Rm 31 | South Island Rail Tour - March 2024 (HD)

During March 2024, the Pahiatua Railcar Society in conjunction with Australian tour company, named Insights Tours, ran a rail tour across the South Island with standard railcar Rm 31 'Tokomaru'. This was the very first time in New Zealand railway history that a standard railcar has travelled over the South Island rail network, as they operated in the North Island during NZR service. Rm 31 travelled from Picton to Christchurch then up to Waikari on the Weka Pass Railway, before meeting with South Island Vulcan railcar cousins Rm's 51 & 56, for the very first time at the Canterbury Railway Society in Ferrymead. The railcar also traveled over the world famous Midland Line to Arthur's Pass, before heading south to Dunedin and Invercargill, then back north to Picton and eventually home to Pahiatua. Our video captures some of the main highlights of this major milestone for the Pahiatua Railcar Society, as the 1938 railcar traverses new and unfamiliar territory on both South Island mainlines and preserved heritage railways - enjoy!

[@ttm2609]

Love the red and silver stripes, looks awsome to NZ background. Thanks for posting ❤

[@steveruss8369]

Absolutely awesome video mate thanks for posting!! I am gutted that I missed out on seeing the Railcar at Arthur's Pass!!

[@barrydoig5263]

As a boy around 1943 I would travel in these Railcars from Napier to Wairoa for holidays. I loved the Streamline look of them and that added to the excitement of going somewhere.

[@mazzolajewelleryandgallery2100]

The South Island is the perfect location for these sorts of videos. I bet they would be hugely popular with train enthusiasts around the world, if they get discovered.

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video, my favourite railcar in my favourite part of NZ, thanks for sharing

[@allgood6760]

Thanks for this mate👍🇳🇿

[@neville132bbk]

Excellent quality images--crisp and bright.I didn't often travel by railcar.. Dun>>Alex, Dun>> Mt Allan.. return trip to Ch'ch in May 1972. 30 seconds of Otago Harbour and coming into The Station would have been expected.....

[@samskeeter1]

Its a shame you didnt post footage of Palmerston to Port Chalmers. I still enjoyed your post. thanks.

[@ethant4531]

Nice shots

[@ferguscampbell2485]

In the early 1950 I remember these Rail cars traveling through Matawhero Railway Station, where my father was the last station master there, to Gisbourne and return. I still remember the first 88 seater coming through and shortly after taking over the route. All the 88 seaters where installed on the tracks the same way around untill a special trip was done. I think it was RM2. It was from Wellington, up the east coast to Woodville, to the main trunk line at Parlmerston North and returned on the main trunk to Wellington. I still remember her coming through the first time as the wrong way around rail car. Thank you for awaking some old memory's.

[@RollestonRails]

Was good to see the railcar wish I got some better footage but oh well... nice video man you going up to chase the Ja?

[@brendonrutherford5118]

The red & silver colour of RM-31 looks simply awesome & with various scenic backgrounds just confirms beyound all doubt that NZ has some simply "out of this world" scenery!! Correct me, I was aware that this class of railcar was built in the Lower Hutt NZR workshops but were they actually designed in England?? Appreciate any info thank you!!

[@JohnR-NZ]

A great video reminds of the many trips I made on one of those traveling Wellington to New Plymouth during the summer school holidays with my parents to visit other family members, two coupled together was quite common. I do have one question can someone tell me what speed they could travel at ?? Many thanks for posting.

[@LyfovRyan51]

I've been on a number of excursions and it'll do 100kph.

[@JohnR-NZ]

@LyfovRyan51 HI thanks for your reply.

[@Al-vb6js]

Hawera to Wellington - many return trips on Tokomaru and sister railcars in the late 1950s until they were withdrawn from the service. Refreshment stop at Palmerston North. They were always a better, more comfortable trip than the NZR Road Services buses on that route.

[@XavierRadić_NZL]

This brought back memories of May School Holidays. For many years, in 1960s, we travelled from Blenheim to Kaikoura (father drove down later, so returned by car) for a two week holiday. To alleviate any boredom and keep we children (3), quietly active, we received a small wrapped gift at each station we stopped (usually a small corgi toy or book, reading and colouring), there were at least a dozen I recall mostly small rural stops and sometimes no buildings at all, just a sign, but it was a joy. Mostly stayed at Esplanade Motels and later the Blue Pacific Hotel (they rang a large gong for meals). Many thanks. Sad to not see any interior images or apparent passengers, as your car looks empty, so sad!! (Ooops, people seen aboard at Waikari)... Not much, if any, footage from south of Christchurch, like at the magnificent Dunedin Railway Station, just restored/cleaned!! Take care & stay safe. 💜💜 NB: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NZR_RM_class_(88_seater)

[@jamescrawford9883]

Some scenes on board would have been nice!

[@anthonyclayden7717]

NZ trains = like. Historic railcar = double-like

[@morrisanderson818]

Used to travel in these from Wairoa to Wellington, awesome to ride in sad they're gone,I know, there's on in Pahiatua that doe's rides to Masterton I presume or Wellington

[@nzrfan608]

At the start when I realised it was 14 minutes you'd surely had taken so many shots in a minute, 14 times. like the train is one car long, each shot is like 10 seconds max! Anyway good stuff!

[@antsblaschke]

... the lil red engine that COULD. a lost world of branch line and wanderlust. Life was better fifty sixty seventy year ago. We had less, but more,,,

[@pedidosdma9152]

Só faltou você vira a câmera na hora que o trem for passando pra as pessoas que estão do outro lado ver ok.

[@kiwidave9416]

We used to build our own trains until Neo-Liberalism destroyed our industry. We wouldn't even give priority to locally built trains when they were the best value for money. The tender has to always go to the cheapest bid, not the best value for money, plus other flow on benefits from having trains built here.

[@bobmorrow2928]

Filming who was on the camera why didnt you follow the Railcar as like a real film keep the camera rolling as it went past you can on rolling, not just as object in the middle of each shot you keep the camera moving dont stop keep it moving as the Railcar pasts on keep the camera rolling do get my idea. Excellent shots but keep the camera rolling don't just stop it and move to your next shot.