After a five-year absence, steam trains could become a regular sight in Oamaru within a year, according to the Oamaru Steam and Rail Society.
Since the society began running trains along the scenic track between its Itchen St station and the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony in 1999, society manager Harry Andrew said trains had run "almost every Sunday".
However, since the existing 1924 Hudswell Clarke B10 steam locomotive failed its 10-year survey in April 2007, a diesel-powered engine had been used to take passengers around the harbour area.
Mr Andrew said the locomotive's 4-tonne boiler was sent away for repairs three years ago, after the society received grants from the Otago Community Trust, the McMillan Trust and the J R Jones trust to help pay the $100,000 cost to replace a tube plate.
Continued earthquakes in Christchurch had led to long delays at the Christchurch-based engineering company in charge of repairs.
Although Mr Andrew was happy to see the boiler finally repaired, he said there was now more work to be done to fit the boiler to the chassis.
"It will probably be early next year before we can start running it again.
"The biggest problem we have is that we need more skilled and qualified members to come up here and help fit it.
"It needs a massive lot of pipework, painting, pipes and steam vents. The parts are all here; we just need to fit them."
