Just as palpable as the majestic plume of steam that coursed from the Kingston Flyer yesterday, was the utter joy as it set off drawing carriage-loads of people towards Fairlight Railway Station.
The first time the historic steam train had welcomed a paying public on board in nine years, the trip saw nearly 150 people, young and old, board the Flyer’s four restored wooden carriages.
It was a particularly special day for Kingston Flyer Ltd director Neville Simpson, who has led the on-and-off restoration of the train, as well as the 14km of track between Kingston and Fairlight, for the last two decades.
"It means a huge amount to me," he said.
"It’s been a lot of hard work for years to get this up and running again, mainly with resource consents, legalities and rail licences and then all the work on the track and the carriages and the locomotive," Mr Simpson said.
Joined on the ground by the Queenstown and Southern Lakes Pipe Band, and from the air by a swooping Tiger Moth biplane, the Flyer chugged past tooting cars and waving onlookers, its passengers grinning with delight.
Queenstown resident Adrian Chisholm, who was riding the train with his 7-year-old grandson Eddie, said it was wonderful to be a part of the history.
"There’s just something in our DNA; people just love steam trains," he said.
"Arguably, this remaining 14km of the Kingston to Lumsden branch would be the most historically significant remaining part of a branch line left in New Zealand," he said.
"The [line] opened in 1878 and it was to serve the Lakes district, connecting with the lake’s steamers, which is very, very unique anywhere in the world."
The Flyer operated privately as a heritage steam train tourist attraction from 2003 until it was mothballed in late 2013, before being purchased by a group of Auckland-based investors in 2017.
Last July, the Flyer received consent to operate commercially, and yesterday marked the start of a public schedule which will see two services operate every Sunday until mid-December.
Mr Simpson, who began working with the Flyer in 1987 as a fireman, said it was significant that both the train, and the vision to operate it commercially, had surpassed 50 years.
"It’s been a turbulent 50 years, and it’s been off and on in the last 20 odd years, but I think it’s remarkable that it’s still here and that it’s still so hugely popular," he said.
"It’s absolutely great to just see so many people here today."
