My Work in Rail 2022.
Goodbye 2022
30th December 2022.
My last job for 2022. Was 10am standby, got called out to do the 1430 Depot Duties job. Not a lot happening. Only had 3 trains to deal with and fill up 1 rental car. Have a happy new year everyone.
Feilding Steam's Charter
13th November 2022.
My train today. E02, Feilding Steams charter with the Capital Connection consist from P Nth to New Plymouth. I was the driver of the first leg P Nth to Whareroa. The train departed Wanganui on way up at 0950hrs and the returned as train (E03) through Wanganui around 2000hrs.
Cab ride on 535
2nd November 2022.
I took SteamRail Wanganui mate, Trevor Ferguson for a cab ride on train 535 from Whareroa (Hawera) to Wanganui- Trevor loved the trip and said it was bloody fantastic, thankyou Blair Jordan
Dxb on 262, Wellington to P Nth.
15 September 2022.
It's been a while since I have driven one of these. Was meant to be 670/671 to P2A, but a phone call the night before asked me to change to 1203/262. I had my favorite Dfb loco (7282) on the way down to Wellington with 1203 the Capital Connection and this beauty Dxb 5120 on way back to P Nth on 262. The junk Chinese Dl (9037) was dead in behind where it should be. It's only a small train, 188ton for 204m (10 wagons) long.
A big thank you to Wellington Loco Servicing for putting the Dxb on the head and to John Bovis, Donald Walters, Jack Still and Samuel Shortall for allowing me to use their photos.
A big thank you to Wellington Loco Servicing for putting the Dxb on the head and to John Bovis, Donald Walters, Jack Still and Samuel Shortall for allowing me to use their photos.
Em80 To Napier.
26th August 2022.
This blue beast was my drive today. EM80 (the track evaluation car) from P Nth to Napier (including out to the port), returned to P Nth in a car
262, Wellington to P nth.
12th August 2022.
Dxc 5039 was my 2nd loco on 262. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the Dxc on the head for serval reasons, but I made sure that I ran the Dl offline all the way so I could hear the Dxc working hard behind me.
Steam Inc, Woodville Trip
31 July 2022
Ja 1271 + Da 1410, Woodville to Wellington back to Paekakariki. This trip had a few 1sts for me. It was my first time overseeing/training a new fireman, my first double headed excursion and my first time firing a steam loco south of Paekakariki to Wellington and back to Paekakariki.
GVR, The East to West Tour.
12 July 2022.
I was booked on train number F01, with Grant Allen (Sparky) as part of the Glenbrook Vintage Railways East to West tour. Using their restored diesel loco DBR 1254. We were meant to be Woodville to Masterton (Wairarapa line), before returning with empty train the same way and then via the Manawatu Gorge to P Nth then Fielding.
But due to bad weather the line got closed south of Pahiatua due to slips. So we only got to P2A for lunch. Passengers were bussed to Masterton. On way back with the empty train (loco now long hood leading), we only got to Mangatainoka bluff before finding a large slip and trees blocking our way. We had to then reversed back to P2A and wait for gangers to clear the line. The line got cleared by 1900hrs and we headed back to Fielding to park the train up for the night at Fielding Steam's depot.
With the line being closed this was disappointing for us all. This was meant to be my sign off trip on the Wairarapa Line. But on a good note this was my first time driving a DBR since I did my drivers school over 7 years ago and I love driving the older locos over the modern DL locos. I still enjoyed my drive and hopefully it will happen again. The GVR team have done a great job with the restoration of DBR 1254.
But due to bad weather the line got closed south of Pahiatua due to slips. So we only got to P2A for lunch. Passengers were bussed to Masterton. On way back with the empty train (loco now long hood leading), we only got to Mangatainoka bluff before finding a large slip and trees blocking our way. We had to then reversed back to P2A and wait for gangers to clear the line. The line got cleared by 1900hrs and we headed back to Fielding to park the train up for the night at Fielding Steam's depot.
With the line being closed this was disappointing for us all. This was meant to be my sign off trip on the Wairarapa Line. But on a good note this was my first time driving a DBR since I did my drivers school over 7 years ago and I love driving the older locos over the modern DL locos. I still enjoyed my drive and hopefully it will happen again. The GVR team have done a great job with the restoration of DBR 1254.
Steam Inc's Woodville Trip.
15 May 2022
After a long absence I finally did another Steam Job. I was the fireman on Steam Inc's Ja 1271 from Woodville to Paekakariki.
Test Trains
19th to 22nd April 2022.
I was on a test train all week from the 19th to the 22nd of April. We were testing the ride and brakes on a new type of container wagon, a Fib wagon. Tuesday and Wednesday we did runs between Shannon and Koputaroa testing how the wagon brakes work at different speeds. Thursday we tested the wagons ride to Napier and back. But due to time clash with 620 and 623 we ran late and I got relieve at Otane, taking car back to P Nth. Friday we took the test train to Wellington and back again. Testing the wagon at speeds up to 90kmph. The 1st pic and vid shows the test train in the loop at Shannon. The next 4 pics show the train on Thursday at Otane. The last 4 pics are the test train in Wellington on the Friday, after we turned the loco. A real mix of locos there including a Dxc.
Overhauled Dsa 483
Some of you may not know but the Winstones Pulp International Mill (WPI) near Karioi own ex NZR Bagnall Dsa 483 (original No 246). This loco has just return from a major overhaul at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. I was on trains 250/251 pulp trains on the 18th of January and had time to get a few photos and videos of this clean looking loco shunting, while he waited for them to finish loading his train. I have included a photo of how it used to look in its green colour before the overhaul.
A Trip Up The NIMT
14th January 2022
The Ef electric locos are only used on a few trains each direction each day between P Nth and Te Rapa. It’s even rarer to do a crew change from a Ef to a Ef these days. But this is what happened when I did trains 390 to National Park return on 391 on the 14th of Jan. Train 390 carries the full containers of dairy products (milk powder, cheese, and butter etc) for export through the port at Tauranga for Fonterra. With train 391 bringing the empty containers down for loading by Fonterra. These are the trains that connect with the Taranaki trains to and from Whareroa at P nth.
Train 390 had Ef’s 30140 and 30007 pulling 1577 ton for 709m (40 wagons) long. This is an early start job (2am) and I left P Nth at 0254hrs. I was put into the loop at Hihitahi to cross train 217, before heading to National Park for crew change with 391. Getting into Nat Park at 0728hrs.
Train 391 had Ef’s 30094 and 30105 hauling 811ton for 709m (40 wagons) long. I left Nat Park at 0740hrs. Had a signal failure between Tangiwai and Waiouru, which meant I had to stop on the Waiouru Bank to get Train controls permission to pass the red signal. Further down the line I passed the derailment site at Silverhope (between Hunterville and Porewa), before getting back into P Nth at 1144hrs. Blair J.
Train 390 had Ef’s 30140 and 30007 pulling 1577 ton for 709m (40 wagons) long. This is an early start job (2am) and I left P Nth at 0254hrs. I was put into the loop at Hihitahi to cross train 217, before heading to National Park for crew change with 391. Getting into Nat Park at 0728hrs.
Train 391 had Ef’s 30094 and 30105 hauling 811ton for 709m (40 wagons) long. I left Nat Park at 0740hrs. Had a signal failure between Tangiwai and Waiouru, which meant I had to stop on the Waiouru Bank to get Train controls permission to pass the red signal. Further down the line I passed the derailment site at Silverhope (between Hunterville and Porewa), before getting back into P Nth at 1144hrs. Blair J.
A Nice Day For A Drive
1st January 2022
My first job for 2022 (and it was an extra work period) on New Year’s Day, a 10 ½ hr job. Train 534 to Whareroa returning on train 539. Train 534 with DL’s 9475 & 9446 was 808 ton for 725m (41 wagons) long.
After leaving an hour early (1154hrs), it was a long slow trip up, with signals failure between Greatford and Marton, all the 40km/hr heat restrictions on and of course the 25km/hr through the Turakina and Fordell Tunnels for TSF containers. I didn’t get into Wanganui until 1358hrs. Keegan and Kylie were there at East Town to see me go through.
I Got into Whareroa 3 minutes late at 1629hrs. Shunters based at Whareroa were Dsj 4045 and Dsc 2746. I did the shunt and then returned on 539, leaving Whareroa at 1728hrs. Same locos I took up. 539 on the way back was 859 Ton for 355m (19 wagons) long. Keegan and Kylie were this time on the Aramoho Rail Bridge waving as I went through.
A long hot day, the weather was perfect. I finally got back to P Nth about 5 mins late. At 2125hrs. Photos were taken at P nth, Wanganui, Waverley, Waverley Wind Farm and Whareroa. A happy new year to you all. Blair J.
After leaving an hour early (1154hrs), it was a long slow trip up, with signals failure between Greatford and Marton, all the 40km/hr heat restrictions on and of course the 25km/hr through the Turakina and Fordell Tunnels for TSF containers. I didn’t get into Wanganui until 1358hrs. Keegan and Kylie were there at East Town to see me go through.
I Got into Whareroa 3 minutes late at 1629hrs. Shunters based at Whareroa were Dsj 4045 and Dsc 2746. I did the shunt and then returned on 539, leaving Whareroa at 1728hrs. Same locos I took up. 539 on the way back was 859 Ton for 355m (19 wagons) long. Keegan and Kylie were this time on the Aramoho Rail Bridge waving as I went through.
A long hot day, the weather was perfect. I finally got back to P Nth about 5 mins late. At 2125hrs. Photos were taken at P nth, Wanganui, Waverley, Waverley Wind Farm and Whareroa. A happy new year to you all. Blair J.