After our very successful Spring Steam Festival in November 2020, which brought some fun back to the Free State after an extended Covid 19 lockdown, we shall be hosting another event at the end of February 2021 with more fun for our visitors.

From the 26th February until 28^th February Sandstone will be offering train rides together with walking tours of the Sandstone Heritage collection. Enjoy a tour of the world famous heritage collection or just chill out at the Waenhuis Restaurant after a slow ride behind the Sandstone oxen, but most of all come and have fun with us!

Entrance is R230 for adults and R145 for children under 12.

Trains will run from 10h00 on Friday 26^th , Saturday 27^th  and Sunday 28th with the last train at 16h00 each day.

Please note that strict Covid 19 protocols will be followed and no one will be admitted if not wearing a mask. A screened temperature over 37.5 degrees will also result in non-admittance together with other members of the party.

For enquiries: Call 051 933 2235 or 071 658 6970

Work continues on number 155 with the fitment of the ex 3’6’ gauge GMA/M mechanical lubricator. Our pictures show the lubricator in position and the external operating linkage awaiting connection. Good progress is being made towards a steam test early in 2021.

While Sandstone is world renowned for its 2ft narrow gauge railway, many supporters may not be aware that the first ambitions at Sandstone were on the 3’6’ gauge system. Sandstone first rail acquisitions were ex SAR GMAM Garratt locomotives from Randfontein Estates Gold Mines and much planning was undertaken to concession the Bethlehem to Bloemfontein line for operation by Sandstone for freight operation and rail tourism. 

Sadly this failed with objections from the South African trade unions who could not bear to see privatisation and economic use of the railway meaning they would have to work harder and earn their wages instead of overstaffing the national system. This unnerved the national operator, Spoornet, and all negotiations with Sandstone just fizzled out. In fact the privatisation Department, of the then named SPOORNET which handled concession negotiations, was closed overnight.

One of the prime movers within Sandstone for the 3’6” project was well known Railway and Preservation specialist , Geoff Pethick. While the loss of the 3’6” project was hard to bear at the time, it was 2ft gauge that ultimately was to benefit with the magnificent railway that exists to this day.

Throughout the 3’6” project Geoff Pethick worked tirelessly to take it to success and wrote a very telling article in October 1997 in conjunction with Wilfred Mole, “Where to private rail use in SA”. We are proud to publish this article 22 years later as an example of what could have been and is still relevant to what could be achieved today. In fact after the destruction of many parts of the national railway system during the recent Covid19 lockdown, it is interesting to see the first moves towards allowing some form of private access and operation on the rail system, primarily for freight but with hints for a revival of rail tourism of a more affordable nature than that presented by the current premium operators. 

No wisdom was evident when it mattered. Click here to read more

Work has continued on NGG16A since our last report with the cab fittings installed and the water tank fitted to the front engine unit. The chimney has also been fitted as number 155 begins to look like a full locomotive. Our photo gallery shows the work to date. No definite date has been set for the completion of 155 but early in 2021 is looking likely.

Sadly the Cherry Festival will not be held in Ficksburg in 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic but a number of local establishments will be open over the weekend of Thursday 19^th November to Sunday 22nd November together with Sandstone who will be holding a steam festival over the four days. Sandstone has been closed since the pandemic began but will re-open  for visitors from November 1^st 2020.

From the 19^th November until 21st November Sandstone will be offering train rides together with walking tours of the Sandstone Heritage collection.

Entrance is R200 for adults and R125 for children under 12.
Trains will run from 11h00 on Thursday 19^th and Friday 20th^th and from 10h00 on Saturday 21^st and Sunday 22^nd.

Please note that strict Covid 19 protocols will be followed and no one will be admitted if not wearing a mask. A screened temperature over 37 degrees will also result in non-admittance together with other members of the party.

Click here to Read more

The Sandstone stock list has been updated to correct some changes in the location of some items - Click here to read

A new book on the Port Elizabeth to Avontuur 2ft narrow gauge line will be published in October. The book is the first to be taken from the material published on the excellent Soul Of A Railway website hosted by Charlie Lewis and Les Pivnic. The book is co-authored by the late David Payling who visited Sandstone many times over the last few years.

Click here to read more

After the return of the boiler from Wonder Steam in Pretoria the locomotive has been re assembled with the boiler unit placed on to the  modified engine units, originally from NGG16A number 141. Work has begun on the boiler cladding and making up patterns for the numerous pipes and fitting required for the locomotive. Our pictures show the initial cladding in place as well as the backhead of the boiler and the steam generator.

Garratt Bucher and his father, Robert, are good friends of Sandstone sharing a South African 2ft narrow gauge interest with NGG13 number 50 based at the Hempstead and Northern railroad in Texas along with NG15 number 18. Recently the front tank has been replaced on number 50 which brought to life a number of parts from other numbers in the NGG13/16 family. It is common knowledge that South African Railways swapped parts between locos but we did not expect Garratt to discover a piece of our own number 49 in the USA! Our picture shows this part which is from the sanding system as well a large axle nut from our NGG16 number 113. The part marked TC10 is from Tsumeb Corporation NGG16 number 10 which became SAR 141. Now modified to NGG16A configuration, number 141 is stored at Sandstone for a private collector.

Our pictures show the wandering parts as well as number 50 resplendent with her new front tank.

The Sandstone Steam Railway Stock List has been updated. The new version amends the incorrect Hanomag works number for NGG13 number 49 from 10599 to 10598. Information via Andreas Giller at the Hanomag Museum in Germany and Garratt Bucher in the USA confirms that 10598 is the correct works number for number 49. The attached pic courtesy of Hanomag confirms the information.

Our documentation extending back some 20 years has always detailed number 49 as Hanomag 10599 but after all these years the correct information has emerged.

Click here to see the Latest Stock List

155’s boiler returns to Sandstone.

The rebuilt boiler of NGG16A 155 has now arrived at Sandstone following its rebuild at Wonder Steam in Pretoria. This was done  with an official permit as railway maintenance departments were declared as essential services by the Minister on the 4^th of May 2020 meaning we could collect the boiler as it is part of maintenance. This also means that we can now continue with the restoration at Sandstone.

The photo of the boiler plate show that the boiler of 155 is its original from its construction at Hunslet-Taylor in Johannesburg in 1968 although the boiler itself was actually constructed at Leeds in the UK.

Our other photos shows 155 off loaded and stabled in the loco depot prior to work beginning on uniting the boiler with the rebuilt engine units.

Stop Press! 

155’s boiler is completed at Wonder Steam and loaded for the return to Sandstone.

The rebuilt boiler of NGG16A 155 has now been loaded at Wonder Steam in Pretoria for return to Sandstone. This was done  with an official permit as railway maintenance departments were declared as essential services by the Minister on the 4^th of May 2020 meaning we could obtain a permit to collect the boiler as it is part of maintenance. This also means that we can now continue with the restoration at Sandstone.

The attached photo shows 155 being loaded and the PDF, a copy of the Government Gazette relating to Railway Maintenance. - Read more here

Click here to read the full Steam Report

Sandstone Steam Railway has updated its stock list. The update corrects the build date of 15F 3052 and the disposal of four mainline coaches. - Click here to view

Click here to read