Thought I would post a few pics of the BOP/ECMT line and surrounding areas - some old, some new.
First up - Geotech bore hole tests being taken at the northern end of the Apata loop. There was to be a 1.2km crossing loop planned for Omokoroa until the locals got restless and complained about increased rail traffic. The loop will now be at Apata. I took these pics about 3 weeks ago so I'll add pics as they progress.
The same bridge, taken about May 2007.
looks very sturdy on that last shot. i can get away with alot more mistakes in my modelling , by the looks of things.John
Yes - I don't think Kiwirail would want too many of their precious DL's going across shaky bridges. This bridge has been strengthend since I took the last pic. Here's what the bridge abutments looked like in 2007.
A couple of days ago there was a nice video placed on You Tube by Steve Mac, featuring DL's strutting their stuff on train 482 & 483 (Mount M - Kinleith & return) on the 7-3-2011.
Kiwirails New DL Class In Action
Here's a pic I snipped from the vid. Taken at Te Puna. Train no. 483 crossing the Wairoa River.
Another pic of the same bridge. I took this in 1989. An excursion train lead by a Ja on its way to Tauranga.
Len
Nice pics Len.
This area is what I'm considering making some modules of.
Russ
Nice pics Len.
This area is what I'm considering making some modules of.
Russ
I remembered you talking about this bridge and doing a module of it - part of the reason why I posted it . 
I'd like to get some shots of the bridge and some traffic on it from the same spot the video was taken from. There's a small hill over the road from the level crossing before the bridge - a popular vantage spot for many a railfan.
Len
Hi Len,
Was out there this morning to view progress.
New pier casting being put in place at the eastern end.
Detail of the second west pier.
Russ
Nice pics Russell. I'm wondering if they will double track this bridge, or extend the loop southward beyond the SH2 bridge. I've got to go that way in a week or so - will take some more pics then.
Len
Steve Mac has uploaded another vid to You Tube of train 482/483.
Kiwirail's New DL Class in Action 2
Another shot of train 483 as it crosses the bridge over the Wairoa River ( about 6:14 ).
Len
2 or 3 K's north of Apata is the Wainui bridge. A few years ago I tried to get a pic of the last Silver Fern service from Tauranga to Auckland. Not having known it was already canned, I waited, waited, and waited a bit more. I did get a couple of pics though.
Old ECMT line over the Wainui River.
Len
Nice pics.
Wonder if they hold their breath going over them.
cheers
Stu
quite a number of years ago, i organised a photo shoot for club members and visitors from out of town. we accessed the viaduct via an orchard owner i knew and walked across to other side. shhh...! not PC now. one of the group had a scrambler?? to pick up radio from drivers and train control , so we knew when it was clear,etc. i have some photos hidden around somewhere.must try and locate some and post.
Thanks Stu. I have a few more pics to come.
Beakaboy - feel free to post those pics on this thread. Below is a pic that shows the bridge about 1980, and in the background is the orchard you may have gone through (shows how fast orchards grow !). We used to park at the Apata hall and walk through an orchard to get to the bridge ( more shhh non PC stuff).
Len
only one shot of viaduct.a bit too bright against stainless sides.
wairoa bridge from a different angle!
Those are some great shots ! They are both very photogenic locations - hopefully I'll get some more up to date pics at some stage.
Len
With Winter knocking at the door, it reminded me of a classic Kati Kati shot. It is of the KK railway station and was taken in the winter of 1980. On top of the Kaimai Range in the background is a good dusting of snow - a fairly rare occurence in the Western Bay of Plenty. The photographer was Selwyn Mair, who had the dairy farm above/behind the station. Him and his family had arrived home the day before from a holiday in Hawaii !
At 8.9 km's long, the Kaimai tunnel is (AFAIK still) the longest rail tunnel in the southern hemisphere. The following pics are just a few of the ones I've taken of both the east & west side portal areas. I can highly recommend the booklet "Kaimai" - some great history & info on the tunnel and ECMT.
Eastern portal/BOP. Taken in 1983
West portal/ Waikato. Taken in 1981.
The tunneling machine laying idle - 1981. I've been to view this machine about three times over the years. It slowly succumbed to scavengers. Note the salvage vehicle in the background.
Apparently there's not a market for used tunnelling machines.
Great collection of pics by the way.
The first items that seemed to disappear off the tunneling machine were the rams and the control panels. There must be a few cockies in the area with some mighty powerful log splitters !
They could have had a bit of foresight and started on the Auckland central under ground loop 30 years ago ! I'm not sure it's still there - wouldn't have been much left after the local vultures picked it's bones. A quick looksie on G. Earth reveals . . .
This was the service area for the tunneling equipment on the Waikato side.
An impromptu opportunity to do some foaming reared it's fortuitous head on Sunday afternoon (cleverly disguised as a shopping trip with SWMBO).
" As we are passing the Apata loop dear, can I just stop for 5 mins to get some shots of a DL ? ". Sure enough, after 10 mins wait train 483 passes - no DL ! 
DFB 7158 with a much reduced load from Kinleith.
The bridge over Turntable Rd awaiting completion.
The downside of taking a few minutes to foam at poxy trains !
Nice pics.
If I was caught out posting one like the last,I would be hung,quartered and very slowly shot!!
Stu.
If I was caught out posting one like the last,I would be hung,quartered and very slowly shot!!
Please don't tell on me Stu, or I may succumb to the exact same fate you've described 
The downside of taking a few minutes to foam at poxy trains !
Jeepers I hope you don't get caught. Classic shot though!
Thanks Steve. It was such a classis shot that most of us guys could relate to that I couldn't resist.
My wife is pretty good like that though and is happy enough to go on train journeys and drop me off at shows etc. Sometimes a bit of brownie-point earning is needed though.
Doesn't time fly ! I took some photos while on the Kaimai Express Excursion from Tauranga to Waharoa return in January 1981. A great day and superb weather, and my first trip through the Kaimai tunnel.
Dc 4467 waiting in the loop at Waharoa, after being turned on the triangle.
Looking a bit too clean ! A good excuse for having unweathered models.
Meanwhile - at the dairy factory next to the yard . . . I'm not sure of the make of this shunter - maybe a Baguley Drewry or a Ruston ? This was probably my start of having a fondness for small industrial locos.
took the same trip in the early 80's as well. must check photos to see if i can see a date. great trip! can't remember yard though.
took the same trip in the early 80's as well. must check photos to see if i can see a date. great trip! can't remember yard though.
I've still got the RES calendar from 1981 with the date marked on - it was Saturday 10th Jan 1981. Another great trip was Tauranga - Auckland on the Silver Fern. A great shame they canned that one.
