Ashhurst Flyer
| Date: | 24/05/26 |
| Time: | 11:15 am - 5:10 pm |
| Location: | Paekakariki Station |
Experience the ‘Gorge behind Steam!
Travel with the Steam Incorporated team aboard our heritage train as we wind our way through the dramatic Manawatū Gorge, revealing views of the mighty river far below — a perspective now impossible to experience by road.
“The Gorge” is one of New Zealand’s most fascinating natural corridors, linking the Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay regions while carving a striking divide between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges. Since the railway’s completion in 1891, this line has remained a vital lifeline through the landscape, hugging cliffs and riverbanks in a feat of Victorian engineering.
For decades, the road — once part of State Highway 3 — shared this narrow passage, though its history was marked by repeated closures due to slips and instability. In 2017, the decision was made to permanently close the old SH3 route. Now, in 2025, a magnificent new highway stands open to the public — but only the railway offers this intimate, historic journey through the heart of the Gorge.
The Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway is a bold and scenic new route that carves its way across the lower North Island, reconnecting Ashhurst and Woodville after the closure of the Manawatū Gorge. Winding through dramatic landscapes, the highway blends modern engineering with a deep respect for the cultural and natural heritage of the region. It traverses rolling hill country, skirts native bush, and offers sweeping views of the Ruahine Ranges. From our heritage train, we see some of the huge infrastructure involved in turning this project into a reality!
Travel from Woodville through to Ashhurst & return, this train will be hauled by one of our coal fired steam locomotives.
Please see below a provisional timetable for the day:
| Outbound | Return | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Departs | Station | Departs |
| Woodville (dep) | 1115 | Ashhurst (dep) | 1215 |
| Ashhurst (arr) | 1205 | Woodville (arr) | 1300 |
This special excursion is a joint event of the Feilding & District Steam Rail Society and Steam Incorporated , with the steam train operated by Steam Incorporated.
