A machine used to smooth the snow at the top of the Tasman Glacier up until 26 years ago is now a new display at Wānaka’s National Transport and Toy Museum.

Since its departure from service all those years ago, the giant (then diesel-powered) snow plow slid from its resting place at the mountain-top at a rate calculated by museum owner Jason Rhodes at 1.8 metres a day – a total slow slide of six kilometres.

“The highly-modified PistenBully Snow Plow would pack the snow for the aircraft to land and take off when the snow would build up,” Jason said.

“It then became trapped by five metres of snow and was abandoned.

“So it would not end up in the glacier lake, it was decided to pull it apart and bring it to the museum, where everyone can see it.”

Museum co-founder and owner Jason Rhodes with the snow plow, which smoothed the way for helicopters landing visitors at the top of the Tasman Glacier for years. It was de-constructed into several parts and helicoptered to its new home at Wānaka’s National Transport & Toy Museum, where it is a new attraction.

The machine had to be moved in winter as summer air is too thin and helicopters could not lift it.

“Thanks to the InfIite Helicopters and museum volunteers this amazing snow groomer can now be viewed in the safety of the museum grounds,” Jason said.

For now, it’s outside at the museum for viewing, but will eventually take pride of place somewhere on the 16-acre (6.474-hectare) site.

In its day, the snow plow machine would have been worth about $200,000.

The museum land was bought by Jason’s late father Gerald Rhodes more than 30 years ago for the dream creation of the museum, which now comprises buildings covering 10,000m2, including a 2,600m2 marquee. This will house military memorabilia, aircraft and other machinery.