Project Steam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Project Steam is a railway preservation society based in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is dedicated to the restoration of steam locomotives formerly operated by the New Zealand Railways Department, with its goal to restore at least one locomotive to main line operating conditions in order to operate excursions from Dunedin Railway Station. The society is currently the only one of its kind in Dunedin; the Ocean Beach Railway operates small tank locomotives but on private trackage, and the popular Taieri Gorge Limited is run solely by diesel locomotives.

The restoration of P 107, also using some parts from the remains of P 25, is currently the focus of Project Steam's efforts. The two locomotives were built in 1885 by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company, entered service in 1887, were withdrawn in 1928, and on 8 August 1932 were dumped in the Clutha River near Beaumont to protect the Roxburgh Branch from erosion. Their remains were recovered in May 1992, and as the frame of P 107 was in a better condition, it was chosen for restoration, with extra parts sourced from P 25, most notably its wheels, which were in better condition to P 107's.

During the celebration of the Dunedin Railway Station's centennial in October 2006, P 107 was displayed in partially rebuilt condition at the station. Funds are currently being raised for the next and most costly stage of the restoration, the reconstruction of P 107's boiler. The restoration is historically significant as the locomotive is one of, if not the earliest known surviving example of a British-built 2-8-0. Once fully restored, there are proposals to establish a regular service run by P 107 as a tourist attraction, such as a service modelled on the Kingston Flyer. It would run over the preserved track of the Otago Central Railway between Pukerangi and Middlemarch, connecting with the Taieri Gorge Railway's daily diesel-hauled services between Dunedin and Pukerangi.

Project Steam's first home was a location by the Leith Stream in central Dunedin. Later the group moved most of the restorable items to the Dunedin Gas Works, where the frame and wheels of P 107 were continued to be worked on while P 25's frame (cut into sections) could be found stored onsite. All other components such as spare wheels, old tender bodies and the boilers were moved to a field next to the Taieri Gorge Railway at Sutton. In 2008, with redevelopment occurring at the Gas Works necessitating the group's removal from the Gas Works, P 107 was shifted to Springfield and is now located at the Midland Railway Heritage Trust. It is understood that the group will continue to restore P 107 to operational order at Springfield.

References

Tim McKinlay, "Hopes Raised for Steam Engine", Otago Daily Times, October 2006.
Official page of Project Steam

v t e Railway preservation in New Zealand New Zealand railway heritage and preservation groups

Upper North Island	Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Bush Tramway Club Driving Creek Railway Glenbrook Vintage Railway Goldfields Railway Mainline Steam Museum of Transport and Technology Papatoetoe Railway Station Preservation Trust Railway Enthusiasts Society Waikino Victoria Battery Tramway and Museum

Lower North Island	Feilding and District Steam Rail Society Fell Locomotive Museum Gisborne City Vintage Railway New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society Ormondville Rail Preservation Society Paekakariki Station Precinct Trust Pahiatua Railcar Society Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust Silver Stream Railway Steam Incorporated SteamRail Wanganui Wairarapa Railway Restoration Society Waitara Railway Preservation Society Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust Wellington Heritage Multiple Unit Preservation Trust Wellington Tramway Museum

South Island	Blenheim Riverside Railway Canterbury Railway Society Diesel Traction Group Ferrymead Railway Ferrymead Two Foot Railway Kingston Flyer Midland Rail Heritage Trust Nelson Railway Society Oamaru Steam and Rail Ocean Beach Railway Ohai Railway Board Plains Vintage Railway Pleasant Point Museum and Railway Project Steam Taieri Gorge Railway (inc. Otago Excursion Train Trust) Tramway Historical Society Weka Pass Railway West Coast Historical and Mechanical Society (inc. Shantytown) Westport Railway Preservation Society

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.