Not a lot to report just now. I have spent the week running 545 down to Wanganui and returning to Stratford on 528 before heading home on 521. 
I have included a few snaps below taken over the last month around the usual traps....
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Big green coal motor 5264 passed through briefly.
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Went nutting one morning to get a photo of 526, and thought I had the location pretty sweet but as the train swung round the curve I ended up on the dark side of the train (doh!) so I spent some time mucking around in photo shop...
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528 shunts inside Fonterra. Doesnt happen very often so....
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Power for 521 sitting in the yard at Stratford. A bit later on we derailed while shunting in Eltham and ended up having to leave the two blues ones behind....
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I thought this old chook was doomed! They wheeled her into Hutt for some rust work and by all accounts they all nearly suffered heart failure when they saw the amount of rust deep in her chassis. Obviously though it wasnt terminal and she was spotted at Whareroa one recent rainy sunday sporting a fresh coat of paint on the nose and cab.
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A pair of UCG's at the head of the tonnage on 521.
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Freshly inspected and repainted UCG 38 now sports its new owners colours. I believe the tanks are owned by Nova, but the chassis they sit on are railways ......... (hence the new paint on the tank only!)
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528 in the loop at Waitotara.
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528 and 545 crossing at Waitotara.
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Peek-a-boo I see you....
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528 at Whareroa with an Aucklander on the front.
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528 comes into Patea with Auckland regular 7064 on the front.
AH
 
Last weekend I had the chance to tag along on a mighty foaming mission chasing trains on the N.I.M.T around the Mangaweka - Taihape areas. 
We were tread to some fabulous weather and I am pretty stoked at the photos we managed to get and the places we managed to visit. The scnerey is just stunning in the upper Manawatu and there are a bunch of locations just waiting to be further explored! 
I previously knew nothing of the area, nor did I have many photos of trains on the trunk but I have come away with a greater appreciation of the area and the size of the trains that traverse it..... I will defiantly be going back for more!!

(you'll have to forgive me, I have forgotten all the train numbers... lol!!)
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Southbound freight in the loop at Horopito, late Friday evening.
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Northbound freight arrives at Horoptio as the last of the days light slips away.
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Northbound through Mataroa.
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Southbound freight crossing the South Rangitiki viaduct.
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Northbound on the North Rangitiki viaduct.
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Just south of the Kawhatau viaduct.
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Southbound Dora near the Kawhatau viaduct.
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And a bit further south a southbound swings into the sweet afternoon light.
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Late afternoon cloud cover steals the sunlight as a northbound freight passes through Mangaweka.
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Stopped at Taihape.
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390 just north of Mangaweka.
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Northbound Explorer near Manganoho.
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About to head round the Rangariri curve (horseshoe curve).
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4605 working hard up the grade.
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Ngarakehu loops.
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7335 heading for home rails.
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Near Rangariri
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Heading for home I find this train at Marton in the rain....
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Teeming with rain my last shot from a awesome weekend out!
AH
 
I have been given permission to share some recent photos sent to me by other like minded individuals...

First is a bit of a showcase of passenger trains.
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Coastal Pacific near Belfast.
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And the North Island version, southbound near Pukekohe.
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Dora at Paremata.
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Near National Park.
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Dora passing along the Wellington coast.
And some black hissy things on the GVR...
Next up is a basic lesson in physics. 
This is what happens when you use an empty container wagon as a runner whilst conveying a shunt loco, then swing 900t behind it and expect it all to be able to stop at the same time when something goes wrong....
The resulting momentum shoved the poor IA so hard the buffers broke and launched it into the schnoz of the DSG it was coupled to... bugger..
And the photos below have come from various points on the compass..
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Two purple's on 125, 06 Nov 2012.
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Southbound at Drury.
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224 at Pukerua Bay, Wellington.
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DC 4260 let loose on SA duty, Auckland somewhere...
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And crossing the iconic Parnell bridge.
And lastly, a couple from yours truly...
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528 arriving at Whareroa, 06 Nov 2012.
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521 pulling in on the main line at Whareroa with DC's 4191, 4507, 4352 and 4041.
AH
 
I spent a lot of time shuffling up and down the line between Whareroa and Wanganui last week, and naturally during the course of each day there were opportunities to grab a photo or two for posterity.  
Sometimes I wonder if I dont have some sort of O.C.D and sad addiction as I just cant help but take photos! Its not just at work though, as my family and friends will attest - Drew always has a camera with him...... maybe I am unknowingly part Japanese??

That said, despite my addiction I think my life is quite balanced despite the Palmy driver I changed over with on Friday calling me a "sad c*nt" when I pulled out my camera.....

Talking of camera's, this week I left the trusty Canon at home and took my wifes new Fuji Finepix XP50 instead to see what it can do. All the photos in this post were taken with it and I think it has not done too bad a job. The XP50 is apparently waterproof to 5m, shock proof, and an all round rough'n'tumble camera that is touted to be able to take the knocks and such - perfect for a clumsy train driver such as myself.
I have found it takes some fine pictures, but looses its depth of field pretty quickly when zoomed in on a scene. Low light is ok provided you can get it to focus on something and have a tripod or substitute handy. Its here that my Canon excels and is a lot more "driveable" if you will.

Anyways, below is a bit of a round up of the weeks efforts....
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Pre dawn at Patea with 543, waiting to cross 540.
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Changed over onto 526, 543 pulls into the loop at Kai Iwi.
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Tamper 214 in the service siding at Kai Iwi.
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Regulator 296 also hiding at Kai Iwi.
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543 on the grade at Waitotara.
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Rusty Red Rocket 4571 on the front of my 526.
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526 at Patea.
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545 on Waitotara hill.
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528 pulls up on the loop at East Town, Wanganui. 545 on the main.
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Ahh the cheesy wedge :-)
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I was the first train to be officially signalled through the CTC at Manutahi :-) (small things I know...)
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Green up! Points are "high speed" and we are allowed to do 40km/h through them when leaving the loop. (only low speed when entering though)
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521 departing Stratford.
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Ex Auckland ratty bucket of bolts. Sounded great though and had working dynamic brakes! (woot!)
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Classic GM power humming away. (Patea)
This week at work is a bit hodge-podge so until next time..

AH