Straight to the Photos
On the 24 and 25 April 2004 preservation history was made when K88 &
K92 were double headed for the first time in nearly 100 years on the Plains
Railway, Ashburton. Not only was it remarkable that 2 Rogers locomotives
were operational, but more so its remarkable as to how they were recovered
and restored to operational condition.
Both K88 (1877) and K92 (1878) spent around 70 years in Southland rivers before they were rescued. K88's first restoration was done by one man, the late Bob Anderson, while K92 was rescued and restored by the Te Anau Vintage machinery Club for a proposed line on the lake shore. Both were in bad shape, and many new parts were made to get them running again.
K88 "Washington"
K88 hauled the first Christchurch to Dunedin express back in 1878. This service was double headed with 'Double Farlie' E175 "Josephine" on the hilly section between Oamaru and Dunedin.
After the first restoration was completed in 1982, she was a regular performer at the Plains and even ventured out on the Mainline on occasions. On one excursion she was used to promote the relaunch of Monteiths Beer. Her biggest claim to fame was staring in the Hanlon series portraying Dunedin Lawyer Mr Hanlon. K88 and vintage carriages were towed to the Weka Pass Railway and used for filming. K88's last steaming was in 1988, and was used at the service of Bob Anderson. K88's boiler was condemned, and was put on the back burner till sufficient funds were available to make a new boiler.
Fast foward to the 1990's a big push was made on the second restoration of K88, funds were gathered and a new all welded boiler costing about $175,000 was built in Christchurch. As well as that a new tender tank was made, correct K tender bogies fitted, and stove pipe funnel fitted. At Easter 2002 K88 was recomissioned into service, and has been the star performer on the Plains Railway, although mainline capable K88 has yet to run on the mainline. We look forward to this in the future.
K92
Recovered from the Oreti River, near Lumsden in 1985, was restored over 9 years to steamable condition, and officially commissioned in 1991 at Te Anau. Was dispatched to Dunedin in 1994 for additional work and stored in Taieri Gorge Railway workshops, till being purchased in 2000 by Colin Smith of the Waimea Plains Railway Trust.
First official outing for K92 was the 2000 opening season of the Kingston Flyer, at this event K92 hauled a 2 car train on a regular basis from Kingston to Fairlight, while toe highlight was the triple header with K92 in the lead followed by the 2 Kingston Ab's. In late 2003 K92 left Kingston and went to Ferrymead Railway where she was used in replacement to D140 which was incomplete at the time. Then in April 2004, K92 left Ferrymead, and went to the Plains Railway to catch up with her long lost sister K88.
Both K88 (1877) and K92 (1878) spent around 70 years in Southland rivers before they were rescued. K88's first restoration was done by one man, the late Bob Anderson, while K92 was rescued and restored by the Te Anau Vintage machinery Club for a proposed line on the lake shore. Both were in bad shape, and many new parts were made to get them running again.
K88 "Washington"
K88 hauled the first Christchurch to Dunedin express back in 1878. This service was double headed with 'Double Farlie' E175 "Josephine" on the hilly section between Oamaru and Dunedin.
After the first restoration was completed in 1982, she was a regular performer at the Plains and even ventured out on the Mainline on occasions. On one excursion she was used to promote the relaunch of Monteiths Beer. Her biggest claim to fame was staring in the Hanlon series portraying Dunedin Lawyer Mr Hanlon. K88 and vintage carriages were towed to the Weka Pass Railway and used for filming. K88's last steaming was in 1988, and was used at the service of Bob Anderson. K88's boiler was condemned, and was put on the back burner till sufficient funds were available to make a new boiler.
Fast foward to the 1990's a big push was made on the second restoration of K88, funds were gathered and a new all welded boiler costing about $175,000 was built in Christchurch. As well as that a new tender tank was made, correct K tender bogies fitted, and stove pipe funnel fitted. At Easter 2002 K88 was recomissioned into service, and has been the star performer on the Plains Railway, although mainline capable K88 has yet to run on the mainline. We look forward to this in the future.
K92
Recovered from the Oreti River, near Lumsden in 1985, was restored over 9 years to steamable condition, and officially commissioned in 1991 at Te Anau. Was dispatched to Dunedin in 1994 for additional work and stored in Taieri Gorge Railway workshops, till being purchased in 2000 by Colin Smith of the Waimea Plains Railway Trust.
First official outing for K92 was the 2000 opening season of the Kingston Flyer, at this event K92 hauled a 2 car train on a regular basis from Kingston to Fairlight, while toe highlight was the triple header with K92 in the lead followed by the 2 Kingston Ab's. In late 2003 K92 left Kingston and went to Ferrymead Railway where she was used in replacement to D140 which was incomplete at the time. Then in April 2004, K92 left Ferrymead, and went to the Plains Railway to catch up with her long lost sister K88.
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Plains Station
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Departing Plains
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Departing Plains
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Near Water Tank
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Along the Line
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Through the Trees
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Heading through the trees
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Again through the trees
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Owner Polishing K92
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Side by Side at Plains
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Again Side by Side
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