By: Tracey Kearns18th Aug 2022 9:22AMInformation provided by Brian Pearce via Email

this was taken at Cross Creek, at the foot of the Rimutaka Incline. In the middle of the track at left can be seen the centre rail (it begins almost opposite the locomotive) which was used on the ascent (by the locomotives' grip wheels) and the descent (by brake shoes on the locomotives and on the brake vans). The locomotive is shunting, probably in the course of assembling a train to ascend the Incline - part of the train can be seen in the background. Fell locomotives had to be placed at intervals throughout the train, with one at the front of course. The photograph would have been taken in the last days of October 1955 (the line closed on 29 October 1955). Many trips were run by special trains over the last weeks of the Incline's life - I was on one myself (a school trip) a week or so before the line closure - It's even possible it was this one but there is no way of telling. The Fell locomotive seen here is either H-203 or H-204 - despite my best effort I cannot read the number on the plate on the side. There were six Fell locomotives: four built by Avonside Engine Coy of Bristol, England, in 1875; and two built by Neilson and Coy of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1886. This locomotive can be positively identified as being from Neilson - it's just the number that cannot be narrowed down at this time. Both H-203 and H-204 were written off in March 1956 - months after their use on the Incline had ceased - and both were cut up for scrap in 1957 at the old Silverstream station yard.