Friends of the Rail Forum

Photographer Dennis Mitchell wrote:Dear all,
Dunns locomotive and boiler works were probably unique; we've all heard of used car yards but a used locomotive yard?
" Your 4-8-2 struggling with bigger loads? upgrade to a Garratt!! need a small loco for stores traffic? try one of our tanks!!"
Anyway this place astounded me.
1.&2 This was a general view in November 1974 ,b+w and colour [it might help the hiistorians]
From the left ex class 8 ,grotbox,class 8 N.B.L. 4-8-2T?x Crown mines? Landau? a H2? x Tavistock colliery.
A jigsaw for John!!!

3. No, its not a 15F at dunns!! C.F.M. 702+706 managed to have a head on in Swaziland due to a dubious piece of safeworking in 1976. Apparently at Nondvo, when a doubleheader had to take water, the signaller had to clear the starting signal;for the train to draw forward so the 2nd loco could take water; they would then shunt back too allow for the cross.The enivitable happened,a train normally doubleheaded had only a single load. The signalman gave the road and 706 took off ,the signalman saw what was happening and apparently Ambulances were on the way 20 minutes before the collission!! The signalman was never seen again.
At the time Mocambique was in the throws of civil war, and could not repair the locos, so Dunns got the contract .!May 1977

4. 12A lookalike Witbank colleries 4-8-2 # 4 under o/h at Dunns nov 1974[ Allan Tilley and Bruce Worthington[ pud] surveying proceedings nov 1974.
HAPPY STEAMING
Dennis