STEAM NEWS FROM KOMMANDONEK

This week we moved all the remaining wagons and coaches from Kommandonek to the storage lines on the Estates. We start with the offloading of the Guards van on Monday morning.

Below: Photos taken while offloading the van.

 

We immediately left for Kommandonek and loaded a caboose before we loaded the Elephant wagon. The Elephant wagon was very high and top heavy and we transported her with great respect.

First of all we had to remove the pivot brackets and all the braking gears to separate the frame from the bogeys. The wagon is lifted and the front bogey removed with the help of the Forklift.

  

The Freightliner reverse in under the wagon and the wagon is lowered onto the fifth wheel of the Freightliner. This needs proper alignment to accommodate the bolts through the holes in the wagon frame and fifth wheel plate holes. Once this bolts are secured, the crane stand off and the Freightliner pulls the wagon forward to lift the rear of the wagon. Once the rear bogey is removed, the dolly wheel is moved in under the wagon with the help of the Forklift. 

Below: The Elephant wagon arrives at Sandstone Estates.

 

Because of limited space because of the storage line almost full of wagons, we had to lift the dolly wheel out with the help of the Forklift.

Below Left: The Dolly wheel being removed!

Below Right: The bolts on the fifth wheel of the Freightliner were loosened and the wagon lifted to clear the fifth wheel when the Freightliner pulls out.

Below: The Elephant wagon swinging in the air while the Freightliner pulls out. The front bogey is then placed on the rail and moved by hand in under the wagon. Again it is essential to have perfect alignment to lower the wagon into the pivot on the bogey.

This was the last goods wagon that was moved and it was time to move on to the heavy passenger wagons.

The passenger wagons were freer running because of the roller bearings fitted to them and the tractor was used just to bring them into motion. The wagons ran on their own all the way down to the stop block.

 

The passenger wagons were too heavy to lift with the crane and we used the Forklift to help with the lifting of the wagons. This caused a little problem, to remove the bogeys and to fit the Dolly wheel in under the coach. We lifted the coach and pulled the bogey from the rails with the tractor. The Dolly wheel had to be rolled in under by hand.

 

Below: The loading of the 20 meter coach weighing 37ton.

It helped a lot to prevent the coach from swinging when the Forklift is used to help lifting the long coaches.

 

 

Below right: Arno about to cut holes in the frame to secure the Dolly wheels to the frame of the coach.

 

Below: After 6 hours of loading, the coach was on her way to the Farm and was offloaded just before dusk.

 

Early the next morning we left for Kommandonek to load the second coach.

 

A total of 7 goods wagons and 5 passenger coaches were moved from Kommandonek to Sandstone Estates.

Below: Action photos taken of the coach being loaded.

Below: Henk securing the front part of the Dolly wheels with a block and tackle.

 

Below: A coach being offloaded at Hoekfontein storage line.

Below: The Freightliner ready to depart to the Farm.

Below Left: Confined space where the pivot rings and braking gears are situated.

 

We only had one little mishap with this operation, when Henk drove over Henry’s coffee flask with a ten ton Forklift. It is only suitable now to keep pancakes warm! :-)

RATANGA LOCOMOTIVE:

Menasse and his team sanded the tank of the front unit and spray painted it. They were busy most of the week with the restoration of a Ratanga passenger wagon and are making good progress. Photos of the Ratanga wagon will be in next weeks report.

 

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!

 

• Ratanga Boiler restoration.

• Ratanga engine unit restoration.

• To fit boiler onto engine units.

• To spray boiler with red oxide.

• Restoration of cowcatcher for Ratanga locomotive.

• BSA restoration.

• To offload last passenger wagon from Kommandonek.

• To shunt all wagons back into new storage line.

• To load wagons onto flat wagons to free-up space to accommodate more wagons on storage line.

• Ratanga wagon restoration.

• To clean all coaches from Kommandonek.

• To washout number 153.

• To service Forklift for Port Shepstone wayside stations.

STEAM GREETINGS!
THE STEAM TEAM!

NGG 16, No. 88 starts coming together.

Although NGG 16, No. 88 has only been in the Bloemfontein workshop for just a little over two months, it is coming together very rapidly. When Lukas puts a locomotive in the position in which it is placed in the workshops then we know he means business. 

Smokebox tube plate ready to receive tubes:

Something the guys have done many times before - fitting the tubes.

Before we even have time to file this report on the web the job is done.

Update on Kerr Stuart NG locomotive, No. 4063.

One thing that is an absolute certainty when locos come to the Sandstone Heritage Trust restoration is that they have no motion. Obviously the brass has always gone and most of the moving, working parts do not exist. This means they have to be made. Most of the parts for the Kerr Stuart locomotive have been manufactured by hand and are shown herewith.

Leith Paxton, who has a formidable reputation as a steam locomotive expert archivist, author and producer of high quality drawings, has sent us these incredibly interesting pictures of our Kalahari.

We publish them with Leith's comments below:

"I was recently scanning a batch of 36mm B&W negs which I do not think I have ever printed up and came across these of No.19, your NG15, and thought you would like them. 

There were taken on New Years Day 1966 (when we were all a lot younger!) and appear to be a special, shortly before the ‘Apple Express’ was inaugurated. I have numbered them in the order that I took, from Theescombe to the Loerie bank and thought they worked well together. Of course, typical 35 sharpness, but with modern digital enhancement methods, they have come up well, I think. Enjoy! "

After we've seen the overgrown stations of Harding, Izingolweni, and Paddock, we were prepared for a similarly sad sight at Port Shepstone. Reality, however, was even worse. The bad weather did not help. Some of the locos were worked upon; some seemed to be beyond restoration. It did not really feel as if  the Banana Express would ever run again.  However, I had the pleasure to meet Peter Bagshawe who cared to explain a bit of the confusing situation to me.

These are the locos I found. I will give the number plates plus what I was told or found out to be the 'real' number of each loco plus some additional information I could gather. None of this contradicts to 'common knowledge' or bits of information that have been published earlier, but I think it is nice to have it compiled consistently.

The first loco on the left, in front of the shed, carried no sign of identity. I was told it's number 156. On the driver's side, its water tank still carries the initials SAS (which is the acronym for Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorwee, i.e. the Africaans spelling of SAR).

The (reddish) loco on the left track inside the shed was worked upon. I was told it was number 139 and that it was for sale. It was worked upon in July 2006 already, when sar-L member "NG CAJ" visitied the shed.

On the right track, there were two steam locos. The first carried plates "Alfred County Railway NG/G 16 140" and "1958 Beyer Peacock 7864". I was told that it's really number 127. Given that 140 was sold to Welsh Highland/Ffestiniog Railway in 1997, and that number 127 was reported to run with 'wrong' number plates (i.e. those of  number 88 in early years and those of 140 in 2003) before, this seems to make sense. Beyer Peacock #7864 belongs to number 139 though.

The third garrat inside the shed carried plates "Alfred County Railway NGG16A 155" and "1967 Hunslet Taylor 3894", but I was told that it's really number 151. Given that the 'real' 155 has been sold to Sandstone Steam RR, and that 151 was operational (again) in 2004, this does make sense. Hunslet Taylor #3894 belongs to loco number 149. According to "NG CAJ", 127 and 151 are owned by a Mr. Newton who had ordered for the locos to be maintained.

Outside the shed I found a loco in what once was a red livery. I was told that it's number 141, which (along with 155) has been converted  to type NGG16A using gas producer technology like the class 26 "Red Devil". The auxiliary air vents for the gas producer system are visible on the side of the fire box just above the running plate.

Rusting away outside the shed were another three engines. The first one was chalkmarked to be number 150, which is one of the three engines formerly abandoned in Umzinto.

This is the second of three ex-Umzinto locos. It is NGG 16 152, sitting close to number 150.

This is the third of the three ex-Umzinto wrecks, namely 137. This one lay just behind the shed, opposite to 141.

The three ex-Umzinto locos NGG16 137,150 & 152 have been sold to Sandstone Steam RR in November 2006 and moved a little bit later. Sandstone website features pictures of the reassembly of 152.

Not quite a Garrat, but a pleasant surprise anyway: Sandstone Steam RR 3  (which is Hunslet Taylor 6355/1964 according to SSR website). According to Sandstone website, she remained here until May 2007 and did a lot of work rescuing some of the to-be-sold-as-scrap items.

So, who's missing? NGG 16 114, 116, 125, 126, 142, and 149 have all been preserved at a farm in Paddock and are probably still there. Pictures from Errol Ashwell (published on the Sandstone website in January 2007) show locos paintmarked to be 116 (red), 125, 126, and 149, plus at least one unknown.

Ralph Timmermann, 28. July 2007

updated following comments from Peter Bagshawe and Tony 'Ashcat' Marsden, 31.07.07

Literature:
JM02: John N. Middleton: Railways of Southern Africa - Locomotive Guide, 2002 Edition.

A Spoornet scrap tender closes within days and once this matter has run its course there will be no steam cranes in South Africa to the best of our knowledge. Our photograph shows one of these mighty machines doing what it was designed to do. 

The Sandstone Heritage Trust has put in an appeal to the authorities to allow one to be saved for preservation. Let us see what ultimately transpires.

One of these magnificent machines awaiting its fate in Kimberley...

---

STEAM CRANES - A looming Crisis

Posted by: "John Nicholas Middleton" Fri Jul 6, 2007 2:04 pm (PST)

Hi everyone

With all the focus on the scrapping of steam locomotives at Bloemfontein and elsewhere a tender notice has quietly slipped through the system which came to my notice today. It lists almost every last steam crane on SPOORNET property including the historic cranes previously set aside by THF at Millsite and elsewhere. It is Tender notice 1190 72805 and it closes on 31 July with site visits to view the cranes between 9 and 18 July. The cranes in question are as follows:

Danskraal PX Depot: 46, 47, 49 (these are all Cravens 1921-1922); 80, 95 
(CS 1935), 179, 193 (both CS 1947), 553, 554, 556, 557, 558, 559 (all CS 
1951), 578, 580 (CS 1965)
Kimberley: 50 (CS 1927), 84, 199 (CS 1947)
Germiston: 96 (Booth Rodley 1936)
Lydenburg: 178 (CS 1946)
De Aar: 194 (CS 1947)
Voorbaai: 555 (CS 1951)
Klerksdorp: 577 (CS 1965)

CS is Cowan, Sheldon, Carlisle

Are the Clubs aware of this, can anything be done before its too late. These cranes could be invaluable to Preservation Groups for major repairs such as boiler lifts on locomotives etc, once they are gone a whole chapter of SAR history will have disappeared in one fell swoop. By my reckoning, if all these are scrapped, all the historic cranes will have 
gone and all that will be left will be one or two of the more modern ones (551/552 of the 1950 batch and 579 of the 1965 batch) and thats it. 551 was at Voorbaai - is it still there?

Regards
John Middleton
washington DC

 

---

SANDSTONE HERITAGE TRUST APPEALS FOR PRESERVATION OF STEAM CRANE

A tender closed recently for the scrapping of South Africa's total inventory of steam cranes. There are massive logistical problems relating to the physical movement of these but we have made an appeal to the authorities to save one from the scrap man's torch.

Early Monday morning two of Sandstone Estates Freightliners departed to Port Shepstone to load Sandstone wagons on the wayside Stations towards Harding. Our one Freightliner was loaded with our Forklift to assist us with the loading at these Stations. Sadly this scenic narrow gauge Railway came to an end some years ago, wagons and locomotives were left over to the rough hands of Mother Nature.

Below left: Running down Town hill near Pietermaritzburg.

Below right: We arrived at Paddock station early Wednesday morning. Three good conditioned ST wagons were left behind when the Railway closed and were rescued.

 

We had to remove them between the bushes and loaded all three ST wagons on one of our low-beds.

 

We did not want to cut the upright beams from the ST wagons and therefore loaded the second one inside the first one. We then had to turn the third ST upside down and fitted them into each other.

 

Only two hours and the first three ST wagons were on their way back to the Farm.

 

We loaded the Forklift again at Padock and moved on to Izingolweni, about 30km west of Padock. At Padock we loaded two B wagons on top of each other and headed back to the Farm

Below : The easiest wagons were loaded first.

Below : Leon Flint doing gardening, removing trees out of the wagon.

Below : Early the next morning we quickly offloaded the wagons to enable the truck to return and reach Port Shepstone before dusk.

We used our new Crane to lift the wagons from the low-beds. The ST wagons were offloaded at a different place.

The first ST wagon was shunted down to the column at the Shed for sandblasting.

 

ST number 248 and ST number 619 was de-scaled and sandblasted. This will be Sandstone Estates first two Timber wagons that will be restored in the following two weeks.

 

Both ST wagons received a thin coat of Red oxide to prevent the forming of rust while we are restoring the wagons.

We started with extensive sanding work on the almost completed Ratanga wagon. The outside and inside will be sanded and varnished. The frames for the two doors were made and will be fitted in next week.

The first Rand water Locomotive was painted with red Oxide to scare Mother Nature. The second Rand Water locomotive arrived on Sandstone late Thursday night and was offloaded on Friday morning. Petrus immediately started to scrape of all old paint and will paint this locomotive next week.

 

Below: The second Rand Water Locomotive arrived at Sandstone.

RATANGA GARRATT
 

This week we sanded the cab sides of this locomotive and sprayed it black. The front unit tank was also sanded to a smooth finishing touch. The complete locomotive will received a final coat of paint once we are done with the fitting of the lagging.

Below: Menasse and his team, hard at work.

 

The cab sides are now ready to fit and await Henk to finish the roof of this locomotive.

Below: The roof under construction. Once Henk is finish with the steel work, he will build in the roof planks.

 

THE HUNSLET 
 

This week Henry sanded the buffer beams and sprayed it with spray filler. He finished the spray work on all the side panels that will be fitted after he sprayed the cab and buffer beams.

 

Below: The finished side panels.

SIGNALS:
 

We fitted three signals in Hoekfontein Station this week to add to the Railway atmosphere.

 

Below: One of the signals on the south side of Hoekfontein Station.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK

 

 

• ST 619 restoration

• ST 248 restoration

• Ratanga wagon restoration

• Ratanga Garratt restoration

• BSA Railcar restoration

• Move wagons from Port Shepstone wayside

• Offload wagons from Port Shepstone wayside

• Paint Rand Water locomotive

• Clean all locomotives

STEAM GREETINGS
THE STEAM TEAM!

First and foremost we have finally got the Kerr Stuart No. 4063 boiler tight and it has passed it's hydrostatic test and it is now complete and ready for collection.

Regarding the McLaren Traction Engine No. 767, we have started stripping and cleaning various parts and particularly manufacturing a rig so that we can machine the crankshaft journals. I am waiting for profiles to arrive to manufacture the former to make up the backhead and also for materials for the horn plate and boiler firebox wrapper.

0509 - Firing the Kerr Stuart for the first time

0511 - Kerr Stuart No. 4063 ready for dispatch

0512 - A view from the firebox end

0513 - Reversing linkage and cylinders being overhauled on McLaren No. 767

0514 - Various items being cleaned and inspected on McLaren

0515 - Stripping crank shaft on the McLaren

Thanks Dick, your interest and support for our activities is hugely appreciated.

..and some of our own...

 

FROM BETWEEN BUSHES INTO THE BLUE-BLUE SKIES!

Like the claws of an Eagle, lifting its prey high into the clear blue skies was what was needed to rescue Narrow Gauge wagons, trapped in nature. They were all on death roll but were rescued just in time. These wagons will soon be restored to their formal glory to serve a new Railway, a new era!

Difficult terrain and excessive environment issues had to be overcome to rescue these trapped wagons. Some of them had no rails under them anymore, stolen for some scrap metal place. Note the massive tree growing through this B wagon in the photo in the right. Some of the wagons can’t be assessed because of adverse terrain condition.

 

Below: Henk moved this B wagon with tree and all to ease up the loading process when the Freightliners arrive. In some cases it was needed to go in under these wagons to access braking gears that is in the way when loading is done.

 

A St wagon moved to a safe place to load.

Below : Three B wagons on a massive pit at Harding.

Below : This is what you take with when you pick up a wagon out of a vegetable garden.

After years of neglect, wagons were transformed to become part of nature. Another year or two and no one would be able to find them.

 

Below are photos of wagons at Izingolweni. Note the beautiful garden inside the B wagon in the right hand photo.

 

Our Transport section managed to move 21 wagons in two weeks time. Long hours on the route and courage to save these wagons were what it took to load and move these wagons.

Below: Two B wagons on their way to the Estates. Leon Flint made a brief stop just outside Port Shepstone to inspect chains and belts.

Finally we arrived on the Farm and shared the happy moments with these wagons when they arrived at their new home.

Below: Offloading Natal wagons at the Farm!

 

All offloaded wagons will be shunted into the storage line where they will await their turn for restoration.

Below: A beautiful ST wagon just touched the rails on a new Railway, a lease for a new life!

 

ST NUMBER 619
 

The restoration of the first ST is well under way and will be finished by the end of next week.  This week we took care of all the steel work that was needed on this wagon. In next week we shall do a complete under frame restoration including; vacuum cylinder overhaul, braking gears and fit new brake blocks. The axle boxes will be cleaned and bearings will be inspected. The axle boxes will be packed with new axle box wool soaked in oil. The wagon will receive a final coat of paint and will be stenciled and ready to use.

Below: ST 619 under restoration.

 

RATANGA WAGON:
 

This week we finished sanding the wagon. Derrick made new steel frames for the seats that will be fitted in next week. The new seats will be fitted together with the ready made doors for this wagon. It is our outlook to finish this wagon by the end of next week.

The wooden outside will be varnished and the inside will be painted as well.

Below: Albert sanding the inside of the wagon.

 

The inside of the roof will be painted white and the outside silver, the same as the previous ones.

 

Below: Albert sanding the wooden floor of the Ratanga wagon.

3’6” GOODS WAGONS:
 

The three goods wagons at the Waenhuis were due for new paint and a new coat of varnish. Pettrus started with the painting of the main frame work of these wagons. Once he is done with this, he will varnish the wooden sides of the wagons.

 

THE HUNSLET LOCOMOTIVE
 

The cosmetic upgrading of the Hunslet is well on the way but delayed due to the fact that Henry assisted us with the moving of wagons from Natal. This week he sprayed the buffer beams and prepared the inside cab for spray-painting.

 

With all the windows out and the gauges covered, he can easily spray the interior of the cab. It is important to spray the inside before doing the outside of the cab. Henry will be away in Natal in next week and will continue the cosmetic upgrading once he is back.

 

THE BSA RAILCAR 

The restoration of the BSA Railcar is shouldering on and Derrick completed the steelwork on the left side this week. He started with the left side and might be finish with it by the end of next week. His craftsmanship is amazing and slowly he is drawing the picture of a 1914 BSA car.

 

Once he is done with the left side, he will attend to detail and finishing touches to the steelwork. Soon the body will be ready for spray painting with a expensive 2K automobile paint. Henry will start with the mechanical work on the BSA soon as he is finish with the cosmetic upgrading of the Hunslet Diesel Locomotive.

 

Upholstery will be done by a professional that will complete the last part of the restoration.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!
 

• BSA Railcar restoration

• ST 619 restoration

• Ratanga wagon restoration

• Centurion City Locomotive restoration

• Moving wagons from Natal

• Train tour Friday

• Line Inspection

• Prepare locomotive 153

• Columns to fill

• Shunt all Natal wagons to storage line

• Upgrading of 3’6” goods wagons

• Yard cleanup

 

STEAM GREETINGS!

THE

STEAM TEAM!

SANDSTONE LOCOMOTIVE NEWS!

THE RATANGA LOCOMOTIVE:

This week we shunted the Ratanga Garratt locomotive into the Steam Shed. Derrick now will fit new lagging plates around the boiler while Henk finishes the roof and cab of this locomotive. Once they are finish, we will fit back the cab and roof. The locomotive will then receive a last final coat of paint. A chimney cover plate will be fitted onto the chimney to prevent rainwater to enter the smoke box.

 

Below : Henk fitted the smike box wheel and chimney cover onto the locomotive.

Below : Derrick bending flat bar to fit around the boiler. This will act as support for the new lagging plates.

 

Sparks were flying this week to finish steelwork needed on this locomotive. We still have a way to go before she will be finished.

Below : Henk grinding the chimney plate sides to perfection.

 

Derrick fitted the flat bar supports to the boiler.

Below right: Henk assembled the steel frame of the roof and fitted new planks behind the frame. Once he is done he will fit back the cab sides and the roof. The next step will be to fit a wooden floor into the cab.

 

Below: The construction of the roof.

 

THE HUNSLET:
(back to top)

The cosmetic upgrading of the Hunslet is slowly drawing to a close. All the sides and cab was sprayed with an undercoat and will be sprayed in original colours in next week.

Below : Henry spraying the undercoat onto the cab sides of the Hunslet.

 

Below : The number plates and Name plate was sanded and painted with perfect detail.

 

Below: The front buffer beam. The coupler will be painted black.

 

CLASS NGG 16 NUMBER 153
 

The 4x4 Club reserved a Train trip over the entire Railway on Friday. We lit up number 153 04H00 on Friday morning to have her in steam and ready in time. Only hours later this Giant came to life. The train departed at 11H00 on route to Grootdraai near the Lesotho border.

 

The passengers arrived at ten, but first had refreshments at the Waenhuis while the rest posed for photos next to this sexy locomotive.

We made a brief stop at Vailima Halt to replenish her thirst. Slowly we took the passengers on the journey around the huge balloon downhill to Vailima. At 12H15 we arrived back in Hoekfontein, just in time for lunch. The passengers then were taken on a tour through the Vintage and Steam shed.

Number 153 was again a stunning performer up the gradients all around our Railway system. The only repair that was needed was the left rear piston packing, blowing. The repair was attended to and piston packing was set.

Below: The piston packing was removed and set. On the right” a steam tight joint”

 

SANDSTONE WAGON NEWS

THE RATANGA WAGON  

The third Ratanga wagon is almost ready to be used. This week we sanded the wagon and varnished the wooden sides. The steel frame received a final coat of paint. The inside of the roof was sanded and painted white. Planks were fitted to the four doors and were sanded.

Below : One of the Ratanga doors.

Below : Derrick constructed four steel frames to accommodate the seats that will be fitted inside this wagon.

Below: The inside of the Ratanga wagon.

 

Below : The steel seat frames fitted and being painted.

Below: The frame work was painted a final coat.

 

Below : The armrests being sanded to a smooth surface.

3’6” GOODS WAGONS  

Petrus finished the painting of the first wagon this week and started with the second one. This three wagons were due for a coat of new paint and varnish.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK

 

• Ratanga Locomotive

• Roof

• Cab

• Cab Floor

• Lagging (Derrick will be busy with this for the next two weeks)

• Smoke box paint

• Ratanga Wagon

• Finish varnishing

• Fit four doors

• Finish floor

• Fit seats

• To move last wagons from Natal

• To move 3”6” wheels and old freight wagon onto storage line near shed

• St wagon restoration

• Washout number 17

• BSA Mechanical work

 

STEAM GREETINGS!

THE

Reefsteamers have a Booth 36 ton steam crane no. 96 at Germiston for safe keeping and eventual restoration when the Germiston Diesel / breakdown depot (Spoornet) got their new diesel crane some time back.

No. 96 is also part of the scrapping tender that has been re-submitted and we will fight to save her as she is already standing in our main workshop under cover and is mechanically in a working condition. See the article on our website - www.reefsteamers.co.za.

SANDSTONE LOCOMOTIVE NEWS!

NGG 16 GARRATT RESTORATION
 

Sparks were flying in the Sandstone Steam shed as we pushed hard to finish the cosmetic upgrading of this Class NGG 16. A good Boilermaker is needed to fit new lagging around the boiler. Derrick first had to weld in 5mm x 50mm flat bar supports around the boiler.

 

He then had to measure out the lagging plates to cut just big enough holes into the 2mm plates. The holes are there to enable us to fit back the handrails and boiler joints once he is finish with the lagging around the boiler.

Below: No easy task to fit 2mm x 2.4m plates around the boiler. A local place rolled the plates for us to make it easier to fit.

Below: Derrick cut a perfect size hole into the lagging.

Below right: Henk finished the steel work that was needed on the roof of this locomotive.

The steel then was painted with an undercoat to protect the plates. Henk also finished the wooden side of the roof and fitted it onto the steel roof.

The top cab plates were then fitted and the roof is now ready to be fitted onto the cab sides.

The cab sides were fitted back onto the cab end frame. Now we will be able to fit new wooden floor inside the cab.

Below: The cab being assembled on the locomotive!

Wood was sourced and sanded to perfection. Henk started with the construction of the new floor. He will concentrate on the restoration of the cab interior while Derrick finishes the outside.

 

Below : The fitted chimney plate to prevent rain water inside the smoke box.

Below : The construction of a new floor began!

Menasse and his team will spend next week sanding the outside of the locomotive and prepare her for a final touch of paint. The locomotive will be in standard SAR livery.

THE HUNSLET
 

Henry prepared the inside of the cab of the Hunslet and spray painted it.

He upgraded the number plates and name plate to great looking finish.

The outside of the cab was spray painted this week and the hunslet is now ready to be assembled again. The windows will be fitted back in next week and all the spray painted panels as well.

Below: The brand new looking Hunslet cosmetic upgrading draws to a close.

SANDSTONE WAGON NEWS!
 

ST WAGON
 

We shunted the first Sandstone ST wagon to the inspection pit this week. All the braking gears and pins were stripped off. The quarters on the bogeys were removed and the wagon was shunted to the crossing in front of the Shed.

The ST was lifted from its bogeys and placed asside. The bogeys were descaled and spray painted. The centres were oiled and the ST was lifted onto the bogeys again.

Below: Pony and Albert  spraying the bogeys. Albert moved the bogey to enable Pony to reach the entire wheel. After the ST was fitted back on the bogeys, we opened the boxes and inspected the bearings. All the bearings were in exceptional good condition and only new soaked axle box wool was packed inside the boxes.

Below: Pony cleaning the handbrake underneath the wagon. Old sticky grease was removed to enable the handbrake to work easy.

Below right: Menasse welded new channel iron onto the ST.

A new handbrake wheel was fitted. Removing the old one took about a hour because of excessive rust of many years.

Below right: The braking gears were descaled and painted.

THE RATANGA WAGON
 

This week the Ratanga wagon received a second coat of varnish. The new seats were fitted and final paint touchup was done. We will fit the new doors in next week and this wagon will be complete and ready to add to our Passenger train consist.

NATAL WAGONS
 

This week we moved the last assessable wagons from Natal. They were offloaded and will be stored on the storage line till their turn for restoration.

Petrus finished the painting of three goods wagons near the Waenhuis. He will now treat the wood with exterior varnish.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!

• NGG 16 cosmetic upgrading

• To finish the Hunslet cosmetic upgrading

• To finish the ST restoration

• To finish the Ratanga wagon

• To wash out number 17

• To shunt all Natal wagons to the storage line

 

STEAM GREETINGS!
THE STEAM TEAM!

Mr. Carlos Vieira has forwarded us an interesting document...

"Greetings! 

Please find attached an agreement dated 3rd January 1893 between SA Public Works Corporation Limited and Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon.

The agreement is of interest as it originates from one that has survived 114 years. That's a record! 

I also enclose a photocopy of the original Princess Christian Hospital Train - the first hospital train in the world. 

Yours sincerely, 
Carlos Vieira"

 

 

Why do the South African authorities, particularly those involved in tourism, do so little to make the foreign international rail traveller comfortable in our country?

There has been a considerable amount of dialogue, including meetings and quite a lot of pressure from the heritage rail players in South Africa to try to get Spoornet in particular, government in general, and the Heritage Rail Association to actually send out a signal that they want to see tourists visit our country in order to travel around, and in particular in the case of rail and steam enthusiasts actually get involved in enjoying some of the best experiences that can be found anywhere in the world. Sadly there has been hardly a glimmer of interest in these issues by people who should normally embrace them with career enhancing enthusiasm. The bar has been lifted considerably with the publication of the attached article in one of Britain's most prestigious railway magazines. With a global audience at its fingertips this article will have a significant impact, and unless emergency steps are taken will or perhaps already signals the end of rail and steam tourism in South Africa. 

For people with specialised interests that is rather like the end of tourism in the Antarctic because their house has melted. Sad but potentially true.