My own regulator design

New Tube Plate completed

New Tube Plate in position

This year our team was called upon to combine 2,300 ha of high yielding wheat on our various farms. For lands that were close to the railway we were able to make full use of our private narrow gauge railway on the farm.

With six high capacity combine harvesters operating we were able to bring in more than 500 tons of wheat per day which would tax any normal haulage system. However a double headed NG15 and NGG16 combination makes light work of the transport issue. This is an excellent example of how Sandstone, a large commercial arable farm, works hand in glove with the Sandstone Heritage Trust and its narrow gauge railway to achieve a common objective,
namely to bring in the harvest.

The train is swiftly off loaded using high technology equipment. Here is our John Deere 6820 imported from the UK working with the Canadian manufactured Agrivac designed vacuum the train clean on a most efficient basis.

The big 8LW Gardner engine which has been meticulously restored by Zach and Dave van Staden is now ready for
installation in the Bagnall diesel locomotive.

A few minutes after the first photograph was taken Zach fired up this magnificent engine.

The Bagnall stands ready to receive its power plant.

This was a very difficult locomotive to rebuild, but we water tested her today as a complete locomotive with all the necessary parts in position and overhauled.

A few more jobs to do and she is on her way to Sandstone for a trial trip and a steam test.

Regards,
Lukas. A Nel

Transnet Foundation, the social responsibility division of Transnet Ltd, reached a mutual understanding with the Heritage Railway Association of Southern Africa (HRASA) when the two parties entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to best to preserve the assets and protocols of the heritage rail environment.
An aspect of the social responsibility mandate of Transnet Foundation is that it preserves, through its Heritage Preservation arm (TFHP), the country’s rail heritage. Once at the forefront of South Africa’s transport and logistics infrastructure, the roles of rail have been left behind by the increasing conversion to mechanisation and modernisation, the railway’s glory days of steam locomotives, wood-bodied carriages, sandstone stations and the like are all but gone.

With a common purpose and for the greater good of the preservation of rail heritage, TFHP and HRASA have reached a mutual understanding on how best to preserve the assets and protocols of the heritage rail environment. The agreement augurs well for the future of these, and brings together the two most significant role players in the industry says Eunice Maluleke, the Head of the Foundation. “We will all benefit from this protocol reached by our two organisations – commercial and non-commercial heritage ventures can now rest assured in the knowledge that, as the Foundation, we have opened up our processes to the scrutiny of the community-appointed custodians of our steam heritage”.

The MoU signed between the parties allows them to share relevant information, to jointly oversee the responsible preservation and disposal of any of heritage assets, and for HRASA to act as an advisory board on all future leases, sales or disposals of TFHP assets. “HRASA undertakes to execute its responsibilities under this agreement in a diligent and professional manner, said HRASA Chairperson, Mark Robinson. “We are delighted that both parties are on board the same train, headed in the same direction, something necessary and relevant for the times in which we live and operate,” he emphasised.

The steam locomotive, in particular, is an integral part of South Africa’s history and steam-hauled trains operating on the lines that criss-cross the country’s landscape fed the mass movement of people into the interior, as well as the once vast migrant labour system in the southern part of our continent. Steam haulage is remembered with awe as a prime example of the Industrial Revolution that changed the face of the world, but that also created opportunities for breadwinners, while also creating sadness as the sound of the Choo-Choo heralded the end of an era in the ways of family life as the advent of railway expansion gave the average man the ability to travel – both for work and pleasure – at reasonable cost. Many a South African story or legend, from the latter part of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, have their origins on steam-hauled trains.

Requests for the above photographs in high resolution jpeg format may be sent to:
Nerina Skuy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by fax to 086 685 8251 or call cell 082 921 8512

TRANSNET FOUNDATION – HERITAGE PRESERVATION
24th floor
Carlton Centre
150 Commissioner Street
2001 Johannesburg

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
C/o Skuys Communications CC
20 Tarn Avenue
Lorraine
6070 Port Elizabeth

Directors:
Ackerman, S (Reefsteamers); Brinkman, B (BNM) [Vice-Chairperson]; Bouchier, M (Umgeni SR); Janisch, C (FotR); Mensing, W (Rovos Rail); Meyers, M (Bloemfontein Steam Mus.); Murison, B (Transnet Foundation Heritage Pres.); Pethick, G (Independent); Pretorius, I (Spier Vintage Train); Robinson, MA (CREA) [Chairperson]; Richardson, D (Independent); Smith, D (Ingwe Municipality); Secretary/Treasurer: Skuy, N.

Member organisations (21):
Bloemfontein Steam Museum; Brinkman Ndayi McAll; Cape Railway Enthusiasts Society; Cape Western Vintage Railway; Friends of the Rail; Helderberg Vintage Railway; Ingwe Municipality; Natal Railway Museum; North West Transport Museum; Paton’s Country Narrow Gauge Railway; Railway Society of SA; Reefsteamers; Rovos Rail; Skuys Communications; SA Rail and Heritage Consultants; Spier Vintage Train; Steamnet 2000; Transnet Foundation Heritage Preservation; Umgeni Steam Railway; Victoria Falls Steam Train Co; Waterval-Boven Rail Club.
Individual members (5): Currie, S; Pethick, G; Richardson, D; Smuts, L; van den Heever, E.

We continue to receive criticism over the demise of the Banana Express at Port Shepstone. Sandstone has in fact has very little involvement with this railway over the years and in order to put the record straight here is a chronological synopsis of the history of this line.

The demise of the Port Shepstone to Harding narrow-gauge railway – and the Banana Express tourist train – is a long, sad, story. Here’s the short version:

Port Shepstone to Harding 2ft narrow-gauge railway opened to Paddock in 1911, and to Harding in 1917.

‘Banana Express’ tourist train started by SATS in 1970’s.

Line closed by SATS in 1986.

Line reopened by the Port Shepstone and Alfred County Railway company (ACR) in 1987, with freight and the Banana Express.

Freight operations ceased in 2001.

The writing was on the wall that ACR would not survive financially.

Hibiscus Coast Municipality and private interests (Not SANDSTONE) formed a committee in 2002 to ‘Save the Banana Express’ (and in particular to keep Spoornet from lifting the infrastructure).

Negotiations began with Spoornet for the local municipalities to lease the line, lock stock and barrel.

Concept was for municipalities to be the lease-holder, with a private operator.

ACR liquidated by Spoornet in 2004.

In March 2004 Ugu District municipality went out to tender for an operator for the railway.

‘The KwaZulu-Natal Railway Tourism Consortium’ (No SANDSTONE involvement) won the operation tender.

However, Spoornet then refused to grant the municipality a lease – so the years of work and the entire tender exercise became meaningless.

Paton’s Country Narrow-Gauge Railway began ad-hoc (month by month) operation of the Banana Express in December 2004.

Ad-hoc operation of the Banana Express halted by Spoornet in 2006 for safety and legal reasons.

Spoornet then scrapped the bulk of the rolling stock.

Luckily, SANDSTONE won the scrap tender on a transparent tender basis so the rolling stock items have been saved.

The ACR liquidator put various assets up for sale, some of which were purchased by SANDSTONE. These included three NGG 16 Garratts, Nos. 137,150 and 152, all of which were derelict and probably beyond restoration.

Mid-2006, private investors (Not involving SANDSTONE) and the Ugu Municipality embarked on a new strategy to go via the KwaZulu-Natal government to obtain from central government the necessary buy-in, permissions, agreements, and funding commitments.

This new strategy culminated in a meeting in Pietermaritzburg in mid Dec 2006, between Spoornet and the KwaZulu-Natal government.

Spoornet has apparently agreed in principle to lease the line, subject to a set of conditions being addressed now.

Locomotive Completed

Rear View of the Locomotive

Locomotive in Steam

Locomotive Hoisted up ready for loading

Locomotive being transported down the driveway

Locomotive loaded onto Leon's Truck ready to go to Ficksburg