Sadly we must announce that Sandstone’s world famous mountain section from Vailima to Vailima Siding and back to Pandora Junction is being lifted for safety and security reasons.
Click here to read the full story.
15E 2878 between Modderpoort & Kilmarnock 1996 Picture by Dennis Moore
The scenic railway line from Bloemfontein in the west, to Bethlehem in the east, has long been considered as one of the most spectacular railway lines for steam photography in South Africa and indeed, in the world. Steam haulage on the line ended in 1987 and since then the line has declined into a shadow of its former self with no through trains and limited traffic at each end. The busiest section these days is probably the line to Lesotho from Bloemfontein via Marseilles.
The last item of 3’6” gauge rolling stock, which had been stored at the old Germiston Steam Depot, the ex SAR Cowans and Sheldon 80 ton steam crane number 578, has finally arrived at Sandstone after weather delays at the Depot and a change required of the multi axle trailer to transport this 125 ton piece of South African railway history. Safely now at Sandstone, it will join the display of locomotives and other rolling stock recently moved from Bloemfontein and Germiston.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41TTVm1iXTE
James Attwell is a professional photographer who developed a love of steam from his father, Tony Attwell. James has produced a wonderful photo gallery from the recent steam festival at Sandstone as well as an excellent short video of the event. You can contact James on e-mail:
After our story on 3 November, at the start of the locomotive moves from Germiston to Ficksburg, we have now completed this massive operation with the 3’6” gauge locomotives and rolling stock in position at Sandstone’s new display area. Click here to see the full story.
The Sandstone Grafton Steam Crane, dating from 1950, has arrived at Sandstone after being delayed by blocked track at Bloemfontein Depot. In June 2009, this crane in Bloemfontein was in danger of being scrapped with a number of other redundant units. Sandstone secured its future and had it moved into the Sandstone security area at Bloemfontein Depot.
Newly restored NGG16A number 155 made its debut today at Sandstone hauling the Cherry Festival train with her older sister, NGG16 number 88, “Joanne”. Our gallery shows number 155 posing for a beauty shot and then with 88 on her first train since the early 2000s.
Although we completed the moves of the Sandstone assets from Bloemfontein a few weeks ago, one item remained there, steam crane 187. This was blocked in by some scrap material on the tracks which was cleared and Mercor Transport brought through the crane on Monday 8 November. Our gallery shows Crane 187 on arrival and ready for unloading.
With new items of rolling stock and locomotives arriving at Sandstone from Germiston over the next few days, we have been hard at work preparing the display area for the new arrivals. Much of the hard work and ground preparation has been done by our 1965 Caterpillar 621 scraper. 621 tractors were powered by a Caterpillar model D336TA V8 turbocharged and after-cooled diesel rated at 300 horsepower and connected to a Caterpillar eight-speed full powershift transmission, with the first two speed ranges direct converter drive for added torque during loading and pulling out of the cut.
At Sandstone we carry on our tradition of using our older machinery for modern tasks and the Caterpillar 621 is no exception.
After the ground-breaking road movements of Sandstone 3’6’ gauge locomotives from Bloemfontein in August (see Heritage Railway UK Issue 285. The story of the recent loco moves to Sandstone. (sandstone- estates.com) preparations have begun to move the Sandstone 3’6” gauge locomotives and other assets from storage at the old Germiston Steam Depot for their 400km journey to Sandstone Estates in the eastern Free State of South Africa.
The locomotives to be moved are Class 15F 3052, “Avril”, previously owned by the late David Shepherd, Class 25NC 3488, GMA/M Garratt 4079, ex-Rhodesia Railways Class DE2 diesel electric 1207 and ex SAR steam crane number 578.
Our photo gallery shows the extensive preparation required for such an operation. Loading is expected to be completed by Wednesday November 3rd with arrival at Sandstone scheduled for Friday November 5th.
Keep an eye on our website, www.sandstone-estates.com , for ongoing updates on the move.
The last Sandstone locomotive has now left Transnet’s Bloemfontein Depot and has arrived at Sandstone Estates near Ficksburg. This is 11th Class number 929.
Designed by P.A. Hyde for the Central South African Railways (CSAR), these engines of the “Mikado” wheel arrangement were the only such type to run on the Cape gauge in South Africa apart from two experimental engines on the Cape Government Railways. The last examples were withdrawn by 1975. Nevertheless many were sold to mining operations both in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Sandstone’s No. 929 became Freegold’s President Steyn Mine No. 6. In 1991, records show it “out of use” so it is possible it saw little if any service during that period. No. 929 was acquired from the President Steyn Mine by the Transnet Foundation in the early ‘90s and was subsequently sold to the UK-based North British Locomotive Preservation Group. Plans to export the loco to the UK fell through and Sandstone acquired the locomotive in 2013.
Our photo gallery shows number 929 being loaded together with its tender and arriving at Sandstone.
We received this excellent video of GMAM 4114 arriving at Sandstone which shows the sheer size of the multi axle trailer. Those who know the area will recognise that the truck is coming from the Bethlehem direction! Purely a navigation error as the convoy missed the turn into Sandstone Estates from Ficksburg and had to proceed as far as Fouriesburg where the road widens at a major intersection in order to turn around for Sandstone. Enjoy the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEtVgBxRCgU
GMAM 4114 has been off loaded at Sandstone into its new position next to the main security gate. Our picture gallery shows the loco being offloaded from the multi axle trailer via the gooseneck lowbed as a ramp and finally in position in its new display area.
The movement of the Sandstone locos at Bloemfontein prompted photographer, Graham McWilliams to send in some pictures of GMAM 4114 at Graaf Reinet in 1979 and also a shot of 24 Class 3688 at Waterval Boven in 1984. It’s always good to see preserved locos in their past lives.
24 Class 3688 stands at Waterval Boven loco depot in 1984.
Our recent video showed GMAM 4114 on the road to Sandstone where it is now safely plinthed near to the main security gate. We have now also moved 24 Class 3688 and 19D 2654 from the Bloemfontein Depot. As we mentioned in our first posting on the GMAM, these two units together with 11 class 929, Crane 187 and two XC tankers, were staged next to the old 15M workshop which Sandstone leased for many years and where Lukas Nel and his team restored so many locomotives. This workshop was always rail connected and had a good road access but things have changed! Since Sandstone closed the workshop in 2019, the rail connection has been mysteriously lifted (stolen?) and the access road overgrown. It was the plan to shunt all these locos and rolling stock to the loading area which had been levelled for the GMAM multi axle trailer next to the main gate of the Depot where they could be loaded onto a lowbed.
Gert Jubileus and his team had to act quickly and decided to reinstate the road to the old workshop so that loading could be done directly there. After two days of frantic road works past the old coal stage and to the back of the 15M workshop a road was put through and the 24 and 19D were loaded for transport to Sandstone. Our photo gallery shows the road works in progress and the 24 (in red ochre paint) and 19D being loaded. Interestingly the diggings next to the old (long demolished) coal stage produced a few tons of coal from the earth which was much appreciated by the locals!
Our next report will cover the move of the 11 class and steam crane 187 and the XC tankers.
Road Building
