Northern Explorer
{{Short description|Long-distance passenger train in New Zealand}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox rail service
|box_width =
|name = Northern Explorer
|image = Northern Explorer Train, Paekakariki, Wellington (20240207).jpg
|image_width =
|caption = Northern Explorer train set at Paekākāriki
|type = Inter-city rail
|status =Operating
|locale = North Island, New Zealand
|first = 25 June 2012
|last =
|operator = Great Journeys New Zealand
|formeroperator= KiwiRail Scenic Journeys
|start = Wellington
|stops = 8
|end = Auckland
|distance = {{convert|681|km|abbr=on}}
|ridership=
|journeytime = 10 hours 55 minutes northbound
10 hours 35 minutes southbound
|frequency = 3 per week in each direction, 6 trips total
|class =
|access =
|seating = Airline style, alcove, and lounger
|catering = On-board café
|observation = Large windows in all carriages
|entertainment=
|baggage = Overhead racks
Baggage carriage
|stock = New Zealand AK class carriages,
DFB locomotives
|map_state = collapsed
|map = {{Northern Explorer}}
|predecessor=Overlander|website=|line_used=North Island Main Trunk}}
The Northern Explorer is a long-distance passenger train operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail between Auckland and Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand, along the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). Three services operate per week in each direction between Auckland's The Strand Station and Wellington railway station.{{Cite web|url=https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/northern-explorer/|title=Northern Explorer Timetable|website=The Great Journeys of New Zealand|access-date=21 June 2017|archive-date=21 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621155150/https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/northern-explorer/|url-status=live}} The Northern Explorer replaced the Overlander from 25 June 2012.
It was suspended in December 2021,{{Cite web|title=Project Restart '22|url=https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/explore-nz/our-scenic-nz-trains/northern-explorer-and-coastal-pacific-restart-22/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Great Journeys of New Zealand|language=en-US|archive-date=1 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201175954/https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/explore-nz/our-scenic-nz-trains/northern-explorer-and-coastal-pacific-restart-22/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|title=Urgent calls for long-distance passenger services to stay as KiwiRail cuts operations|language=en|work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/12/urgent-calls-for-long-distance-passenger-services-to-stay-as-kiwirail-cuts-operations.html|access-date=2022-01-29|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129034038/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/12/urgent-calls-for-long-distance-passenger-services-to-stay-as-kiwirail-cuts-operations.html|url-status=dead}} after suspension in August for COVID-19 lockdown.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-08|title=KiwiRail suspends scenic trains until next year amid 'difficult' tourism market|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127227924/kiwirail-suspends-scenic-trains-until-next-year-amid-difficult-tourism-market|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Stuff|language=en|archive-date=19 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419101047/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127227924/kiwirail-suspends-scenic-trains-until-next-year-amid-difficult-tourism-market|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2021-08-17|title=Covid-19: Forty-eight hours to get home and other travel rules for NZ's level 4 lockdown|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300385166/covid19-fortyeight-hours-to-get-home-and-other-travel-rules-for-nzs-level-4-lockdown|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Stuff|language=en|archive-date=19 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819230834/https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300385166/covid19-fortyeight-hours-to-get-home-and-other-travel-rules-for-nzs-level-4-lockdown|url-status=live}} However, it restarted on 25 September 2022.{{Cite web |title=Even Greater Journeys for 2022! |url=https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/explore-nz/our-scenic-nz-trains/making-our-great-journeys-even-greater/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Great Journeys of New Zealand |language=en-US |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710114212/https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/explore-nz/our-scenic-nz-trains/making-our-great-journeys-even-greater/ |url-status=dead }}
History
=Origins=
The first regular daylight Wellington–Auckland passenger train services, augmenting the older overnight services, were the steam-hauled Daylight Limited and diesel-hauled Scenic Daylight, which ran primarily during summer months and Easter holiday period for many years from the 1920s onwards. The arrival of the Blue Streak and later Silver Fern railcars saw an end for a time to regular carriage trains. At the time of its cessation, The Overlander was usually hauled by DC or EF locomotives with NZR 56-foot carriages.
= Re-branding as the ''Northern Explorer'' =
In 2012, passenger numbers were in decline and KiwiRail decided to replace the Overlander with the Northern Explorer, from Monday 25 June 2012. The timetable was accelerated by eliminating intermediate stops, except Paraparaumu, Palmerston North, Ohakune, National Park, Otorohanga (summer only), Hamilton and Papakura.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7164511/Dash-to-catch-the-last-train|title=Dash to catch the last train|date=25 June 2012|work=Manawatu Standard|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=28 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628002202/http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7164511/Dash-to-catch-the-last-train|url-status=live}} From October 2016, fire-suppressed DFB class locomotives (as required for diesel-hauled passenger trains in tunnels) were assigned to the service.
The service used one AKC and three AK class carriages, an AKL class luggage van and an AKV class power/viewing van from the Coastal Pacific. A larger AKS luggage van, converted from SA, replaced AKL in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/old-nz-trains-brought-back-life|title=Old NZ trains brought back to life|website=Māori Television|language=en|access-date=2019-02-18|archive-date=19 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015617/https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/old-nz-trains-brought-back-life|url-status=live}}
| File:Northern Explorer near Waiouru.JPG |
Patronage
The Northern Explorer carried 39,419 passengers in the year to 30 June 2014; about 1,500 more than in 2012–13, but almost 23,000 fewer than the Overlander in {{nowrap|2011–12}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51DBSCH_SCR62741_1/753669860c473e7644136dbc716013a208dd8523|title=2013/14 Annual review of the Ministry of Transport, the New Zealand Transport Agency, KiwiRail Holdings Limited, and the New Zealand Railways Corporation|website=Report of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee|access-date=3 November 2016|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141345/https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51DBSCH_SCR62741_1/753669860c473e7644136dbc716013a208dd8523|url-status=live}} Numbers rose 71% from 2013 to 2018,{{Cite web|url=http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=524&cntnt01returnid=101|title=Record season for KiwiRail tourism services|date=7 May 2018|website=kiwirail.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2018-06-10|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144437/http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=524&cntnt01returnid=101|url-status=live}} or about 65,000 a year and slightly more than the Overlander numbers.
Former stops
The Northern Explorer served the stations shown at the foot of this page. There were variations from 2012. Papakura and Paraparaumu were added on 15 October 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=181&cntnt01returnid=101|title=Two new stops added to Northern Explorer train service|date=20 September 2012|website=kiwirail.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2018-06-10|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144752/http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=181&cntnt01returnid=101|url-status=live}} Otorohanga was added on 10 December 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=201&cntnt01returnid=101|title=KiwiRail launches Waitomo and Hobbiton Escape package|date=14 February 2013|website=kiwirail.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2018-06-10|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144822/http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=201&cntnt01returnid=101|url-status=live}} The Auckland terminus was moved from Britomart to The Strand Station on 21 December 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=408&cntnt01returnid=101|title=Catch the Northern Explorer at Auckland’s new Strand Station|date=4 December 2015|website=kiwirail.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2018-06-10|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144859/http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=408&cntnt01returnid=101|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |last= Bowden |first= David |title= Great Railway Journeys in Australia and New Zealand |publisher=John Beaufoy Publishing |location= Oxford, England |isbn= 978-1-909612-94-5 |pages= 130–133 }}
External links
- [https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/northern-explorer/ The Great Journeys of New Zealand - Northern Explorer]
{{NZR Passenger}}
{{Northern Explorer train stops}}{{Public transport in New Zealand}}
Category:Long-distance passenger trains in New Zealand
Category:Railway services introduced in 2012