Boiler Work
Steam boiler repair and rebuilding.
Welded or riveted construction.
From small boat boilers to large traction engines, we have capabilities and skills to tackle the tricky projects
Static Restoration Project For Shantytown
Heisler Restoration
The Heisler No 1494 was built in the US in 1924 and specially designed for work on bush tramways. It was originally purchased by Midland Sawmilling Company at Camerons. Although made to order, it proved too big for the company’s tramway and was sold to the Forest Sawmilling Company at Nelson Creek where it worked on the New Forest logging tramway until it closed in 1958. Following basic restoration to arrest the decay, the locomotive has been stored at Shantytown since 1970. The Heisler is the last of three bush locomotives that have been preserved and joins the Opossum (1875) and Climax (1912) in Shantytown’s purpose built Dark Shed where all three trains will go on display.
Opossum Restoration
The Opossum is the oldest complete New Zealand built locomotive in existence.
This engine has worked on several landmark construction sites around the turn of the century and lends itself to some outstanding interpretation of the development of the region.
Beginning a career spanning 75 years, the Opossum began work on the Greymouth Harbour and worked on the construction of the breakwater. It was also understood to have given the questionable honour of testing the new Brunner Bridge, worked on the Reefton-Inangahua Junction line, the Ngahere-Blackball line and ended working life with 30 years at Ogilvie’s mill at Gladstone.
