Gisborne City Vintage Railway

The Gisborne City Vintage Railway is a must-visit attraction for anyone traveling to Tairawhiti, New Zealand. The steam train excursion takes passengers on a journey from Gisborne to Muriwai, a distance of about 17 kilometers (11 miles).

The train ride is a great way to see the stunning seascape of Poverty Bay with Young Nick's Head in the background, as well as the world-famous fertile agriculture landscape. The train is beautifully restored and immaculately presented. Passengers should keep an eye out for aircraft during the crossing of the Gisborne Airport runway, which makes it the only train in the world to cross a fully operational airport runway. The train also crosses the Waipaoa river bridge, which is the longest river bridge in the North Island.

The steam engine, Wa165, was built in New Zealand in 1897 and was rescued from a playground in 1985. The Gisborne City Vintage Railway (GCVR) Society has since restored the engine to full operating condition. The train consists of Wa165 and a 1936 passenger carriage that has been restored to its original condition, complete with roll-over seating to change the direction of travel. All of the other carriages are fully air-conditioned to keep passengers cool. The GCVR workshop is open to visitors on Thursday and Saturday mornings from 9 am to noon, at the corner of Customhouse Street and Awapuni Road, Gisborne. Tickets can be purchased from the Gisborne i-Site (Grey St), phone +64 6 8686 139. Tickets for any remaining seats can be purchased at the Gisborne Railway Station 30 minutes before departure.

In September 2015, Gisborne City Vintage Railway signed a License to Occupy agreement with KiwiRail, which enables them to lease the line from Gisborne to Beach Loop. In addition to paying the lease, the GCVR also maintains the line. Overall, the Gisborne City Vintage Railway is a unique and memorable experience that should not be missed by anyone visiting Tairawhiti, New Zealand.