Southern F Locomotive Trust spokesman Karl Barkley was in the city on personal business but took the opportunity to meet a range of possible funding bodies, including the Taieri Gorge Railway, to discuss support to buy the Kingston Flyer.
The trust was established last year to save and preserve rail heritage in Southland and has been campaigning since early January to raise money to buy the troubled train.
So far, about $10,000 has been raised, but Mr Barkley said much more would be needed to outbid six other interested parties.
Taieri Gorge Railway chief executive Murray Bond said while their meeting was brief and money was not discussed, he supported Mr Barkley's goal "100%".
He described the train as a "major drawcard" for tourists to New Zealand. "Significant cancellations" by rail tourists had occurred since the venture went into receivership last year.
If the Government knew the "millions of dollars" of lost income the cancellations had cost the country, it would be happy to a give "few thousand dollars" to support the Kingston Flyer, he said.
Mr Barkley returned home yesterday but vowed to continue to campaign so the train remained "in the hands of Kiwis".
