A trip up the Weka Pass Railway, New Zealand

On the 5th of November 2015, the Weka Pass Railway Inc. in North Canterbury staged a railfans run up the old Waiau Branch to Waikari. The trip was double headed with visiting locomotive Ab 608 from Steam Incorporated, Paekakariki preceding a South Island Tour, and A 428, the Weka Pass societies own steam locomotive. Both locomotives are early (1915 & 1909) examples of the 4-6-2 'Pacific' type pioneered by the New Zealand Railways which later spread to Southern Africa, America and Europe (notably the United Kingdom). This was the first pairing of these locomotives in preservation. The Weka Pass Railway runs similar night trains annually albeit hauled only by A 428 and the Weka Pass carriage fleet. For those of who who cannot make it to Waipara to experience one of these night runs first-had, Notch 8 have produced this video which we hope is the next best thing from actually being there. Tickets for future night runs are available from http://www.wekapassrailway.co.nz