On Sunday the 21st of April, Steam Incorporated hosted their "Spiral Spectacular" excursion train, from their home base of Paekakariki to the Raurimu Spiral and return.

The first part of the day was hauled by Steam Incorporated's own Da1410 vintage diesel locomotive, built by General Motors in 1955. At Palmerston North, Da1410 ran around to the other end of the train, and KiwiRail electric locomotive EF30192, built by Brush Traction in 1988, which has also been recently overhauled and been given a new blue livery, hauled the train for the rest of the journey through the electrified section of the North Island Main Trunk.

This is the first time an EF class locomotive has hauled a passenger train for over a decade the last time being on the now replaced Overlander, in 2012.

We follow this excursion train from Paekakariki all the way to Raurimu, and then back south to Horopito.

Enjoy!