Work will soon begin on the restoration of New Zealand's first electric tram car, Roslyn No 1, which, when restored, will put be on display at the Otago Settlers Museum.
The start of the work has been made possible by the final $40,000 needed for the restoration being raised by the Dunedin East Rotary Club.
Spokesman Peter Smith said the club made a pledge to fund the shortfall in the centennial year of Rotary International and held charity golf matches, quiz nights, worked as gate keepers at Carisbrook and sold Christmas trees to raise the money.
The fund was supplemented by a donation from the Dunedin Casino Charitable Trust, he said. Those funds added to the $100,000, bequeathed by the late Norman Davidson, the Otago Settlers Association held for the project.
The work would be completed by the Heritage Tramways Trust in Ferrymead, Christchurch.
"The Heritage Tramways Trust are thrilled to be involved in the restoration of such an historic vehicle," trust chairman Dave Carr said.
As the first electric tramcar in New Zealand, No 1 was the forerunner of hundreds of trams all over the country, he said.
While the tram was not being restored to operational condition, it would be just as challenging to restore its body.
"We have only a few remnants of the original interior and newspaper descriptions of the tramway inauguration on which to base our work."
Otago Settlers Museum director Linda Wigley was "thrilled" that such an important piece of Dunedin's heritage would be restored thanks to the rotary club and the tramway trust.
The restored No 1 will go on display when the museum reopens in November 2012.
