As regular main line steam operations in the world are being phased out, New Zealand has become the country that can provide a selection of steam locomotives operating in spectacular scenery and operating conditions that allows railfans numerous photo runbys on the main line and riding the locomotive footplate.

Each year Ian Welch's Mainline Steam Trust caters for railfans who travel from around the world to experience travelling the length of New Zealand behind beautifully restored steam locomotives such as North British Locomotive Company  built JA 1275, J1211 and JB 1236 and NZR Addington built AB 663.

Majik Video System's cameras capture the excursion as it ran through both the North and South Islands and features the North Island Main Trunk and scenic Palmerston North - Napier - Gisborne line with its unique railway / runway crossing at Gisborne Airport.

Mainline Steam in New Zealand also covers points of interest along the route including the Raurimu Spiral, the last spike of the NIMT, 1953 Tangiwai Disaster, Gisborne City Vintage Rail and the Weka Pass Railway.

The final day of the tour saw AB 663 head the excursion from Wellington to Ohakune where JA 1275 took over for the remainder of the run up to Auckland - a 680 kilometre dash that hadn't been achieved by steam in a single day since February 1965.