Model Engineering

Sandstone has agreed with South Africa's top model makers to host a special section on their web site which would concentrate on areas of interest for railway locomotive model makers worldwide. The idea was proposed by Andries Keyser, whose introduction features below.

One of our most steadfast supporters over the years and someone who has been of immense assistance to model makers around the world with respect to the provision of technical information is Hannes Paling. As a summary to the outstanding contributions that Hannes has made and continues to make he has prepared this introductory statement for us:

Since the start of the industrial revolution man has created many types of machines, the steam locomotive was one of these. The steam locomotive has held a special fascination to young and old for more than a century. With the withdrawal of the steam locomotive from active service a vacuum was formed which was ably filled by the Sandstone Heritage Trust's Unique collection in this country, especially narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock. It has from the smallest locomotive, a Decauville type 1, which is the only working example in the world, two examples of Lawleys with a rich history spanning more than a hundred years each, again the only working examples in the world and narrow gauge super power in the form of the NG15 and various Garratt classes, which don't need a introduction, with a good spread in between from all major manufacturers world wide.

Sandstone narrow gauge railway and website has been a inspiration to many model builders around the world, examples of Sandstone engines are built in Australia, the UK, the States, Europe, Germany and of course South Africa, from small H0 gauge models to one third size working models are built. Many of the models built in other countries were inspired by photo's on the Sandstone website.

To all model builders around the world, please let us have pictures of your work, perhaps we could share some of our experiences.

Best regards,
Hannes Paling

Please direct all queries, contributions and questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Michael Barnes' Coaches

Written by Michael Barnes

I hope I have all my facts in order but I do speak under correction, as far as I know the 2 coaches were built during the Second World War to raise money for the war effort. They were built on the 5 inch gauge, are about 1.8meters in length, have a wooden frame and foot rests and a leather covered seat. Western Province Live Steamers acquired the coaches around 2007. They can be seen in the picture below in their original form at the 2008 National Steam Meet in Centurion.

Andrew Giffen's 15F

Written by Andrew Giffen

A live steam model in 1" scale of the South African Railways Class 15F 4-8-2 locomotive "City of Cape Town".

It is finished in late-1960s SAR black livery, typical of a top passenger-link supershine locomotive with numerous steel washout plug casings, stainless steel boiler bands, and cosmetic detail including cab, builders and smoke deflector plates.

What do Reefsteamers get up to when they're not at Reefsteamers

A few of us guys and girls at Reefsteamers have another interest in steam, just in the scale miniature live steam form! On the odd occasion we spend the day out at the Rand Society of Model Engineers in Florida when we can find a gap in our busy Reefsteamers schedule, and run the scale live steam models owned and built by the Ackerman family. Lee Gates, the Reefsteamers secretary bought an SAR class 10BR model from a lady whose doctor husband had passed away a year ago, the irony was that he purchased the class 10BR from Patrick and Shaun Ackerman's late grandfather who built the loco more that 22 years ago.

Leon Kamfer’s SAR 15F in 5”gge

I started building locos with a Simplex that took me 5 years. After the Simplex I completed a part built 5" King Class loco. I took a brake while overseas, and when returning in 1997 decided to built a 5" SAR loco. I actually started with a 19D Vanderbilt tender, finished the coal bunker, frames and buckeye bogies.