Garden Railway Forum

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)
Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 5:08 am 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!) And one of the trams. There appears to be a change of colour scheme.

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

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.

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 1:31 pm 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


Rik

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

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:05 am

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 1:31 pm 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

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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.

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.

GAP wrote: ↑Wed Nov 12, 2025 9:37 pm 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

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.

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.

Any ideas?

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 1:21 pm 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.

StuartJ wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 5:15 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 1:21 pm 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

Now aboard sleeper train from Saigon to Da Nang.
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


Rik

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.

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..

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:25 pm 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.

Rik

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:23 am Thank goodness the train maintenance crew are wearing their safety sandals.

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

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:23 am 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

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Sun Nov 16, 2025 2:25 pm 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

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.

Rik