Brill Buses in days gone by.
Sandstone’s ex SAR Road Transport Services Brill bus has been in the restoration queue for some time and we hope that it will be restored to its former glory in the not too distant future. In the meantime Stewart Curry who is assisting with the digitalisation of the Transnet library send us a wonderful selection of photographs of the Brill bus in days gone by in South Africa. The pictures are courtesy of the Transnet Library.
Sandstone’s Brill
With its first steaming expected by the end of May, the return to service of NGG16A number 155 is well on track. Recently we received the various plates, including the number plates, for the locomotive which will be fitted shortly. The number plate shows Alfred County Railway as it was this operator who classified number 155 as NGG16A after its extensive modifications in 1990.
Sandstone Heritage Trust and Sandstone Heritage Museum are proud members of the South African Museums Association (SAMA). This organisation does great work across a broad spectrum of museums in South Africa. They have recently published their January 2021, newsletter, Samantics which has some interesting information on the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on museums and also previous pandemics that have infected the world. Click here to see Samantics.
Sandstone subscribes to all the current Covid 19 protocols and is very much open to visitors. We have a new Visitor Coordinator, Mariette Palmer, who can arrange your proposed visit. You can contact her by e mail on
Sadly Covid 19 prevented us from holding our Easter Steam Festival which coincided with the arrival of the Cosmos display at Sandstone. Nevertheless we steamed NG10 number 61 for a train trip for our staff on Easter Monday which enabled us to put together a photo gallery of Cosmos 2021. As always our Oxen were keen to join in! The photographs are by Toni Barratt.
There are times when acquisitions at Sandstone are sometimes a mystery and we are not always sure what we have got! Recently we acquired this interesting little scraper/drawn grader but were not sure of its history. Crushed into the paint work was a Caterpillar sticker which was a major clue. With assistance from Neil Clydsdale (who visited us at Stars of Sandstone 2019) of the Australian Caterpillar Club, it was identified as a Caterpillar No 1 Terracer with optional front truck and was manufactured sometime between 1931 and 1941.
With the running of trains at Sandstone seriously limited by Covid 19 we thought our readers would enjoy some pictures of the varied consists we can assemble at Sandstone. Our gallery shows NGG16s numbers 88 (in green livery) and 153 hauling a variety of loads. All photography by Rod Hering.
Sandstone has large cattle herds and subsequently lots of calves.
Feeding the Weaners
Sandstone is famous for its Cosmos which provides an exciting backdrop to public events. In 2021 such events are not happening but we still have the Cosmos. After an experiment in 2020, Cosmos has been mixed with Babala. This is a “sugar graze” animal feed and fast growing annual summer forage crop. The growth rate and height put pressure on the establishment of weeds. It builds the stability of soil aggregates and organic material. While it can be used as forage for both livestock and game, it also acts as a habitat for beneficial insects.
As the final mechanical work proceeds on 155 the locomotive has been sprayed in the colour, Mexican Red, which Shaun McMahon, who was at ACR and involved in the conversion of 155, has advised is the correct colour. The locomotive was prepared for spray painting by David Mpholo at Sandstone and sprayed initially in grey primer. For the final coat, Janki Palmer took over and our pictures show the spectacular and exciting finish on the loco. Some mechanical work, mainly piping, is ongoing.
Our gallery shows 155 in primer and then the finished article with Janki Palmer inspecting his work. The paint work below the running plate is still to be completed.
