week ending 2 December

[Chris Janisch]

A very steamy week in Pretoria.
Rovos had a parade of trains to the Sun City golf tournament- leaving each evening from Wednesday at 8pm behind steam to Pyramid South, although the afternoon return was diesel hauled. On the first 2 nights the diesel burning 3484 was used, but on Fri and Sat a more decent loco 3442 was put in charge, The reason is that there were dinner trains those nights, diesel hauled as it turned out, but 3484 shunted the train in and was on standby should the diesels not arrive. On Friday FOTR ran 3664 to Cullinan, and then also had 2650 lit up on that night. So on Friday evening I spent some time doing flash exposures on the 4 locos in steam at the Park! Two 35s came down late to haul the dinner train, followed closely by 3442 who barked loudly out of the depot and up the north main line. Down at the FOTR site our two locos simmered away..
On Saturday 2650 hauled the Cullinan train, while 3664 did some shunting in the afternoon. It was decided to rearrange the lines, primarily to bring 15CA 2850 up to the front. As you may know, work on retubing this icon of Pretoria will begin in the new year! What a sight to see 3664 going flat out to haul the reluctant rusty CA up from the coalstage area, Nathan even tugging the CA's regulator in an attempt to assist the 24.
Meanwhile up at Rovos, midday saw the eventual arrival of 25NC 3533 from Kimberley, after months of planning. What an eyesore, a thick cladding of rust and total dereliction, disfigured by chalkmarks and graffiti. She was shunted behind fellow worshond-tendered 3442, creating an interesting comparison study. Hopefully her time will come soon to be shunted into the workshop for overhaul. Apparently she has a good boiler and wheelset.
The afternoon Sun City arrived behind blue 34-652, twenty coaches the load.
After the dinner and Sun City trains were out, and the shunting over, peace returned to the shed, save for the sizzle of 2650. She worked a nice busy train to Cullinan on Sunday 2nd before having her fire thrown out. Hopefully this week we will have 15F 3117 washed out for BI. She already stands in the shed lines separated from her tender.

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Chris, for an evocative piece. Who can say steam in South Africa is dead when there is so much steam activity around Pretoria? Four locomotives of three different classes in steam, and three more locomotives representing two more classes being prepared to return to main line service.

[Nathan Berelowitz]

I was booked as a fireman on the 19D on Friday night 7th Dec, the Rovos having a charter of 20 coches to Nelspruit. The other loco was 25NC 3442. I came on duty for ther night train at 18h00 and the driver told me that it looks like it may be electric hauled, as there were units up the far end of the yard waiting. We steamed up to them and were told that the train to Nelspruit was to be electric hauled and we could go home.

We pulled back ito the shed and dropped fire into the far end of their inspection pit and stabled the 19D. At the same time, the FOTR charter from Cullinan came in, having left at 16h00 from Cullinan, having the entrance line made available by the units standing clear on the container depot line.

Once again, to see a late afternoon scene of the sun poking out from below the cloudy skies was magnificent. The 25 NC was departing on the Rovos train to place it on the platform, the 19D whose fire had been dropped was softly glinting in the shed alongside her new companion from Kimberley, the 25NC 3533. Across the fence were the sounds of FOTR 24 class shunting the load away, the smoke from both operations rising slowly into the darkening sky.

On the way home, I realised how lucky we are to still experience such activity, and how we take it so for granted. At least I made 3 hours call out time!!