The steady beat of Ka 942 breaks the Marlborough silence as it
approaches the horseshoe curve marking the start of the climb to the
Dashwood Pass, south of Blenheim. The photographer is standing right
alongside the line ahead of the train. The Escape to Frog Rock
excursion was organised by Steam Incorporated in cooperation with the
Main Line Steam Trust and the Weka Pass Railway
Inc.. 20 Sep 1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 109 kb
Ka 942 makes a photo run at Lake Grassmere salt works, 20 Sep 1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 124 kb
Ka 942 receives some attention while waiting to cross the Coastal
Pacific at Pines, 20 Sep 1997. (No, he's not doing that! How
dare you think that!)
Photo by Peter McGavin, 113 kb
The Coastal
Pacific arrives at Pines hauled by Dx 5287, 20 Sep 1997. Dx class
locos still in red livery are becoming rare.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 157 kb
On another photo run, Ka 942 bursts from the short Irongate Tunnel
near Rakautara, just north of Kaikoura. Steam still pours from the
Queen Victoria Rock Tunnel in the background. At this location the
railway is locked between 500 metre high cliffs and the deep Pacific
Ocean and the railway passes through several tunnels. The spectacular
Seaward Kaikoura Range rises to 2610 m (8563 ft) not far beyond the
cliffs. Seals are common on rocks beside the tracks and whales
sometimes come close to shore here. 20 Sep 1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 130 kb
A
428 and Dg 791 near the top of Weka Pass,
on the preserved Waipara to Weka Pass branch line, with 19-total,
21 Sep 1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 140 kb
Frog Rock station seen from a train descending Weka Pass towards Waipara.
This is limestone country. According to one person I spoke to, the
rock was once known as Pigeon Rock, until the beak fell off. 21 Feb
1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 151 kb
This is a view of the rear of the 19-total train (taken from the
train) descending Weka Pass.
The locomotives visible in the picture (A 428 and Dg 791),
having pulled the train up the pass, are now setting back. Dg 770
is on the front, a few carriages behind the camera. 21 Feb 1997.
Photo by Peter McGavin, 135 kb
W 192 at Glenmark station, Waipara. W 192 is the first locomotive built at
any NZR workshops, at Addington in 1899. 21 Sep 1997.
Photo by Trevor McGavin, 152 kb
Wd 357 at Glenmark station, Waipara. Wd 357 is currently the only working
example of any Baldwin locomotive in New Zealand. 21 Sep 1997.
Photo by Trevor McGavin, 135 kb