Discovering the Forgotten World - Highway 43 - Stratford to Taumarunui - New Zealand Road Trip 2019
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- There are two routes between New Plymouth and Taumarunui, both are very scenic and include long stretches of dirt/gravel road. In this video we take Highway 43, also known as the “Forgotten World Highway” a particularly apt description for the middle section of the route through the Tangarakau Gorge, a prehistoric landscape, set in a deep gorge covered in temperate rainforest where a dinosaur would look right at home among the tall ferns and lush undergrowth. At this point the road is reduced to a dirt track with evidence of recent rock falls all along the route and there is even a tunnel, unlike any tunnel I’ve seen before. We pick up our route near Douglas a short distance out of Stratford, the terrain is difficult, best described as lumpy hills without obvious river valleys for either the road or the railway to follow. The road climbs over a series of saddles (Summits) whilst the old railway track burrows underneath. We pass the occasional homestead, many of them abandoned by the early settlers who struggled to make a living out of this inhospitable land with its poor transport links to the outside world. At about the halfway point we stop off at Whangamomomona, a small farming community that hasn’t changed in the last one hundred years, its hotel is surrounded by a balcony that gives access to the rooms, it looks like the kind of place where one would expect you see cowboys and women of ill repute, in reality it serves great food to travelers and offers overnight guests a truly authentic experience. Whangamomomona declared itself a Republic when a boundary change moved it from the Taranaki Region to the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. Although the declaration was originally in protest at the move, Republic Day is still celebrated with local festivities attracting visitors from all over North Island. This is one of my favourite drives, the best way to appreciate it is to actually make the journey, but for those of you who can’t please join me for this most unusual trip back in time.
Maps from Google Maps
Music - Collection - Track - Version - Source World - Tribal Culture - Sacred Rhythm - Pinnacle Studio (Scorefitter)
Wonderful ride on Highway 43. Very winding with beautiful views. Love the Rail Carts intersecting with the highway. Take care and thanks for the ride.
Ted, it's good to have your virtual company, it's not one of the first places tourists head for, most don't even know it exists. I'm glad I get to spend enough time in New Zealand to discover the lesser known areas, where it's still possible to get a real insight into the lives of those early settlers. Stay safe and keep well. Tim.
Great trip an superb photography.. thanks for such an interesting journey..
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Filming 2nd to none very enjoyable as you always do thanks Mike
Thank you Mike, I appreciate your kind comment and I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I enjoyed your magic video immensely. it is a great pleasure to be a virtual traveler with the help of your beautiful clips.
Thanks 😊🙂☺
Hi, in these lock down days it's nice to escape, even if it is only virtually. I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.
Nice video Tim, thanks for sharing. Cheers
Cheers, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
I enjoy all your videos. Keep up the fun! Mike
Thank you Mike, it's nice to know you enjoy these videos.
I drove that road at night time. Didnt see another car the entire way and shat myself at how eerie it looked and felt.
The gravel section through the gorge must have been really scary, I bet your headlights were covered in the remains all the moths and creatures of the night that are attracted to bright lights. Was it misty as well?
Excellent - I travelled through many of the roads around here as a kid some 60 years ago, then travelled the actual rail line in a Railway Enthusiasts special in my teens. Hats off to both the road and rail engineers in extremely difficult conditions. The papa referred to is a type of mudrock that gets very slippery and collapses under load when wet - dreadful muck! I think it's probably a type of marine clay, maybe formed of volcanic ash because the area is quite volcanic - you see both Mt Taranaki and Mt Ruapehu in the video. Anyway, enjoyable memories.
Has it changed much in 60 years? I've posted a series of videos taken from the golf carts on the old SOL Railway, in those you can see a number of the mudrock slides your Papa referred to. The terrain posed a real challenge to the earlier pioneers, even today, few tourists are aware of this wonderful area. When I travelled the full length of the SOL with Forgotten World Adventures, I was the only non New Zealander, the tales they had to tell were fascinating. Although trains were still running the first time I saw the line, I never actually got to see one, when I heard about the golf carts I booked a trip almost straight away. I'm pleased the video rekindled some of your own memories.
Thanks so much for a beautiful creative view of this area. I have seen your previous videos and was most impressed. really enjoyed this one. Thanks, Tim. You have a gift for bringing out the beauty of the land on film
Hello Anna, thank you for your kind comment, I love this part of New Zealand as it gives a good impression of how those early settlers struggled to live off the land. The land is fertile but in the days before the road or railway, it must have been very difficult to get produce to either the towns or the ports. Even today the road is difficult and there isn't enough produce to keep the railway open. The Rail-carts have made this wonderful scenery accessible and to a small extent have helped put the forgotten World back on the tourist trail. I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride. Cheers. Tim.
@@Timsvideochannel1 I do not know why NZ does not make more use of all the track there is all over the country! Surely it is more economical to run trains than clog already busy highways with traffic
@@Timsvideochannel1 Thankyou for retaining the magic here
@@annawitter5161 It would appear that New Zealand is determined not to learn the lessons of the UK, it is costing a fortune to restore railways that should never have closed such as the Borders Railway in Scotland. It is madness that New Zealand's Capital and its most popular tourist destination are not connected by rail anymore. Rotorua' single windswept platform was a disgrace, instead of reducing the service they should have increased it, as it also served a number of reasonable sized towns along the way such as Hamilton. NZR's management should hang their collective heads in shame for their failure to turn one of New Zealand's most precious tourist assets into one of the major highlights of any visit to New Zealand. Where else in the world can match the view from a train passing through New Zealand's breathtaking scenery, sadly most of that scenery only gets to be appreciated by freight train crews these days. A few TranzScenic trains are all that is on offer, whilst tourists are left to make their own around in campervans, guessing which side of the road the next Chinese driver is going to try and pass on. What sort of green government neglects its railways, to the point where a touring New Zealand by rail is no longer possible? The so called Green government might talk the talk, but it's about time it started to walk the walk. Subsidised passenger trains are way more preferable than covering the landscape in unsightly roads that do little more than move the traffic jams to somewhere else. The Green government should get off its complacent backsides and visit Switzerland to see how it should be done. Parking a car in a Swiss town is expensive whereas the public transport is cheap and often free if tourists are staying in one of the city hotels. The modern tourist can go anywhere in the world these days, New Zealand is going to have to work harder to attract tourists in future, especially if it wants to attract them from Europe and the USA. I love New Zealand, it is also the most expensive destination I visit. OK, so I'm visiting my son, if he didn't live there I would maybe have only visited NZ once or twice instead of most years.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Oh I agree! There is so much that could be done that would bring in great economic returns. If only I had the money to subsidize a project like that!
Wow beautiful!! Thanks for the videos! Back here after a time away.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the Forgotten World.
🎉I enjoyed listening to mother nature,birds crickets and cycads awesome.
Another exciting and beautiful trip. I admire you for all the places you have seen and traveled too. Good to see a video from you. Hope you and your family are well. We are in deep freeze here tonight in Kansas city, Kansas USA. Suppose to be -30 below zero wind chill temp -20 between now and Monday with 2 - 4 inches of snow. Never figured on living like they do in Canada don't know how they do it. Me I miss the heat. Looking forward to better weather and better days for us all. At least a little bit more normal. Take care my friend and God bless and keep you in your travels and your family. Thanks for sharing.
Hello and gosh those temperatures are low, the only time I've experienced anything like that, I was visiting Jasper (Canada) in January, the snow was deep, it was really beautiful. Here in the UK, if it hits minus 3 we think the world is about to end.
Things are looking up, the vaccine is being rolled out now and spring is just around the corner. Take care and stay safe. Tim.
Great Video, thanks for sharing
Thank you, it's a fascinating part of the world, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Thanks Tim, I'm Planning to do the same expedition as you did, I hadn't thought about the golf carts and railway! I honestly think theres more than enough material for 2 videos
@@tonymckeage1028 I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I enjoyed mine, there are several abandoned farms with their assiciated out buildings along the way, some parts are quite spooky, especially in the early morning mist. For those who like to shoot an unusual photograph, there is plenty to point a camera at in the aptly named "Forgotten World".
Awesome video. I really enjoyed that, and you're a great camera man too Tim.
Cheers from Taupo.
Cheers, thanks for your kind comment. Taupo's a really nice part of the world with plenty to see and do. All the best. Tim.
My homeland Aotearoa = Land Of The Long White Cloud. I Grew up and lived in Taranaki for 50yrs Tim. You did say you'd upload a video or two of Tarnaki and I thankyou so much. Mt Damper falls are also reachable from Highway 43 to Ahititi which is on the main highway north to Hamilton just after Mt Messenger. The falls are a perfect semi circle and look man made but are God made.. Spectacular!
Hello Eileen, I love driving Highway 43, its unique, especially the Tangarakau Gorge and Moki Tunnel. Taranaki is a truly beautiful part of the world, I have seen some spectacular waterfalls in New Zealand, although I might have missed the ones you refer to, something to look out for on my next trip. Take care. Tim.
what an incredible place!
It certainly is, the whole place is in a time warp.
Aha nice to hear the cicadas. Might have been a Tui calling as well. Always traveled thru Taumarunui in the middle on the night on the train. Thanks Tim lovely lovely. I have just about finished a project will post a vid of it on my CZcams under my name soon. Cheers.
Hi John, at certain times of the year cicadas, are the the soundtrack of New Zealand. It was a while ago since you passed through Taumarunui in the middle of the night on the overnight sleeper, sadly the only passenger train these days is the three times a week Northern Explorer. I love the natural New Zealand sounds and I think it is a Tui you can hear calling. I see on your channel that you enjoy nature, is that what features in your next video. Take care. Tim.
Nice video!! Like!
Thank you, it's an unusual journey, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I have travelled this highway many times mostly by car but train too. Sadly the powers that be let the tracks go and refused to upgrade because of the cost. But some foward thinking group decided to run specially adapted golfcarts on the rails and what a funtastic trip it is too. Thankyou for your videography Tim I always look forward to your videos. 👍🐸
Hi again, I would loved to have caught a train along the old SOL tracks, it must have been an awesome trip. The first time I visited freight trains still ran, although they were rarely photographed because they ran during the hours of darkness. I never got to see one, shortly after that visit in 2009 one of the trains derailed damaging 8 km of track since when the line has been mothballed. When I first heard about the golf trolley trips I made sure I booked onto one of the tours covering almost the full length of line, it was one of my favourite rail based experiences, since then I have visited with my wife taking the shorter trip returning to Taumarunui in a jet boat. Forgotten World Adventures are doing a great job, so nice to see the railway being used in this way.
The train my very young son and i caught was a whole day excursion 3power round the mountains trip. It started from New Plymouth on Ja1234 steam train to Stratford to Taumarunui. Diesel Electric Taumarunui to Marton then x2 Da Diesel Electrics from Marton back to New Plymouth. We left NP@ 7am in the morning and back in NP at 1am next morning. My son still remembers that trip.
@@eileenlynetteadams9182 That must have been a wonderful experience, I was looking on the "Steam Incorporated" Facebook page and noticed that they ran similar tours in the early 2000's starting from Wellington, I believe "Mainline Steam" also operated specials over the route. I have a New Zealand Railscene DVD showing three specials at Whangamomomona in connection with one of the Republic celebration days. Information about the railway is hard to find, I have just one book and one video covering the line. The photos in the book are wonderful, I'd like to have included them in this video, but being an old book I had difficulty finding the author to ask permission to use them. The only other good quality photos I've seen hang on the wall inside the Whangamomomona Hotel. Thanks for sharing your memories.
@@Timsvideochannel1 yes i was collecting rail scene dvds hoping to find that trip we took, but to no avail, then found it last year on youtube but the name of the trip was different
@@eileenlynetteadams9182 That was good fortune to find it on CZcams. It is New Zealand Railscene 34 that showed the last trains to Whangamomomona. I think it was the Warehouse that used to sell off older DVD's cheap, I must have bought 20 or 30 of them, I also subscribed for a long, but unfortunately the later DVD's were very troublesome, the only way I could watch them was to record them to the hard drive of my computer, then I had no trouble watching them. The only book I have found is a rather thin but fascinating magazine called "The Stratford - Okahukura Line" by R.B. Alexander. Another fascinating magazine is "Taranaki's First Railway" Centennial Edition by A.B.Scanlan, it shows the original route through New Plymouth to the Port via the Main Street.
@Neil Forbes why do you have a fascination with Gauges
Excellent Video! Thumns up and Like142
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Hi tim,A wonderful journey in a beautiful place,I would love to ride those rail carts,It's been a mild summer in oz this year only a week or so in the low 30c last year it was 45c +,what's the winter been like in the old country,Take care cheer's bob.
Hello Bob, I'm pleased you enjoyed taking a look at the Forgotten World, it's a fascinating place. Wish it was summer here, although it has warmed up a bit now, trouble is the warmer weather has bought rain with it. The temperature was around 10 centigrade with light rain most of the day. All the best. Tim.
Hi Tim! What a nice video. This landscape is unique anyway. With us it is -10 degrees cold and frosty, but the wood stove easily compensates for that. Tim, have a nice Sunday. Stay healthy and cheers. 🍻🇦🇹
Hello Hans, thank you for the links, I play the videos whilst I'm working. The day job is keeping me busy 7 days a week, although I can reply to CZcams comments when my machines are running in automatic mode as they are at the moment. Minus 10 is cold, its been around freezing here now for almost two weeks although we have been lucky to escape the worst of the snow. Its nice to hear that your stove is keeping you warm, collecting all that free fuel turned out to be a good move. Take care and stay warm. Tim.
@@Timsvideochannel1 All right, Tim. I also keep watching videos right now. Meanwhile, I'm rewinding an output transformer from a tube amplifier. But what do you not do for good friends. Cheers Tim 🍻
@@johannperaus6890 Your friend is lucky to know you, there aren't many people around these days who have the ability to rewind an output transformer. Cheers. Tim.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Thanks for the flowers Tim! Cheers 🍻
@@johannperaus6890 Flowers?
prachtig mooi die reuze varens.pure Jurasic. kijk uit voor raptors,lol.
De varens zijn prachtig, dinosaurussen zouden thuis kijken in de Vergeten Wereld.
Thank you for the video! Can you describe the railway in detail? Closed for a long time?
Hi, I'm pleased you found the video interesting. The old railway line is the Stratford-Okahkura Line, it was mothballed after a derailment in 2009 that damaged 8 km of track. For more information, please click on this link - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford%E2%80%93Okahukura_Line
mooi hoor al die riet pluimen in de bloei.
Hi Mate I am now comparing driving from New Plymouth to Lake Taupo through coastal line, or driving state high way 43. My mum is about 70 and got car sick problems, so probably I shouldn't pick state high way 43, right? Thanks
The route shown in this video is very bumpy and slow in places, particularly through the gorge where sections of the route are not made up, if you do choose this route, allow plenty of time.
Would be great to see the entire (cabview) railway line from start to finish. Any chance Tim ?
Hi, I am currently re-editing a video I uploaded in 2014 making use of modern software to improve the picture. These are a couple of videos I uploaded in 2014 taken with an older GoPro camera in 2014, they have been sped up to reduce the jelly effect that plagued early GoPro cameras to an acceptable level - czcams.com/video/GrQseuBKnRw/video.html czcams.com/video/quaKZUlui_E/video.html I will be uploading another video showing this line in the next month or two.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Thanks Tim, look forward to it.
Amazing Video Tim, how do you manage to travel all year? How do you manage expenses?
Cheers, I'm pleased you enjoyed it. In normal times I travel for around 8 weeks a year, that gives me enough video to post between 2 and 4 videos a month. The rest of the year is spent working as a plastic injection mould toolmaker/designer to pay for the travelling. CZcams makes a useful contribution, but as much as I'd like to travel full time, there is no way I can earn enough from CZcams alone.
leuk de Hamburger súd containers.de inhoud is lekker. Hamburgers.yumyum,lol.
Another lovely trip to a place I would never have seen otherwise! Those railroad carts. At first I thought one of the passengers was controlling each one. But in the cart in front of you, it didn't look as if either passenger was paying attention to the cart in front of them. Are they remotely controlled? Or like golf carts? What fun, though!
Cheers, I'm pleased you enjoyed the Forgotten World. The rail-carts are golf carts fitted with flanged wheels, they are driven by the occupants, but running on rails there is no need to steer them allowing riders to enjoy the scenery, although it is still necessary to keep an eye on the cart in front to avoid running into it. The whole experience is a lot of fun, especially as the outward journey was in a jet boat.
dat is volgens mij een hele grote vulkaan,prachtig hoor.
Hallo, de kegelvormige vulkaan is mount Taranaki.
Wonderful trip. The video would have been better with an intro and more explanation - eg; explaining the rail option, or that there are lots of hand dug tunnels, or that it edges the remote parts of the Whanganui National Park.
Hello Mike, this area is worth a visit from one of the TV networks to do an in depth 2 or 3 part series about, the area really is interesting, if someone has the time to speak to the locals and get some of their stories, I'm sure they'd unearth some interesting characters and fascinating anecdotes. Information is hard to come by, I bought an old book about the line, it cost me a fortune and it's little more than a pamphlet, it contains some excellent photos, I wish I'd been able to find the publisher to get permission to include some of the photos from the book in my video. Maybe I should include some narration, trouble it's not my fortay and don't have a willing volunteer. This article gives a little information about the railway - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford%E2%80%93Okahukura_Line
Feedback is always appreciated, I really wish I had the finance and backing to spend more time researching and making these videos, as it is I have to rely on the day job to pay for my travelling until I purchase that elusive lucky lottery ticket.
Komt er nog een welkoms dans van de beroemde Maori?
Nogmaals, ik heb al je opmerkingen gelezen. Er zijn geen wilde Kangoeroes of slangen in Nieuw-Zeeland. De wilde pruimen smaken heerlijk. Ik hou van het oude inheemse bos dat ooit het grootste deel van het land bedekte. De steden zijn fascinerend, de helft van de gebouwen zijn verlaten, de achteruitgang begon in WO2 toen de helft van de mannen die het land bewerkten stierven tijdens de oorlog en veel van degenen die terugkwamen gewond raakten. Het gebied dat nooit is hersteld van het verlies van die mannen en de heuvellandbouw is vandaag de dag niet voor jonge mannen, ze geven de voorkeur aan de steden. Ik ben blij dat je genoten hebt van de rit. Beste wensen. Tim.
Hi again, I've read all your comments. There are no wild Kangaroos or snakes in New Zealand. The wild plums taste delicious. I love the ancient native forest that once covered most of the country. The towns are fascinating, half the buildings are abandoned, the decline started in WW2 when half the men who farmed the land died fighting in the war and many of those who returned were injured. The area never recovered from the loss of those men and hill farming is not for young men today, they prefer the cities. I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride. Best wishes. Tim.
Boa tarde Abreu e Lima Pernambuco Brasil estou sempre acompanhado os vídeos são muito bom mesmo
Olá, espero que você esteja se mantendo seguro e bem no Brasil. Fico feliz que tenha gostado dessa viagem pela bela Nova Zelândia.
É verdade a pandemia aqui tá sem controle
@@joselitopereira7596 Lamento saber que a Pandemia está fora de controle, espero que a vacina traga alívio em breve. Aqui no Reino Unido ainda estamos restritos a pequenos grupos que se reúnem do lado de fora, com o uso de máscaras sendo exigido em locais públicos e fechados, o programa de vacinas está indo bem, com uma redução no número de pessoas infectadas. Tome cuidado e fique seguro. Tim.
Hi, I am sorry to hear that the Pandemic is out of control, I hope the vaccine brings relief soon. Here in the UK we are still restricted to small groups meeting outside, with the wearing of masks being required in public and indoor places, the vaccine program is going well, with a reduction in the number of people being infected. Take care and stay safe. Tim.
É verdade e aqui temos um governo que fala que é só uma gripisinha
Boa noite, estou feliz que tenha gostado do vídeo.
Dziękuję za wycieczkę w okresie izolacji.
Dziękuję, cieszę się, że podobała ci się jazda. Ograniczenia podróży obowiązują już od dłuższego czasu. Nie mogę się doczekać powrotu LFE do normy. Najlepsze życzenia. Tim.
echte pure jungle op 53:50. zijn er ook kangaroos in nieuw zeeland,Tim?
mooie beroemde schapen,mogelijk familie van het Texselse schaap in Nederland.
leuk die omgebouwde golf karren,echt wat voor mij. mits het 143½cm is.normaal spoor.
De Golf karren zijn gemakkelijk om te zetten om te lopen op 3ft 6in (1,067mm) gauge tracks
如身体不舒服，气塞，可以躺着在床垫上，以脚尖脚板提高自己的腿肚胸后，用内力把提高身区甩下，一次或二次。也可以摇晃上下左右。#之后坐着，把上半身向后跌落下床垫，给自己躺着，如此重复两次或三次即可。
It's been a while since your last video, Tim! You've really gone "off the beaten track" for this one! And you've cut in some content from an earlier video, riding golf buggies converted to run on rail lines, which brings me to the question, what gauge was that line, Standard or Narrow? Great video, though! Cheers, Tim!
@Neil Forbes Fascinating don't you think ?
Hi neil! To me, at first glance, it looks like it's a 3 1/2 foot (1067mm) gauge. Best regards from Hans 🇦🇹.
@@johannperaus6890 Hi, Hans! It can be tricky to determine the gauge of a rail line when you view it on a computer monitor. From the angle and height that a camera captures the image of the track, it may appear to be Standard Gauge, yet will turn out to be Narrow gauge if you then see it with your own eyes.
@@neilforbes416 As a former dispatcher from ÖBB, I relied on my judgment. I don't have a computer, just a tablet.
@Neil Forbes where ever its standard or narrow or whatever i enjoy tims videos' trains are just trains to me
Naughty sheep!
Sheep rule Highway 43, people are few and far between.
obrigado pela carona!!!
Obrigado, estou feliz que tenha gostado :-)
How completely foolish of nz to not keep the railways as a mainstay for the future , ,I've seen the dynamics of Israel's train infrastructure , all achieved in 80 yrs ,I've watched my country live unappreciativly , of her opportunities , running them into the ground , so short sighted , I'm nz born, in 1952 , Lived in a railway town, nz wrecks her roads and railways , my dad was a reading engineer ,helped build Arthur's Pass, and others, He'd be appalled at the state of nz roads ❤nz
Roading
@@angelashort1331 Hi, apart from the commuter lines around Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand has almost abandoned passenger trains, with most larger towns and cities no longer rail served, there are just a few inconvenient to use tourist trains left with no trains to its main tourist areas at Rotorua and Queenstown via Kingston and boat onto Queenstown. Some roads have been improved around Wellington and Auckland, but most are much as they were when I first visited in 2005. For a country that claims to be green, its transport policies are anything but green. New Zealand watches Britain make all the mistakes and instead of learning from them it copies them. More than one hundred years ago our forefathers built a wonderful transport infrastructure, today our less than intelligent politicians ruin everything our predecessors bequeathed to us. Shame on today's short sighted politicians.
bedanktTim en je Vrouw voor de ze mooie video,stay save en een mooi weekend,greetz:Peer. mijn email adres: pvanpeerum@kpnmail.nl
Hallo, ik heb dit bericht net gevonden, Bedankt voor uw vriendelijke wensen, ze worden op prijs gesteld. We blijven hier veilig en wel, ik heb mijn eerste Covid19-vaccinatie-injectie gekregen, dus ik ben een stap dichter bij het weer kunnen reizen. Ik hoop dat het goed gaat met jou en je familie in deze vreemde tijden. Wees voorzichtig en de beste wensen. Tim.