Auckland Travels

An ADC / ADL diesel multiple unit under the wires at Westfield. 17/05/14.

Earlier this year I was lucky (or unlucky depending on your view point) to visit Auckland for a weekend. Somehow I managed to get away for a few hours and was able to go to that bastion of rail fanning in Auckland, the Westfield over bridge. 

Its been a long time since I've visited Auckland and I couldn't believe the changes that have happened to rail in the city of sails. Wires, wires everywhere but the rattling ADL / ADC's DMU's and the push pull DC, SA and SD combos still rule the roost. Not for much longer though as the new EMU's are slowly introduced. I even managed to catch a few of the EMU's but more of the Spanish intruders later.  

I was there to see the diesel subbies, the DH's and the soon be gone (if not already) DBR's so I'll stop rambling and get on with some shots of Auckland's best.

DH 2845 brings a rake of containers into Westfield yard from the Southdown Freight Terminal. 17/05/14.

The DH heavy shunters have always been a favorite of mine. These loco's mainly stick around Auckland but they have been known to skip town and head up north to Whangarei and down to Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty. These things are good honest workers and the NZR, NZ Rail, Tranz Rail, Toll and Kiwi Rail have all got there moneys worth out of them.

 A Manukau bound ADC / ADL DMU accelerates out of Westfield station. 17/05/14.

The ADC / ADL diesel multiple units were for a long time the back bone of the Auckland suburban rail network. Old and rattly they still get flogged moving JAFA's around the city. These units are on borrowed time with the new EMU's slowly entering service but you never know, depending on the upcoming election you might see these thrashing across Canterbury in the not to distant future. Dreams are free.

DC4444 and DL 9377 sit in the sun at Westfield. 17/5/14.

While at Westfield I was even able to see one of those North Island DL's, the future of train haulage in New Zealand. While it was nice to get one on pixels (even if it was a poor shot) I still prefer the aging GE's we have in the south. 

Just by chance I was able to get DC4444. Now 4444 is something of a legend amongst locomotives in NZ so it was nice to get this loco as well.

DBR 1282 at rest between port shunts. 17/5/14.

DBR 1282 was also in the yard sitting quietly near the yard office. It was a bit sad seeing 1282 as this would probably be the last time I'd see a DBR in the flesh. The writing is on the wall for this class of locomotive and I wouldn't be surprised if this one is already sitting on 'rotten row' at Hutt or it may even already be a victim of the scrapers torch.

Before leaving Auckland I wanted to see the new electric multiple units in action on the Onehunga branch. Luckily I managed to catch a few.

A new AMA / AMT / AMP EMU approaches the junction between the Onehunga Branch and the North Auckland Line at Penrose. 17/5/14.

An AMP / AMT / AMA EMU approaches Onehunga. 17/5/14.

After a short stop at Onehunga the unit started its journey back to Britomart. 17/5/14.

After getting my shots of the new face of Auckland rail it was time to get to the airport. While I didn't cover much territory it was good to see some of the Auckland rail scene and the changes its undergone since I was last north of the Bombays. 

And that's about it.