Sandstone secures DE2 locomotive spares.
Sandstone Heritage Trust has successfully bid for and been awarded the tender for the large redundant inventory of English Electric (EE) DE2 diesel electric locomotive spares in Zimbabwe. Sandstone Heritage Trust is the owner of DE2 No: 1207 which was bought from a scrap merchant in Mutare in 1997 after the locomotive was set aside by National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) in 1995. The locomotive was transferred by rail to South Africa in May 1998.
The DE2 class were introduced into service in, the then, Rhodesia in 1955 and were the first main line diesel locomotives employed in Southern Africa. The locomotive has an English Electric V16 diesel engine and is similar in concept and design to a British Railways Class 40 unit.
After examination by an ex NRZ technician, 1207 was deemed to be in reasonable condition although missing a number of brake and electrical parts. The purchase of the parts inventory from Zimbabwe has prompted Sandstone to consider restoring 1207 to working order.
After a visit by Sandstone personnel in December 2015 which revealed availability of the parts in their original form, Sandstone successfully bid for the items.
“As a pioneering locomotive, the DE2 represents a significant milestone in the history of the railway locomotive in Southern Africa and is a worthy candidate for preservation and restoration, we will now assess the inventory with a view to bringing back 1207 to the rails again” stated Dave Richardson of Sandstone Heritage Trust.
Number 1207 is currently in storage at the Johannesburg depot of Reefsteamers.
1207 at Plumbtree in 1973. Picture by John Batwell
1207 at Reefsteamers. Picture by Dave Richardson