Anzac Square, Dunedin

Today's the day ...................... for a railway rant

At the beginning of our planning for the New Zealand trip, we had an idea that it might be good fun to do our travelling by rail.

Now that we're here, we know that it just wouldn't have been possible because there are very few passenger-carrying lines nowadays. The only trains that we have seen have been on heritage tracks a few miles long catering purely for the tourist - or very long goods trains.

I'm sure it wasn't always like that. This is the magnificent Railway Station in Dunedin, which was the last of three stations built in the city between 1873 and 1906 - and was the largest and busiest railway station in New Zealand in its heyday.

It's still full of tourists - but they're probably there to photograph its magnificent Edwardian interior and exterior - and possibly to take the spectacular half-day scenic train trip to the Taieri Gorge .................