Railway Observer Preview

The New Zealand Railway Observer : Issued Bi-monthly, ISSN 0028-8624
Issue 390, April-May 2025
Volume 82, No. 1

Contents

Train 624, Palmerston North to Napier Express Freight, with the first load of logs from Tangiwai approaching the Peka Peka wetlands south of Hastings o 28 January 2025. The train, hauled by DL9757, was heading for Napier Port. Photograph James Lovie

The Avondale-Southdown Line – Graeme Carter

James Fulton’s Last Stand – The Tawa Deviation – Richard MacLean

From Morse to Fibre – Part Two – Russell Grigg

Photographs by Chris Bradley

Tom Clement, Engine Driver – Part Two – Jon Shingleton

Glen Afton Branch Train Workings in the 1960s – Robert Finley

Research Notes #240 – A Tragedy at Minzion Siding in 1925 – Graeme McClare

From the Top of the Raurimu Spiral, Down at the Station, Letters to the Editor

Obituary – Graham Stewart

Book  Reviews

There are 29 colour photos in this issue.

Click Image for full size

The New Zealand Railway Observer

The Railway Observer is for everyone who takes an interest in the railways and tramways of
New Zealand. Read about their fascinating present developments and past history.

We publish it:-

  • Six times a year for members of the Society and the public.
  • For everyone who takes an interest in the railways and tramways in New Zealand.
  • It is packed with information and pictures.
  • Design · Construction · Operation · Development · History
  • Mailed direct to Society members as part of the annual subscription.
  • Copies may also be purchased from the Society or ordered through your favourite hobby shop or bookshop.

Membership of the Society brings you:

  • Six issues of The New Zealand Railway Observer each year
  • The Society’s members’ newsletter “Turntable”
  • Special members’ prices for all Society publications
  • Opportunities to insert free private announcements in The New Zealand Railway Observer and Turntable
  • Opportunities to join your nearest Society Group for meetings and outings with other railfans.
  • Access to the Society’s archives of information on railways.

Contributions

Manuscripts

We welcome, for possible publication, contributed articles and notes, including photographs. Articles should not normally exceed about 4000 words, and should be supplied electronically in PC format accompanied by a hard-copy version. We will consider a modest rate of payment for material published – enquire for details. Neither the Editor nor the Society can undertake to return unsolicited contributions.

Photographs

Photographs should be supplied as clear, sharp, glossy black and white or colour prints not less than 10cm x 15cm in size; or, for full colour reproduction, clear, sharp colour slides or transparencies. Digital scans should be no less than 300 dpi, preferably sent on a memory stick. The Editor reserves the right to reproduce colour slides or transparencies in monochrome. Black and white and colour prints are retained by the Society, but colour slides and transparencies are returned after use.

For more information write to

New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society,
1A North Street, Petone
Lower Hutt, 5012, New Zealand.

Or send us an email at nzrls@actrix.co.nz