly trimmed barbery hedges.

Though blue sky would have been a bonus, Ruapehu did oblige with a dusting of snow and shutterbugs were there in numbers to capture the image. If there was one, the only downside was that the last hour of the trip was in darkness so we didn’t get to view our arrival in Wellington but again, though wind and hail was forecast the ‘windy’ city belied her name tag with bright warm sunshine. Overall this trip comes recommended.

Nice when things come together.

Cheers,
Rob