Glenbrook Vintage Railway

The early morning sun is shining on the vintage train station in Glenbrook, New Zealand. A perfect omen for today’s special journey. Yes, we are about to take a ride on the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.

Hint: Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Our steam engine today is a “reliable and capable machine”…Ja 1250 named Diana.

Ready?

Okay…All Aboard! 

We are the lucky couple that is invited to ride in the engine for the first part of the journey. Wow! This is a first!

Did you know this is a very rocky floor? I am moving back and forth so of course I’m hanging on!

Oh, my. Look at that. What lovely scenery! 

Mr. Engineer, can I blow the train whistle too?

No need to warn me… that furnace does look hot. Maybe my husband can help shovel some coal?

That was a great ride in the engine, pretending to be a train engineer! but we are at Waiuku station and now it is someone else’s turn to play engineer…and we get to experience the ride from a passenger’s point of view.

First or second class car?

Think this one is the first class coach.

(Remember you can click on any photo to see details more clearly.)

Next stop….Pukeoware depot. We disembark here to explore the workshop where the engines (or are they called locomotives, hmm) are overhauled and /or restored.

This is a labour of love for train enthusiasts.

But, hurry….time for a special show. Diana (our Ja 1250 steam engine) is about to make a special bypass , complete with steam billowing and whistle blowing. Got you camera ready?

Now that show brings back memories from my childhood (no, I really am not ancient but steam engines were still in use at home when I was a young child!). Young people today will only see this in movies…or if they visit a heritage railway!

Time to board again for the final leg of our journey.

Thank you sir.

Yes, there is time to explore the museum here…maybe even have a cup of tea.

Practical details for your visit:

– Glenbrook Vintage Railway is about 45 minutes south of Auckland’s International Airport

-the 15 km train ride lasts about an hour (round trip)

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Happy travels!