The ‘Skunk and the ‘Wallaby’ were two Class ‘A’, 8-tonne locomotives built by E. W. Mills at the Lion Foundry in Wellington with outside Stephenson valve gear. They were the first locomotives to run a scheduled service between Palmerston North and Foxton in 1876. A third, called ‘Opossum’, was held back in Wellington after completion and was shipped in 1877 to Greymouth to work in the harbour, and latterly on West Coast logging operations. The ‘Skunk’ soon followed, being transported to Westport in 1882.

This image was taken in 1973 by R. T. Curry and the text “’Skunk’ Locomotive – Greymouth (just north of railway station) Photographed on 7 February 1973 by R.T. Curry” is written on the back.

However, this image more likely depicts the ‘Opossum’. Alterations were made to its exterior during the Opossum’s time in the logging industry and it was put on display in Greymouth in the 1950s. In 1986 the locomotive was moved to tourist attraction Shantytown, where it was extensively retro-fitted in 2009 and 2010 to its original 1876 condition.

This is a replica of a steam locomotive called "Palmerston" which served the Foxton-Palmerston North line. It was built in 1872 in Dunedin and shipped to Foxton. It is considered to be the first locomotive entirely made in the country (previous engines were prefabricated elsewhere). It could reach a top speed of 16kph along the railways wooded tracks (which was also being used by horse drawn trams). Being so under powered, it was replaced in 1875 or 1876 by two new engines - the "Skunk" and the "Wallaby". The former is now on display in Greymouth.

This replica was built in 1993.

Designated Class 'A', this locomotive was one of three small tank locomotives built by the Lion Foundry and fitted with outside Stephenson link motion. The 'Skunk' and the 'Wallaby' were the first railway locomotives to run a scheduled service between Palmerston North and Foxton from 1876, replacing a horse dawn tram service. The Skunk later worked on the line between Palmerston North and Wanganui, opened in 1878, and was relegated to shunting and ballast duties before going to Greymouth for harbour construction work. From left: (possibly) Henry Stevens; George Hughes (formerly a driver on the Tramway, became a fireman on the first steam trains to Palmerston North, left the railways about 1888).