Trams Still Around New Zealand is true to its title, detailing the existence of 99 trams; 85 New Zealand trams and 14 trams from Australia now resident here. Between the covers the reader will discover that the tramcar in New Zealand is far from a street vehicle of the past. Already the tram has returned to the streets of Auckland and Christchurch. Coverage is given to each of the trams now running within the boundaries of transport museums in New Zealand, those that are in storage but not yet running, with coverage also of trams still used as baches around New Zealand. Each tram portrayed has its history outlined with generous photographic coverage of each tram in original condition, as stored, and finally as restored (if that has occurred). Also featured are the Wellington and Dunedin cable-cars. Wrapping up this most interesting book is a broad coverage of the various tramway societies and groups.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 210 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 20-10-2021

Finally, the complete story of NZR’s most powerful conventional steam locomotive class has been documented. Author Jonathan Shingleton details the operational constrictions of the Midland line, history leading up to the development of the KB class, including proposals to transfer X class to the South Island and add boosters. Learn how Midland Line east-bound loads were governed by EO haulage capacity through the Otira tunnel, the manufacture and bedding in of the KBs, their daily operation, the booster operation and maintenance, trialling of KB operations out of Dunedin, a proposal to transfer all KBs to the North Island, and their eventual displacement onto the Main South Line. Detail of the KB operations are neatly interspersed with crew accounts of operating the KB class; the firemen, drivers and fitters. Complementing the text is a lavish selection of black and white and colour images from the era.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 210 x 295 mm

Publication Date: 21-06-2021

Signing on at Greymouth's Elmer Lane depot in 1962, a young Ian Tibbles very quickly learnt the mysteries of "the dark shed". Graduating from labourer to cleaner and then fireman, his apprenticeship takes us on a journey about the West Coast in the 1960's, the golden age of steam. Starting on the wharf and local shunts on Wf's Ian moved onto the main lines, then populated with A, Ab, B, J, We and Ww class engines. Sharing his firing experiences, Ian recounts throughout the chapters what it was like "getting down the road" on the various lines and classes of engine. The vagaries of narrow grate engines through to the "modern" J class are all discussed. managing transfer to various depots on the Coast, Ian recounts his time on all the West Coast lines. The Grey Valley, Blackball branch, Ross line, relieving Reefton, the Tawhai saddle, Reefton to Westport, the Westport to Mokihinui coal railway, Conns Creek branch, Rewanui incline and of course blasting up to Otira on the J class, are all vividly recounted. Complementing the text is a lavish selection of black and white and colour images from the era. Without doubt, this is a book for lovers of NZR steam in the 60s. 163 b&w photos + 99 colour photos

Bind: hardback

Pages: 251

Publication Date: 10-04-2015

The sea-level mountain railway has a long story of dramatic moments and events. The men who completed it in the 1930s and 1940s always referred to it as "The Kaikoura Job". This is the story of the scenic coastal line, from its early beginnings through to the reconstruction efforts following the devastating 2016 earthquake. Lavishly illustrated with historical photos and those taken recently in 2018.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 134

Dimensions: 210 x 300 mm

Publication Date: 01-11-2018

Currently, Wellington suburban train services are operated by Matangi electric multiple-units, all virtually visibly identical. But as recently as 2011 there was a wide variety of electric units in use, as well as one set of locomotive-hauled carriages, providing a much more colourful and varied operating fleet, including colour schemes of an earlier era. This was not by deliberate planning: it was rather that a lack of timely decisions on new stock had led to hurried re-introduction of previously withdrawn multiple-units and locomotives. This book tells the story of this era, with an emphasis on the variety of equipment and liveries that could be seen up until 2012. The story is lavishly illustrated with photographs illustrating the visual diversity within this period.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 64

Dimensions: 210 x 145 mm

Publication Date: 21-09-2020

Ces Gledhill hired on with New Zealand Railways in 1925. Forever the rolling stone in search of better money, overtime and promotion, Ces transferred around New Zealand seeking out opportunities within the railway service. Starting as a cleaner, he worked his way up through the ranks of fireman and eventually first-class enginedriver. Working through the Depression years and the boom of war-time rail traffic, Ces recounts with interest his time living at the various towns and cities, working on both isolated sections, branch lines and main trunk trains. Told with passion are many of his footplate escapades. After a wartime absence, he returned from railway military service in the Middle-east, he settled down on the West Coast of the South Island, both operating and keeping operational, run-down locomotives on the post-war railway. This work is well illustrated with images of the period, many taken by the author.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 115

Dimensions: 210 x 296 mm

Publication Date: 16-08-2019

Here’s a fresh account of life on New Zealand Railways. Most crew stories have been written from the front of the train, but the guard at the back of the train had a completely different view of the world and the things that occurred on the railway. Norman Junge was a guard on the Midland Line from 1947 to 1957, a period of busy train running and frequent challenges in “getting trains through”. Join Norman for an exceptionally interesting adventure covering mixed trains, work trains, picnic trains, shunting challenges, lost drawgear, fires, washouts, runaways, derailments, and of course interfaces with fellow railwaymen. This is a fascinating and easy read with much new information to interest the reader. Many of the accounts are illustrated with photographs taken by the author while on the job and supplemented by others.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 128

Dimensions: 210 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 21-03-2022

Keith G. Brown documents Addington Workshops rich history from formation to closure and details his own experiences working as a tradesman carpenter at Addington from 1949 to 1987. The first book to document Addington's leading role in the manufacture and repair of rolling stock for New Zealand Railways, this is a fascinating look behind the fence of this once-famous facility. Lavishly illustrated with colour and black and white photographs, the workshop buildings, manufacture and repair of locomotives, carriages and wagons are all extensively covered.

Pages: 112

Reprinted due to popular demand! Between 1863 and 1971 the steam locomotive was the best known part of railways, and these steel kings of the steel road touched everyone’s lives. Stories abound regarding the steam locomotive and what made them special. This is a history of the steam locomotives owned by New Zealand’s national railway system. Numbering more than a thousand, they were enormously varied – ranging from little over five tons to almost 148 tons in weight, and from the occasional failure to trend-setting designs of international significance. This stunning book combines the best available research with the largest collection of photographs on the subject ever assembled. The book is not the full story of each class; that would be an impossible task given the limits of a single volume. Each locomotive is described by class beginning at A and ending at Y with brief specifications, builders and years built and operated begin each section. The text then describes the circumstances that led to the acquisition or building of the class, the type of work they performed, significant modifications made, the decline and withdrawal of each class, and the existence of any preserved examples. Along the way we are informed about the basic structure of the NZR numbering system and the variations made over the years. Interesting mention is made of average annual mileages run by the various classes, and the running cost per mile travelled. Locomotives that did not receive a classification by NZR and steam railcars are also covered. The illustrations form a vital part of this volume. They have been sourced from a variety of collections, and they support the text fully. Photographs show what the author has written about, guiding the reader in his learning. Where a member or members of a class have been preserved or restored for running on private or main lines there’s invariably an illustration, appropriately placed last in the section. This lavishly illustrated and very informative book will soon become an essential reference work for all interested in the railways of New Zealand. 336 pages of black and white photographs case bound with dust jacket

Bind: hardback

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 01-09-2011

A celebration of the building, maintaining and operating the North Island Main Trunk railway from the days of steam through the diesel electric and electric locomotives. Not forgotten are the country stations, refreshment rooms, goods yards and passenger trains. A great book for all interested in railways and New Zealand history.

Pages: 100

Dimensions: 270 x 230 mm

Publication Date: 01-10-2010