16th May 2006

After being staged at Sandstone’s Ficksburg facility since 1998, ex SAR & REGM GMA/M Garratt no: 4079 steamed again today at the Rovos Rail depot in Capital Park, Pretoria. The locomotive, which is named “Lyndie-Lou” after Mrs Lyndie Mole, wife of Sandstone Heritage Heritage Trustee, Wilfred Mole, has been placed on long term loan to Rovos Rail for use on their prestigious tour trains. The locomotive was moved from Sandstone to Rovos in mid 2005 and has been under an intensive restoration programme under the watchful eye of John Dadford and Wolf Mensing (see related story).

4079 has been restored to her former glory and was steamed as part of her test programme and final certification in the Rovos Capital Park depot. Following this test and final certification the loco will be repainted into Rovos green but will retain the name “Lyndie-Lou” as part of the loan agreement. Our thanks to Rovos Rail for making the loco available for photography and we look forward to her first main line run in the near future.