New Zealand 150-year-old train found after being buried on Whanganui beach for 75 years!

[Mayner]

Interesting story from last week about the recovery of a steam loco buried following the construction of a break water (South Mole) at Whangaunui ( city and port in the lower North Island).

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/575595/150-year-old-train-found-after-being-buried-on-whanganui-beach-for-75-years

The loco believed to be "Skunk" one of a trio of locomotives built by a Wellington foundry in 1873 for use on the "Foxton Section" a line which linked the port of Foxton with the town of Palmerston North in the Wairapa region. Opening as an isolated section the Foxton section was originally laid with wooden rails when opened in 1873 and re-laid with steel rails and re-opened in 1876.

A local group appears to be planning to carry out a cosmetic restoration, interestingly the cylinders on the recovered loco appears to drive a lay shaft mounted amid-ship under the boiler similar to a climax rather than the trailing "driving" axle on sister locomotive the restored "Opussum" at Shantytown on the South Island.

https://nzrailphotos.co.nz/photos/shantytown?view=latest#lg=1&slide=11

Looks like a good excuse for visiting Whanganui and Shantytown to try and figure out how 'Skunks' transmission actually works!

Edited 5 hours ago by Mayner