RAILWAY HERITAGE
Preservation is a vital part of the picture By John Batwell
YEAR 150 COMMEMORATIVE TRAINS
The 150th year commemoration of the first official train in South Africa (at Durban on 26 June 1860) and the centenary of the unified railways in South Africa are taking place during the Heritage Day weekend because June coincided with the Soccer World Cup. The Umgeni Steam Railway is to run a steam-hauled train on 24 September between Durban’s main station and the Point, with Transnet generously agreeing to sponsorship. Transnet also waived access costs for two other steam trains - Friends of the Rail from Hermanstad (Pretoria West) to Cullinan (50 km) and an Apple Express narrow gauge excursion from Port Elizabeth to Witteklip (40km), both on 26 September.
UMGENI STEAM RAILWAY, PIETERMARITZBURG
Replacement of bearings on class 3BR no 1486 has been completed but the tender requires considerably more attention than first anticipated.
APPLE EXPRESS, PORT ELIZABETH
NG15 no 119 is having bushes on her rods replaced at a cost of some R30,000, while NG15 no 124 needs new elements and ashpan. Garratt NGG16 no 131 - named Oubaas Ray after late PE regional engineer Ray Enslin – requires complete restoration.
SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL RAIL & STEAM MUSEUM (SANRASM) Photo: Dylan Knott
Crisis at Sanrasm’s site in Chamdor, Krugersdorp, saw a fleet of withdrawn locomotives - some over 100 years old - systematically stripped by an obviously well-organised group of intruders using sophisticated cutting equipment. Serious damage, including cutting the frames to steal bearings, rendered all engines beyond repair. Immediately the activity was detected, professional metal dealers were called in to pay for and remove what remained, so that some money could be realised to help fund essentials at the museum’s other sites. Open days have been held, though without a locomotive in steam. Both the general public and schools show interest, but with only one volunteer to manage these events, little meaningful could be achieved. Film crews preparing, filming and cleaning up over some five days did help greatly with cash flow. However, the museum collection urgently needs painting and tidying up.
REEFSTEAMERS, GERMISTON
Though R25,000 was raised at an open day in July, with two return runs to Boksburg East using class 12AR no 1535, large amounts are still owed to Transnet. North British-built 2-8-4 class 24 no 3647 is to go to a New Zealand buyer.
NAMIBIAN PRESERVED LOCOS
Preserved steam locos seen recently in Namibia included class 7A no 1011 at Keetmanshoop; half “Zwillinge” no 154A at Windhoek station; class Hb no 56 at Alte Feste Museum in the capital; and re-positioned class Hd no 40 at Usakos. Vintage GE U18C1 diesel no 32.002 (carrying 32.001 plates) is plinthed at Windhoek station.
AFRICA 2011 TOUR (PLANNED FOR 19 MAY 2011 TO 18 JUNE)
UK operator Geoff Cooke’s proposed African Steam Enthusiast Tour will spend two days with class 59 Garratt no 5918 Mount Gelai in Kenya, then continue in Zambia. It will cross the Victoria Falls bridge behind class 14A 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 no 512 and continue to Bulawayo with a class 15 Garratt. A scheduled passenger train is to be used into Botswana, where the class 19D 4-8-2 locomotives at Selebi Phikwe’s mine will be viewed. In South Africa, Garratt workings on two gauges will feature, as well as more steam - and also modern traction. To join the full tour (or just one country), see: geofftrains@aol.com
ZIMBABWE STEAM TOUR 2010
All three Garratt locomotives – class 14A no 525, class 15 no 395 and class 16A no 611 – were used during Geoff Cooke’s tour to Zimbabwe this past winter. Loco 395 threw a rod at Lukosi on the way to Victoria Falls and was threelegged after that. Steaming was sometimes a problem – not unexpectedly with locos not normally making long runs – but all advertised trips operated.
Class 15F no 3117, which fell on its side in the June derailment (attributed to sleeper theft) has to be stripped, thoroughly examined and re-certified. Donations towards repair costs reached almost R29,000 at the end of July. Photo: FoTR.
To date R10,570 has been donated for the repainting of class NGG13 Garratt no 58 ex-Weenen.
FRIENDS OF THE RAIL, PRETORIA
A Tshwane Xplorer ran in late July, hauled by the domeless 4-8-2 class 19D no 2650. A further Xplorer working followed a sunrise photographic session at Capital Park on 9 August.
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RAILWAYS AFRICA
July - August 2010
Steam traction on Victoria Falls bridge is always a tour highlight. Photo: P Steel
www.railwaysafrica.com