E 175 "Josephine"
125th Anniversary

Josephine is an unusual looking engine. To most it looks as if someone got the "Super Glue" out and put two steam engines back to back. Well that could be quite right, but it isn't. This unique engine design was the idea of Robert Farlie. Who designed both the Double Farlie (Josephine) and the Single Farlie. The idea was to create an engine that would have a light axel loading, and be very flexible for negotiating tight curves.

Josephine’s story is quite remarkable in that she was the first steam engine to be "preserved" in New Zealand. In 1872 a railway was built between Port Chalmers and Dunedin, the locomotives of choice were two Double Farlies, Josephine and Rose. Once this line became part of the New Zealand Railways network the 2 were separated and worked in various parts of the country, Josephine worked ion the north Island Main Trunk until 1917, when she was sold for scrap. For some reason Josephine sat inn the Iron rollers yard until 1925 when the NZR cosmetically restored her and she was put on display next to one of the "new" Ab locomotives.

From that day forward Josephine was safe, or so it was thought. In the 1970's the condition of Josephine was getting bad, breathing in all the fumes from her grandchildren, and the Otago rain had done some damage. It was decided to construct a home for her, and cosmetically restore her, again. So now she sits in the Otago Settlers Museum.

To mark her 125th Birthday, 2 steam trains were running over the weekend. Ab 663 (1917) from Christchurch hauled passengers from Dunedin to port Chalmers, while A67 (1873) from Ocean Beach, hauled one carriages between the museum and station. There were also fire engine rides, horses, and traction engines.

 

 

 

Ab 663 Dunedin Station 27 October 2002	Josephine’s Cake	Traction Engines Burrell & Fowler 27 October 2002

 

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