The founder of Light the Night, Sarah Ferguson, says that as a local she wants to create a magical experience for people, as well as showcase local artisans and businesses.

“This is a great opportunity for people to have a night out with friends and family and support local,” she says. “We believe this may be the first time a steam train has been illuminated and run on the ‘main trunk line’ in New Zealand.

Steam Incorporated has not run a service on the national network for more than a year. The train will be double ended with a steam locomotive leading and heritage diesel locomotive in the rear. It will have up to nine vintage carriages holding between 45 and 60 passengers a carriage, with a total capacity across all three shuttle services of up to 1500 passengers.