After almost two years of work, the construction of Cockington Green Gardens’ new locomotive commissioned to enable more visitors to experience the vista of the attraction from the comfort a train ride is almost complete.

The train is now in the final stages of testing at its current home in Wagga Wagga, where manufacturing has taken place. Cockington Green Gardens director Mark Sarah visited Wagga Wagga recently, where the train was successfully fired up for the first time.

The new locomotive is a replica of a Fowler 0-6-0 “Coolum” dating back to 1924. Michael Dean of Live Steam Australia has been building the train with the support of a colleague in Brisbane and other specialists in Wagga Wagga. Michael is a long-time member of the Wagga Model Train Society with links to the Australian Association of Live Steamers.

Once the locomotive reaches Canberra, the train will then be subject to more than 500 laps and 100 hours of testing before design registration and plant registration can be undertaken. It is hoped that the new locomotive can be operating in time for Floriade, if not before.

A new tender is being constructed for the new locomotive and an additional two carriages are being built to increase the current capacity. Testing will also include the new tender and carriages.

In the meantime, Mighty Mike will continue to provide train rides and will then be ready for a hard-earned rest once the new locomotive is commissioned.