Special Rail Tourist Train In Invercargill Tomorrow

A special rail excursion train will roll in to Invers later tomorrow (Thurs)

The Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer will roll in to our city pulling several passenger carriages from the days when we had passenger trains travelling the length and breadth of NZ.

The train which is on a 13 day tour of the South Island is being hauled by 2 gleaming DA class locomotives operated by Steam Incorporated.

The locomotive’s were used extensively in the North Island but not in so much in the South Island.

Pounamu Tourism Group spokesperson Kirsty Tarry says it’ll be a quick turn around with the train arriving at Invers railway station at 10 past eleven then departing at 1145 to head back to Dunedin.

The visitors will be greeted on the platform by a brass band.

Kirsty Tarry says one tour group will leave the train and head to Te Anau by bus and another group boards the train for the return leg.

Ms Tarry says there are 140 passengers from all over New Zealand plus crew on the rail journey.

Pounamu Tourism Group will be operating five South Island tours next year. All the details on pounamutourismgroup.com