FREEZING STEAM
The winter is slowly moving its hands over the beautiful Eastern Free State and the worst is still to come with temperatures well below zero. This is the best time for Steam photography and therefore we now are preparing for the forthcoming Geoff Cooke tour.
Click here to view the latest weekly report from Gert Jubileus - 3MB PDF (opens in a new window)
The Sandstone Heritage Trust always follows up regularly with regard to locomotives that have been supplied to third parties within the Preservation community.
We are pleased to advise that the locomotives at Century City are being well looked after and are in good condition. A constant maintenance regime is very important bearing in mind the fact that they are based in a coastal environment. We applaud the Century City management for their care and attention to these items.
A decision was made to steam every restored NG locomotive owned by the Sandstone Heritage Trust.
Unfortunately the Welsh Highland Railway contingent who had volunteered to make up the bulk of the Drivers and Firemen could not make it because of the volcano in Iceland. However, we managed to assemble enough volunteers to make things happen, and in fact every steam engine at Sandstone was steamed during the week.
Here are some preliminary comments together with the first photographs that have come in from our photographers.
AND
THROUGH THE SMOKE WE CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW!
Another perfect hectic week has passed in the Eastern Free State and even through a smoke screen of work we could see clearly our goal: Steam!
Our private railway is maintained by professional licensed contractors who ensure that we are always RSR compliant.
Click here for their latest report. - 2MB PDF (opens in new window)
Lukas Nel and his team are so dynamic when it comes to restoring Narrow Gauge locomotives that they often come tumbling out of the workshop onto the Narrow Gauge railway without the fanfare they deserve. We will be having a major steam event in the second quarter of 2008 where quite a number of new locos which have never been seen before will be unveiled. It seems we have to do them in groups now.
The pictures below show our NG4 which is just starting to come into its own as an operating loco. It is a nice size and it is an attractive loco apart from being extremely rare and extremely interesting. We have included a few photographs of what it looked like when we first saw it.
SHADOWS OF STEAM!!!
Many golden years of Steam went pass and today we only live in the shadows of Steam. The Steam locomotive once was to see everywhere and today only a handful remains in preservation. So many locomotives lost their lives in the struggle to modernization and we pray that the few that is left will be saved for ever. We all should stand together and fight for what is left because the shadows of these Giant Machines are getting all smaller.
We received the following feedback from a supporter in the UK
Dear, Mike, Joanne, Gert, Hester, Derrick, Lukas, Wouter and everybody at the Sandstone Heritage Trust
I just don't know what to say.
I just hope this does not put you off continuing the fantastic work you do with your glorious South African steam railway heritage (and other heritage)
I just wish there was something I could do to help from here in the UK.
Is there?
Please, please, do not stop doing the work you and the Sandstone Heritage Trust do for South African enthusiasts and for your worldwide supporters.
With kindest regards and thoughts
Kim Winter
St Albans - UK
STEAMING UP THE MOUNTAIN
KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE GAUGE!!!
Time is slowly running out for all the preparations needed for our Private Steaming event in April this year. During the last week it really was going hectic to work through the list of logistics to draw this event together. A total of 18 Locomotives will be in Steam during the week of 19 to 24 April.
LIVING STEAM!
Pretty Faces of a glorious past!
TODAY WAS A DARK DAY, EVEN THE PICTURE DOESN'T LOOKS GOOD!
By Gert Jubileus
Cosmos Festival 2006
WARM SPARKING SPARKS!!!
During a rainy week we had the chance to finish the second AY Ballast wagon from Port Elizabeth. Two of our XC Tanker wagons was attacked by the scrap dealers and suffered from frame cuts. The frames were cut and the channels were sold for scrap. It was decided to lift the tanks from the main frames and to fit them onto two flat wagons that arrived from Port Elizabeth in last year. First of all we have to restore these two flat wagons to working condition before we can fit the tanks onto them.
