NZR D class No.170 Steam Locomotive

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2-4-0T
1880 – Neilson and Company, Glasgow
No.2563
17.3 tonnes.

D 170 was one of a batch of 6 built by Neilson & Co., Glasgow in 1880. The D class totalled 33 engines, and saw a variety of duties. After serving with the NZR, D 170 spent most of its working life at the Napier Freezing Works. Details as to its history in Preservation are cloudy, but it appears that D 170 was acquired by MoTaT, and was to be transported to Auckland. A transport fund was set up by Railway Enthusiast Roger Redward to raise money for its trip to MoTaT, but it then appears that some form of agreement was reached between MoTaT & Mr Redward's Southern Rail Preservation Society, based in Prebbleton near Christchurch. It appears that D 170 was never transported to Prebbleton, and instead languished in the NZ Express Transport yard. In the late 1980's Southern Rail disintegrated and its collection was subject some legal wranglings over its ownership. D 170 remained in the freight yard for around 15 years and around 1998 MoTaT (having finally being recognised as the loco's owners after some legal disputes) reached an informal agreement to lease the loco to Nelson's Grand Tapawera Railroad, based at founders park, but nothing seems to have come of that and in September 2000 it went north to MoTaT. It is now displayed at Helensville Station, leased from MoTaT by the Rodney & Districts Tourism Development Trust who operate an information centre from the station.

www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=27625
web.archive.org/web/20070314042342/www.wekapassrailway.co.nz:80/locomotives/dclass/d170his...


1881 - 1923 NZR service
1923 - 1960 Hawkes Bay Farmers Co, Whakatu
1960 - 1961 Hastings Model Rly Club
1961 - 1975 Western Springs Rly , Display
1975 - 1981 Tokomaru Steam Museum
1975 - 2000 Christchurch
2000 Helensville
Owned by Western Springs Railway