Rail rides accompanied with bells, whistles and tunnels are still very much alive thanks to dedicated societies, clubs and businesses that keep trains chugging, taking passengers on nostalgic rides in and near Auckland.
Electrics
The only real train, Northern Explorer glides along the Main Trunk Line from Auckland to Wellington three times a week.
Leaving from downtown Auckland, with stops at Papakura, Hamilton, Otorohanga, it goes through the volcanic plateau with a lunch stop at National Park station tearooms, with three more stops before reaching Wellington.
Carriages have mod cons, there are still railway pies to buy at the cafe carriage. The friendly conductors and colourful commentary are worth the fare alone.
Fifty-five minutes from Auckland, the Glenbrook Vintage Railway steam train was once part of the Waiuku Branch, servicing the rolling countryside of Franklin from 1922 until 1968.
The return trip takes about one hour, with an optional hop off at Waiuku to catch a later train back to Glenbrook. There's also a stop at Pukeoware workshop to view restored engines and equipment.
Gleenbrook Vintage Railway. Photo / Kelly Lynch
Twice a year the world's favourite, smiling, bright blue locomotive engine, Thomas, from the British television series Thomas the Tank Engine, makes a guest appearance. Rides in his trucks on the siding are controlled by Sir Topham Hatt, the Fat Controller, alongside other fun activities.
Glenbrook is run by dedicated volunteers of the Railway Enthusiasts Society; open Sundays and public holidays from late October to early June, 10am-5.30pm.
The Pukemiro bush tramway club. Photo / Kelly Lynch
Original, restored steam and diesel locomotives chug through native bush along the Pukemiro Line near Huntly, a section of railway once used to carry coal from Pukemiro Mine in 1915, and later from Rotowaro and Glen Afton to Huntly.
The Bush Tramway Club purchased the line from Rotowaro to Glen Afton and once a month takes train rides along 5.4km of line. The steamer operates only on good weather days as the surrounding bush can be a fire hazard. One ticket purchase allows multiple rides.
There's some rare equipment on site which includes a 1902 Heisler, US-made bogie steam loco and a Climax, as well as a bush jigger and a restored 1930s truck that once carried timber workers.
Adults $15, Children $5, Preschool free, Jigger Rides $2.
Entrepreneur, potter and railway enthusiast Barry Brickell created the Driving Creek Railway from scratch as a means of lugging clay and wood over his rugged 22ha of land to his potter's bench. The snake and linx are two self-propelled passenger railcars with open sides especially designed to handle the sharp curves and steep grades at railway.
A one-hour return ride traverses native bush past Brickell's large pottery sculptures and includes two spirals, three short tunnels and several large viaducts as it climbs up to the mountain-top finish. The Eyefull Tower has unhindered views over bush, valleys and the Hauraki Gulf.
Take a 30-minute trip back in time on the heritage Goldfields Railway runs alongside the Ohinemuri River, passing magical scenery and historic mining sites between Waihi and Waikino, at the eastern end of Karangahake Gorge.
Originally built for mining in the early 1900s, the line conveyed mining materials, goods, livestock and people. Until 1978, the Waihi Station was part of the East Coast Main Trunk linking the Bay of Plenty with Auckland and the Waikato. Thanks to the Goldfields Railway Society, it's now a working example of a heritage-listed railway complete with original infrastructure. You can also cycle beside the river as part of the Hauraki Rail Trail.
Motat's collection of trams encompasses 130 years of urban transport. The trams run every 30 minutes from the transport museum to the Aviation Display Hall on Meola Rd.
On weekdays, the operating trams hail from Melbourne or Sydney, joined at the weekend by a mix of New Zealand heritage trams. The double-decker and steam trams run on special occasions. Don't miss the Christmas lights, Motat nights (from December 18 to 24) with evening rides on trams illuminated by fairy lights for $2. The big guy in red will be there too.
A little seven-minute steam ride to suit the young and anyone capable of fitting inside its small coloured carriages is with family-run business Whangaparaoa Narrow Gauge Railway.
Toot, the steam engine operates on the first Saturday of each month, otherwise it's a petrol-powered engine that carries passengers around a 350m track: through a tunnel, over a viaduct, two bridges, past bush and farm animals in paddocks.
• Manukau Live Steamers are miniature steam, diesel and electric trains on two different tracks. Mangere Centre Park, Robertson Rd, Auckland. On Sundays only, 11am onwards. manukaulivesteamers.co.nz/home-new
• Panmure Basin Miniature Train Rides, Peterson Rd, Mt Wellington. If weather is good, Sundays from 1pm-4pm. ww.asme.org.nz
• Butterfly Creek While visiting butterflies and farm animals there's also a chance to take a train ride around the Dinosaur Kingdom. 10-12 Tom Pearce Drive, Airport Oaks, Manukau butterflycreek.co.nz
• Due to slips, the Rain Forest Express in the Waitakere Ranges closed permanently in November 2014
