Meanderings

[ge_rik]

No train rides today, but I did take the tram ride around Christchurch. They've done a remarkable job of rebuilding the city after the earthquake of 2011. Still more to do though ( eg the cathedral)

PXL_20251109_205936346~2.jpg (1.22 MiB) Viewed 7495 times

PXL_20251109_214224174~2.jpg (1.16 MiB) Viewed 7495 times

PXL_20251109_233936798~2.jpg (2.52 MiB) Viewed 7495 times

PXL_20251109_215152630~2.jpg (1.83 MiB) Viewed 7495 times

Rik

[Lonsdaler]

No train rides today, but I did take the tram ride around Christchurch. They've done a remarkable job of rebuilding the city after the earthquake of 2011. Still more to do though ( eg the cathedral)PXL_20251109_205936346~2.jpg

Rik

I seem to recall that there was a debate about whether it was actually worth re-building, given the realisation of the previously unknown major fault in the region, but humans live in the most dangerous places elsewhere in the world.
This was the cathedral in 2009 (it is upright; tis I who wasn't!)

Christchurch cathedral.JPG (2.2 MiB) Viewed 7487 times

And one of the trams. There appears to be a change of colour scheme.

Christchurch tram.JPG (2.28 MiB) Viewed 7487 times

[Peter Butler]

Lovely images of Christchurch taken by Rik. I was impressed by the tram livery until I saw the pictures from Lonsdaler, which I prefer.

[tommygander1941]

I think this one may have it covered...

Friog Models "Punch" 0-4-0 Battery Electric, named 'Punch'. Not really based on anything, but certainly looks like that RSH and the Armstrong Whitworth Petrol Mechanicals built in the 1930s.

[ge_rik]

Lovely images of Christchurch taken by Rik. I was impressed by the tram livery until I saw the pictures from Lonsdaler, which I prefer.

They now come in all sorts of flavours

PXL_20251112_010024420.jpg (4.94 MiB) Viewed 7455 times

PXL_20251112_003851932~2.jpg (1.41 MiB) Viewed 7455 times

PXL_20251112_011055267.jpg (2.74 MiB) Viewed 7453 times

PXL_20251112_011805298~2.jpg (1.75 MiB) Viewed 7452 times

Rik

[Peter Butler]

So much more interesting than standardising one colour scheme. All very attractive, and so clean too!

[Lonsdaler]

Lovely images of Christchurch taken by Rik. I was impressed by the tram livery until I saw the pictures from Lonsdaler, which I prefer.

They now come in all sorts of flavours

PXL_20251112_010024420.jpg


PXL_20251112_003851932~2.jpg



PXL_20251112_011055267.jpg


PXL_20251112_011805298~2.jpg


Rik

16 years since I was there. I can't remember if there were many colour schemes back then. I don't think there were.

[GAP]

I was there just after they started running again only a short trip with more being opened in the future.
The wood workmanship in the trams I rode on was spectacular.
Another the thing that impressed me was the shipping container shopping centre a great way for businesses to recover from a disaster ad get back on their feet. Is it still there?
Also took a punt ride on the River Avon which impressed SWMBO.

[ge_rik]

I was there just after they started running again only a short trip with more being opened in the future.
The wood workmanship in the trams I rode on was spectacular.
Another the thing that impressed me was the shipping container shopping centre a great way for businesses to recover from a disaster ad get back on their feet. Is it still there?
Also took a punt ride on the River Avon which impressed SWMBO.

I saw photos of the shipping container premises in the earthquake centre. I didn't see them still in evidence unless I wasn't looking in the right place.

Still doing punting on the river but only at weekends

Rik

[ge_rik]

Now in Vietnam. Took a trip on their new metro system in Saigon. Only one line so far but it works well. Clearly a novelty for the Vietnamese. More than a few taking photos and videos of it as well.

PXL_20251115_022950033~2.jpg (1.46 MiB) Viewed 7380 times

PXL_20251115_025731181~2.jpg (726.06 KiB) Viewed 7380 times

PXL_20251115_032739856~2.jpg (330.96 KiB) Viewed 7380 times

PXL_20251115_032050059~2.jpg (1.02 MiB) Viewed 7380 times

[ge_rik]

Just going back over some of my photos and came across this one from the Dunedin Railway. It looks to me like a connector for linking a chopper coupling to a knuckle coupling - but I could be wrong. I asked the chap who was coupling up and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about and muttered something about a "kidney plate" or something similar.

PXL_20251107_225522600~2.jpg (2.56 MiB) Viewed 7377 times

Any ideas?

Rik

[StuartJ]

Just going back over some of my photos and came across this one from the Dunedin Railway. It looks to me like a connector for linking a chopper coupling to a knuckle coupling - but I could be wrong.

It's exactly that. They were using them on the TranzScenic trains from Christchurch to Picton when I was there in 2004.

[ge_rik]

Just going back over some of my photos and came across this one from the Dunedin Railway. It looks to me like a connector for linking a chopper coupling to a knuckle coupling - but I could be wrong.

It's exactly that. They were using them on the TranzScenic trains from Christchurch to Picton when I was there in 2004.

Clever!

Rik

[ge_rik]

Now aboard sleeper train from Saigon to Da Nang.

PXL_20251115_120958558~2.jpg (1.96 MiB) Viewed 7340 times

PXL_20251115_121411482~2.jpg (1.43 MiB) Viewed 7340 times

About half way we ground to a halt. I went to investigate. They had jacked up the bogie of one carriage and were busily doing some running repairs. They were not at all keen on me taking photos and a guy in a uniform and an impressive large peaked hat abruptly ushered me back on board

PXL_20251116_005653117~2.jpg (3.92 MiB) Viewed 7340 times

PXL_20251116_005823511~2.jpg (2.87 MiB) Viewed 7340 times

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Most impressive view from your carriage window, nothing to worry about when you wake up drowsy in the night.

Thank goodness the train maintenance crew are wearing their safety sandals.

Most impressed with the general cleanliness of everything.

[Old Man Aaron]

A bit late commenting, but those trams in Christchurch are just right. Perfect little time machines kept doing what they were intended for.

Nice to get away from the big cities I bet.

I do wonder what the bogey issue was..

[ge_rik]

Nice to get away from the big cities I bet.

I do wonder what the bogey issue was..

Yes. A couple of "real" photos of the Vietnamese countryside - tail end of the rainy season so a bit damp.

Not sure what the issue was. Eventually, they abandoned the coach amid some jolting shunting operations. I'd have loved taking some video of the shunting as it seemed to involve two locos, but didn't want to incur the wrath of the little man in the big hat.

PXL_20251116_030449819~2.jpg (1.75 MiB) Viewed 7264 times

PXL_20251116_020906902~2.jpg (1.39 MiB) Viewed 7264 times

PXL_20251116_030649335~2.jpg (2.79 MiB) Viewed 7264 times

Rik

[ge_rik]

Thank goodness the train maintenance crew are wearing their safety sandals.

As a habitual sandal wearer myself, it was reassuring....

Most impressed with the general cleanliness of everything.

Much like my experiences on the Indian Railways, the bedding was freshly laundered. The mattress was a bit thin and hard but just about bearable. The toilets might be a bit of a challenge to the fastidious but at least they were the sit down sort.

I shared my cabin with two lovely Vietnamese young ladies. One had a smattering of English, the other had none. They insisted on sharing the food they had brought with them - although there was quite extensive catering on board.

Rik

[ge_rik]

A bit late commenting, but those trams in Christchurch are just right. Perfect little time machines kept doing what they were intended for.

Absolutely!! They seemed to be beautifully maintained. A credit to the Christchurch authorities.

Looking at the stock and the route map, they seem to be purely for tourists - a $40 all day hop-on hop-off ticket only.

Unlike Melbourne and to some extent, Sydney, the network doesn't seem to cater for the needs of commuters or the local populace, though I did see a couple of junctions leading to very short spurs. Maybe, one day, the network will be extended (?)

Rik

[ge_rik]

Last day today (you'll no doubt be relieved to hear). Decided I simply must visit "Train Street" in Hanoi. It would have been rude not to.

PXL_20251120_033158827~5.jpg (3.09 MiB) Viewed 7195 times

PXL_20251120_032856678~3.jpg (2.31 MiB) Viewed 7195 times

PXL_20251120_032746228~2.jpg (3.06 MiB) Viewed 7195 times

PXL_20251120_044843146~2.jpg (2.33 MiB) Viewed 7195 times

Rik