Welcome to Spotting With Sam, your hub for rail action around New Zealand, and eventually the world.
This channel was previously known as "Mr Muffin Trains", but after I grew tired of that I changed it to it's current name. This is why some of my older videos are still branded under that.
My favorite DBR is 1257 because 1, it has a horn that, well, lets just say that it makes a tune that wouldn't really meet NZR standards and 2, it is the only Kiwirail branded DBR. Hopefully, she reunites with her mates at somewhere like the GVR.
Im so sad 1257 is retired. It has the most unique horn I've ever heard. Kiwirail should've kept it for intercity or shunting duties. I've seen a video where it was hauling a heritage train, and man, it was shining like a star! Now look at the state of her, what a waste of a good loco.
Very nice! I do like the EFs and they look really smart now. I only wish that I could have seen one on my last trip to NZ, but alas, I didn't manage to see much of anything at all until arriving at Picton for the ferry.
Thanks! The EF’s really are quite cool. If you stayed in the South Island during your trip you wouldn’t’ve seen them, as they are based between the Palmerston North - Hamilton section of the North Island Main Trunk. Hopefully you catch something next time!
@@SpottingWithSamRegrettably, age is catching up with me so it is probably unlikely that I'll be able to visit NZ again. A pity, as it is a lovely country. On my first visit in the 1970s, I managed to travel on the Silver Star and the Silver Fern between Auckland and Wellington. On the last visit, we actually stopped for a few hours at the Flat Hills Café which is alongside the Main Trunk Line at Ohingaiti, but did not even see a diesel hauled train- such is life! Best wishes from Britain.
@@MervynPartin That’s a shame! I’m glad you enjoyed visiting us. Travelling on the Silver Star would’ve been excellent, I’ve only ever been on the Silver Ferns, and they are excellent as well. I myself have also been to the Flat Hills Cafe, great wee spot in there. What a pity you didn’t see anything! Sadly the trunk isn’t as busy as what it used to be, but there’s still a few services a day.
Thanks Jamie! I'm pleased you enjoyed the video, and your trip on the excursion yesterday. Let me know when you come up, it would be great to catch up properly again!
Great video., Thanks for sharing. Cool fact about the EF Locos is that they were built in Loughborough, Leicestershire (I used to work next to the factory where they were built) Some of the scenery on my OO layout is inspired from that area! Liked and Subbed. Cheers, Andy
Glad you enjoyed! That's really cool you worked near where they were built! Is the factory still being used today? Thankfully the EF's are up and running again these days, and there's a refurbishment program in place getting them back into tip top shape. Speaking of the test trains, I saw once just the other day which I'll probably release at some stage. That's really cool! I'll check out your channel and watch some of your model railway videos on there, it looks very interesting :) Cheers. - Sam
@@SpottingWithSam Hi Sam, The factory I think is being used? The company that made the Locos was called Brush Traction, Loughborough. If you google Brush Transformers, as they are now called, you can see factory. I worked around there in the 1990's, we lived about a 10 minute drive away.
Cheers Jamie! I was pretty pleased to catch it as this was also my first one. I think 2822 is down in Wellington at the moment? It came down the other day on 221. Could be worth trying to catch.
I think that it was in 1975 when I rode the Silver Fern from Wellington to Auckland- a very enjoyable journey. That was after an overnight run on the Silver Star to Wellington before a tour of South Island. Happy days!
replied to your message re kaiapoi level xing exercise.still surprises me drivers not sounding their horns at level xings.cheers.peter barrett.feilding.
good to see shots in feilding.born here.train driver in palmerston north.started mid 70s my favourite locos driving.dx and df class..cheers.peter barrett.
I took the capital connection a few times in the late 90s and in 2000 & 2001. And I remember when the S class configured carriages entered service around the turn of the new century, and I can attest that they were a revolution in terms of ergonomics and comfort and insulation. I also used to take the Wairarapa trains in the Hutt valley (before the tight petty losers in the Wairarapa put a stop to it) and the introduction of the SW was also a similar sea change. I think that people would have been motivated to take the train from the Wairarapa with the increased conform levels. And the interiors were so much nicer than the old 56 ft crappers that they replaced. So it’s a bit odd seeing them now being too old and needing replacement. But of course it’s inevitable, they’ve served this his run for almost 25 years, and they weren’t new when Tranz rail acquired them. But as for their replacement, essentially the old SA carriages that were used in Auckland’s western line? Well I’ll have to ride to know first hand. But I can see immediately that the seats look comfortable. However; I think that losing the overhead luggage storage is a BIG downgrade. And I’m not too keen on the double doors not being at the end of the carriage and segregated from the seating area, the old door arrangement was fine as it prevented cold winter drafts from getting inside the carriages and they never had large amounts of people alighting all at once, thus needing double doors. I wonder if they’re intending to move the replacement carriages to te Huia once the new rolling stock arrives?
Thanks for your comment! It's nice to see somebody who remembers when they were introduced put a comment on here. For all the years I've ridden on them, I've always thought they were very comfortable, but I'm not sure about the Wairarapa sets as I've never ridden on those. Maybe something I can do in the future eh? I reckon they've done quite well for their age. As you said, they weren't new at all when they arrived over here so their retirement had to come sometime, but I'd say combined with their life in Britain they've done pretty good! That's right, the new stock are just re refurbished SA's, so even now we still don't have an entirely new fleet. I for one don't think I'll be using the onboard luggage racks, I'll try and keep my backpack with me. I also prefer the doors at either end of the carriage, I feel it gives off the appearance of the train being more "business like" if you catch my drift, rather than just another commuter train. With the doors also being in the middle, I think they've had to sacrifice 80 total seats on the whole train? That's a good point, time will tell I suppose, but I wouldn't be surprised if something like that happened.
@@SpottingWithSam In total; the carriages would be 45-50 years old. Railway rolling stock generally has a maximum life of 45 years of continuous usage before the serious fatigue starts to show. The S and SW carriages may have had a few years break in between retirement in the UK and their re-entry into service in NZ. So it would be about 45 of service, which is good value. I don’t think Tranz rail spent much money buying them from BR 25 years ago nor too much money refurbishing them
now to wait for the more frequent service... always so silly that day trip to palmy from welly is impossible because it is only palmy-welly in morning and welly-palmy at night.
