Feilding locomotive celebrations

[Bren]

There were big happenings in Feilding today with the town celebrating the 100th of the main trunk line. So me and the missus headed up along with Kelvin (the bro in law) and his 2 boys Dylan and Callum aged 7 and 6. We got there at just after 11am after taking the long way round from taki and getting lost somewhere behind Bulls (this redneck dont know Manawatu).

The weather was shoddy to say the least with cold scattered showers. Found a park one block away fom the railway station and proceded to go to the siding only for the boys to get scared with all the whistles etc.The wife kindly took them back to the car where they stayed for the next hour or so whilst my bro in law and myself marvelled at the Iron behemoths. There were some nice pieces there. J Series and K series mainly along with my personal favorite of the steam era a Stramliner. I believe the make was a Dreyfuss Hudson and her name was Gloria. Built in 1939 near the end of the Art Deco era...She is a marvelous sight to behold.

Anyway after finishing gawking at the trains we headed for mansfield to have our lunch and then went to have a perv at the old cars...there were a few that I really gave the thumbs up to. They were the Cord, and the Packard, along with the steam car and the two Chrysler 77's. Oldest cat there dated 1906....102 years and still running strong...There were 3 motorbikes as well in the festivities...one was a 1920s something, one was an old harley w/ a sidecar, and the other was no more than a pushbike with a small motor on it....

Anyway finally came the parade of the Vintage and Veteran cars, The main streets of the town were crowded while car after car drove through...(The first modern car to take a wrong turn got a wave and a clap etc, but then it started to get a bit old with stoopid assholes ruining it with their jap pieces of shit...)

Anyway had a blast, and I am sure I will be there again (if only in spirit) to help them celebrate 200 years...

Pics to come...

[Bren]

more pics......

[Bren]

still more pics......

[Bren]

and some more...last ones

[ynot slow]

Nice Morry Minors there,my neighbour years ago did up a minor with new running gear,put a wait for it HC Viva motor and box in it,with viva front end,cortina diff I think,went well.Then put a Toyota 1600cc motor and box after about 3yrs,shit it was bloody nice,no bog in it,all lead and panel beated the old school way.Painted cndy apple red.Then he sold it,worst thing he did,25yrs on it would still be in good condition if he kept it.

[xwhatsit]

Damn we got some cool looking locos! Was it just NZ Rail having a curious sense of style or was it because we used narrow gauge and all the designers had a field day on them? Perhaps they just keep all the neat ones and scrapped the ugly trains.

[slimjim]

awesome photo's....thanks for the viewage....humm nice when a spark plug could by changed and a fuelpump ticked...

[PrincessBandit]

Awesome! Balu will enjoy looking at these later. He's a steam freak, especially trains. I shouted him on the Auck/Wellington trip where they pick up a steam loco at Taihape over to Fielding, and he loved it. Thanks for sharing the experience and your pix with us!!

[merv]

Took my bro' and Mrs to see this on Sunday too.

I liked this old 1907 Holsman. Boys said they crested a brow of a hill and over-revved it down hill just over 30mph and it blew its big end.

Second photo is the broken remains on the end of the conrod.

[SPman]

Aaaaahhhhhh...J1211 and Ka 942 - my favourite large NZ steam engines, both in their original "fared" states. Good to see them back out on track after their recent overhauls.

Damn we got some cool looking locos! Was it just NZ Rail having a curious sense of style or was it because we used narrow gauge and all the designers had a field day on them? Perhaps they just keep all the neat ones and scrapped the ugly trains.

Sense of style, with more than a touch of "Yankee Iron" about the design. West Aus. has 3'6" gauge as well, and their Steam engines are a curious blend of English and god knows what - nowhere near as good looking.
http://www.mainlinesteam.co.nz/locos.html
Unfortunately, they scrapped a lot of good looking engines as well........

[KiwiKat]

It was a magic weekend. I wasn't able to go riding as we had a major commitment with this weekend. 38 caravans and motorhomes camped at Lytton Street School for the Rail celebrations, Trains and vintage cars and more. I love those veterans. No room to fit a train here. Maybe this for next toy

[Indiana_Jones]

Nice to see some real loco's in NZ, one thing I find annoying about this country is the lack of a decent railway. But granted, the land is a total bitch to work with compared to the UK lol.

Must get on the overlander someday.

-Indy