The image of travelling by steam train to a country house for High Tea seems like something from the pages of Agatha Christie or P G Wodehouse. Yet that is precisely what we plan to do this coming August. Our friends at Steam Incorporated have invited us to be part of a special run in the elegant surroundings of their vintage rail carriages, pulled by their 111 year old steam locomotive Ab 608 ‘Passchendaele’ from Paraparaumu, northward through the Kapiti Coast, to Tatum House – a splendid Edwardian homestead nestled in a tranquil countryside setting in rural Horowhenua. With limited numbers onboard, this is a more intimate, unhurried journey. Once there, we’ll be treated to a classic High Tea. Indulge yourself with a selection of finely prepared sweet and savoury treats, accompanied by freshly brewed tea or coffee – the perfect complement to a leisurely afternoon. Later, we’ll re-board our ‘iron horse’, returning south to Paraparaumu and our beachside overnight accommodation. This has more than a touch of the old fashioned ‘weekend house party’ feel to it. The following morning, on a completely different tack, we’ve the opportunity to make a rare visit to the nearby N Z Police Museum in the grounds of the Royal NZ Police College at Papakowhai. Here we’ll be hosted by Police staff for a guided tour exploring how policing in NZ has changed over the years and perhaps re-visit some of our country’s most notorious criminal cases. From here we gradually make our way back northward & home.
Come and join us as the gentle rhythm of steam and the nostalgia of classic rail travel, amid stunning rolling coastal countryside, sets the tone for an experience that is as timeless as it is memorable.
As mentioned above, numbers aboard the train have been deliberately reduced to enhance the experience. So don’t delay in booking your place.
PLEASE NOTE: Steam Incorporated require that “All train travelers must have sufficient mobility to be able to independently board and alight the train from rail level (3-4 steps)”– see image.
