Sandstone Heritage Trust - Rail News

RN 35 - North British tank identity confirmed

The identity of the North British tank locomotive purchased by Sandstone heritage trust from Harmony Gold Mines at Welkom was thought to be ex FSG no. 1, for the obvious reason that it had a large number 1 painted on the side of the bunker.
Leading South African locomotive expert, Dr. John Middleton, long time friend of Sandstone queried this identity as he believed it was actually FSG No. 3, FSG No. 1 actually being at SANRASM in Gauteng.

Gert Jubileus has checked the boiler plate and the locomotive is in fact FSG no. 3, built by North British in 1946, works no. 25897. It was one of a batch of five ordered by various mining cos. In 1942 to order no. L941, but only built after the end of the Second World War at the NBL’s Hyde Park works, it was originally Daggafontein Mines Ltd. No. 4, before being purchased by President Steyn Mine in Welkom, later becoming part of the Freegold group.
The design was produced from the late 1920’s, the first example being ordered by City Deep Mines in Johannesburg, right up until the mid 1950’s, with minor modifications and a 4-8-4T variant.

The oldest survivor is 23888 built in 1929, preserved by SANRASM in Gauteng, and the youngest is 27587 built in 1955 which was last reported as partly sectioned for display purposes at Vaal Reefs Gold Mine in Orkney.