Ab608 & Ja1271 Fronz50 Mataroa - Ngaurukehu June 21st 2025.

Ab608 and Ja1271 head the Fronz50 NIMT Steam Spectacular Express on the long drag from Mataroa to Ngaurukehu. The locomotives are working hard against the unrelenting 1 in 70 ruling grade. This remote section of the North Island Main Trunk is probably one of the least photographed. It features amazing scenery, as the track meanders up the valley alongside the Hautapu river, including sections of native bush and spectacular horse shoe curves. Ngaurukehu station is itself unique on the trunk, in addition to being isolated with no public road connection, it has two passing loops. The loops were installed around 1956, and prior to that, trains were required to cross using a manned signal box and back shunts. Due to the importance of this remote station , quite a number of railway houses required to accommodate both Traffic and Track staff, whose access to the outside world was by rail only.