Art Deco celebrations

[W6NZ]

Napier is known as the Art Deco capital of the world, after the 1931 earthquake when over 200 people were killed and many buildings were totally destroyed; a lot of Napier was rebuilt in the Art Deco style.
We have 2 weeks of celebrations of all kinds every year, and many of your countrymen/women come "on down".
This afternoon the wife & I went for a steam train ride, fantastic, just like old times again, no worries about mad drivers being on the road. The train was resurrected from the scrap heap by a number of guys a few years ago and they have spent $400,000 on its refurbishment, its a real credit to them.The sights and sounds plus smell of the crude oil burning were spectacular.

[img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v55/JICH1/Me%20and%20Mine/SWScan00133.jpg[/img][/img]

[Rudi]

Wonderful

I like to see stuff like that restored. It then becomes a living piece of history, and that is awesome. Here in the Moncton area, we have a group which has restored much of the old Hillsborough and Salem Railway, which was part of the ICR - Inter-Colonial Railway and they also have working trains and the station has also been restored.

I will find the link for it and post it. I also like to see all the old military aircraft restored to flyable condition. We have been lucky here, every summer for the past 20 years almost, I get to not only see these old birds fly, but there is a fleet of Avengers which have been used by FPL for decades as water bombers. The sound of them old radials as they power up, taxi, take off and of course fly over MY HOUSE at very low altitudes both on take off and landing is indescribeable... awesome!

Will find the links for that too..

Be nice to visit New Zealand some day.. but that is far off and after I win the lotto..

[jostev]

WOW Looks like you had alot of fun W6NZ

That is a very nice looking locomotive...

Johnny

[Rudi]

Here are the links for the Salem and Hillsboruough Railroad



Engine 1009


Smithsonian cover page..


These Avengers are the only TBM's still flying as a fleet in the world. Seems 3 are already sold.... darn... I sure Hope I get to see them this summer. The AgCats that they are replacing them with are nice, but don't hold a candle to them at all...

See the article on Forest Protection Ltd website.

This has to be a must read article.. especially for History Buff's and anyone with a $150,000.00 US -- that would buy an Avenger.. right click and save target as... Avenger Signing.pdf. This particular bird is one of the most common that has been over my house in the last 20 years... wayyyy

[W6NZ]

There's something about those steam engines, whether it be nostalgia or what, they look sooo good. Thanks for those links Rudi I'll take a look.
Yes its great that there are people prepared to salvage and restore our links from the past, it would be tragic if it ever was lost.

Sounds like we have very similar demos, In the south Island there is a flying display of old war birds,the pageant is War birds over Wanaka, and it gets a great following. One of our pilots from the 2nd WW, (Sir) Tim Wallace, unfortunately crashed his Spitfire and was severely injured it was only modern day medicine that helped him to survive.
Long may it all continue.