I was very interested to read that “Miss Brakpan” is now in the caring hands of The Sandstone Steam railway. I well remember this engine and its train that used to run on a track at “Jan Smuts Dam in Brakpan. In fact it would have been hard not to remember it as almost every Sunday afternoon it would run and bring pleasure to the many children and their parents who visited the dam.
It had a lovely “Rooster crow whistle” which echoed across the park to our home of so many years. With the demise of the park, the railway was eventually lifted and for a few years lay in the owner’s driveway in Brakpan North. It then disappeared and reappeared at Ratanga junction and it appears has had a gauge conversion. Many years ago, I was talking to the now late Pat Richards (who as a steam fitter at Springs shed, restored the ZASM “Rand Tram” engine to steam for the rand tram centenary). Pat advised that “Miss Brakpan” had an identical sister; which was the engine that ran on the miniature railway in Fountains Valley. I will dig through my archives and send you copies of what photos I have of the engine, its train and railway. We will update this story If Peter manages to find any more information.
The little locomotive at Ratanga before being moved to Sandstone