The 723-kW 96-seater diesel-electric twin-set Silver Fern railcars were built in Japan by Kawasaki and Toshiba, trading as Nissho Iwai and entered service in 1972 on a daylight run from Auckland and Wellington. The Overlander replaced them in 1991 and they were used for regional services until 2001. Since then they have been available for charters such as this one Pukekohe to Whangarei.
Trains on 3' 6" (1.067m) track from Whangarei to Bluff with virtually heritage rebuilt EMD and GE locomotives still the mainstay power. The network was privatized in 1990's and operated by Toll until 2008 when state owned KiwiRail was established.