Famous journey steeped in contrasts

As the TranzAlpine climbed its way up the Waimakariri Gorge, towards Arthur's Pass and the top of the Southern Alps, I was quite grateful for the 19 tunnels it had to go through.

True, the view inside the tunnels wasn't great, in fact, standing outside on the observation deck it was pitch black. But on the other hand it was warm, almost cosy, which made a nice change.

The trouble with taking the train from Christchurch to Greymouth is that the views of snowy peaks, wild rivers, bush-clad valleys and verdant plains are so spectacular that you want to be outside the whole time taking photos. And when you do that, even on a sunny spring day, you're likely to get chilled.

So, as I say, the fact that there are all those tunnels drilled through the walls of the gorge, and it's pleasantly warm inside them, provides welcome relief. It allowed me to get some warmth back into my hands and stay outside a bit longer.

The TranzAlpine is rightly celebrated as one of the world's great rail journeys. The authoritative rail website, The Man in Seat-61, describes it as "one of the most scenic train trips anywhere in the world."

Even though it was a cloudy day we got our first glimpse of the snow-capped Southern Alps over the rooftops of suburban Christchurch while passing through the Middleton marshalling yards.

Then we were out in the countryside, rolling through wide, grassy plains grazed by sheep, deer and - as we passed through the racing centre of Rolleston - horses, always with the mountains looming ever closer.

At Springfield, an old staging post for the Cobb and Co. stagecoaches that provided the first public transport link over the mountains, we stopped to take on passengers and muffins.

I was tempted to hop out of the train to see the photo of Rosie, the famous Springfield Pie Dog, inside the cafe and information centre which now occupies the station buildings.

If you haven't heard the story it goes back to a time when Springfield was the main refreshment stop on the line. Rosie, an old English sheep dog belonging to a local railway worker, learned that if she wandered down to the back door of the station at the right time she was sure of a nice snack.

In 1987 passenger trains started using buffet cars and the cafe closed. But cunning old Rosie discovered that if she wandered down when the TranzAlpine was at the station, one of the staff would give her a pie. In fact it became such a tradition that when she became too infirm to walk to the station, one of the train crew would always take a pie to her home.

KiwiRail has calculated that before she died Rosie must have chomped her way through 4000 pies. I had heard Rosie's story - which has even featured in a children's book - and wanted to see what she looked like, but I chickened out on leaving the train to see her little shrine in the face of the train manager's dire warnings that the TranzAlpine would be departing at short notice.

From Springfield the line starts climbing into the alps and the scenery becomes even more extraordinary, with deep river gorges crossed by lofty viaducts, dark tunnels hacked through the rock of the towering bluffs, broad green valley bottoms gazed by merino sheep and, soaring ever closer, the mountain peaks.

This is a place of extraordinary contrasts. At one point we were passing through the lush home paddocks of Craigieburn Station and its 12,000 merinos. The next we were rattling across the amazing Staircase Viaduct standing 73m above the powder blue waters of the Waimakariri River. But then the train started to slow and the manager announced we were approaching Cass, home of Barrie the mountain man, known as Rambo, who is said to bend iron rails with his teeth. The man I was leaving the train to meet.

Next week: The station that inspired New Zealand's most famous painting and the remarkable man who looks after it.

CHECKLIST

Further information: You can find out about the Scenic Rail Pass, the cheapest way to see the country by rail, here.

* The Hotel Grand Chancellor is on the web at ghihotels.com.

* To learn about Christchurch punting, see punting.co.nz.

* Hay's Restaurant and the associated School of Food and Wine, are on the web at foodandwine.co.nz.

* For information about visiting Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region, see christchurchnz.com.

* Grasmere Lodge, near Cass, is on the web at grasmere.co.nz.

* The International Antarctic Centre is on the web at iceberg.co.nz.