Titanic era choo choo ready to roll | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

In 1912 as the tall funnel of the Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries steam traction engine was going up, the four funnels of the doomed Titanic were tragically going down.

"She's 100 years old," the engine's owner, Wayne Clark, said as he affectionately gave "Henriette" a pat on her cast iron flanks as he began preparations for her big outing of the year - the Geon Art Deco Weekend which chuffs into life next Thursday.

"Built in the year the Titanic went down."

Unlike the Titanic, and other great ships which set sail on their maiden voyages that year, the 12-tonne engine is still running as strong as the day the last bolt was tightened.

Time is often not kind to ageing machines, but Henriette is a tough and uncompromising boiler. Mr Clark ensures she never wants for anything ... although he conceded age was catching up with the engine a little and anticipated a "major" maintenance upgrade in a few years to help the old girl through to another century.

"It could see me spending about $30,000 I reckon - but hey, that's just the way it is. You have to look after it so everyone gets to see it and enjoy it."

He and his driving steam-mate Allan James agreed patience was a compulsory attribute when it came to covering distance.

Havelock North to Napier, for instance, required the best part of a day. Four hours to cover the distance, plus two to stoke up the boiler and "get the water angry" to make running pressure, an hour stop for water and refreshments at Clive, and two hours to put all the boilers and working bits to bed at journey's end.

He has been running the now familiar steamer on Napier's streets at Art Deco time since buying it off winemaker Chris Pask in 1996, and said it was the realisation of a boyhood dream.

Mr Clark used to keep the engine at his Havelock North property but it has resided at the Faraday Centre in Napier for the past five years so it can be seen and enjoyed by the many visitors who call there.