Tranz Scenic
Encyclopedia
Tranz Scenic is the long-distance passenger
train brand of KiwiRail
, formed from the New Zealand Railways Corporation
InterCity Rail services. Tranz Scenic was renamed along with the other operating divisions of Tranz Rail
in 1995. In 2001 Tranz Rail created a subsidiary company, Tranz Scenic 2001 Ltd, and sold 50% of it to two directors of the Victoria
, Australia
rail operator West Coast Railway
. A number of services were discontinued then, despite protests. After Toll Holdings
purchased Tranz Rail in 2003 it purchased the 50% share of Tranz Scenic 2001 Ltd and absorbed it into Toll Rail. In 2008 Toll Rail was taken over by the New Zealand government.
overnight Auckland
-Wellington
service, citing poor patronage. This was the last overnight service in New Zealand. Tranz Scenic also reduced the number of stations served by the Overlander service on the North Island Main Trunk.
In April 2006, Toll NZ
announced that it was proposing to sell its two South Island trains, the TranzAlpine
and the TranzCoastal. In July the end of The Overlander service was announced, but after significant protest and an increase in patronage (due to the publicity) the service continued, operating on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during winter and daily in peak summer. In 2009 an increase in 7 day a week Overlander operations was announced, a result of increasing passenger numbers.
Tranz Scenic is also trialling services with its refurbished Silver Fern railcar to destinations such as Napier and Gisborne as part of its Explore By Rail trips. Other special Silver Fern tours include a Queen's Birthday day tour to Napier and a tour to the Tui brewery via the Manawatu Gorge. Past trips included an Easter Weekend trip to Gisborne, Valentine's Weekend and ANZAC Weekend tours to central North Island. If these services continue to be successful, more trips may be run.
The TranzScenic brand and blue livery will be replaced with a new silver livery with straight KiwiRail branding with the introduction of the new AK carriages on the TranzAlpine and TranzCoastal services.
s.
The Overlander, The TranzAlpine and The TranzCoastal: NZR 56-foot carriage
s, most dating from the 1940s. They were extensively refurbished in the late 1980s, receiving new bogies and panoramic windows. The capital expenditure required for their replacement is seen as a major impediment to the future of the operation.
In March 2009 the New Zealand
government confirmed NZ$39.9 million funding for a new fleet of 17 modern tourist carriages, to be used on the TranzAlpine
and TranzCoastal routes. The AK Class
are the first new passenger carriages to be entirely designed and built in New Zealand for many years. The AK Class
is currently under construction at KiwiRail
's Hillside Workshops in Dunedin
.
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
train brand of KiwiRail
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
, formed from the New Zealand Railways Corporation
New Zealand Railways Corporation
KiwiRail Network, formerly ONTRACK , is the infrastructure arm of KiwiRail. The ONTRACK trading name was introduced in 2004 after the government repurchased all of New Zealand's rail infrastructure from Toll NZ. It does not operate revenue rolling stock...
InterCity Rail services. Tranz Scenic was renamed along with the other operating divisions of Tranz Rail
Tranz Rail
Tranz Rail, formally Tranz Rail Holdings Ltd , was the main rail operator in New Zealand from 1991 until it was purchased by Toll Holdings in 2003.- Formation :...
in 1995. In 2001 Tranz Rail created a subsidiary company, Tranz Scenic 2001 Ltd, and sold 50% of it to two directors of the Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
rail operator West Coast Railway
West Coast Railway (Victoria)
West Coast Railway was the trading name of The Victorian Railway Company Pty Ltd, a railway company operating in Victoria, Australia. The company operated passenger services between Melbourne and Warrnambool from 1993 to 2004.-History:...
. A number of services were discontinued then, despite protests. After Toll Holdings
Toll Holdings
TOLL , properly TOLL Holdings Limited, is Australia's largest transport company, based in Melbourne, Victoria. The company has operations in road, rail, sea and air in 55 countries....
purchased Tranz Rail in 2003 it purchased the 50% share of Tranz Scenic 2001 Ltd and absorbed it into Toll Rail. In 2008 Toll Rail was taken over by the New Zealand government.
Services
In 2004 Tranz Scenic withdrew the NorthernerNortherner (train)
The Northerner was an overnight passenger train between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand. Originally numbered 227 southbound and 626 northbound, it replaced the unnamed and less revered ordinary express trains supplementing the luxurious Silver Star , which had replaced the Night Limited in...
overnight Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
service, citing poor patronage. This was the last overnight service in New Zealand. Tranz Scenic also reduced the number of stations served by the Overlander service on the North Island Main Trunk.
In April 2006, Toll NZ
Toll NZ
Toll Group Limited is a New Zealand trucking company. A subsidiary of the Australian company Toll Holdings, it has its headquarters in Auckland. It carries out operations by road and in the air, and formerly by rail and sea....
announced that it was proposing to sell its two South Island trains, the TranzAlpine
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
and the TranzCoastal. In July the end of The Overlander service was announced, but after significant protest and an increase in patronage (due to the publicity) the service continued, operating on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during winter and daily in peak summer. In 2009 an increase in 7 day a week Overlander operations was announced, a result of increasing passenger numbers.
Tranz Scenic is also trialling services with its refurbished Silver Fern railcar to destinations such as Napier and Gisborne as part of its Explore By Rail trips. Other special Silver Fern tours include a Queen's Birthday day tour to Napier and a tour to the Tui brewery via the Manawatu Gorge. Past trips included an Easter Weekend trip to Gisborne, Valentine's Weekend and ANZAC Weekend tours to central North Island. If these services continue to be successful, more trips may be run.
The TranzScenic brand and blue livery will be replaced with a new silver livery with straight KiwiRail branding with the introduction of the new AK carriages on the TranzAlpine and TranzCoastal services.
Current trains
- The Capital Connection: Palmerston NorthPalmerston NorthPalmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
-WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, Monday-Friday - The Overlander: AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, daily in summer, Friday-Sunday in winter - The TranzAlpineTranzAlpineThe TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
: ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
-GreymouthGreymouthGreymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
, daily - The TranzCoastal: ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
-PictonPicton, New ZealandPicton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001...
, daily
Withdrawn 1995
- The Lynx ExpressLynx Express (train)The Lynx Express was a long-distance passenger train in the South Island of New Zealand that ran the length of the Main North Line between Picton and Christchurch...
: PictonPicton, New ZealandPicton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001...
-ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
Withdrawn 2001
- The Bay ExpressBay Express (train)The Bay Express was a passenger train between Wellington and Napier in New Zealand's North Island, operating from Monday, 11 December 1989 until Sunday, 7 October 2001. It was operated by New Zealand Railways, later Tranz Scenic.- Introduction:...
: WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
-NapierNapier, New ZealandNapier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"... - The GeyserlandGeyserland Express (train)The Geyserland Express was a long distance passenger train operated by the Tranz Scenic division of Tranz Rail between Auckland and Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island...
: AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-RotoruaRotoruaRotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns... - The Kaimai ExpressKaimai Express (train)The Kaimai Express was a long-distance passenger train operated by the Tranz Scenic division of Tranz Rail that ran between the North Island cities of Auckland and Tauranga via Hamilton...
: AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-TaurangaTaurangaTauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963... - The Waikato Connection: HamiltonHamilton, New ZealandHamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
-AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
Withdrawn 2002
- The SouthernerThe Southerner (train)The Southerner was a passenger express train that ran in New Zealand's South Island between Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin along the Main South Line. It commenced service on Tuesday, 1 December 1970 and ceased on Sunday, 10 February 2002...
: ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
- DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
- InvercargillInvercargillInvercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
Withdrawn 2004
- The NorthernerNortherner (train)The Northerner was an overnight passenger train between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand. Originally numbered 227 southbound and 626 northbound, it replaced the unnamed and less revered ordinary express trains supplementing the luxurious Silver Star , which had replaced the Night Limited in...
: AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
-WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
overnight
Rolling stock
The Capital Connection: refurbished 1970s NZR British Rail Mark 2 carriageNZR British Rail Mark 2 carriage
British Rail Mark 2 carriages used in New Zealand were imported from the United Kingdom and rebuilt/refurbished and re-gauged in New Zealand.The carriages are used on the Capital Connection , owned operated by Tranz Scenic; MAXX commuter trains in Auckland , owned by Auckland Transport and...
s.
The Overlander, The TranzAlpine and The TranzCoastal: NZR 56-foot carriage
NZR 56-foot carriage
The NZR 56-foot carriage is a class of 17.07m-long railway passenger car formerly used on almost all long-distance rail transport in New Zealand, and still in service. Some have been preserved.-1927: Prototypes:...
s, most dating from the 1940s. They were extensively refurbished in the late 1980s, receiving new bogies and panoramic windows. The capital expenditure required for their replacement is seen as a major impediment to the future of the operation.
In March 2009 the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
government confirmed NZ$39.9 million funding for a new fleet of 17 modern tourist carriages, to be used on the TranzAlpine
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
and TranzCoastal routes. The AK Class
NZR class AK carriage
The NZR AK class of 17 carriages is currently being built in Dunedin's Hillside Workshops for KiwiRail's long distance passenger operator, Tranz Scenic. The three buffet cars will be classified AKC...
are the first new passenger carriages to be entirely designed and built in New Zealand for many years. The AK Class
NZR class AK carriage
The NZR AK class of 17 carriages is currently being built in Dunedin's Hillside Workshops for KiwiRail's long distance passenger operator, Tranz Scenic. The three buffet cars will be classified AKC...
is currently under construction at KiwiRail
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
's Hillside Workshops in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
.