John Deere celebrates 100 years in 2018 and one of the earliest examples of a John Deere tractor in South Africa is Sandstone’s 1924 Model N, Waterloo Boy. This has been loaned to John Deere for the duration of the largest agricultural show in South Africa and is on display at their stand at NAMPO 2018 in Bothaville in the Free State.
Sandstone is a major user of John Deere equipment and wishes John Deere another successful 100 years.
Our crop was planted in June and will be due for Harvesting in late December 2018 or early January 2019.
This excellent crop benefited from good mid-winter rains in August which is unseasonal but very welcome. Our pictures show the various lands at Sandstone planted to wheat.
Close to our main Complex in the background.
Our pictures this week shows the NG10 moving towards a finished state with most of the external piping in place, the chimney fitted together with the safety valves on the dome. Attention now moves to completing the tender with its new tank and rebuilt frame and completing the cab on the locomotive.
SAR Class NGG13 Garratt locomotive number 49 has now been returned to Sandstone after a full retube at Reefsteamers in Germiston. Number 49 passed its hydraulic test last week and has returned to Sandstone for the final assembly of the boiler for an upcoming steam test and re uniting the boiler section with the engine units. Our pictures show the firebox tube plate after completion and the final expanding of the tubes and the loading of the accommodation bogies and the boiler at Germiston on to the Sandstone low bed for the 400km journey home.
After many years of service, with many replacement fittings being added, the remaining NG10’s at Humewood Road in Port Elizabeth were fitted with a less than inspiring stovepipe chimney for practical reasons as remanufacturing the original style would have been quite a process,. Number 61 also gained one of these chimneys during its life but with the mastery of Lukas Nel and his team in Bloemfontein, 61 has been fitted with a newly manufactured original style chimney. Our pictures show the chimney after manufacture and then fitted to the locomotive. For reference we have included a picture from Leith Paxton of number 61 with the stovepipe version. No contest really!
We have been a little quiet lately but some major progress has been made as our pictures from Lukas Nel show. The whistle has now been fitted at the front of the cab, this is a modified version of an SAR type to produce a more “American” style sound. The new chimney is also well under way to being finished in the original style of the NG10 as it was delivered from Baldwin. Our general pictures show the clack boxes that have been fitted to the boiler and work continues with piping. The lubricator feed piping to the cylinders has also been installed.
A lot of detail work is still needed before the first steam test expected in December plus the final assembly of the tender with the fitment of the tank to the newly built tender frame.
Open Days at The Cherry Festival. Friday 16th and Saturday 17th November 2018.
November is Cherry Festival time in Ficksburg . To celebrate The Cherry Festival Sandstone will be holding Open Days on Friday 16th November and Saturday 17th November coinciding with this classic event.
Train rides from Hoekfontein to Vailima Siding will operate at 10h00, 12h00, 14h00 and 16h00. Other attractions will be Ox Wagon rides and Military Vehicle rides while the famous Sandstone Heritage Collection will be open to view. Refreshments will be on sale with the Sandstone Shop open for memorabilia.
Entrance is R200 for adults and R125 for under 12’s which includes one train trip. Booking is essential and it will be a day not to be missed. Contact Leigh Sanders or Alina Halafu on 051 933 2235 or e mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We look forward to seeing you there.
