Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

 The Sandstone Heritage Trust has four heavy duty long haul trucks. Two Freightliner Argosys, a Kenworth T900, and a MAN abnormal load tractor for the 4-axle low bed Model number 27.423.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

Bedwas & Machen Fleet No. 7 Bodywork by Bruce Coachworks,Cardiff.

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The AEC Regal III recently donated by John Allen to Sandstone Heritage Trust is a direct descendant of the first AEC’s manufactured in 1909.
To go back in history, AEC which is short for Associated Equipment Co., began as a bus making subsidiary of the London General Omnibus Company and its first major product was the famous LGOC “B” type , double decker bus with open top and open rear staircase. It was similar in design to the horse buses it was destined to replace. It had a 4 cylinder petrol engine and a few thousand were built including a few single deck versions.

Some of these buses became famous as troop carriers in the First World War of 1914 – 1918. Seating on the top deck was knife-board, oblong seated benches with no weather protection for the driver and passengers. Many of the B type buses were later converted to lorries as they became out dated. In those days a bus’s useful life would be between 5 and 8 years. The “B” models were produced from 1912 onwards.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

I have always had a great fascination for steam and taking on a challenge (the impossible) and so when two S4 Sentinel Steam Waggons arrived on my doorstep in various stages of deterioration (the two to be made into one) it certainly put me to the test.

I used the boiler from one of the vehicles which was in a good workable condition. I only had a few of the necessary boiler fittings and had to manufacture new ones as required. I had to manufacture a new chimney, fire grate, ash pan, cleading and top boiler cowl. Also I manufactured new coal bunkers and water tanks.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

Sandstone Estates' T900 Kenworth was purchased new in Melbourne Australia in early 1992. It was used as a demonstration vehicle by Paccar (Pacific Car and Railroad) the manufacturer of Kenworth vehicles in Australia. It is rated at 91 tonnes and is in fact a road train tractor which would typically be operating in the outback of Australia pulling three tri-axle trailers.

It was chosen for the application because of its ruggedness, its good looks and its off-road capability. It has a 3506E Caterpillar engine rated at 550 h.p. The driver is Wilfred Mole.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

3rd March 2006

SENTINEL STEAM WAGGON - Keith Stevens is in the process of drawing up the plans for the Sentinel Cab. O & K LOCOMOTIVE - They are putting together the wheels, chassis, cylinders and reciprocating gear. Hopefully if all goes well and tests OK, I will have overcome the welding on the copper fire box. This has been quite some problem. RANSOMES SIMS & JEFFERIES PORTABLE STEAM ENGINE - All that is required now are the brake blocks to be fitted. A new chimney has been made and has been fitted on. McLAREN TRACTION ENGINE - Keith is awaiting a second opinion from Natal Inspection Services regarding the boiler and will then give a report on each part of the boiler.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

7th June 2006
Related article: Inventories - AEC Regal Bus III - 1950

The Sandstone Heritage Trust's AEC made available to us by John Allen from Natal, now retired in the UK, is a stalwart we can all rely on. Any time, any day, whatever the weather. The bus is currently about to undergo a cosmetic upgrade which will ensure that all the finishing touches are completed to bring her into pristine condition.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

15th June 2006

Sandstone Sentinel S4, which was acquired as a result of an agreement between the Sandstone Heritage Trust and the James Hall Museum of Transport in Johannesburg is now nearly complete. It was acquired 6 years ago and went into the steam restoration queue. The job was allocated to Keith Stevens, a stalwart supporter of ours who has done much good work on traction engines, locomotives and other items. This was a tricky job.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

24th July 2006

A mid 1950's W series KENWORTH truck has been relocated to JAN FOUCHE and Sons Commercial vehicle restoration facility in Lichtenburg in the Western Transvaal ,some 500kms from Sandstone Estates for a complete rebuild.

This venerable old truck worked its heart out hauling freight for Albert Brink Transport of Cape Town on the long and dusty 1000 mile (1600km) trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg and back.It was located in a wonderful retirement home for old trucks near Bloemfontein run by Zach and Yvonne Van Staden.Zach will only allow his senior commercial trucking citizens to go to exceptionally good homes and SANDSTONE is justifiably proud to be selected to assist this old girl to get back on the road.She will be joined by our rugged working Ausralian 1990 KENWORTH T900 which has been hauling old machines since she arrived brand new from Melbourne in 1991.

We will publish regular reports on the restoration.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

13th August 2006

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

18th August 2006

Over the weekend brothers Shaun and Pat Ackerman steamed our S4 off the lowbed and in to the local town of Ficksburg. They had this to say about the restoration of the two latest 2ft narrow gauge locomotives and the
S4.

Both Pat and I had the honour this weekend to steam and operate the Feldbahn and Peckett locomotives and the Sentinal Steam Truck as you are aware. Well, what a one in a lifetime experience we had and I say this because if you think about it it is an honour to steam and drive such unique steam locomotives which we have such a passion for and we all know that not many people get such an oppertunity especially youngsters
like us. In the steam industry throughout the world as you are no-doubt aware it would usually be "grumpy old men" doing the honours. No offence to older men though!

Again an exellent restoration and a round of applause to Lukas Nel and Keith Stevens who deserve oscars for steam preservation in SA along and for saving them in the first place.