That doesn’t worry Thomas Kyle (14).
He loves steam traction engines and has recently become probably the youngest person in the country with a ticket to drive them.
“I loved them from the start,” he said.
That start was at a very young age, well under 5. The reason – traction steam engines are in his family’s blood.
His father, John, has long held a steam ticket and his mother, Issie, became the first woman to achieve the feat more than 25 years ago. Then there’s his 12-year-old sister, Victoria.
As for getting his steam ticket, Thomas, also a highly competitive swimmer and the junior swimming champion at Timaru Boys’ High School, said it comprised theory and practical.
“With theory it’s about safety vales, injections, pumps, keeping the water up, how to fire, and how to stop. I did it by correspondence.”
Dowell McLeod, an engineer who worked on the restoration of Pleasant Point’s locomotive AB699, and who did the test for steam ticket assessor Peter Boys, of Darfield.
Just getting started was a challenge in itself.
Mr McLeod said Thomas – now the fourth generation of his family to have a steam ticket – showed ability beyond his years.
By Chris Tobin