Latest news with #TranzAlpine
Scoop
23-05-2025
- Scoop
Back By Popular Demand, The Southerner Returns
Press Release – Great Journeys New Zealand Following the successful limited time revival of The Southerner rail route, Great Journeys New Zealand is adding another round of dates, allowing more guests to relive the nostalgic journey. With return trips daily from 25 to 27 October, the train journey traces part of the historic rail route between Dunedin and Christchurch. This time, the team is offering a chance to combine The Southerner with a relaxing short break in Christchurch, the vibrant heart of the South Island. The new Christchurch Explorer option sees travellers depart Dunedin on 25 October, returning 27 October with two nights' accommodation in a central Christchurch hotel. The package includes the opportunity to discover notable locations including Banks Peninsula, the historic port town of Lyttelton, and the beachside haven of Sumner on a fully guided tour. Executive GM Passenger Tracey Goodall says the revived rail route has been immensely popular, with May packages selling out and a long wait list. 'We're excited by the strong interest in 'The Southerner Returns', which ignites nostalgia and happy memories for many New Zealanders,' she says. 'These one-off tourism experiences pay homage to the original passenger train that once connected Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin, travelling along the iconic Main South Line.' Operating from 1 December 1970 to 10 February 2002, The Southerner was a staple of rail travel in the South Island. These Great Journeys New Zealand special services are reviving the well-known route, offering the same fantastic views but now in the comfort of the new Scenic and premium Scenic Plus carriages. To secure a spot in October, guests can book now through the Great Journeys New Zealand website. Note: Great Journeys New Zealand is the tourism division of KiwiRailthat brings together its three Scenic train journeys including the award winning TranzAlpine(Christchurch/Greymouth), Northern Explorer(Auckland/Wellington)and Coastal Pacific(Picton/Christchurch). Delivering to KiwiRail's overarching purpose of creating stronger connections for a better New Zealand, Great Journeys New Zealand has increased its rail tourism offering with a range of short break packages and multi-day guided tours. Developed for both domestic and international visitors, the packages and tours allow travellers to step off the beaten track and explore what each region has to offer with activities, food and beverage options and pre-organised accommodation. Great Journeys New Zealand commits to the Tiaki Promise and encourages customers and businesses to care for people and place.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Scoop
Back By Popular Demand, The Southerner Returns
Following the successful limited time revival of The Southerner rail route, Great Journeys New Zealand is adding another round of dates, allowing more guests to relive the nostalgic journey. With return trips daily from 25 to 27 October, the train journey traces part of the historic rail route between Dunedin and Christchurch. This time, the team is offering a chance to combine The Southerner with a relaxing short break in Christchurch, the vibrant heart of the South Island. The new Christchurch Explorer option sees travellers depart Dunedin on 25 October, returning 27 October with two nights' accommodation in a central Christchurch hotel. The package includes the opportunity to discover notable locations including Banks Peninsula, the historic port town of Lyttelton, and the beachside haven of Sumner on a fully guided tour. Executive GM Passenger Tracey Goodall says the revived rail route has been immensely popular, with May packages selling out and a long wait list. 'We're excited by the strong interest in 'The Southerner Returns', which ignites nostalgia and happy memories for many New Zealanders,' she says. 'These one-off tourism experiences pay homage to the original passenger train that once connected Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin, travelling along the iconic Main South Line.' Operating from 1 December 1970 to 10 February 2002, The Southerner was a staple of rail travel in the South Island. These Great Journeys New Zealand special services are reviving the well-known route, offering the same fantastic views but now in the comfort of the new Scenic and premium Scenic Plus carriages. To secure a spot in October, guests can book now through the Great Journeys New Zealand website. Note: Great Journeys New Zealand is the tourism division of KiwiRailthat brings together its three Scenic train journeys including the award winning TranzAlpine(Christchurch/Greymouth), Northern Explorer(Auckland/Wellington)and Coastal Pacific(Picton/Christchurch). Delivering to KiwiRail's overarching purpose of creating stronger connections for a better New Zealand, Great Journeys New Zealand has increased its rail tourism offering with a range of short break packages and multi-day guided tours. Developed for both domestic and international visitors, the packages and tours allow travellers to step off the beaten track and explore what each region has to offer with activities, food and beverage options and pre-organised accommodation. Great Journeys New Zealand commits to the Tiaki Promise and encourages customers and businesses to care for people and place.
1News
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- 1News
TranzAlpine carriages separated while rolling after coupler failed
Two carriages of the TranzAlpine scenic train separated by about one metre while pulling into Arthur's Pass Station due to a broken coupler component, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission report has found. The report, released yesterday, said the separation on December 17, 2023, was discovered as a crew member walked between the carriages, which were used for luggage storage and a kitchen. Only crew were authorised in these areas, and no one was injured. Earlier that day, shortly after departing Christchurch, the train's second front locomotive suffered a fault, causing a 'sudden jolt and temporary loss of power", the report said. The faulty unit was isolated, and the train continued to Greymouth with one working locomotive. On the return trip, two extra locomotives were added at Otira to help power the train through the steep Otira Tunnel, which rises 250m over 8.5 kilometres. A new crew also boarded at this point. While descending into Arthur's Pass, the engineer applied several brakes and reduced throttle, which led to a coupler component with a pre-existing, undetected fracture breaking. "It is virtually certain that the train's configuration of four locomotives operating in throttle position three while applying the train's brakes to their full capability caused the weakened coupler component to break," the TAIC report found. Coincidentally, when the engineer went to disconnect the two front assisting locomotives, they lifted air pressure levers that unintentionally prevented a brake pressure drop from triggering an alert to train control. The parting caused "significant damage" to the carriage chassis and coupler connection. A crew member discovered the parting when they went to move between the two carriages, alerting other staff and making a recovery plan to move the parted portions of the train back to Christchurch separately. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission identified inadequate inspection and maintenance of carriage-coupler connections and the train alarm system failing to alert the crew of the parting, as key safety issues in its report. In a statement to 1News, KiwiRail said the incident had been treated seriously even though no one had been injured and only crew were authorised to enter the carriages which parted Chief operations officer Paul Ashton said changes were made to the way the state-owned enterprise operates because of the incident. "Those changes include improved eye bolts in the coupling system, which are now being installed. At the same time, we will complete a review of the train alarm system and introduce improvements to it by the end of the year to ensure onboard crew are properly alerted when an incident occurs." Train inspection regimes have been changed and the operating procedure if a train parted has been being updated, he added.
