Taieri Gorge Railway

This was just a fantastic trip for train lovers. Was supposed to include a million passengers off a cruise liner in port - but what a shame - they didn't arrive in time to board the train, so basiclly I got a ride on an almost empty train. Here's the Dj pulled train waiting in Dunedin station.

Passed through 7 tunnels and about the same number of bridges - mostly wrought iron and stone pier construction. The line was built in the 1870's to open up Central Otago.

Pretty rugged countryside, the gorge has great scenery and the line is in places hewn from the rock way up above the river. So rockslides in the river and sheers sides in places.

Train stopped in a crossing loop on the way back to allow the train with the cruiseship passengers to come through. Considering this is a privately owned line, I was amazed at how long the trip was - 64km of line.

I rode most of the trip on the footplate between two carriages and the next day I was a bit sore and tired from all the buffetting and some windburn/sunburn but it was well worth it.