14 Day Steam Train Tour of New Zealand s South Island

Transcription

1 GRAND PACIFIC TOURS 14 Day Steam Train Tour of New Zealand s South Island incorporating The 100th Anniversary Celebrations of The Dunedin Railway Station and 9 Breathtaking Steam Train Journeys N E W Z E A L A N D Exclusive Departure Date: 14 October, 2006 This once in a lifetime departure has been designed for rail enthusiasts who love the thrill of steam. Combined with the spectacular scenery of the South Island you will be delighted with the inclusions and steam train content that we have arranged for you. We invite you to join us on this incredible steam train experience of New Zealand.

2 Centenary Celebration 2006 Created to be the jewel in the crown of New Zealand Railways, the Dunedin Railway Station has an atmosphere and character unique to any public building in the country. It is regarded as the most photographed building in New Zealand. When the Dunedin Railway Station opened in 1906, it provided travellers access to and from the city which at that time was regarded as New Zealand s commercial centre. Its sheer size, grandiose style and rich embellishments, earned architect Mr. George A. Troup the nickname of Gingerbread George. Today, 100 years later, it stands beautifully restored as an architectural masterpiece. The centenary celebrations will be an event not to be missed. Take a step back in time and marvel at the Steam Locomotives making a special return to the station from all over New Zealand. Experience a once in a life time opportunity to catch a ride with these early engines. Discover the history of the Majestic Dunedin Railway Station and learn about the local locomotive building industry. Find out why this building has been a symbol of Dunedin's pioneering spirit for 100 years. Tour Highlights Larnach Castle TSS Earnslaw Milford Sound Haggis Ceremony

3 14 Day Steam Train Tour of New Zealand s South Island Departure Point: Christchurch Finish Point: Christchurch ITINERARY: $4, Per Person Twin Share Indicates prepaid inclusions Meal Plan: (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner Day 1 Homeport - Christchurch (D) Make your own way to Christchurch. On arrival you will be met by your Tour Hostess and fellow travellers for dinner this evening. Accommodation: Copthorne Durham Street Day 2 Christchurch - TranzAlpine Steam Trip - Franz Josef Today experience one of the great railway journeys of the world, following the route of the world famous TranzAlpine crossing the magnificent Southern Alps, through numerous tunnels and across spectacular viaducts. This will be a unique journey as the train will be steam hauled with vintage carriages and have the benefit of scenic photo stops and outside carriage balconies. Enjoy the sounds of steam power echoing through the valleys. This will be the first (and perhaps only) time our vintage train will pass through this route in over 20 years. Our leisurely schedule will allow us to appreciate the wonderful scenery and capture some amazing photographs. On arrival at Arthur s Pass reboard your coach and head towards the West Coast to Franz Josef. Here time is available (weather permitting) to experience a scenic flight (optional) over the spectacular glaciers. Accommodation: Scenic Circle Franz Josef Glacier Hotel Day 3 Franz Josef - Queenstown (B) Depart Franz Josef and travel south via Fox Glacier. See the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel along the rugged West Coast renowned for its stunning beauty. Continue via the Haast Pass to Queenstown, a year round resort nestled on the shores of magical Lake Wakatipu. This evening is free and you may choose to dine out at one of the many fine restaurants or at your hotel. Accommodation: Mercure Resort (Lakeview Rooms - 2 nights) Day 4 Queenstown (Free Day) Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. $1, Single Supplement There are plenty of sightseeing options to choose from and your Coach Captain will be available to assist. This evening board the vintage steamship The TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. On arrival sit back and relax, as you are treated to the best of New Zealand's high country cuisine in the Colonel's Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard The TSS Earnslaw for a sing a long by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown. Day 5 Queenstown - Kingston Flyer Steam Trip - Te Anau (BLD) Depart Queenstown and travel to Arrowtown, an old gold mining village where you visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue to Fairlight where you board the Kingston Flyer for a historic rail journey behind a Pacific Ab Class Locomotive. On arrival at Kingston, meet the locals as they serve a delightful champagne barbecue lunch. This afternoon continue to Te Anau, our overnight stay for the next two nights. Tonight you may like to visit the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves (optional). Accommodation: Luxmore Hotel (Superior Rooms - 2 nights) Day 6 Te Anau - Milford Sound - Te Anau (BLD) Depart Te Anau for a fascinating drive into Milford Sound where you board your launch for a cruise on this magnificent fiord. See the spectacular Bowen Falls and towering Mitre Peak as you enjoy a picnic lunch. This afternoon return to Te Anau where some free time is available. Day 7 Te Anau - Dunedin Depart Te Anau and travel via Gore and Balclutha to Dunedin, a well preserved Victorian city. Travel out along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you will enjoy a guided tour. Continue to Glenfalloch Woodland Gardens and view the superb collection of flowers as a delightful afternoon tea is served. Continue to your hotel where you will stay for the next 4 nights. Tonight a Scottish evening will be presented comprising of bagpipes, great food, special Haggis Ceremony and gift. Accommodation: Scenic Circle Dunedin City Hotel (4 nights) Ab Pacific Hauling The Kingston Flyer

4 Day 8 Dunedin (Official Opening Ceremony) Today is the Official Opening of the Centenary Celebrations to be conducted by the Mayor. This will include a cavalcade of locomotives that will take place at the station plus over the next 3 days various historical steam and diesel locomotives will run shuttle trains from the Station to Sawyers Bay and between the Station and the Taieri Gorge Loco Depot. A range of other activities may also be available including tours of the former Hillside Locomotive works, guided tours of the railway station plus a major display of railway history will be on show at the Settlers Museum next door. Day 9 Dunedin (Taieri Gorge Steam Trip) (B) For many years it has been the dream of rail fans to bring steam back to the magnificent Taieri Gorge line in Central Otago. Today you will be participating in history by travelling behind Ab663 as it hauls the morning Taieri Gorge Limited to Middlemarch. The Taieri Gorge Limited journey travels through terrain and spectacular scenery only accessible by rail. Grand examples of Victorian stonework on bridges and tunnels, plus iron latticework viaducts can be seen along with the breathtaking views. This weekend also celebrates the commissioning of the turntable at Middlemarch making it possible once again for steam to traverse the line without having to reverse all the way home. The steep gradients and rugged terrain on this journey means that only short trains can run behind steam, so you will be among the very few to enjoy this. Steam Train Driver Day 10 Dunedin (Optional Steam Journey to Invercargill) (B) If you are keen to travel behind more steam today there will be an optional day tour south to New Zealand's southernmost city, Invercargill. Travelling on the freight only lines through the pastoral scenery of Balclutha and Gore you will be heading towards the home of a unique New Zealand railway icon, The Lady Barkly. This recently built replica is a faithful reproduction of New Zealand's very first steam loco and is well worth seeing. Day 11 Dunedin - Oamaru Today marks the beginning of true mainline steam running behind Ja1271 and the Steam Inc. Vintage Train. The open balconies of the carriages and the challenging route means the locomotive will be working to its limit and you can enjoy some of the most spectacular views in New Zealand. The journey begins with a steep climb from Dunedin to a spectacular aerial view over the aptly named Port Chalmers. It then plunges into a series of curved tunnels to burst out on top of the cliffs above some of the finest beaches in the country, before following the coast north passing magnificent vistas and finally travelling via Palmerston to the Victorian whitestone town of Oamaru. A special walking tour will showcase this towns magnificent Victorian architecture plus a visit to the preserved Oamaru Harbour Railway.Tonight you will be entertained with a Victorian music hall evening staged for you in one of the beautifully restored buildings. Accommodation: Kingsgate Hotel Ja1271 Vintage Train steaming along the magnificent countryside Day 12 Oamaru - Christchurch Today we continue our journey north on the Vintage Train behind Ja1271. This journey crosses the famous Canterbury Plains, home to some of the fastest steam workings ever seen in New Zealand. Planned stops today include an optional visit to the Pleasant Point Railway and Museum near Timaru where you can see their Ab steam loco and a unique 4 wheel Ford railcar and then the Plains Railway in Ashburton. Here there is a collection of industrial steam locos and a New Zealand railcar, but the star of the show at the Plains Railway is the American built Rogers K88. This locomotive was dug from a Southland riverbank over 20 years ago and since then it has been magnificently restored to the highest possible standard. Accommodation: Copthorne Durham Street (2 nights) Day 13 Christchurch (BLD) New Zealand s first railway was opened in Christchurch and if you are keen to enjoy some railway history we have a very memorable final day for you. Enjoy a visit to Ferrymead Heritage Park to see their fine tramway and locomotive collections. Visit Lyttelton Harbour and admire some spectacular views before travelling to our boarding point for the Weka Pass Railway. This is a true complete branch railway climbing 1700 feet through rugged limestone outcrops. Return to Christchurch where this evening enjoy a farewell dinner with your new friends and reflect on the amazing South Island experience this Steam Train tour has provided. Day 14 Christchurch - Homeport (B) Time to say good-bye. Your tour concludes this morning after breakfast. Price Includes: 13 nights deluxe hotel accommodation Luxury coach travel throughout the tour Dedicated Tour Host/Hostess Professional Coach Captain 13 cooked breakfasts 10 dinners including 4 specialty dinners: Haggis Ceremony - Dunedin Walter Peak Homestead - Queenstown Victorian Music Hall Evening - Oamaru Farewell Dinner - Christchurch 3 lunches All sightseeing and admissions as per the itinerary 9 Steam Train Journeys including The TranzAlpine, The Kingston Flyer, Taieri Gorge, Weka Pass & Ja1271 Return airport transfers in New Zealand (where required) GST - New Zealand Goods and Services Tax Grand Pacific Tours travel bag, ticket wallet, toiletry wetpack, personal New Zealand travel diary, personal name badge, luggage label, touring map and Optional Tours Directory.

5 The Steam Trains As part of the Centenary Celebrations a cavalcade of locomotives will take place at Dunedin Railway Station. The following steam locomotives are expected to be participating. Jb1236 K88 Washington A67 is the oldest locomotive on the Ocean Beach Railway. Built in 1873 by Dubs & Co. Glasgow, she left the New Zealand Railways in 1877 to work for a succession of firms in South Otago. She was donated in 1967 by New Zealand Cement Holdings Ltd. when their Milburn Limeworks closed. This engine has the distinction of being the oldest working locomotive in New Zealand. K88 "Washington", undoubtedly New Zealand s most famous locomotive, built in 1878 by the Rogers Locomotive Works of Pennsylvania. This Locomotive hauled the first train from Christchurch to Dunedin (helped from Oamaru to Dunedin by Josephine ) in 1878 and is credited with turning the New Zealand Railways attention to some very competent American manufacturers at a time when "buy British" was the catch phrase. Ab663 The Ab class was introduced in 1915 and was designed to the requirements of H. H. Jackson by the Chief Draughtsman, S. H. Jenkinson. The Ab locomotives handled all types of services, on main lines, secondary routes and branch lines. Until the 1930 s they were the main express and freight locomotive for both islands, and could handle 700 tonnes on easy grades. Many were transferred to the South Island from the 1950 s and even as late as the 1960 s, an Ab would be used on express workings. Ab663 was the first Ab to reach Auckland, replacing the A class Pacifics on the express train duties and had the honour of hauling the Royal train for the Prince of Wales out of Auckland in Wab 794 (pronounced WOB) was built at Hillside Dunedin in 1927 and is a tank version of the Ab class. The Wab's with the water tanks over the driving wheels had very good pulling power at low speeds and excellent acceleration on flats. This made them very useful on the heavily graded sections of both islands' main trunk routes, as well as in Auckland and Wellington on the suburban passenger services where quick acceleration to operating speed was required. A Wab class would commonly tow ten passenger cars on the Wellington to Upper Hutt Line, stopping at most stations on the way. Jb1236, was built by North British Locomotive Works in 1939 and delivered to New Zealand in March It was initially based at Dunedin, working the hilly main line north of the city. Once sufficient newly built Hillside Ja locos entered service, Jb1236 was transferred to the North Island to work in Taumarunui, Frankton and Palmerston North districts. Ja1271 The epitaph of New Zealand steam locomotive development, the Ja class were built at Hillside from 1946 to 1956 and are the last steam locomotives built by the New Zealand Government Railways. Ja1271 is the 3rd last Ja built at Hillside and was a Dunedin based locomotive all its life. The J class locomotives were not only a good all-round engine, but were capable of very fast running with recordings at sustained speeds of 70 miles per hour. For further information on the Dunedin Railway Centenary Celebrations visit

6 Booking Conditions Payment to your Travel Agent acknowledges that you have read, understood and accepted these booking conditions. Grand Pacific Tours is a 100% Australian owned company. 1. Payment: A deposit of $500 per person is required at the time of booking. Balance of payment is including any merchandise is due 60 days prior to departure. 2. Prices: All holiday prices are expressed in New Zealand dollars ($NZD) and are based on schedules, fares and tariffs current at the time this brochure was printed. Grand Pacific Tours reserves the right to vary the cost of tours if necessary, by reason of currency fluctuation, component cost increase or airfare cost. Tour costing will be guaranteed at the price prevailing at the date of final payment. Children: Children s fares are available on application. Please note: unfortunately children under 5 are not permitted on these tours. 3. Luggage Limits: Each passenger is entitled to take one suitcase, the sum of its length, width and depth is not to exceed 160cm (63 inches) and weigh no more than 20 Kilograms (44 pounds). 4. Single to Twin Passengers: Smoking is not permitted in single to twin share rooms. If someone is not compatible with the person they have been matched up with, any additional costs incurred to assist with changing their room type will be at the passengers expense and will be subject to availability. 5. Room & Dietary Requests: Special room and dietary requests will be accepted and passed on to the hotels but cannot be guaranteed. 6. Smoking Laws: Smoking is not permitted in any licensed premises (bars, restaurants, cafes, casinos, trains etc) throughout New Zealand. Smoking rooms at hotels will be subject to availability and may not be available in some destinations. 7. Seat Rotation: For the enjoyment of all passengers Grand Pacific Tours operates a daily seat rotation system which all passengers must participate in as a condition of booking. 8. Cancellations/Transfer of Booking: In the event of the cancellation of a tour the following fees apply: - 60 days or more prior to departure, loss of deposit plus the cost of the airline ticket and taxes if issued. - Between 7 and 59 days prior to departure, 50% of the tour price. - Less than 7 days prior to departure, 100% of the tour price. If you wish to cancel your existing booking and transfer to a new departure date, the above cancellation fees will still apply. 9. Travel Insurance: Travel Insurance for all passengers is strongly recommended. Speak to your local Travel Agent to arrange this. 10. Health and Fitness: Payment of the deposit by the passenger(s) to Grand Pacific Tours acts as a warranty that the passenger(s) is/are reasonably healthy and/or fit to participate in the tour and the passenger(s) indemnifies Grand Pacific Tours from all actions, claims and demands arising out of any want of health and fitness. 11. Responsibilities: Grand Pacific Tours advises that the service it provides is for the booking and packaging of goods and services provided by other operators such as hotels and transportation companies. Passengers are advised to familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions on which these services are supplied. Accordingly, Grand Pacific Tours will not be responsible and will be excluded from liability for any loss, damage, omission or acts being negligent or otherwise, committed by the operators of airlines, coach lines, hotels or attractions used in connection with the tours. 12. Optional Tours: Grand Pacific Tours does not operate these excursions. As such, no person employed or associated with Grand Pacific Tours has any connection with the operators of these excursions. Accordingly, Grand Pacific Tours cannot and do not take any responsibility for any injury, action, loss or damage of any type, arising in any manner from these excursions. 13. Variation: Grand Pacific Tours reserves the right to cancel or to vary the content of its tours should the need arise. The various Steam Locomotives participating are subject to change without notice and maybe substituted with a diesel engine. 14. Dispute: The law of this contract is the law of New Zealand. 15. Documentation: Clients documentation including any merchandise will be forwarded to your Travel Agent two (2) weeks prior to departure. 16. Refund: Please note that no refund shall be made for any unused portion of any itinerary. Any alteration to the holiday, made by a passenger(s), shall be wholly to the expense of that passenger(s). 17. Acknowledgements: The front cover image is courtesy of Janet Weir of New Zealand Railscene. The Ja1271 image featured on page 4 is courtesy of Reid McNaught. Visit our website for details of Grand Pacific Tour new range of merchandise available Grand Pacific Tours Quality Documentation Pack Grand Pacific Tours Coaches ABN LIC NO GRAND PACIFIC TOURS PTY LTD Freephone: Freefax: PO Box Royal Oak Auckland NZ reservations@grandpacifictours.co.nz Website: TRADE RESERVATIONS: Your Local Travel Agent