Credits to Family, Radio & TV Magazine, 11-17 July, 1977

In the 11-17 July edition of Family, Radio & TV dated 1977 an interesting article appeared on steam on the narrow gauge line. There is nothing more genuine or more accurate than articles written during the heyday of narrow gauge when it was doing the job it was designed to do. The fact that we continue to rescue and restore these locomotives is all the more reassuring when one studies their fine history and the contribution they made to the rural communities.

Now that the NG4 is out of the Bloemfontein workshops, Lukas and his team have turned their attention to our 19D, No. 2654. They had to remove a few small tubes by sending in the cleaners.

We normally do not get that excited when we resurrect a locomotive from a near derelict condition, but it is beginning to dawn on us that the NG4 is a very special locomotive. There has been more reaction to its restoration from around the world than for any one of the many locos that we have restored. Not only that the quality of the response and the amount of detail that accompanies it has been truly amazing.

A good example is the attached from Mr. Gysel of Switzerland, who not only has intimate knowledge of this loco's background but has some classic archive photos to support his knowledge and interest.

"Dear Mrs Molyneux-Killik,

yesterday I was visiting the home page of the SANDSTONE-ESTATES once again. Then I was very suprised to find some pictures, which I already knew. You have two pictures supplied by Errol Ashwell, which shows an NG 4. These pictures I know already because they are part of a family album. This because the photographer was the brother of my great-grandfather. His name was Ernst Gysel (not Geysel) born 1882 in Schaffhausen Switzerland. As mechanical engineer Ernst Gysel was CEO from 1930 to 1947 of the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM) at Winterthur (near Zurich).

In 1927 he visited with a group of SLM South Africa to meet some african train-specialists for sale discussions.
The two picture were made near Port Shepstone. It was a special train for the visitors from Switzerland. Ernst Gysel was from his time as student a excelent photographer and he made from this expedition to Sout Africa an album of 200 – 300 pictures which is in possession of my father.

Now, it would be very interested to know, how Errol Ashwell got these two pictures.
I have added two additional pictures made by Ernst Gysel, the first shows NG 11 nr. 54 and the other shows NG 13 nr. 60, which is used by the Schinznacher Baumschulbahn (where I am an active member).

With kind regards
yours respectfully Peter Gysel

Address
Peter Gysel
Pfalzstrasse 44
CH-5106 Veltheim
Switzerland
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."

The locomotive is now at Sandstone Estates having been loaded at 7am on Tuesday morning, 7th February. The attached pictures from Lukas Nel refers. The steam trials are this Thursday, 8th February. Further update to follow.

question of colour. We do our very best to research the archives and try to find out what the locomotive looked liked during its first operational outing. In other words, if it was a Natal Government Railway's loco what colour was it?

If it was an original South African Railways & Harbours loco what colour was it?

Lukas Nel was particularly grateful to Dennis Moore who commented on the colour of the NG4 and we thought we would share it with you.

  -----Original Message-----
From: lucasn
Sent: 30 January 2007 06:55 PM
To: Wilfred Mole
Subject: Bloem. Re: NG4 Colour - More

Sir,

Reading all the stories regarding the colour of NG4 I would like to ask you to send a special word of thanks to Dennis Moore for his message on the locomotive as he seems to be the only person who look behind the issue of R200.00 of paint and is thankful to get the opportunity to get a photo of a locomotive that was scrapped for the last frothy years without any hope to see a new life although in the wrong colour.

May we should stop rebuilding locos and paint all the scrap black for wonderful photos in the correct colour

Regards,

Lukas.A.Nel.

From: Moore, Dennis D
Sent: 30 January 2007 12:41
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Subject: RE: NG4 Colour - More

I think the blue livery looks fabulous
........................................
but , to me , it's a minor consideration either way. What matters is that , thanks to you , Lucas & the team , here we are in 2007 , with a unique loco in steam , the likes of which I never envisaged as seeing in my lifetime.

South African Railways had a big splurge on locomotive restoration in the late 80s and early 90s. However , since the formation of the THF and with the new dispensation , the National Carrier's commitment to restoring its heritage has been modest ( albeit considerably more than many other railway administrations around the world.)

Fact remains that Sandstone has been the leading light in heritage restoration , especially on the steam locomotive side .................. and that is not to detract from the noble and well meaning efforts of some of the Groups ( eg Reefsteamers ) who certainly do what they can within resource constraints .

I am not an infrequent visitor to Sandstone as you know , and yet you now have a further four locos that you have restored that I haven't seen in action yet ! ( Peckett, Feldbahn , NG4 , O & K ) This surely is indicative of your tremendous commitment.

Bring it on , any colour you like ! :-)

Regards,

Dennis