Narrow gauge enthusiasts around the world have been shocked by the scrapping of the last remaining NGG16 locomotives from the Port Shepstone-Harding line at Paddock in Kwa Zulu Natal in recent months despite efforts by the Sandstone Heritage Trust to purchase and preserve them. This has now attracted the attention of Narrow Gauge World Magazine in the UK with an article on these sad events. Click here to view the article.
Sandstone will be open to visitors at the forthcoming Cherry Festival in Ficksburg on the 17th & 18th November 2017.
For full details on the attractions and bookings please click on the links below:
The recently refurbished front bogie has been placed under the frames of NG10 number 61 in Bloemfontein as the locomotive restoration moves forward. A new ashpan as per the picture has also been fabricated by Lukas Nel and his team and awaits the rebuilt boiler from Keith Stevens towards the end of November.
Visitors to Stars of Sandstone 2017 will recall the immaculately restored Marmon-Herrington Mk IV Armoured Car from Andy Selfe that featured at the event. Now Andy has taken on a new challenge with a project to restore two of Sandstone’s Ferret Armoured Cars. The two vehicles were recently moved from the Eastern Free State to Andy’s premises in the Western Cape. A new blog has been initiated for this and you can follow progress by clicking on the link below.
Preservation is a world wide activity and we are honoured at Sandstone to be part of that global movement. The very spirit of this is communication with like minded people from around the world. At Sandstone we have had many visitors from Australia who have given us great coverage in their own communications. Attached is the Goldsmith E magazine and the National Steam Centre newsletter together with the Killamarsh Chronicle featuring the Threlkeld Quarry Railway Gala in the north west of England. We are sure our web site readers will find the articles of interest.
We are indebted to the Pyrenees Heritage Preservation magazine from Lake Goldsmith, Victoria and the National Steam Centre for featuring our Stars of Sandstone event so comprehensively. Click the below links to Read More:
National Steam Centre newsletter
Lukas Nel and his team have now completed the rebuild of both tender bogies and will now concentrate on the rebuild of the tender frame which is in near scrap condition with severe rust. Our pictures show the new tender tank which was completed in 2016, the new bogies and the existing tender frame.
In Howick Keith Stevens continues with the fitment of 350 boiler stays with the completion of the boiler expected in mid to late November.
