Thanks for the info. and photos. I did do a quick Google but it wasn't clear to me whether the train had run since 2021.

Pity about the hydrofoil being left to rot.

Chris

Hi Chris,
according to their site, and reviews from this month, they are still running, ?

A group of enthusiasts go together and bought the trains from a previous private owner who had restored the Flyer was just letting them rot. He was a bit of an oddball and was apparently hard to deal with. The trains were rescued in the nick of time. The flyer now runs only round the lakeside for about 14km and back. They were wanting to run it back on the original route over the island to Dunedin, but I think they had problems with TransRail and their freight operations, plus the cost of replacing/upgrading a lot of track. Did have all the info somewhere from a guy in Aust.

I was corresponding with the Guy in Sydney around 2011 (ex Sydney harbour ferry skipper) who bought the old Rodriguez PT20 Hydrofoil harbour ferry 'Maunu-Wai, in Auckland, and shipped it to Sydney. He repaired it to run passengers for a while on Sydney harbour. Later, things went a bit south for him, and he was trying to get something going with the previous Flyer owner. He was proposing to run the Maunu-Wai on the lake, and connect with the Flyer, but the guy was being too difficult and mucking him round.

Unfortunately, the Manu-Wai had the big 1300hp MTU V12 493 seize - caused by a mechanics mistake in Sydney , ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) which helped kill the idea, and it is now rotting away on a mooring in Berrys' Bay.

Shame, as it was supposed to be the last operating PT20 in the world.
Here's a vid of it running when he was operating passenger trips in Sydney in the 90s.

Pics are 1.2.3 in NZ
pic 4 & 5 in running Sydney, and as it is now.
JB

https://www.thekingstonflyer.nz/

Thanks JB, hopefully there's a cheque in the post from the tourist board! 😀

Thanks for the information on the boat.

It's a pity that the Kingston Flyer doesn't run anymore, especially where the track used to be from Queenstown towards Southland. But I suppose fire is an issue nowadays.

Chris

Doug,
Yeah ... as far as I know, Mountain Oysters are for seamen (sp?) 🤣
Dave

Dave, Re "I'll pass on the "oysters"".
VERY wise!!😮

"Mountain Oyster
most likely originated in Australia or new Zealand, due to one of the main livestock being a sheep.
A sheep's testicles
You can't eat mountain oysters...unless you're into that.
by ikayama October 10, 2004"


"Rocky Mountain Oysters

Bull nuts. Idiots eat them.
"Hey Joe, lets make us some tasty Rocky Mountain Oysters.
Aren't they bull nuts, Fred?

Yes..."
by Anonymous May 2, 2003"

Bon appetit!😝

😎

Hi Chris, great pics, you must be going for the NZ tourism ambassadors award 😁

Re the motorsailer in your pics at Lake Wakatipu, she is Yvelda, built in Scotland by McGruers in 1936, shipped to NZ. Here is a link to her history on the NZ Waitemata Woodys classic boat site

https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/03/16/yvalda-msa103085/

JB,
I'd love to come.
But .... "try our 'mountain oysters' if you come" ....🤔 I'll pass on the "oysters" 😝

Couldn't help myself, here's a few of the scenery to further whet the appetite!

First three are from our first visit in 2017. The rest are from around Queenstown on the last one. During the last couple of days it rained overnight and we were were lucky enough to wake up to some snow on the mountains, lovely.

That's the story Dave, come on down,- we recommend you try our 'mountain oysters' if you come, a local delicacy, lol 😉

JB

Now you've gone and done it ....
I need to schedule a trip to NZ!
That looks like an awesome experience, and what a beautiful landscape ....
I'm officially jealous!
Dave B