Roaming in Matangi's

 

DFB7282 awaits departure time with the Capital Connection service to Palmerston North. A Matangi train arrives on platform 9.

I've been fortunate to travel to Wellington for work several times this year where I've managed to get down to the impressive Wellington Railway Station in the evenings to watch the evening rush hour. It was good fun watching Metlink move large amounts of commuters so efficently and the new track layout working with many trains arriving and departing; not just the 'Matangi' (Matangi is Te Reo for wind or breeze - a great name for trains in windy Wellingon) but also the DFB hauled Capital Connection to Palmerston North and the Wairarapa Connection passenger trains. 

For my last trip to Wellington, I was able to get to Wellington a day early and managed to get a day off to explore the Wellington suburban rail network. 

I arrived at the station just after the morning rush hour. Matangi units were being shunted into sidings for the afternoon rush hour while staff prepared for the off peak schedule. 

This included the Wairarapa Connection trains that had also arrived. These trains are shunted into the Wellington yard for the day before being shunted back into the platforms for the evening services to Masterton. One of these services was in Platform 8 and I grabbed a quick photo of the two DFB's on the front. These locomotives are not far away from being sent to South Africa so it was good to get a shot of them even though it was a poor photo.

DFB's 7348 and 7049 rest at Platform 8 with a recently arrived Wairarapa Connection passenger train.

After tagging on using my snapper card I caught my first train of the day to Upper Hutt. After leaving Wellington station the Hutt Line passes the Wellington freight yard, electric multiple unit depot and the diesel locomotive depot before skirting along the edge of Wellington Harbour and passing through the Hutt Valley suburbs.

Matangi EMU Trailer car FT4299 at Upper Hutt Station. 

Upper Hutt is the northern terminus on the electrified Hutt Line and sits 32 kilometers from Wellington. Diesel locomotive hauled Wairarapa Connection trains stop here on their way to and from Masterton and the Wairarapa to the north. The station is a massive upgrade from the one I last visited in the late 90's. The old station was replaced with the current building in 2015 and includes a nice waiting room and amentities for Metlink staff. 

After grabbing an excellent flat white from the coffee cart outside I boarded the next southbound service to Wellington.

On the return to Wellington I stopped off at the fantastic railway station at Taita. 

Taita Railway Station.

Opened in 1947 when the railway was constructed as part of the then Governmerns new state housing project in the Hutt Valley it was upgraded in the 1950's for electric passenger trains. Taita is one of my favourite railway stations in New Zealand because its one of the last remaining timber suburban stations. I love the post war design and the part it played in the development of the hutt. After spending a long time taking a lot of photos and admiring the station building I caught another train headed to Wellington.

Powered car FP5125 departs Taita with a Matangi EMU for Upper Hutt.

One of the things I've enjoyed exploring Wellingtons rail network is seeing the 'Ride like your aunty is watching' posters on the trains and at stations. This advertising campaign is to promote good etiquette on public transport. The drawings are by Mary Guo and the campaign was launched in 2023. You can find Marys work here. This is a great initative and hats off to Metlink for running it.

Ride like aunty is watching!

After getting back to Wellington I grabbed some quick shots of Matangi units before boarding my next train to Waikanae.

Matangi Units rest in the short time between services at Wellington Railway Station.

The Kapiti Line runs along the North Island Main Trunk. After departing Wellington and  passing through two tunnels that were built as part of the Tawa Deviation, the line runs through the coastal suburbs along Porirua Harbour and the Kapiti Coast to Waikanae. Riding along this line you get some amazing ocean views but the best would have to be the view to Kapiti Island as you decend down into Paekakariki.

Kapiti Island in the distance.

I had been on the Kapiti Line before but only to the old terminus of Paraparaumu. The extension of the suburban electrification and double tracking to Waikanae was offically opened in Feburary 2011. For a train running in the afternoon on a weekday I was surprised by the number of passengers. It was good to see a large number of people using this form of public transport.

A Matangi Unit at Waikanae

It was not long before I was back on the train and returning to Wellington. By the time I arrived the afternoon and evening rush was starting to begin. Matangi units were leaving the nearby sidings and were soon lining up at the platforms to get commuters back home.

The Capital Connection was already on Platform 8 with DFB 7282 ready to race this passenger train north to Palmerston North. 

DFB 7282 at Platform 7 getting ready to depart with the northbound Capital Connection for Palmerston North.

With the sun starting to set, I watched as Matangi units came and went and the longer distance passenger trains departed for destinations north. Before heading to the hotel I got one last photo of DFB7145 with a northbound service for the Masterton and the Wairarapa.

DFB7145 puts on a light show as it departs Platform 6 with a Wairarapa Connection service to Masterton. 

With my last photos taken, I decided to leave the station to find some food, very happy after a good day of roaming on Matangi's around the Wellington electrified suburban network.

And thats about it.