ST Wagons Arrive

The second load has arrived from Harding.

This comprises a valuable NG Tanker. We have a total of six on the farm. With this good one and a badly rusted example from Port Shepstone we will end up with eight.

One needs to be permanently seconded to NGG11 in Bloemfontein due to its limited water capacity.

We expect to make about six round trips to Port Shepstone Harding line...a round trip distance of about 1400 kms.

The two interesting wagons from Harding have arrived - no 302 and 303.  See photos below.

We have received some feedback from our readers:

Dear Sandstone

The Sandstone Heritage Trust - a pictorial souvenir

Dennis Moore has released a new book in a smaller square format. More information and a full preview of the book is available by clicking on the link below.

Click here for more information

Sandstone Estates wins tender to recover freight wagons from Port Shepstone from the Alfred Country Railway Port Shepstone to Harding line.

A number of freight wagons have come out on tender.  Most of them are flats and timber wagons but there are a few interesting items. These include two tankers – one at Port Shepstone which is in a very poor state.  The tanker is located in a difficult place to try and remove.  It will require some sort of earth moving machine to drive it through a swamp and onto a line that is completely overgrown by trees.  We are currently contemplating whether it is actually practical to move this item or not.

There is also a caboose at Harding which is in a very poor state but we have purchased it and we are contemplating whether it is worth investing in the transport to recover it.

The items at Harding actually look very good.  We are renting a roll back truck to recover the items.The tanker is located in a lumber yard with some logs that are in the way. We have contacted Douglas Vanaaswegen from R&B timbers and he will remove the logs for us when we have to load. We do not think the low bed will be able to enter the area where the tanker is situated as there is only one entrance and it is very small with drainage ditches on both sides. The truck will have to make a 90 degree turn to the entrance with very limited space.

The two flat wagons are also in some thick bush.  We will have to pull the wagons with a cable onto a road to be able to load them.

Timber trucks at Harding. 

The tanker at Harding

The photos below show a close-up of the state of these items that have been abandoned for many years now.

Further Progress on Lounge Car

Now that the Kalahari Sunrise event is behind us our team is able to concentrate on the construction and fitting out of our Lounge car.

This Lounge car is not based on any design that was inherited from any other railway.  We would love to have built an Otavi wagon but that meant it would have been out of character with the rest of our passenger stock. The Lounge car started live as a Guards Van and will retain the same roof.  The configuration is a proper lounge with good quality upholstery with 3 windows on either side and one at the end.  This will be very comfortable and warm during the high altitude Free State winters.  The other half of the Lounge car is an open balcony section which is more for standing on but a few easy chairs might well be deployed. 

The photograph below shows the end of the open balcony section looking into Sandstone’s main running shop.  The sides will have brass gates with a brass railing at the end.  Access will be from both sides.

The photograph below shows the interior of the Lounge car.  We have some very nice interior design features which will be incorporated.  It will be partly panelled and partly wall papered.

Wouter Jubileus has been doing all the work.  He is standing in the open balcony section which leads into the closed lounge area.

APPEAL FOR COCO PANS

We have had a quick response to our appeal.  One of these useful Coco pans which we are trying to acquire to put a proper industrial/construction consist together has appeared on someone’s sidewalk on the East Rand in Johannesburg as shown in the picture below.

We are looking for a number of items at the Sandstone Heritage Trust to complement our activities. The first is we are trying to collect a number of Coco Pans.  The picture below shows exactly what we are looking for.

SIGNS

Old signs, whether they be farm signs, machinery signs, or just about any sign that might have given some hint of some activity or other that might have been taking place 30, 40 or 50 years ago would be appreciated.  We have extensive buildings and facilities and we like to add character to them so please feel free to point us in the right direction.

Railway Signage

Railways loved signs, instructions, and information of all kinds.

A new feature of our web site will include all that we can find in this regard. Visitors to our site are invited to send us what they have to share.

The first item is a reproduction of an official SAR instructions for guards we discovered in a guards van we are restoring.  Here is the original and our repro which will be placed in all guards vans. Click here to see our repro (PDF 201KB)

NEW BOOK RELEASES FROM DENNIS MOORE

Dennis Moore has recently released some new book titles. 

STEAM BYWAYS : WESTERN CAPE   120 pages   from $41.95

www.blurb.com/books/3184053

SANDSTONE ESTATES / THE SANDSTONE HERITAGE TRUST   from $29.95 120 pages

www.blurb.com/books/3191965

These drastically reduced costs , compared to his very large landscape (33cm x 28cm) format books, are possible due to their being produced in standard landscape 25cm x 21 cm ("Steam Byways") and square 18cm x 18cm (Sandstone Heritage) respectively.

At about R320 and R230 respectively, these may find greater appeal than the huge books he has offered until now. As always, a full preview function is available.  The third book "Cape Western Steam" is another massive book, both in terms of pages and format.

His full catalogue of ten books can be accessed by simply going to   www.blurb.com and entering  Dennis Moore steam in the search engine.

A NEW BOOK ON SANDSTONE FROM DENNIS MOORE

"Sandstone Estates / The Sandstone Heritage Trust - a pictorial souvenir." Author : Dennis Moore 

With the recent advances in print on demand technology, enabling books in limited numbers to be produced in a quality indistinguishable from traditional offset printed books, there is scope for many more specialist interest titles to see the light of day. A year ago, the same Author - one of South Africa's best known railway photographers - produced a very large format 'coffee table' type book 'The Sandstone Estates Railway' which was a traditional railway album. Focussing on the larger steam locomotives of the Sandstone collection and culled from some 50 days (mostly winter) photography spread over a decade, this well received book (still available), offers the ultimate photographic record of narrow gauge steam action on this remarkable railway. It is available in large landscape (33x28cm) and standard landscape (24x20cm) versions, each with different covers. 

However, recognising the need for a smaller format 'souvenir' type book, that covered a more cosmopolitan range of railway and steam activities at Sandstone, the Author has now produced another memorable book that will please all those who have visited Sandstone Estates and those who wished they had! 120 all colour pages, 18cm square format, this book is available for secure on-line ordering , from around R250 (+ p/p) depending on cover type chosen. 

Yes, the Garratts and Kalahari are well featured, but so are the many smaller steam locomotive gems, in the Sandstone collection. Also prominent in the book are the other working steam machines : traction engines, steam rollers, steam road cranes, a comprehensive Sandstone steam experience. Unusually for this Author, a few pictures of diesels and the B.S.A. railcar also get a look in, as do the celebrated oxen. 

Other than an introduction, there is no text, the first rate pictures telling their own story. All of the photographs were obtained during a single week long event at Sandstone during 2011. As the Author readily concedes, even a 120 page book only scratches the surface at what Sandstone Estates has to offer the visitor to an event such as this. 

Full details, preview, and ordering for this book, the previous Sandstone title, and of the Authors critically acclaimed railway series of Southern African steam (8 titles and many more to come) may be obtained by visiting  www.blurb.com and entering   Dennis Moore steam in the search engine.  Obviously postal costs can be a litttle high for a single book (such costs for multiple book orders are dramatically reduced), so consider getting together with your friends to order multiple copies and/or different titles.

Kalahari Sunrise - DVD by Belhurst Productions

David Huntbatch recently attended Kalahari Sunrise and has since produced a DVD on the event which is now available to buy.

He describes the DVD as follows:

"There are 26.5 kms of 2-ft Narrow Gauge railway at Sandstone and the line includes steep gradients and tight curves, providing a stiff test for the wide range of steam locomotives based here. From humble 'Wren' Class 0-4-0ST locomotives to the mighty NGG16 Garratts, Sandstone provides a steam spectacular. There's a range of other steam powered machinery too, with traction engines and a Sentinel steam lorry. See eighteen different steam locomotives in action in some of South Africa's most stunning scenery."

Anyone wishing to purchase a copy please contact David at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. direct. 

Veteran Model Engineer, Angus Walker from Somerset West has decided to let his comprehensive Library go, not piecemeal but as a job lot, as part of his efforts to downscale.

For many years he was at the helm of the Rand Society of Model Engineers (RSME) at Len Rutter Park in Florida, Gauteng. During this time, the 'Lawley' now in steam at Sandstone Estates was plinthed at the Park, and Angus was one of the Model Engineers who built a Model of it.

Here he is pictured driving it:

Unfortunately, the locomotive is now in the UK, however, elsewhere on this site, Hannes Paling's Model can be seen: http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/railway-heritage/model-engineering/2671-hannes-palings-magnificent-lawley

Here follows a list of the books of Angus' library. Please remember not to offer on individual books!

Angus is looking for offers in the region of R10 000 or equivalent for the collection; the autographed books are particularly valuable!

Click here to view the list - 1MB PDF (opens in new window).

Angus Walker can be contacted on 27721985354, or via this website.

Baggage Van No. 4574

Peter Stow, probably South Africa's foremost specialist in coaching stock on the South African Railway Network, provided the following information on Baggage Van No. 4574.

Click here to view the write-up - 52KB Word document (opens in new window)

Due to the heavy demands made on our restoration facility in Bloemfontein, during the first quarter we saw a reduction in progress.

Lukas Nel has however updated us as follows:

Just a short update on our progress regarding the restoring of some of our locomotives in the depot but I believe most of the photos will tell the story.

A)   NGG11 number 52.

Heavy repairs to the boiler and number two end that is the part that carries the coal bunker are in progress.

We also managed to rebuild two cowcatchers for the locomotive. 

NGG11 fabricated two cowcatchers.

Sandstone DVDs, book and videos.

We have a number of titles available which can be ordered through our SA and UK office.

The titles are as follows:

For all those wishing to place orders in SA please contact Babita Hira at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively, for those wishing to place an order in the UK or elsewhere please contact Joanne West at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Steam Whistle for Lawley BR7 Returned!

On 21st April 2012, the original Steam Whistle of Falcon (Lawley) Locomotive BR7 was presented to Wilf Mole of Sandstone Heritage Trust by Angus Walker of Somerset West!

The thread of the story which led to this wonderful event was long and tenuous. For years, Angus Walker was at the helm of the Rand Society of Model Engineers where the locomotive was plinthed. He removed the whistle for safe-keeping before anybody else did, and has been looking after it ever since.

Keith Wetmore, a friend of his (pictured on the left), recently attended the Kalahari Sunrise event on Sandstone Estates and witnessed both Lawleys in action.

(Photo Aidan McCarthy)

On his next visit to Angus' workshop (he has two flats in the same block; one he lives in, the other is a fully equipped workshop!), Keith noticed this photo on the wall and instantly recognised it as a Lawley.

This is a picture of a scale working model of the same locomotive which was plinthed at RSME, which Angus built many years ago. Unfortunately it was sold and is now in the United Kingdom. Keith was able to tell Angus that he had seen the original in steam the previous week, along with its brother from James Hall Museum in Johannesburg. 'Oh!' says Angus, 'I have its steam Whistle!' He was easily persuaded to return it so that it can be reunited with its locomotive, wishing simply to be able to visit Sandstone Heritage Trust's collection in exchange!

In talking about the Lawley locomotives' notorious traction problems, he was able to say that the model has the very same tendency; there isn't enough weight on the rear Drivers. He has suggested to the current owner what to do, and hopefully something can be done in this line to the original when it comes in to Lukas Nel for a scheduled refit in the not-too-distant future!

The locomotive was taken from RSME on 23rd November 2001 and restored by Pat Ackerman for the Sandstone Heritage Trust. There is some doubt as to which of the 44 originals purchased by the Beira Railway this locomotive is. Thirteen of these were taken over by the Union Defence Force in 1915 to be used in place of those commandeered for use on the Narrow Gauge lines in South West Africa, during the First World War. Later they were put into service by SAR in 1921, as Class NG6. The consensus, allowing for cannibalisation, is that this one is No 106 of 1895. It was manufactured by the Falcon Engine & Car Works in Loughborough.

Many thanks must go to Angus Walker for his foresight in saving the whistle in the first place, and for the generous gesture of giving it back!

Andy Selfe

22nd April 2012

The Albert Falls Miniature Railway

To celebrate his birthday, Rob Steiger invited a few guys to bring their locomotives over to his track in Albert Falls for a weekend of playing trains on the longest model track in Africa. Sove viisiting engines came as far as Pretoria and East London. Great fun was had by all as always and we look forward to the next steam-up at AFM Rail.

Here are some pictures from the weekend of the 13th of November 2011.