On Sunday, a mere 14 hours before the earthquake that closed all the railroad tracks, we boarded the Heartland Flyer in Paekakariki (pronounced pie-ka-ka-ree-kee) and headed north through the Manawatu Gorge up to Woodville and back.
The train is run by Steam Incorporated and, despite the weather, it was a fun and relaxing ride.
There was an old shunter on hand to get us started.
Each car has been lovingly restored in different styles. If you are interested in these lovely cars and engines, click here on their website, then click on the 'locomotives and rolling stock' tab on the left.
