100 years of the Fullagar!

Published: 20 November 2024

Last Updated: 21 November 2024

A century-old engine continues to run thanks to the dedication, passion, and hard work of volunteers.

Free entry to the Faraday Museum of Technology from 5pm to 9pm on Friday 29 November is a fitting way for the community to celebrate the Fullagar engine’s service to Napier, which started 100 years ago.

To celebrate the anniversary, the Faraday will host hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, face painting, attraction engine rides, as well as having the Fullagar engine running.

Faraday Museum of Technology Manager Sharyn Phillips says the Fullagar is historically important to Napier and is kept operational thanks to a crew of volunteers dedicated to the cause.

"Alongside our committed staff, our dedicated volunteers are what make this place tick," says Sharyn. "Their passion and expertise are a big part of what makes the Faraday Museum so special. Our volunteers are the reason the Fullagar engine is still operational today. They invest countless hours at the museum, working tirelessly to keep this historic engine running. The Fullagar is the only operational engine of its kind in the world, thanks to their hard work.

“The Fullagar served as Napier’s pulse for 50 years as well as helping keep the lights on through Napier’s darkest days of the 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake. It must have made a world of difference to Napier residents in the aftermath of the quake,” says Sharyn.

100 Years of The Fullagar will be a fun, free event all ages can take part in.

“We’re looking forward to a fun evening with many activities as well as the opening of our new exhibition Science of Colour,” says Sharyn. “Just like the rest of the Faraday’s exhibitions, the Science of Colour is an interactive experience suitable for all ages.”

Open until June 2025, the Science of Colour exhibition shows people how colours shape the world, influence emotions, and affect perception. It also demonstrates the mysteries of camouflage and colour illusions.

Back to News Archive