The steam team

All aboard: Gisborne artist Claire Kizlink sits on the front of Gisborne's iconic Wa165 with a couple of her works depicting the 125-year-old steam train. The Wa165 paintings by Mrs Kizlink, who has exhibited works in various European cities, are for sale with proceeds going to Gisborne City Vintage Railway Society to help maintain Wa165. The society, however, needs more volunteers to keep the popular train up to standard. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

BIG toys for the boys.

That's how steam locomotive enthusiast Trevor Jukes describes the motivation and fun for the team of volunteers behind Gisborne City Vintage Railway Society (GCVRS).

Their pride and sense of history is keeping Wa165 operating into its second century since being built in 1897.

GCVR project manager/engineer Joe Campbell estimates about 12 to 15 volunteers maintain Wa165.

But more volunteers are needed and would be warmly welcomed, he says.

The volunteers meet on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am to midday to carry out repairs and maintenance on the last remaining Wa class steam locomotive in the world.

“There's a whole lot of work to do to bring it up to standard.”

Volunteers with mechanical skills and a love for trains would be ideal, but the work required is of a widespread nature, ranging from painting to cutting firewood to fuel Wa165.

Mr Campbell says there is a lot of camaraderie among the volunteers.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer is invited to head down to the GCVRS base at the port end of the railyard on a Thursday or Saturday morning.

Mr Campbell has high praise for volunteers such as Claire Kizlink.

Mrs Kizlink, who recently returned home from Europe, is an artist who has exhibited work in Monaco, Switzerland and Austria.

Her various paintings of Wa165 are for sale, with proceeds going to GCVRS.

It was Mrs Kizlink who approached The Gisborne Herald to say they needed more volunteers.

Wa165 spent much of its working life in Gisborne from 1911 to 1943 transporting metal to Moutohora.

It was the first steam locomotive (1897) to be built in the New Zealand Railways workshops in Hillside, Dunedin, said Mr Campbell.

He has been involved with Wa165 since 1986.

That was when the rusting locomotive 165 was moved from the salt-laden sea air of its Olympic Pool site to the M.E. Jukes & Son yard in Stanley Road where restoration began.

It had previously been deteriorating outside the former skating rink in Grey Street from 1961 to 1968 where it proved popular with children.

Wa165 was withdrawn from NZR service in 1959.

The coming summer will be a busy one for volunteers, with cruise ships to call upon Gisborne as international tourism picks up after Covid-19.

Wa165 is popular with the cruise ship tourists.

Mr Campbell says 21 cruises ships are expected this summer.

That means a lot of work although for GCVRS volunteers it is more a labour of love.