General News

Further news on the boiler repairs. The firebox tube plate has been polished ready for the magnetic particle and wall thickness inspection on the 19^th February. The inspection will include both tube plates and all the welded seams inside the firebox, around the hollow stays (for the GPCS) and the wash out plug holes. Our gallery also shows the new tubes being annealed and the condition of the stays in the water space between the inner and outer firebox.

On Sunday, 16^th February 2020, Sandstone hosted a group of 20 from the Western Cape of South Africa.  This was a research team and soil management advisors, led by Dr Johann Strauss, who are passionate about Conservation Agriculture.  The team consisted of grain and animal farmers focussing on no-till, cover crops and crop rotation.

The group stopped over at Sandstone on their way to a farm visit in Reitz to view our Heritage Site and the collection.  A team of 12 oxen were in-spanned to the delight of the group.  This was the highlight of their visit and all were in awe!  The collection was also a big hit as they could not believe the variety of vintage equipment on display. 

“What an experience!”, one comment in the Visitors Book, which summoned up their visit!

Held one week later than usual in November 2019, the annual Cherry Festival in Ficksburg was a great success. Sandstone joined the event by running a train service on Friday 22^nd and Saturday 23^rd for visitors. Two private charters were also run on Thursday 21^st for two school groups and a Senior Citizens Tour group. Visitor numbers over the three days totalled almost 1000 boosted by groups from JB Tours and Savannah Tours.

NGG16 Garratts numbers 88 and 153 provided the motive power for the duration with visiting driver Andries Keyser from the Winelands Light Railway joining Sandstone’s Gert Jubileus at the regulator. Trains ran between Hoekfontein, Grootdraai and Mooihoek for a 50 minute round trip between 10h00 and 16h00 on each day. Sandstone also displayed some of its heritage collection and the famous Sandstone oxen were on hand to give Ox Wagon rides. Our photo gallery shows a good time was had by all our visitors!

This well-known photographic location for the Sandstone Steam Railway has benefited from recent heavy runs and is now full and overflowing for the first time in around three years. For our photographers, don’t stress! The foliage will be cut back for the Stars 2019 event so that this magnificent photo spot will be restored to its former glory. Our pictures show the Dam on the 10^th December and our feature shot is  by Aidan McCarthy with NGG16 number 153 crossing the dam some years ago with a mixed train.

Our drone camera has been very active after the recent rains and we thought you would enjoy some stunning images of Sandstone Estates as we move forward to 2019 and the Stars of Sandstone event in April.

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As part of an ongoing social media programme, Ford has been producing two minute video productions which are aired on social media, particularly Facebook. The productions, which will run to 26 episodes, are of visits to Ford owners and users throughout South Africa and their experiences with Ford products with both modern and older vehicles featured.

The film crew visited Sandstone Estates on July 12^th to film our experiences with Ford vehicles which range from a 1915 Model T, a 1930 Model A and various trucks and tractors from the 50’s and 60’s to modern Ford Ranger bakkies. Although Ford is no longer a producer of tractors under its brand name, Sandstone have a number of Ford models from the 50’s that still give sterling service on the farm.

Our 1935 Ford V8 pick up which is unrestored from new and our 1951 Ford F100, which journeyed to the Equator on a rally in 2006, were featured by the film crew.

The final sequence was with one of Canadian Ford military units from WW2 which was driven towards Grootdraai where the film crew met 20 oxen especially inspanned for the occasion. As a tribute to Ford one of the oxen had been named “Ford” for the occasion.

Our picture gallery features the line up of Ford vehicles for the shoot, Alina Halafu, from our farm office being interviewed, filming the Canadian Ford with our 20 Oxen inspanned and finally, “Ford”, our newly named Oxen.

We will keep you posted when the episode, number17, is aired on social media.

The James Hall Museum of Transport will celebrate Madiba’ s Centenary with an open day at the James Hall Museum in Johannesburg on 21^st July. Sandstone has a long standing relationship with the museum and we urge you to support this worthy cause. Full details are on the attached flyer.

Whether you have booked or are still deciding about it, Stars of Sandstone 2019 is not to be missed. Have a look at our newly released video of what this event holds in store. You should not miss it!