#RailNews: After decades of abandoned business cases and much yearning, long-distance passenger rail is returning to the South Island in January – but it comes with a hefty price tag. Via The Press: www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...

I am so stoked about this. I could moan about some details, and how an enduring service must run multiple times a day, but simply having an operator prepared to run this in such a hostile car-centric environment is such a step up from having nothing for over two decades—I’m thrilled. We need this!

We grew up being told "you'll get more conservative as you age" but it turns out becoming more conservative isn't about aging it's about accruing wealth, which we didn't do as we aged because for most of us home ownership was out of reach www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...

BREAKING: Marshall Islands becomes the first country to launch a Universal Basic Income program. Every resident (about 33,000 people) will receive $200 every 3 months. This works out to being about 11% of GDP per capita. If the US did that same percentage, the UBI would be about $770/mo.

Walked to the top of the hill above Māwhera Greymouth, tracks a bit rough but the views are spectacular 🏞️

A slightly late #OnThisDay. On 15 November 1927 Sir Wallace Edward "Bill" Rowling was born in Motueka, New Zealand. He served as the 30th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975 as leader of the Labour Party. #OTD #history #nzpol #nzpolitics #politics

Ōnuke Marae, and Takapūneke Reserve, November 4

*Buses check in via Bluetooth with the building, so it knows what route it’s on, which direction it is travelling, which Platform it needs to go to, as well as opening the lounge doors, updating the platform screen & announcements.

#RailNews: Weka Pass Railway has now completed most of the work to re-lay Herberts Crossing. The track was lifted after becoming muddy from clay runoff from a nearby hill and has been replaced with fresh ballast and sleepers. Crews will soon tamp (lift and align) the track.

BREAKING🍁: 2025 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty recommends a basic income floor to ensure everyone reaches at least the poverty line This is pretty reasonable.

#RailNews: KiwiRail, Selwyn District Council, & Fire and Emergency NZ are holding fortnightly meetings to work together on fire prevention over the summer period. KR has also started its vegetation management plan, starting with high-risk areas along the Midland Line between Rolleston & Darfield.

There's rain on my window But I'm thinking of you Tears on my pillow But I will come through Josephine, I'll send you all my love And every single step I take I take for you Josephine Chris Rea (1985) 153 years ago today Josephine took her inaugural journeys on the Dunedin–Port Chalmers Railway.

It's fantastic to see Central City Ōtautahi Christchurch so lively and vibrant on this beautiful sunny day!

Kiwirail are bringing back the ChCh- - Dunedin Southerner Train for the Labour weekend 🚞 I hope the Southerner does well and is made a permanent fixture, I got to take it in May and it was an amazing trip!

Imagine if we could also get $44–54bn investment in rail to provide people with proper transport options and rectify a century-long imbalance in funding. Oh yeah, and the benefit/cost ratio of PT would well exceed these roads, many of which fail to have benefits exceeding their costs

Paywall now lifted: Just eight of the Government's 17 Roads of National Significance have already seen costs blow out by $5.1 billion - before any shovels are even in the ground. The full programme would cost $44-$54 billion on the latest numbers. newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/23/5...

FYI, paying subscribers have asked me to open this one up to all for reading, listening, watching and sharing. #nzpol So free for all to read now. thekaka.substack.com/p/fridays-ea...

We're stuck

#Oct23Storm To top the day off, we now have no water at my house. Very low level of water left at the reservoir. Storm related issue at the treatment plant.

Onya! #nzpol 💪👏❤️ #Oct23Strike #NZMegaStrike I support everyone striking today! Kia kaha! Aotearoa Steadfast.

All roads to the West Coast are currently closed ⛈️ A washout north of Murchison on the Buller Gorge Road SH6, The Lewis Pass Road SH7 has been scoured out near Boyle, A truck crash and downed powerlines has closed the Arthurs Pass Road SH73, A Slip on the Haast Pass SH6. Bit rough out there!

Whew, lotta water in the Māwheranui Grey River today! ☔

Every "Christchurch is cool now" article is illustrated with a photo of a pedestrianised street with a tram, meanwhile every local election the discourse is like "rip out the cycle lanes, then turn the botantic gardens into a car park? It's worth a least considering" www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedeta...

Rest in peace Jim Bolger, an absolutely fascinating man with a complicated legacy. From leading the government that sold NZ Rail in 1993, to being the first director of the renationalised Kiwirail in 2008. In his own words "My life is full of ironies"

90 is a nice long life. I didn't like the things Jim Bloger's government did at all (neither did he entirely I think) but I did see him as an individual as someone with integrity. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-pr...

Former PM Jim Bolger has passed away following months of treatment for kidney failure. He was 90. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

#LocomotiveNews: Mainline Steam Heritage Trust has welcomed back Kb968's tender bunker back from Steam and Sand, where it had been sandblasted and primed. The tender bunker will be painted in due course.

Very sad to see Chris Russell be elected Mayor of Buller over incumbent Jamie Cleine and Inangahua Councillor Linda Webb in a hotly contested race. Thanks to Jamie for his hard work over the years, and for coming to Reefton to check up on me when I was having a hard time on the Community Board.

Cave creek, in the hills behind Punakaiki. A beautiful place with sad memories. Sony A7iii fe28mm plus a bit of walking. #photography #sonycamera #christchurchphotographer #westland #cavecreek #green #newzealandbeauty

Here we go again 😡. I'm really concerned about this & that the mistakes of the previous disastrous restructure seven years ago will be repeated. A museum is much more than its buildings. It's people that matter. Is central government going to properly fund Te Papa? www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa... 1/3

The Grey River Māwheranui is running real high today ☔

#TrainNews: Motor Vessel Wairua has shared a video of the 1876 Steam Locomotive “Skunk” being recovered from South Beach after being lost in the sand for over a century. The locomotive is now with Steam Rail Wanganui, who have plans for its future.

The Tranzalpine was voted the 20th best train trip in the world by Condé Nast Traveler in 2025 🛤️ Now that Intercity has started a competing Chch-Greymouth bus service, I hope that Kiwirail might drop their steep ticket prices to stay competitive, and more people will get to enjoy this amazing trip!

#RailNews: KiwiRail has released its FY25 results. KR delivered an operating surplus of $111m for its services business, up from $105.6m in FY24 and ahead of the Statement of Corporate Intent target of $110m. MORE: www.kiwirail.co.nz/media/kiwira...

#TrainNews: A piece of New Zealand’s railway history is set to return to Taranaki’s tracks this Labour Weekend, offering residents a nostalgic journey back in time. Via The Post: www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

Here with great Auckland Mayor Sir Dove-Meyer ‘Robbie’ Robinson, in office 1968-80, famous for trying to build a Rapid Transit systems ‘Robbie’s Rail’. So overdue, but also now within reach. My top priority, and what really started my involvement in AKl policy:

#BusNews: An Aranui local in Christchurch said a lack of any bus routes through their suburb is leaving elderly and disabled people feeling stuck in their homes. Via RNZ: www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

#RailNews: Completion of Port Otago’s container terminal rail siding marks an important milestone for the Southern Link Logistics Park partnership. The rail siding will enable more efficient freight movement between the two sites. MORE: www.beehive.govt.nz/release/port...

The Māwhera Pā on Tainui Street is well worth a visit if you are visiting Māwhera Greymouth (discount prices for West Coast locals too) A great use of light and projection to visualise the history of Poutini Ngāi Tahu 🏞️

Police making enquires, cordons in place after sudden death in Greymouth

#RailNews: The Golden Triangle is home to 40% of NZ's population with huge flows of people and freight. Electrifying its rail could make a real difference to its mobility By @darrendavis.bsky.social via Adventures in Transitland: adventuresintransitland.substack.com/p/electrifyi...

Ireland’s Basic Income pilot proves UBI works — and pays. Every €1 invested returned €1.39 to society. "The economic return on this investment in Ireland’s artists and creative arts workers is immediately having a positive impact for the sector and the economy overall."

It’s just over nine months until Te Huia’s five year trial comes to an end in mid-2026. There’s lots to be done to secure it as a permanent service between Auckland and Hamilton. Read on for what this involves. open.substack.com/pub/adventur...

Friday mail call: A 1990 report by the Australian Rail Industry Council, another key document that set the parameters for the micro-economic reform of the rail industry in the 1990s (corporatisation, service contractions, reducing sizes of railway workforces).

#RailNews: KiwiRail has unveiled its plans to transition to a low carbon, climate resilient business as it prepares the network for the growing impacts of climate change. Via Scoop: www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU25...

#BusNews: Nelson City Council's Regional Transport Committee met on Wednesday to look at eBus timing optimisation. CHANGES: *Earlier service for R1 *Timetable tweaks for R4 *Late Late bus finishes at 2 am *Explore options for The Junction

I just learned about mapspast.org.nz So cool. Go wherever and then use the layers control to explore what old maps are available there.

#RailNews: After five years of hibernation, Dunedin Railways is back with a bang as train travel becomes trendy and tourists flock to travelling on the tracks. Paywalled via Otago Daily Times: www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...

People always ask me where I get my hats. It’s here, Strangely Normal, on Auckland’s best street: O’Connell St. Fun fact - Michael and Claire Strangely-Normal also made the suit I got married in…