Drivers Eye View - Wellington to Waikanae (Full Version) Pt 1 - Wellington to Pukerua Bay 

Tony Ormsby Hi, thank you for commenting, feedback is always welcome. My son moved to New Zealand, giving me a good reason to visit whenever I can, I would love to spend a year touring the whole country as NZ has so much to offer.

Cheers for your comment.I have just left NZ for Australia, I did get a camera into the Coastal Pacific and TransAlpine Trains, I also rode a golf trolley on the old SOL liine and a Railrider at Rotorua. I think you are correct with the train time for the Ganz unit featured in this video. When I return to the UK I will start editing and uploading some of my recent footage, although It will take several months. Bye for now...Tim.

Hi, I hope you enjoyed the video. The first time I rode this route the train ran daily and it was called "the Overlander", the rear coach was an observation carriage with comfortable seats and a rear view. I have ridden the route several times over the years and today the train is made up of newer carriages built for KiwiRail's Scenic trains. Today the train runs 3 times a week in each direction and its name has been changed to "the Northern Explorer".

@@Timsvideochannel1 It was the Overlander in 2010 which I rode but then it already was 3x weekly only. Though with the old stock. On the Coastal Pacific from Picton to Christchurch in the same year we were upgraded to the observation car without being charged the premium because of our seats being booked twice, the other passengers booked for the same seats boarded the train at Blenheim but the steward found out before the stop and offered us the seats in the observation car which we understandably didn't refuse.

@@Tom-LahayeHi, I first rode the Overlander in 2005 when the North and South bound trains crossed at National Park where the cafe also managed to serve food to both sets of passengers in the half hour layover. You were lucky to get a free upgrade on the Coastal Pacific.

Hi Steve, I have just finished Part 2, I just need to check it for errors, some of the New Zealand place names are not easy to spell, then hopefully I will upload it tonight....Cheers for now....Tim.

Hi John, thanks for your comment, I was pleasantly surprised to find the real time version to be so popular. In future where the quality is good enough, I will post cab rides at both real time and high-speed versions. I have just returned from New Zealand with some more drivers eye video. I will be editing and uploading it over the next 2 to 3 months. Bye for now.....Tim

Hi Scott, I was very lucky to get such good weather, you guessed correctly, this was shot in late afternoon. I have only ever passed through the USA on the way to somewhere else, my wife left some brochures out for me to see, they included southern California in their holiday itineraries. Maybe I'll get there soon, but first I am going to New Zealand again to see my son and hopefully capture some more beautiful scenery and the odd train on video......Thanks for commenting....Tim.

+heather newby Thank you, this is one of my all time favourite train rides, can't wait to visit New Zealand and the Kapiti coast again.

This is the place my son moved to in New Zealand. Now I've got a good reason to visit this wonderful country.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Hi from England. New Zealand's coastline is very picturesque and this has to be one of the most scenic commuter lines to be found anywhere in the world.

Hi, your Guess was pretty close, this video was filmed in the evening on 21.11.2012. The old wooden poles were replaced ready for the introduction of the new Matangi units from 2012 onwards.

Hi, Wellington is a wonderful city, my son used to live in Whitby. The suburban trains into Wellington follow some of the most scenic routes to be found anywhere in the world, what a lovely way to start the working day. I've done the trip out to Masterton three or four times, I love it.

Cheers :-)

Hi, there have been a lot of changes since I first started visiting Wellington in 2005 when the old English Electric units still operated to Johnsonville, I miss being able to see the line ahead, possible in both the Ganz-Mavag and English Electric units, although the new Matangi are comfortable to ride in.

I was there a couple of weeks ago visiting friends near Plimmerton. It must be a nice place to live.

I've just returned from Wellington, its my favorite New Zealand city, especially when viewed from the cafe at the top of the Hill Railway.

Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

Hi, it's nice to hear from you, we were on the Slovakia tour together. I've almost finished uploading videos from that trip. My son used to live in Whitby, Porirua, I always made a point of catching the train along the Kapiti Coast. I will run out of railway related video to upload soon, although I have plenty of video taken on my recent tour to New Zealand (Feb/March 2019) to work on. My next two tours have been cancelled, I think I'll be spending a week or two in North Wales filming narrow railways, as I'm not sure when foreign travel will be allowed. I hope you are keeping safe and well. Best wishes. Tim.

That has to be the worlds most scenic commute to work, a beautiful part of the world.

Your comment is appreciated....Tim.

Hello Harvey, there are not many long distance trains out of Wellington these days, just the "Northern Explorer" three times a week, but there has been a lot of investment in the commuter trains, both in Wellington and Auckland. I haven't ridden on the new electric trains around Auckland yet, they were just being introduced on my last visit. I imagine you find your gold card very useful, does it apply to the buses as well?

+Timsvideochannel1 hi Tim yes applies to trains busses ferries its awesome except from July gold card holders must have what they call an At hop card to travel on them this paying $15 which is 10 for the card and puts a $5 credit on it in case you travel outside the free travel time in which case it will deduct a fare it means that gold card holders outside auckland cant get on them and flash the card for a free ride which is totaly wrong it needs to be addressed at govt level im coming down to Wellington soon to see mum and friends and I hope I can travel from waikanae to the city on my gold card do u know if thats possible also would like a motel or other nice place to use as base near or at waikanae if you know of a nice place thats not to dear

harvey wilson Hi Harvey, I live in the UK, but when I visit new Zealand I like to stay at Moana Lodge (Backpackers) in Plimmerton (its worth paying a few dollars extra for a room at the front with a sea view), handy for Mainline Steam, it is a ten to fifteen minute walk along the seafront from the station. The other place I like to stay is Finn's Hotel, next to Paekakariki station, handy for Steam Incorporated. Both are nice places to stay. I guess the card you are being asked to use is to encourage the use of off peak trains, ferries and buses. I know what you mean about being able to see the full length of the train, the new London Underground trains have a similar layout. I am not sure, but I don't think your Gold card is valid in Wellington, although a similar card is available there. It is worth asking at your local station. Will you be traveling on the Northern Explorer to see your Mum near Wellington?

+Timsvideochannel1 no that trains way to dear ill just go in my car shes in Levin the gold card is for all nz's over 65 anywhere in the country and entitles us to free public transport in the cities its awesome thanks for the accomodation things to I thought U were a kiwi Mt dad used to jump into taxi's in Wellington and try to beat the overnight express to paecock because he would get to the staion about the time the choo choo was pulling out I was onoy little but I onow I used tomthink it very funny he didnt always succeed

I visit New Zealand to see my son who used to live in Wellington, he has moved to Auckland now. If I could persuade my wife to move I would love to live in New Zealand. The country and the way of life really appeals to me. That gold card sounds awesome, we have similar cards here in the UK, but they are limited to the place you live in and usually only apply to the buses. I would love to slip back in time to watch the overnight express pull away from Peakakariki as your father did. I used to watch the only steam train of the day, the Exeter to Brighton express rush passed my house about 5 o'clock everyday when I was a kid, I wish just once I had picked up a camera and captured the moment. Best wishes .... Tim.

Cheers Gary, Part 2 should be available by Monday.

Don't you just love the sound of rusty door hinges? :-) I love the scenery along this section of track, it has to be one of the nicest commutes to work anywhere in the world.

+Rob Brewer Hi Rob, the map feature was added by "Video Map" and sent to me, as I thought it was a useful feature I included it in the video description. I entered "Ckopoctb" into Google translate and it detected Russian as the language and it translated to "Speed". I believe "Video Map" picked recognizable places on the video and matched them with points on the map, this would not have allowed for station stops etc, hence the speed indicated is not always correct, but never the less it is a really useful feature and I appreciate "Video Map" taking time to match the video to the map and sending it to me.

Hi Bill, I'm glad you enjoyed it. This was taken at the end of wonderful sunny day, its hard to think of a better way to watch one of New Zealand's typically golden sunsets than from a train travelling along the Kapiti Coast.

New Zealand has a lot to offer, best wishes from the UK

That sounds sad (It probably isn't but...)

The Wellington trains are pretty good.

I'm just a tourist, but I appreciate the kindness of the drivers who allow me to mount a camera on their locomotive.

Cool Buddy. I was Working as a Train driver in india . Now switched to another job. Hope to go back to driving again, I will definitely will allow you to shoot some spelindid views of INdian railway networks. @@Timsvideochannel1

@@candlestories_nt Hello, I'm in New Zealand at the moment to film one of my favourite trips through the Manawatu Gorge, before returning to my home in England. I would love to feature more Indian railway journeys, if you do return to driving again, please let me know. All the best. Tim.

+Video Map I have never seen this done before, it works really well, even zooming in and out and jumping to different parts of the video. This is very good, it must have taken you a while to do .... is it OK, if I include this link in the video description so that anyone watching can use your map to follow the route? I am really impressed by the way you synchronized the video with the map. Best Wishes .... Tim.

+Timsvideochannel1 Yes, you can add a link in the description.

A lot has changed since my first visit around fifteen years ago when there were still English Electric Units running up to Johnsonville. Passengers don't get a forward view from the Korean units, but never the less they are very nice to ride in.

@@Timsvideochannel1 Yes I think Jville was the last to get Matangis and I don't think that line ever had Ganz units. I saw my first EE at Paremata in early fifties when a student at Paremata School. The EE drivers had a horribly restricted view.

@@robharris5467 Hi Rob, I believe the clearances in the tunnels on the Jville line were too tight for the Ganz Units, although the track was lowered in the tunnels to accommodate Matangi units allowing a Ganz Unit to be used for testing clearances, braking was also a problem for the Ganz units on the steep gradients. This article gives some information about Ganz units on the Jville line - everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/New_Zealand_EM_class_electric_multiple_unit/

@@Timsvideochannel1 The Wellington electrification tracks NZ trading ties over the decades. 1. UK (English Electric). 2. Eastern Europe Ganz). 3. East Asia (Matangi).

@@robharris5467 Those trading ties are a reflection of the way manufacturing has moved around the world, not forgetting the DL diesels from China. Sadly England doesn't make many of it's own trains anymore.

They are replacing the Matangi units already? they've only been in service for a few years.

Not quite, although this one from Masterton to Wellington covers some of the route.

"New Zealand" is in the video description, It's hard to know what to include in the title when there is a limited number of letters, but I hear what you are saying, thank you.

+Danilo Peterson Hi, it is only the older Ganz-Mavag units that offer a forward view for passengers, I am not sure if any will still be running when you visit. It is such a shame that passengers no longer have a forward view. The trolley buses are fun, there is also a tram museum and a wonderful motor museum near Paekakariki. It is worth travelling over the whole Wellington suburban system as it is one of the most scenic I have seen. I hope the trolley buses remain as stopping them would be a folly. I live in the UK where governments got rid of Trams and trolley buses, now it is costing a fortune to open new tram lines. When I visit former Eastern block countries like Bulgaria, most public transport is electric - trams, trolley buses and trains, although the country that stands head and shoulders above all others for first class integrated public transport has to be Switzerland and a lot of trains offer a forward view. I hope you enjoy your trip to NZ, it is an awesome place.

+Danilo Peterson I gather the overhead gear for Route 5 (Hataitai) has already been removed.

Hi, this was taken from one of old (Blue) Ganz Mavag units, passengers had a forward facing view as the driving cab was to one side allowing a forward view from the front passenger seat, the same was true for the old English Electric units that used to operate on the Johnsonville line.

@@Timsvideochannel1 ok i just barley remember those trains because i was so young and they strated replacing them to the matangi ones i have never been on the ganz mavag electric train i have only ever been on the one that ran on the wiarapa line

@@coenhughes63 Hello Coen, it's good to be young with your whole life ahead of you, missing a ride in a Ganz unit is a small price to pay. I live in England, when I was young most of the branch lines were operating using diesel multiple units (DMU's) where there was just a glass screen between the passenger compartment and the driver, those in the front seats could see the driver and the line ahead, I used to love riding in those units. In the replacement trains, passengers don't have a forward view as is the case with New Zealand's Matangi units. Not everything new is better.

@@Timsvideochannel1 that would be cool to see the drivers i would loved that

@@coenhughes63 Maybe at some time you can visit Ferrymead Museum, Christchurch when they have trains running. They have an English Electric Unit and a Ganz-Mavag Unit where you can see the driver and the view from the front.

I cut the video at station stops and in the longer tunnels, because I was concerned viewers might get bored waiting, as some of the tunnels were long and station stops can be several minutes. This is a link to the timetable for the Kapiti coast line, for more accurate data on the actual journey times ...... www.metlink.org.nz/timetables/train/KPL .... Tim.

Timsvideochannel1 Just to earn a little time!!??? Oh no my friend, it 's not good! thank you for the document about timetable for the Kapiti coast line!

Yeah by memory one of the tunnels takes around 5 minutes plus to get through.

Warren Hancock The first two tunnels a few kilometers out from Wellington are the long ones, it probably does take around 5 minutes to get through them .... Tim.

+Stan Wilson Hi Stan, the trains don't really need to sound the horn at crossings along this stretch of line because they are all protected by lifting barriers and warning bells. If the barriers are down and the bells are sounding, motorists and pedestrians alike know there is a train coming.

The same is here in the good old USA but the trains still blow it's horn.

+Stan Wilson Better safe than sorry, I guess.

Yea but the Yanks are crazy about trying to beat trains at level crossings . come on get bridges and speed up trains as in North Eastern states USA on the Boston to Washington route.

ive traveled many times as as passenger in the locomotives here in nz and it is not hard to see the horns have little effect on the decisions motorists or pedestrians for that matter.. some u see the whites in there eyes as they slam there cars in reverse.. most take the chance and floor it.. im amazed there is not alot more collisions because there could be!!!

Hi the track gauge in New Zealand is 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in).

Timsvideochannel1 thank you sir...

I listened to it and "yes" it could be mistaken for drums.

It's has to be one of the nicest commutes to work in the world, a nice way to start the day, I live in the UK where our train service is awful, if the driver's aren't on strike the train has failed or a trespasser has been spotted on the line, the list goes on and I love travelling by train !!!