It was a typical day Wednesday June 29th, the ballast lay undisturbed as the sleepers were sleeping, the last winter leaves clinging for deer life to grey trees, aloes in full bloom... and then it all changed.
The gates opened and by Friday the club grounds were flooded by vehicles with strange number plates, they came from all over. A frenzy of activity broke out as tailgates and trailers were opened spilling out engine after engine into the rapidly overfilling steaming bays. There was no stopping the flood! Soon fires were lit and steam started oozing out of cylinder draincocks. The compressors breathed a sigh of relief as the safety valves started lifting one after the other and steam took control of the engines.
Sylvia, the signal controller, had her hands full as the crowd of locomotives proceeded down to the station and onto the main line. One could stand at the station exit and wait only a few seconds for the next train to depart and come thundering past.
As the day progressed, the skies turned darker, not only from the smoke but the weather turned sour in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday, the result... more rain fell those two days than in the entire year put together. But we're South African, so we're tough! Soon however the rain turned the dirt service roads to mush causing the campers to be stranded. Rescue inspiration came from the double heading UVE2 locomotives and it was not uncommon to see a Bakkie double heading a Combi with a caravan behind it!
It was none the less a magnificent weekend, all the hard work preparing it was well worth it. Whenever you're in the neighbourhood don't hesitate to give us a shout, the kettle is always steaming at the Pietermaritzburg Model Engineering Society!
Around the turntable
Learning from the best
Rob Steiger with his SAR GEA Garratt in 5"gge
Alf Ogilvie with his Shay in 7 ¼"gge
Steaming Bay
Wessie with his SAR 16DA in 5"gge
David Shaw with his Sweet Pea in 5"gge
Double header ready to depart
Around the Station
In the Station
Passing the green signal
GEA departing
Baldwin Locomotive in 5"gge
Leon Kamfer's American Shay in 7 ¼"gge
Derrick Northgreaves with the Royal Scot in 7 ¼"gge
Charles Wright with his 19D in 3 ¼"gge
Paul Young's magnificent GMAM Garratt in 3 ¼"gge
Making progress every year
Shay Cab view
Makeshift steaming bays for smaller locos
Roy Clemitson and Martin Hampton double heading
Leaving the station
Level Crossing
Sylvia Hedgecock in the signal tower
Don Baker's (far right) Romulus in 7 ¼"gge
Oiling up the Shay
View from the foot bridge
Campsite view
Smoking!
Andries Keyser and David Shaw double heading
Brian Simpson and his SAR outline Britannia in 5"gge
Hugh Wylie with Soapy's Diesel
Leaving the tunnel
Preparing the fires
The Shaws, three generation
SAR 15CA in 5"gge
Derailment, well at least its not.... raining?
Taking on water
15CA on the mainline
Johan Pretorius with his 7 ¼"gge UVE 2
Johan and Hannes double heading
Through the bush
Lance Poynter on the Scot
Soapy Bleach with his Diesel in 7 ¼"gge
Rocco Popich on Holmeside in 7 ¼" gge
Michael Nel and his Simplex in 5"gge
Freelance Mallett in 7 ¼"gge
Brian Joyce with his Baldwin in 5"gge
Hannes leaving Mpushimi
Hannes Paling with his 7 ¼"gge UVE 2
Nearing Mpushining Station
Soapy on the downhill
Rob and Barry Steiger
Les Cock with his Baldwin in 5"gge
Leon's son driving his Shay
Bruce Douglas' Virginia
American locos head to head
Johnny Heath and his wife
Holmside on the steaming bays
SAR 15F in 3 ¼"gge
Charles Polkey's 3" Marshall Traction Engine
Aubrey Prins' SAR 15CA in 5"gge
Shawn Spaan's traction engine Thor
Steaming bay action
Stan Nixon with his Baldwin in 5"gge
David nearing the crossing
Hannes in the cutting