Old Mandeville Airfield & Croydon Aircraft Company

Total Nights and Distance Travelled on Tour to Date = 43 Nights & 2024 Kms

 

Our departure from Gore was delayed while we left the caravan on site and drove up SH94 to the historic Old Mandeville Airfield.  Lots of blokey stuff here, starting off with a Rogers steam engine, manufactured by Paterson’s works, in New Jersey, USA.  This engine once ran on the Kingston to Invercargill line and Gore to Kingston.  When it was no longer required it was dumped in the Oereti River (as many old engines were) before being rescued and sent to Mandeville.  When funding becomes available the plan is to lay track to circle the Mandeville airfield and offer steam train rides.

 

Rogers steam engine

The Croydon Aircraft Company restores vintage aircraft and for the price of a gold coin donation visitors are welcome to view the work being undertaken and wander around to their heart’s content.

  Some of the Aircraft under restoration

Manufacture of a Laminated Propeller

 

A visit to the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre right next door had on display a large number of restored  and airworthy aircraft.  This is the largest collection of De Havilland aircraft in the southern Hemisphere. If you wish you have a ride in any number of these aircraft this can be arranged for a few dollars.

  View of the hanger of the Heritage Centre

Who remembers flying in one of these DH’89  Dominies?

 

The “Moth” cafe and restaurant is the former Mandeville Hotel.  While the Gore district was declared “dry” for 51 long years during prohibition, Mandeville was not.  The drinkers from Gore who had the ways and means to travel popped up to this pub and enjoyed their tipple of choice.  The large size of the building shows just how busy it must have been during those long years of  prohibition

Time for a coffee at the former Mandeville Hotel

 

This is venue that all blokes should put on their must see list as the manufacturing side of the business is awe inspiring operation both in the quantity and the workmanship of the work undertaken. Then there is the heritage site  with all of the different De Havilland aircraft on show.

Romany Rambler: Travelled 22,216Km; 389Total Nights