As the sun rises over the Mountains on a chilly Saturday morning, the silhouette of ox wagons symbolize a long gone era, which we are to simulate on this very special day. A forgotten era where ox wagons, old cars and traction engines were part of the everyday life with Steam locomotives in the backdrop and almost the only way of transport during those years. Those were the days when time really did not matter and when families spend precious times together. A different time, a different era with different cultures.
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A Selection of vintage vehicles and machinery were on display all over the Estates and made everyone to travel back in time.
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A Selection of vintage vehicles and machinery were on display all over the Estates and made everyone to travel back in time.
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| A Double headed mix train steamed into the Hoekfontein Station. On the rear locomotive driver Anton Bosch and his stoker and wife Frana were eager to assist with holding our Edwardian Express over the Mountains. | |
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Below: Driver Anton Bosch. A warm steam Welcome to our new volunteer couple!
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Below: Stoker Frana Bosch
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| Below: Number 153 and 49 just before departure of the Edwardian Mix train. | |
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After a roundtrip, the double headed Garratt locomotives detached with the freight wagons. The 1895 Lawley Locomotive then took our passenger train on a journey to Grootdraai.
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| All our passengers were dressed for this special occasion! | |
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The Lawley really steamed us back into time!
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Below: Dave Richardson and John Middleton.
Photo taken April 1933!!! |
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Driver At and Stoker Shaun, ready to travel back in time!
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At Grootdraai our guest was treated with savory while the ox wagon moved past them.
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| We steamed the NG 4, new to the collection of locomotives at the Sandstone Steam Railway to work a early morning photographic train. The Ng 4 first performed run pasts on the Grootdraai section and the on the line to the Pandora embankment. With driver Pat Ackerman behind the controls, the Ng 4 made a spectacular show for the photographers at the line side. Below: The NG4 storms past the Home signal of Hoekfontein Station! |
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Below: The train slowed down for the Hoekfontein Mainline points
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| NGG 16 number 153 raised steam in the very early morning, bounded to work a mix train on a round trip for the photographers. Below: Photos taken in the magic moments of the nights! |
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Below: Derrick keeping an eye on the TLB coaling the locomotive.
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Below: 153 replenished her appetite for water at Vailima Siding.
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Below: The Lawley awaits the passengers to climb over from the Express train. The Lawley then took the Rovos passengers on a journey to Grootdraai and back.
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At the end of the day sister locomotive 153 rescued the little Lawley on the ash pit and shunted her into the shed.
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This was the end of a great weekend!!!
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FROM THE PAST
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| CLASS 19D number 2692 taking water at Winburg Station just before she departed with a short mix train in May 1979. The 19D’s ruled the 45km branch line between Theunissen and Winburg on a daily base from Monday to Saturdays. The Time Table was as follows: Depart THN 09H15 Arrived Winburg 10H45 Depart Winburg 13H20 Arrived THN 14H50 The 19D shunted the Theunissen Station and Mills till late at night. |
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PLANNING FOR NEXT WEEK
1. To clean all locomotives that were used this weekend 2. To clean all the coaches 3. To shunt 113 to the inspection pit for repairs 4. To go on with the restoration of the XC wagon. 5. To do repairs on the Feldbahn 6. To clean all ashpits 7. To prepare the Lawley for train tour on Friday 8. To repair the roof of 2834 9. To overhaul vacuum cylinders for wagons. 10. To strip Ratanga wagon completely. 11. To spray the Railway line for weeds. |
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