The oldest operating steam locomotive in New Zealand will celebrate its 150th year of service over this Labour weekend at the Ferrymead Railway, owned by the Canterbury Railway Society incorporated and based at the Ferrymead Heritage park in Christchurch. 

The locomotive, F 13, built in Scotland in 1872; known to many as ‘Peveril’ entered service in December 1873 and has been largely in service throughout its life. Initially in service in the Otago District, F 13, was transferred to Christchurch in the 1890’s and remained in the Canterbury District until withdrawn from service in the late 1960’s when it was presented for preservation to The Canterbury Railway Society Inc., operators of the Ferrymead Railway.

Following withdrawal from service with the New Zealand Railways, F 13 was donated to The Canterbury Railway Society Inc. and placed on display for a time at the Ferrymead Heritage Park. A concentrated effort was made to return F 13 to steam, and this was completed in 1984, a project led and carried out by an enthusiastic team of skilled and dedicated volunteers.

Many travellers through Lyttleton will have fond memories of the little locomotives which would noisily draw the ‘boat train’ off the steamer wharf to Lyttelton station, where the train was handed over to the electric traction for a swift run to Moorhouse Avenue. At times, the consist was over twelve carriages long and required two of these small locomotives, which often included F 13.

The celebrations over Labour Weekend will include a ceremony to be held on Saturday morning, this will include speeches, cake, and a ride behind F 13 in carriages from the 1880’s period. Following this enthusiasts and photographers have booked the rest of the day to recreate the past, with vintage train consists of the 1880’s through to the 1920’s. On Sunday and Monday, the public visiting the Ferrymead Heritage Park will be able to ride behind ‘Peveril’ and two of its friends; D 140 built in Christchurch in 1887, which is based on the Ferrymead Railway and D 16 built in Scotland in 1878 visiting from the Pleasant Point Railway & Historical Society, near Timaru. The Canterbury Railway Society is grateful for this teamwork and cooperation between heritage railways.

The name ‘Peveril’ was given to the locomotive in the late 1950’s, a character in one of Sir Walter Scott's novels which were popular at the time this locomotive was placed into service. More recent research has found the original name for F 13 was ‘Edie Ochiltree’, but as the locomotive has become well known and loved by Cantabrians as ‘Peveril’, and this name has stuck.

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