Railway Heritage
Sandstone Steam Railway News - 13 June 2016
Sandstone secures DE2 locomotive spares
Sandstone secures DE2 locomotive spares.
Sandstone Heritage Trust has successfully bid for and been awarded the tender for the large redundant inventory of English Electric (EE) DE2 diesel electric locomotive spares in Zimbabwe. Sandstone Heritage Trust is the owner of DE2 No: 1207 which was bought from a scrap merchant in Mutare in 1997 after the locomotive was set aside by National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) in 1995. The locomotive was transferred by rail to South Africa in May 1998.
The DE2 class were introduced into service in, the then, Rhodesia in 1955 and were the first main line diesel locomotives employed in Southern Africa. The locomotive has an English Electric V16 diesel engine and is similar in concept and design to a British Railways Class 40 unit.
After examination by an ex NRZ technician, 1207 was deemed to be in reasonable condition although missing a number of brake and electrical parts. The purchase of the parts inventory from Zimbabwe has prompted Sandstone to consider restoring 1207 to working order.
After a visit by Sandstone personnel in December 2015 which revealed availability of the parts in their original form, Sandstone successfully bid for the items.
“As a pioneering locomotive, the DE2 represents a significant milestone in the history of the railway locomotive in Southern Africa and is a worthy candidate for preservation and restoration, we will now assess the inventory with a view to bringing back 1207 to the rails again” stated Dave Richardson of Sandstone Heritage Trust.
Number 1207 is currently in storage at the Johannesburg depot of Reefsteamers.
1207 at Plumbtree in 1973. Picture by John Batwell
1207 at Reefsteamers. Picture by Dave Richardson
Update on NGG11 No. 52
Update on NGG11 No 52
Lukas Nel and his team have completed further work on the cab and boiler mountings of NGG11, No 52.
Our pictures from Lukas Nel show the cab interior, the safety valves in place and the new fabricated turret. The dynamo has now been mounted on the running board. The auxiliary water tank, X2197, is also well on its way to completion with the tank now mounted on the frame and bogies.
24 Class 3688
24 Class 3688
Sandstone’s newly acquired 24 Class 3688 has been moved to the Sandstone shed at Bloemfontein for cleaning, rust removal and painting.
Restoration of the locomotive is not planned for the immediate future as other projects, particularly the NGG11 Garratt, must take priority. However, 3688, will be in safe dry storage for the near future.
Picture by Lukas Nel.
Sandstone’s Class 6C locomotive No 544
Sandstone’s Class 6C locomotive No 544.
The recent cosmetic restoration of 544 at Sandstone has raised a great deal of positive comment.
Les Pivnic sent us this magnificent picture of 544 on shunting duties at Bethlehem loco Depot in its last year of service. Does anyone recognise the fireman leaning out of the cab?
NGG11 No. 52 Update
NGG11 No 52 update.
Lukas Nel and his Bloemfontein team have completed the interior fittings of the cab of No 52 as the restoration of the locomotive moves forward towards a steam test later this year.
Also under construction is an auxiliary water tank for No. 52 as the locomotive is quite light footed and the small front tank is needed to be kept full for adhesion purposes.
The oldest Garratt locomotive in South Africa and the second oldest in the world, will make its debut at the Stars of Sandstone event in April next year.
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3052 is on her way to steaming again!
3052 is on her way to steaming again!
David Shepherd's Class 15F 3052 'Avril' has passed her hydraulic boiler test with flying colours. Preparation for the test was complicated by issues within the Regulator Chest. She now needs to have the firebox ends of the boiler tubes beaded and then welded by a coded welder. Meanwhile, the boiler fixtures are being replaced to prepare for the steam test. We are hoping to have the locomotive back in steam and boiler re-certified within the next two weeks. (Approx: Wed, 20 April). The locomotive is scheduled to run in a double header with Reefsteamers 15F 3046 “Janine” on the 4th June to Magaliesburg for the Trains, Planes and Automobiles special.
Our pictures from October 2008 show 3052 passing Sekonyela near Sandstone and David Shepherd at Ficksburg Station with his loco and a print of the painting of 3052 presented to Spoornet in 1991.
