The History of NG15, No. 136

Last NG15 class Loco built be Societe Anglo-Franco Belge in 1953.

Delivered to Namibia, based at the Loco works in Usakos. Tue engine was transferred to Port Elizabeth after the narrow gauge system in Namibia was re-gauged to 3'6" in 1960.

Boiler Works on the No.136 (Dates are maybe not complete, still working on it):

12.10.1976 28.08.1978 12.09.1978 13.08.1979 09.01.1980

09.11.1981 05.09.1983 15.09.1983 23.07.1984 07.09.1984

The engine was for major overhaul works in the SAR workshops in early 1987.

Works where done at: Boiler, boiler tubes, super heater, firebox corners, stays, ashpan, cylinders, crossheads, slid bars, motions, axle boxes, and the tiers went replaced.

After the engine returned to Port Elizabeth the engine ran a few times to Van Stadens- Loerie and was then withdrawn from service because the front left axle box ran hot.

Since then (late 1987) the engine was stored behind the Humewood steam depot/workshop.

1997 two members of the Schinznacher Tree Nursery Railway (SchBB) traveled on the Union Limited and met Alan Clarke. They came in to a discussion about locomotive- restoration and showed Mr. Clarke the newest photos of the nearly finished NGG 13 No.60. The possibility of purchasing an NG 15 "Kalahari" engine from THF, for future restoration projects at the SchBB, was also discussed

Back from the Union Limited Tour a offer was faxed to the J'burg office and about one month later SchBB received the confirmation that NG15 No.136 would be sold to SchBB.

In 1998 No. 136 and the tender No.124 arrived on two flat containers at the nursery. The engine and the tender went offloaded with two cranes and placed on the storage line for future restoration.

After a long time without any action on this engine some one marked the engine in 2008 as "for sale". The friends of the NG 15 and the owner (the manager of the nursery) went not informed about this "advert" action.

But because of this action the owner and the SchBB society board sat together and it came clear that the SchBB workshop and the workshop of the nursery would be not able to restore the engine within the nearer future. This cleared the way, for the owner, to sell the engine.

The engine was then prepared and loaded on the 17.th of April 2008 in Schinznach with all the original spares. The engine was transported be heavy road transport to the Basel Rhine river ports. The next day the containers went on a river fright ship down to Antwerp.

The two "flat" containers went loaded in Antwerp on to MSC Mara on the 28.th of April.

The ship arrived in Durban on time at the 20.st of May 2008. Welcome back in the new old home. The home where you will have a glorious and steaming future.

Ng136_1983C