N1 Bay of Islands Vintage Railway (Northland) @

Ran from Kawakawa to Opua until services were suspended in 2000. The highlight was said to be the run down the main street of Kawakawa. Stock includes a Pecket 4-4-0T (1730/1927).

N2 Whangarei Steam and Model Railway Club (Northland) @

This has a short railway in the Heritage Park at Mauna, some 5km west of Whangerei. Live steam days are held periodically in association with the local Environmental Museum. Likely power is a Pecket 0-4-2T.

N3 The Mainline Steam Trust (Auckland) @

This had the use of the former diesel depot at Parnell, Auckland but moved out in 2015. A number of locomotives were based here including some South African imports. The Trust works regular main line excursions. The trust has depots in Wellington and Christchurch (South Island). See the website for more information - http://www.mainlinesteam.co.nz

N4 Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), Auckland

Apart from its static exhibits, 2km away is the Western Springs Railway which operates irregularly. Power is likely to be one of their small tank locomotives. See the website for more information - http://www.motat.org.nz. They also have operational trams (occasionally use a steam tram) and stationary steam engines. John Raby's pictures of the locomotives in action are on one of my New Zealand steam holiday web pages.

N5 Glenbrook Vintage Tramway (Auckland) @

This major vintage train operation runs regular services including special enthusiast weekends. They have a number of ex-mainline locomotives. See the website for more information - http://www.railfan.org.nz/ link found broken on 27th October 2017, now http://www.gvr.co.nz/. This is their Alco Mallet:

N6 Bush Tramway Club (Waikato) @

This is near Huntly and only operates on the first Sunday of the month from April to December. As the name implies it is host to an interesting collection of unusual species including Climax, Heisler and Price logging locomotives. See the website for more information - http://www.bushtramwayclub.com. This is a Price CB type:

This is F Class 0-6-0ST (Dubs, 1171/1878)

N7 Goldfields Steam Railway (Coromandel) @

This line from Waihi to Waikino operates a mixture of small steam and diesel locomotives.

N8 Tauranga Museum and Historic Village (Bay of Plenty)

May operate a steam locomotive. (I have since found a note on a private website which stated the museum closed in 1999.) 

N9 Waikato Railway Museum, Te Awamutu (Waikato)

Described as 'difficult to locate' and 'a large barbed wire compound' between the Anchor Dairy Factory and the local racecourse had three ex-main line locomotives in 1998. I believe it is in the care of New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, Waikato Branch. At one stage it was said to be open on 'the third Sunday of the month'. 

N10 Steam Incorporated, Paekakariki (Wellington) @

Alongside Highway, 40km north of Wellington. Several steam locomotives for main-line excursions are kept here. They have a magnificent set of traditional red carriages. See the website for more information -  http://www.steaminc.org.nz/ (Link dead by May 2023). There is the Wellington Tramway Museum nearby.

N11 Silver Stream Railway, Upper Hutt (Wellington) @

They have a large operational Ka class, a C class and a number of small tank locomotives are here and operate a passenger service over a short but attractive line. See the website for more information - http://www.silverstreamrailway.org.nz./. Picture by Nick Lera

N12 Gisborne City Vintage Railway Society Inc (Eastland) @

The society has restored Wa 2-6-2T 165 which is used from time to time for public excursions. For some time the line was out of action but Trevor Heath tells me (1st January 2016) that's it's back in operation. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O059YrB0kbY and http://www.gcvr.org.nz/. 

N13 Tokomaru Steam Engine Museum (Manawatu)

This is 20km south of Palmerston North. It has a superb collection of restored stationary steam engines and two steam rollers. It also has one or two small operational steam locomotives (for a small oval of track) as well as an unrestored Climax and Price C. See these websites for more information - http://www.pcurtis.com/tokomaru.htm and http://www.tokomaru.com. There are some pictures of the stationary steam here in my October 2002 report. In November 2015, the museum was put up for sale as the owners want to retire after many years running it and has subsequently been sold.

N14 Whangaparaoa Steam Railway (Auckland)

The 15 inch gauge Whangaparaoa Steam Railway http://www.rail.co.nz (link broken July 2020), is a friendly family run affair catering for families every weekend, it uses 2-4-4T Little Toot on a loop in recreated bush country:

N15 Feilding Steam Rail (Manawatu) - added 22nd April 2003.

Feilding Steam Rail is north-east of Palmerston North. They have leases for a Dubs F 0-6-0, a Dunedin build Wab 4-6-4 Tank engine, and a X class 4-8-2. The F and the W are operational and mainline certified. They have their our own rail depot with three large rail sheds and are building a fourth. They can open up for visitors any day of the week and we have working bee's on Wednesday and Saturday. See www.steamrail.org.nz.

South Island Click here for North Island

S1 Reefton (Westland)

Not an operational site, but notable for Fairlie 0-6-4T on display in Reefton Park.

At the Kamara Rest Area, Grey Valley between Greymouth and Reefton is a newly restored Davidson locomotive (25 out of 26 built). This is John Raby's photograph (added 1st February 2017).

This is their 'improved F class' 0-6-0T (Phil Barnes March 2019 picture, added 7th November 2019):

The Society operates trains in Founders Heritage Park, Nelson. It has now (2016) restored Wf 403 to working order. For more information, please see http://www.nelsonrailwaysociety.co.nz/.(Link broken by May 2023). The picture is by Michael T. Burt: