The last 10CR, No: 771. All this and more for R5.

In 1993, steam was still commonplace at Loraine Gold Mine in Allandale, near Welkom in the Orange Free State. With four 19D locomotives, traffic was busy. There was also a strange loco, a little out of place, which did not see much service. Class 10CR No: 771.

Originally a Class 10C, built by North British in 1910, the loco worked out of Cape Town on various branches and was rebuilt to 10CR in 1934.  

A most unlikely loco for mine service, she was purchased by Loraine for R15000 and arrived at Loraine in June 1971. On the 28^th January 1977, 771 suffered a major derailment and was effectively scrapped but in 1979 the Loraine loco foreman, Roelf van Wyngardt, was determined that the loco would run again and by 1981 she was recertified and back in service. Today at Sandstone the very same passion is inspiring the very same Roelf van Wyngardt to bring 10CR 771 back to service once again.

But back in 1993 No: 771 was in occasional service and on the 17th April, John Middleton arranged with Roelf and the mine management to run a photographic session with 771 and the two passenger coaches the mine used for social functions and the 19D locomotives in service that day. Coincidentally, the two passenger coaches were also acquired by Sandstone together with the 19D’s and 771 when the mine closed its rail system. They are now being refurbished at Reefsteamers.

However, the 17th April 1993 was no ordinary day in the dangerous days leading up to democracy in 1994. On that day South Africa would bury Chris Hani, the recently assassinated head of the South African Communist Party. For most South Africans it was more prudent to stay at home that day but I set off for Welkom in the early morning. The lack of traffic even within Johannesburg and the deserted highway south was quite unnerving. Nevertheless I arrived at Lorraine to enjoy a great day hosted by the mine. Having purchased my R5 ticket I was able to ride the entire system behind 771, at least three times if I remember! With fairly open security, the rest of the system was open for photography as were the workshops with Roelf flitting around explaining with great passion all about his fleet of locomotives. Little was I to imagine that a few years later I would be close up to these locos once more as a member of the Sandstone team and that less than a week ago I would be with Roelf as he continued with the restoration of 771.

As the ticket shows, “The last 10 Class in the World”. It was not then and still is not (there are two others at Millsite) but soon may be the last running 10CR in the world as the restoration moves forward. I will certainly be there to recreate that day, 15 years ago, when life was a little different.

Dave Richardson.

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