The Ocean Beach Railway stopped operating due to Covid, but the group took it in stride and used the time to provide upgrades to the track.
Ocean Beach Railway guard Lyall Kelpe has been volunteering with the St Kilda railway since 2021 and was happy to see the public love the revamped service as much as he did.
"People were just rolling in. It was just a fantastic response by the public."
Yesterday was the third day of operation, and it will be back for rides on Saturday at 11am.
The goal was to continue the service every Sunday throughout the year, weather permitting.
"The younger generation of Dunedinites were really excited to see us operating. We had lots of kids coming on through.
"It’s a short ride and the whole thing is designed really to give an experience to the younger kids.
Tickets cost $6 for adults and $4 for children which provides them an all-day pass for as many rides as the wish to take.
The Ocean Beach Railway was the first organisation in New Zealand to preserve a steam locomotive with the intention of operating it.
The oldest carriage in operation was built in 1886 in the Addington workshops, in Christchurch.
Mr Kelpe said the volunteers had a collection of carriages running, some of which the older generation may remember riding in to get to school back in the day.
"Our carriage stock is quite historic, really. One carriage we have was built in 1905 ... before the Titanic.
"It was used back in the day around Dunedin on branch lines and suburban lines. If you lived out in Mosgiel or Port Chalmers ... you probably took this carriage to school, back in the day."
Mr Kelpe said it was an experience for people of all ages and a blast from their childhoods for the older generation.
