Central North Island, Part 1 - Taumarunui, Tongariro National Park, Ohakune, Mt Ruapehu & Whakapapa,

In this video we visit the heritage Springvale wooden suspension bridge before moving on to Taumarunui and heading towards the Tongariro National Park and Whakapapa. We join the driver in the cab of the Northern Explorer train to cross a series of lofty viaducts over the Rangitikei River and its tributaries, taking a break at Mangaweka to visit the Rangitikei River. Returning to the train to continue our cab ride as far as Taihape where we leave the train to follow the North Island Main Trunk Railway line by road, stopping off at lineside locations including Tangiwai to see the river bridge and the memorial marking the site of New Zealand’s worst rail disaster, followed by a look around Ohakune and Mount Ruapehu, including the towering Hapuawhenua Viaducts. We continue by road under the lofty Makatote Viaduct, the skyline is dominated by two of the three active volcanoes located in the Tongariro National Park, Mount Ruapehu to our right hand side and Mount Ngauruhoe in front. We take a short detour to visit National Park and the Raurimu Railway Spiral built to enable the line to gain height at a gradient that allowed heavy trains to work over the line without having to resort to rack and pinion working. Our route takes us back to National Park to join State Highways 47 and 48 to Whakapapa Village in the heart of the Tongariro National Park, as we climb ever higher above the tree line towards the ski runs the scenery takes on an eerie volcanic appearance. The hill sides are criss-crossed by hiking trails offering magnificent views over the park’s three volcanoes and breath taking water falls. As we return to our camper-van we can see smoke rising from the side of Mount Tongariro reminding us that these are active volcanoes. Heading back down from the ski slopes we get a clearer view on the Te Maari Crater billowing out smoke from a number of vents in the hillside.
Filmed between 2005 and 2019

[@Bert4ceasar]

Nice footage, thank you for sharing.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

[@Pjs75]

Thank you for sharing such a comprehensive compilation, such clarity and atmosphere. Your amalgam of sight, sites and sound convey such an impressive sense of place.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you Peter, one of my overriding memories from my holidays in New Zealand is the sounds of nature, especially the cicadas and the musical tones of the bell bird, there is very little background noise although it is often windy. The scenery is so varied for a country that is similar in size to the UK, one moment lush pastures, the next a volcanic scene looking more like something I'd expect to see on the surface of the moon. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Tim.

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Thanks for another beautiful video lots of contrast but all grand!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you Christopher, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

[@tedsmethurst565]

Tim, Great video. Beautiful mountain vistas. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Ted, this is a fascinating place, where else can you find ski fields where warning signs about the dangers of off piste skiing share wall space with advisory posters telling you what to do in the event of a volcanic eruption? Most people miss this place because they travel by air between Auckland and Wellington, sure it's way quicker, but the train is the ideal way to see the ever changing scenery. Once again I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. Cheers. Tim.

[@johannperaus6890]

Hi Tim! Anyone who is allowed to live in this country can be really happy. Honestly beautiful this video. Cheers Tim and stay safe. Best regards from Hans from the Mühlviertel. 🍻🇦🇹

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Hans, my son chose to make New Zealand his home because it is a great place to raise children, they have so much freedom and they go on awesome nature holidays with their schools, it's a place I considered emigrating to when I was in my mid 20's, the money I could have sold my house for in the UK back then, was enough to have bought a farm in NZ. Things have changed a lot since the 1980's houses are as expensive over there as they are in the UK today. Time for a beer. Cheers. Tim.

[@kingkongkong2204]

It is a safe haven lots of marijuana to smoke too

[@BorisLu]

Super film!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, it's nice to know you enjoyed it.

[@VlakynaSlovensku]

Amazing footage!! Like!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@rayeaglenz]

Thank you, looking forward to watching 👍😊

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Cheers, I hope you enjoy it 😊

[@warriorsmuller7201]

Magnífico 👏👏👏👏👏

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you 😊

[@Juan_A_Garcia]

Very nice videoooooooooooo!! Greetings from Spain

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, it's nice to hear from sunny Spain, I hope you are keeping well and I'm pleased you enjoyed the video :-)

[@robertcoleman4861]

Hi tim,as always "BEAUTIFUL PICTURES",are things getting better in the old country,looking fwd to part 2 take care cheer's bob.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Bob, things aren't too bad here in the UK, we are slowly getting our freedom back, although there is still a long way to go. The biggest problem is preventing new variants arriving, no easy task with so many flights still arriving here and there are too many people who want to rush things, the vast majority of people see that the current regulations are working and support a slow, but orderly return to normal. The successful rollout of the vaccination program is giving us a welcome boost. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, how are things over there?

[@robertcoleman4861]

Thanks tim,Things are fine down under hardly any new cases, The good folk in the wonderful world of can now travel across the ditch to nz cheer's bob.

[@robertcoleman4861]

World of oz

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@robertcoleman4861 Wish I could visit NZ, it's been over two years since I last saw my son.

[@neilforbes416]

Yep! Nice one, Tim! I'll look forward to Part Two!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Cheers Neil, I'm visiting my local heritage railway this weekend for their "Spring Steam Gala", I'm really looking forward to it - watercressline.co.uk/?jssCart=c04a6b9c003f0a64f7b8e49765052366

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Obviously you'll be shooting video! I eagerly await your production!

[@youtubeviewer7030]

@@neilforbes416 looks like your richmondvale

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@neilforbes416 "Yes" I will, it will be nice to upload some new footage.

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Recently I paid a visit to the Rail Motor Society at Paterson. It's been roughly two years since my last visit there.

[@MrPeerum]

eigelijk moet je naar de krater lopen van deze vulkaan,mooie opnames heb je dan op zekers.het rookt en dampt er lekker.bedankt weer voor deze mooie video Tim. blijf veilig.greetz:Peer.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Vulkanen zijn fascinerend, in deel 2 gaan we naar Rotorua om de vulkanische parken te zien, ze zijn geweldig om naar te kijken met borrelende modder, geezers, stoom en vreemde geluiden overal. Volcanoes are fascinating, in Part 2 we go to Rotorua to see the volcanic parks, they are amazing to watch with bubbling mud, geezers, steam and strange noises everywhere.

[@robertoramos806]

Muy buen video Timsvideochannel 1 Roberto-Córdoba Argentina, saludos

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hola Roberto, espero que se mantenga bien en Argentina. Nueva Zelanda es un lugar maravilloso, tanta variedad natural en un país pequeño. Los mejores deseos de Inglaterra

[@MrPeerum]

zie je wel,een echte Tyransaurus Rex,lol. prachtig gemaakt,super!!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hallo, ik heb de foto van de Tyrannosaurus Rex speciaal voor jou opgenomen. Ik ben blij dat je genoten hebt van de video. Beste wensen. Tim.

[@MrPeerum]

heel veel water lelys. mooie natuur daar.

[@MrPeerum]

die kalkrotsen lijken welwat op de white clives of Dover,lol. wel mooi hoor,vanuit de trein is het ook heel mooi Tim.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

De vallei van de Rangitikei-rivier kwam als een beetje een verrassing, ik liep over een vlak veld om over het hek te kijken en realiseerde me dat ik op de top van een zeer hoge klif stondgezicht, net als aan de rand van de witte kliffen van Dover. The Rangitikei river valley came as a bit of a surprise, I walked across a flat field to look over the fence and realised I was standing at the top of a very high cliff face, just like standing on the edge of the white cliffs of Dover.

[@joselitopereira7596]

Boa noite Abreu e Lima Pernambuco Brasil

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá, espero que esteja se mantendo seguro e bem. Felicidades de Tim

[@TheAeroflyGuy]

Hey Tim, could we please be able to get the link to the un-interrupted footage of that Norther Explorer cab ride, that would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, it was filmed about 8 years ago, whilst I did use some of it in a video I posted showing a trip on the Northern Explorer, I've never posted the complete trip from Palmerston North to Taihape, I'll try and make time to check out the quality of the video, if it's OK I'll edit and upload it in the next few months.

[@MrPeerum]

wel mooi die maan,vandaag krijgen we de bloedmaan hier in Nederland om 2100 uur op Dinsdag 27 april.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Ik ga nu kijken ... "Ja" we hebben hier ook een bloedmaan, het heeft een lange dunne wolk eroverheen, net als de maan in een horrorfilm. I'll go and look now ... "Yes" we have a blood moon here too, it has a long thin cloud across it, just like the moon in a horror movie.

[@youtubeviewer7030]

i thought i may get in before Neil Forbes makes his comment The three main railway gauges in Australia are 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow, 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard, and 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad; a slow progression towards unification to standard gauge has taken place since the 1930s.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, your Australian observations are correct, in New Zealand the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow was chosen as the national gauge to keep costs down in the very difficult terrain transversed by the railways there.

[@MrPeerum]

is die draaibrug nog aktief voor de loks,Tim?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

De hangbrug wordt niet meer gebruikt als wegbrug, tegenwoordig is het een voetgangersbrug, er is een nieuwe wegbrug in de buurt gebouwd.

[@genesiscarlos437]

Lugares. Maravilhosos por. Onde. Passa. A. Ferrovias. Da. Nova. Zelândia. Belos. Vídeos. Da. Ferrovias. E. Dos. Lugares. Por. Onde. A. Mesma. Percorre.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá. A Nova Zelândia é um país fascinante, bonito, vulcânico e os sons da natureza estão por toda parte. Espero que tenham gostado do vídeo. Hello. New Zealand is a fascinating country, beautiful, volcanic and the sounds of nature are everywhere. I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@nadirsilvacanada1220]

@@Timsvideochannel1 olá. Que vídeo belíssimo estou fascinada com essa lindíssima natureza parabéns! Gratidão por postar essas belíssimas imagens. 🙏❤🥰🇧🇷

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@nadirsilvacanada1220 Olá, estou feliz que você gostou do vídeo, a Nova Zelândia é um país maravilhoso, eu amo as samambaias altas e o som dos pássaros 😊

[@samer-zf1oe9ge6l]

يبدو من لون الارض انها بلاد البراكين. It appears from the color of the earth that it is the country of volcanoes

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, this part of New Zealand is home to a number of active volcanoes. Please click on this link to learn more - www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Learning/Science-Topics/Volcanoes/New-Zealand-Volcanoes#:~:text=1%20Taranaki%20%2F%20Egmont%202%20Ruapehu%203%20Ngauruhoe,Volcanic%20Field%2010%20Brothers%20Volcano%20More%20items...%20

[@samer-zf1oe9ge6l]

@@Timsvideochannel1 شكرا 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓊

[@MrPeerum]

Tim,heb jij nog beelden van de Maoris met de Haka welkomst dans?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hallo, ik heb een video van een Maori dorp in Rotorua die ik ergens volgende maand zal uploaden.

[@DWtrainsNZ]

1:34 Spot the old steam crane in the shed.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The yard at Taumarunui is fascinating. I find it strange that so many of the carriages, once ran in the UK, many on the Gatwick Express trains. I was very impressed the first time I rode on a Mk2 carriage in England's West Country back in the 1970's, it was very smart and modern, I never dreamed that I might one day ride in the same carriage on the other side of the world. KiwiRail have done a good job keeping these carriages smart and up to date, they are still being re-branded and updated for the Te Huia services out of Auckland, somehow they still look modern and fit for purpose nearly 50 years later!!!!

[@neilforbes416]

*Whakapapa?* Now why would anyone want to hurt their poor old Grandad? LOL

[@youtubeviewer7030]

another one called whakananna

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist a quip about Whakapapa, I'd better not tell you that "Wh" is pronounced more like an "F" in New Zealand.

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 I was trying to keep it clean! Just as well it was an 'a' in that first syllable instead of a 'u'! LOL

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@neilforbes416 Oh, you are aweful. LOL

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Shades of Dick Emery there! LOL

[@MrPeerum]

leuk die geimporteerde Hollandse koeien.cooool.

[@mintaka57]

What country?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

New Zealand.