A rare part of New Zealand steam train history arrived in Napier yesterday with its caretakers hopeful of bringing it back next year when it is set to turn 100.
It will reach the century milestone at a significant time as it will also be the 100th anniversary of the WWI Gallipoli campaign - and the AB-class locomotive has a strong connection with the war.
Seven years after it was built in 1915 it was specially named "Passchendaele" and a memorial plaque fitted - to serve as a moving memorial to all the railway workers who went into service and died during the war.
"We would like to bring it back here next year but we'll have to wait and see what happens," John Bovis, from Steam Incorporated in Paekakariki, said.
"We will be involved in some WWI commemoration activities, although the Passchedaele campaign was not until 1917."