Josephine

New Zealand's oldest surviving locomotive The northern end of the Otago Settlers Museum is home to Otago's most celebrated steam train, Josephine. Josephine was designed in England by Robert Fairlie and built by the Vulcan Foundry in Lancashire, arrived by ship in August 1872 and was assembled at Port Chalmers. A load of beer was hauled from Burkes Brewery in September and passengers were carried for the first time in October 1872.

The Fairlie double-ended engine was specially designed for narrow gauge railways with many twists and turns and was thus ideal for the line between Dunedin and Port Chalmers which hugs the rugged shoreline with its many bends. Josephine was sold out of government service in 1917, displayed at the New Zealand South Seas Exhibition at Dunedin in 1926 and is now a much loved exhibit at the Museum, resting in its own annexe within sight of Dunedin's Railway Station.

Ongoing exhibition