celebrations. The following day the locomotive double-headed with WW 480 to Huntly on an excursion. During the return journey, the train was split in half and each locomotive pulled half the train side by side between Mercer and Pukekohe, the only time in New Zealand history that two steam-powered trains have operated in this manner. In 1995, a South Island rail tour visited all the railway lines available to passenger charter as were possible. Included in the itinerary was haulage in the North Island by a small DH class heavy shunting engine between Auckland and Hamilton, EF class between Hamilton and Palmerston North, and preserved DA 1471 between Palmerston North and Wellington southbound. In the South Island preserved DE508 pulled the train down the Main North Line from Picton to Christchurch and the last DJ class locomotive owned by New Zealand Rail, DJ3096, was employed on the rest of the South Island itinerary. The operation of the train to Hokitika empty for photos, down the Bluff Branch to the Bluff Harbour Island and along the Lyttelton Line to Lyttelton Port were rare and unusual. So too was the final segment of the run from Hamilton to Pukekohe, where C No. 47 (on a return day excursion between Auckland and Hamilton) double-headed the train with DA 1471 that had returned the tour from Wellington to Auckland via the Wairarapa and Taranaki. The tour did not only cater to rail enthusiasts but featured visits to sightseeing attractions at every stop along the way (including a non-rail side trip to Stewart Island/Rakiura). In 1998, with C 847 returning to its home base in the Hutt Valley, and JA 1250 not quite ready to re-enter service, the Society entered an agreement with Steam Incorporated to hire J 1234. This engine pulled a number of excursions around the upper North Island until JA 1250 returned to network service in 1999. J 1234 has also been used on Glenbrook Vintage Railway services, particularly on the popular Thomas Weekends where it carries the title "Wally the Wellington Engine". Also in 1998, the Society hired two members of the DA class from Steam Incorporated, DA 1410 and DA 1431, for excursion service. These have been used on a large number of excursions to destinations including Rotorua, Taumarunui, Helensville and Kaipara Flats. Current excursions and tours In recent years the Society has continued to increase its membership and trips