RN 289 - NGG16 locos at Port Shepstone
23st November 2006
Posted by: "Dave Richardson"
Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:19 pm (PST)
Some good news from Sandstone at a time when steam locos are being cut up. Three NGG16 locos, numbers 137,150 & 152 have been saved from the cutting torch having been purchased from the liquidator of ACR. The sale was at the specific request of the liquidator as the scrap merchants were hovering and Sandstone agreed to purchase them. The locomotives were sent to Port Shepstone after major overhauls at Pietermaritzburg shops but are now in absolutely shocking condition after the ravages of the sea air and many years of neglect.They will be moved to the Sandstone facility at Hoekfontein in the next few days where they will join many of the narrow gauge wagons also saved by Sandstone from the Port Shepstone line. An ongoing programme of moving the 186 wagons bought by Sandstone to Hoekfontein. is still underway.
kind regards
Dave Richardson
Re: NGG16 locos at Port Shepstone
Posted by: "pgrail"
Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:08 am (PST)
These locos were actually based at Umzinto depot, part of a group of five that were left stranded when the line to Kelso was severed by floods in 1987 preventing their transfer by broad gauge. Only 137's cab roof and bunker extension actually made it to Port Shepstone at the time. These had to be removed to keep the loco within gauge when railed on to the broad gauge flat truck. The locos were only moved by road to Port Shepstone in 1998 when the other two were sent to Ratanga Junction together with another two which were in store at Paddock. By that time all removable fittings had long since been stolen and inroads were being made on other parts with even a piston rod half sawn through on 137.
Regards,
Phil G
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Richardson
To:
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 10:39 AM
Subject: [sar-L] NGG16 locos at Port Shepstone
Some good news from Sandstone at a time when steam locos are being cut up. Three NGG16 locos, numbers 137,150 & 152 have been saved from the cutting torch having been purchased from the liquidator of ACR. The sale was at the specific request of the liquidator as the scrap merchants were hovering and Sandstone agreed to purchase them. The locomotives were sent to Port Shepstone after major overhauls at Pietermaritzburg shops but are now in absolutely shocking condition after the ravages of the sea air and many years of neglect.They will be moved to the Sandstone facility at Hoekfontein in the next few days where they will join many of the narrow gauge wagons also saved by Sandstone from the Port Shepstone line. An ongoing programme of moving the 186 wagons bought by Sandstone to Hoekfontein. is still underway.
kind regards
Dave Richardson