Hogwarts Express

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 17 Jul 2009, 09:53

Some recent pictures of 5972 Olton Hall in its special red livery for the Harry Potter films, here and here

M. Hardy-Randall · Post by **M. Hardy-Randall** » 17 Jul 2009, 12:15

Bah! Humbug!

A GWR loco should always be green. What next, 'they' will be painting a 25 class blue. Oops they have.

Malcolm

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 17 Jul 2009, 12:37

Yes, I seem to remember there was a huge outcry in the railway press when it was first painted red.

There was less of an outcry about the blue 25 - maybe BR diesel fans are not as committed/enthusiastic/inflexible/pedantic/hidebound (choose one or more!) as GWR enthusiasts?!

M. Hardy-Randall · Post by **M. Hardy-Randall** » 17 Jul 2009, 13:18

Talking about the blue Class 25 did it go into preservation along with the Red Devil or was it scrapped?

There was a bit of an outcry when the Swiss Federal Railway wanted to paint all the locos red. it was done to present a corporate image! As soon as the locos appeared in their red livery 'they' said that it was a rather boring colour and proceeded to paint them in weird adverts thus destroying the corporate image.

Now the locos are being replaced by EMU stock, which are more efficient and do not require a loco replacement at the terminal stations.

Malcolm

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 17 Jul 2009, 13:55

Malcolm, we may be talking at cross purposes about the 25 class. I recall reading in the July 2009 Railway Magazine that a British heritage diesel has been painted in a blue livery that it never carried in BR service, and I assumed it was a class 25. When I get home later today I'll check the magazine.

I wasn't aware of a blue South African class 25, although there are some dark green ones sitting in Capital Park, but I'm sure we have experts on the forum who do know.

M. Hardy-Randall · Post by **M. Hardy-Randall** » 17 Jul 2009, 15:31

John

I seem to recall that two locos from the SAR Class 25 were converted and, I think, became Class 26. They were were the famous Red Devil and I have no idea what the blue loco was called if anything, maybe Blue Devil. I have a video 'Winterdampf am Kap' that runs for two hours, which I cannot access at this time, that I believe showed both locos working freight out of Kimberley. A superb video ruined by intrusive music.

Malcolm

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 17 Jul 2009, 16:12

Well, I've now checked my Railway Magazine and in fact it was a class 50, no 50135, repainted into Loadhaul livery which it never carried in BR days. Ah, the things that we rail enthusiasts find to get excited about...

Tom Macrery · Post by **Tom Macrery** » 17 Jul 2009, 18:47

From my recollection of what most people say, and from the information in "Locomotives of the South African Railways - A Concise Guide" by Leith Paxton and David Bourne, Struik, 1985, there was only one Class 25 converted to Class 26, The Red Devil. Of all the 25NC's, numbers 3401-3450, only 3450 was converted to 26. There were also many 25's, numbers 3451-3540, converted to 25NC's. I stand to be corrected.

Mike Haslam · Post by **Mike Haslam** » 17 Jul 2009, 20:49

Yes, only one class 26.

There was a blue 19D, used to shunt the blue train at Pretoria Station. I think it got sent to the museum at George.

Turtle

Dylan Knott · Post by **Dylan Knott** » 17 Jul 2009, 21:44

Wasn't 3454 painted blue?

Am sure 3450 was painted black or blue at one stage as well.

M. Hardy-Randall · Post by **M. Hardy-Randall** » 17 Jul 2009, 22:15

I do not know if anybody has a copy of the video to which I referred earlier, but I am sure that it showed the Red Devil with its in line twin exhausts, and the blue loco with twin exhausts located side by side working freight traffic. The video is made by Rio Grande - Videothek. Part one of the video lists the 'Roten Teufel' Red Devil, and part two lists the 'Blaue Teufel' Blue Devil.

For my peace of mind I shall view the video next week when the new recorder is installed.

Dylan Knott · Post by **Dylan Knott** » 17 Jul 2009, 23:09

3454 "BI Ebing" was modified and has twin exhausts. She is currently at Bloemfontein shed. 3450 is in Cape Town.

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 21 Jul 2009, 09:03

Going back to the original topic, for those who like diesels, here is the Hogwarts Express empty coaching stock being taken away behind a Class 47.

neildimmer · Post by **neildimmer** » 21 Jul 2009, 23:38

Friends of the Rail Forum

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Heres some blue 25's