Northern Explorer
Northern Explorer carriages at Wellington railway station in 2012
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusOperating
LocaleNorth Island, New Zealand
PredecessorOverlander
First service25 June 2012
Current operator(s)Great Journeys New Zealand
Former operator(s)KiwiRail Scenic Journeys
Route
TerminiWellington
Auckland
Stops7
Distance travelled681 km (423 mi)
Average journey time10 hours 55 minutes northbound
10 hours 35 minutes southbound
Service frequency3 per week in each direction, 6 trips total
Line(s) usedNorth Island Main Trunk
On-board services
Seating arrangementsAirline style, alcove, and lounger
Catering facilitiesOn-board café
Observation facilitiesLarge windows in all carriages
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Baggage carriage
Technical
Rolling stockNew Zealand AK class carriages,
DFB locomotives

The Northern Explorer is a long-distance passenger train operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail between Auckland and Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand, along the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). Three services operate per week in each direction between Auckland's The Strand Station and Wellington railway station.[1] The Northern Explorer replaced the Overlander from 25 June 2012.

It was suspended in December 2021,[2][3] after suspension in August for COVID-19 lockdown.[4][5] However, it restarted on 25 September 2022.[6]

KiwiRail passenger trains in the North Island (interactive map)

History

Origins

The first regular daylight Wellington–Auckland passenger train services, augmenting the older overnight services, were the steam-hauled Daylight Limited and diesel-hauled Scenic Daylight, which ran primarily during summer months and Easter holiday period for many years from the 1920s onwards. The arrival of the Blue Streak and later Silver Fern railcars saw an end for a time to regular carriage trains. At the time of its cessation, The Overlander was usually hauled by DC or EF locomotives with NZR 56-foot carriages.

Re-branding as the Northern Explorer

In 2012, passenger numbers were in decline and KiwiRail decided to replace the Overlander with the Northern Explorer, from Monday 25 June 2012. The timetable was accelerated by eliminating intermediate stops, except Paraparaumu, Palmerston North, Ohakune, National Park, Otorohanga (summer only), Hamilton and Papakura.[7] From October 2016, fire-suppressed DFB class locomotives (as required for diesel-hauled passenger trains in tunnels) were assigned to the service.

The service used one AKC and three AK class carriages, an AKL class luggage van and an AKV class power/viewing van from the Coastal Pacific. A larger AKS luggage van, converted from SA, replaced AKL in 2019.[8]

Northern Explorer near Waiouru
Hapuawhenua Viaduct, south of National Park

Patronage

The Northern Explorer carried 39,419 passengers in the year to 30 June 2014; about 1,500 more than in 2012–13, but almost 23,000 fewer than the Overlander in 2011–12.[9] Numbers rose 71% from 2013 to 2018,[10] or about 65,000 a year and slightly more than the Overlander numbers.

Former stops

The Northern Explorer served the stations shown at the foot of this page. There were variations from 2012. Papakura and Paraparaumu were added on 15 October 2012.[11] Otorohanga was added on 10 December 2012.[12] The Auckland terminus was moved from Britomart to The Strand Station on 21 December 2015.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Northern Explorer Timetable". The Great Journeys of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Project Restart '22". Great Journeys of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Urgent calls for long-distance passenger services to stay as KiwiRail cuts operations". Newshub. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  4. ↑ "KiwiRail suspends scenic trains until next year amid 'difficult' tourism market". Stuff. 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. ↑ "Covid-19: Forty-eight hours to get home and other travel rules for NZ's level 4 lockdown". Stuff. 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "Even Greater Journeys for 2022!". Great Journeys of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Dash to catch the last train". Manawatu Standard. 25 June 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Old NZ trains brought back to life". Māori Television. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "2013/14 Annual review of the Ministry of Transport, the New Zealand Transport Agency, KiwiRail Holdings Limited, and the New Zealand Railways Corporation". Report of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Record season for KiwiRail tourism services". kiwirail.co.nz. 7 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  11. ↑ "Two new stops added to Northern Explorer train service". kiwirail.co.nz. 20 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "KiwiRail launches Waitomo and Hobbiton Escape package". kiwirail.co.nz. 14 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "Catch the Northern Explorer at Auckland's new Strand Station". kiwirail.co.nz. 4 December 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.

Further reading

  • Bowden, David. Great Railway Journeys in Australia and New Zealand. Oxford, England: John Beaufoy Publishing. pp. 130–133. ISBN 978-1-909612-94-5.
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