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Historic Bush Tramway

Shantytown's steam collection has a special and unique place in New Zealand's pioneering history.  Different to other rail heritage collections, it reflects locomotives from industrial activity, particularly the type and scale of the native forest bush tramway.

Collectively the features are part of an impressive steam line up at Shantytown, including the working 19th century locomotives 'Kaitangata' and 'L509' that now haul passenger carriages on the town's Infant's Creek Tramway; a Tangye stationary steam engine that runs via an electric slave motor at the town's interpreted sawmill.  In addition there are several other rail transport features including an A&G Price (Thames, NZ) diesel shunting locomotive in full running order, a Nattrass rail tractor, two Dispatch rail tractors and a three-wheeled petrol driven jigger.