Retro Reds To The Rescue by Tony Hurst

$30.00 NZD

Category: Railways

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 operati ng 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planning: it was rather that a lack of timely decisions on new stock had led to hurried re-introduction of previously withdrawn multiple-units and locomotives.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. ...Show more

The Kaikoura Job: Rebuilding KiwiRail's Main North Line by Rob Merrifield

$46.00 NZD

Category: Railways

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 devasta ting 2016 earthquake. ...Show more

Going by Train - The Complete New Zealand Railways Story by Graham Hutchins

$60.00 NZD

Category: Railways

Railways played a pivotal part in the development of New Zealand's economy, towns and cities, and helped shape a distinctive culture. This is a comprehensive account of our railways story, from the earliest days of the colony, through rail's growth and golden days, slow decline and recent resurgence. Go ing by Train details New Zealand's railway development from its beginnings to completion of the main trunk, provincial and urban networks and the numerous branch lines reaching far-flung corners of the country. By the 1930s and '40s, railways dominated travel and became part of the national way of life, with trains for all passengers and occasions. Graham Hutchins, who grew up in a railway town and spent many years working on the railways, recounts the locomotives, the lines, the people and personalities in rail's colourful history. With competition from road transport, rail's golden glow began to fade, with line closures, corporatisation and reduced investment. But with renewed interest, its time has come again, with growth in tourist and commuter travel, line redevelopment and heritage restoration. This fully illustrated work gives excellent coverage of local rail's tribulations, triumphs and tragedies, written in a very readable style. Rail fans and general readers alike will enjoy its wide-ranging topics, generous illustrations, anecdotes and personal accounts. ...Show more

When Nelson Had a Railway by Barry O'Donnell

$60.00 NZD

Category: Railways

For almost eighty years New Zealand Railways operated a line that extended south from Nelson. The expectation of Nelsonians was that sooner, rather than later, their region would be connected to the rest of the South Island railway system as promised by various Governments. Construction delays, rugged t errain, acts of God, politics, and the development of road transport all conspired against that happening. For over forty years Glenhope, a tiny settlement 59 miles from Nelson, was effectively the terminus of the railway, which after 1945 remained the only isolated section of the New Zealand Railways' network. This book tells the fascinating and frustrating story of the Nelson Section, and of the men and women who worked on the railway. The Government, having abandoned its promise to complete the connection, closed the railway in June 1954. A storm of local protest saw the railway offered a reprieve, but unable to attain the level of tonnage the Government required for it to remain open, the railway was finally closed in September 1955. Despite further protests - one of which made headlines on the other side of the world - the railway remained closed, and by December 1956 the Nelson Section had ceased to exist. ...Show more

New Zealand Railway Motive Power by David Parsons

$49.00 NZD

Category: Railways

84 pages of colour photographs, tables, specifications, colour schemes, locations, and preserved equipment data. This book covers diesel-electric and electric mainline locomotives, electric multiple-units, diesel shunting locomotives, railcars, track maintenance equipment, and industrial locomotives up to 31 December 2017. A valuable source of information for all followers of rail in New Zealand. The most comprehensive motive power book yet produced. ...Show more

Beauty Of Steam by P. Waller

$65.00 NZD

Category: Railways

Flying Scotsman by Philip Atkins

$30.00 NZD

Category: Railways | Series: Haynes Icons Ser.

Perhaps the most iconic steam locomotive in the world, the legendary Flying Scotsman was the first train to achieve 100mph and in its glory days ran the only non-stop passenger service between London and Edinburgh. When it was withdrawn from regular service in 1963, after nearly 40 years in service, the locomotive had travelled an estimated two million miles. In January 2016, after a complete and expert restoration project lasting a decade, Flying Scotsman returned to the UK's mainline as one of the jewels in the National Railway Museum's collection. ...Show more

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure by Monisha Rajesh

$25.00 NZD

Category: Travel - Narratives

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER AWARD FOR BEST TRAVEL BOOK 'Monisha Rajesh has chosen one of the best ways of seeing the world. Never too fast, never too slow, her journey does what trains do best. Getting to the heart of things. Prepare for a very fine ride' Michael PalinWhen Monisha Rajesh announced plans to circumnavigate the globe in eighty train journeys, she was met with wide-eyed disbelief. But it wasn't long before she was carefully plotting a route that would cover 45,000 miles - almost twice the circumference of the earth - coasting along the world's most remarkable railways; from the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet's Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Packing up her rucksack - and her fiancé, Jem - Monisha embarks on an unforgettable adventure that will take her from London's St Pancras station to the vast expanses of Russia and Mongolia, North Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan and beyond. The ensuing journey is one of constant movement and mayhem, as the pair strike up friendships and swap stories with the hilarious, irksome and ultimately endearing travellers they meet on board, all while taking in some of the earth's most breathtaking views. From the author of Around India in 80 Trains comes another witty and irreverent look at the world and a celebration of the glory of train travel. Rajesh offers a wonderfully vivid account of life, history and culture in a book that will make you laugh out loud - and reflect on what it means to be a global citizen - as you whirl around the world in its pages. ...Show more

New Zealand Adventures By Rail by Denis Dwyer

$35.00 NZD

Category: Railways

New Zealand Railwaymen at War 1914-18

$24.99 NZD

Category: Railways

Great Railway Journeys in Australia & New Zealand by David Bowden

$50.00 NZD

Category: Railways

  35 trips that highlight some of the most interesting, scenic and rewarding railway journeys in Australia and New Zealand. They include the renowned long-distance journeys, such as The Indian Pacific in Australia that takes travellers on a three-day trip from Perth to Sydney or the The Northern Explor er in New Zealand's North Island that stretches from Wellington to Auckland, as well as those that traverse stunning scenery, such as New Zealand's TranzAlpine train or the Spirit of the Outback in Australia. There are also routes on which restored steam locomotives operate and other lines included for the wonder of their engineering.   Trains are a great way to travel in these countries, taking you at ground level past superb scenery that often cannot be seen by any other means of transport. David Bowden's entertaining text describes the route, the major features of interest along the way and any special technical details about the locomotive or the track.   ...Show more

Cathedrals of Steam - How London's Great Stations Were Built - and How They Transformed the City by Christian Wolmar

$55.00 NZD

Category: Railways

'A wonderful tour, full of vivid incident and surprising detail.' Simon Bradley London hosts twelve major railway stations, more than any other city in the world. They range from the grand and palatial, such as King's Cross and Paddington, to the modest and lesser known, such as Fenchurch Street and Ca nnon Street. These monuments to the railway age are the hub of London's transport system and their development, decline and recent renewal have determined the history of the capital in many ways. Built between 1836 and 1899 by competing private railway companies seeking to outdo one another, the construction of these terminuses caused tremendous upheaval and had a widespread impact on their local surroundings. What were once called 'slums' were demolished, green spaces and cemeteries were concreted over, and vast marshalling yards, engine sheds and carriage depots sprung up in their place. In a compelling and dramatic narrative, Christian Wolmar traces the development of these magnificent cathedrals of steam, provides unique insights into their history, with many entertaining anecdotes, and celebrates the recent transformation of several of these stations into wonderful blends of the old and the new. ...Show more