Thank you so much posting these great films. I was born and raised in South Africa. I grew up around trains in the 1950's as my grandfather and father worked for SAR and also Rhodesia Railways. My grandfather was assistant Superintendent of the Natal division reporting to Mr J.D.White. My father was a coach builder in Durban and later in Bulawayo. You mention Soul of A Railway. I have spent so many hours going through this fabulous collection of photos. I am now in my mid 70's and live in North America. I so enjoy watching your films. Thanks! sincerely.
Fantastic clips of my old days on steam. I only ever worked one train up Lootsberg pass and that was with a GMAM garratt in 1996. I think that was the very last steam ever to work up the pass. I heard him mention class 25 condenser no 3511. I worked her many times out of Kimberley then in 1992 my driver John Gilberthorpe and myself worked her to De Aar and return. Once back at Kimberley we dropped her fire and she has never steamed ever again. Very sad indeed. Also in the clip he mentions the video "Steam Fever". This video is a great reminder of John and my days on steam. Of course he and I are on the Red Devil in that video which was just luck we had that engine the day the video was made. After that they came and interviewed us at our homes. Just don't look at my hair in the clip :-) It was great to see the class 23s on the Kimberley to De Aar line. I never saw them in regular service but was lucky enough to work no 3300 to De Aar once. The line is now virtually rusting away with about one or two trains daily. As for long distance passenger trains in SA, nowadays there is virtually only the Blue train and the private Rovos Rail luxury train. Now and again the railways put on a long distance train but much of the time they do not make their destination and busses are called upon. If Mike is ever down in Slovenia it would be good to make contact as I might know him from years past. Im sure he knows me together with my driver John and also another English driver Geoff Hall who is also in the video Steam Fever. Thanks again for a great video Richard Niven
Gosh, this brings back so many wonderful memories. My grandparents farmed near the Teviot siding on the Rosmead/Hofmeyr branch line. I'm guessing it would be 19B's hauling the train from Rosmead to Hofmeyr. Train days were Monday, Wednesday and Friday's. Train would leave Rosmead early morning on the Steynsburg branch line and divert at the Schoembee Siding to Hofmeyr. Unscheduled stops on the sidings on the various farms happened when there was a need. Teviot siding was a scheduled stop for passenger/post and salt (Teviot salt pan bordered on the siding). The train would include one or two passenger cars along with freight/livestock cars. The train would do a turn around in Hofmeyr and head back to Rosmead in the early afternoon. I did many trips between Teviot and Hofmeyr (return) when holidaying on the farm. The service was discontinued circa 1980. We always joked that it was quicker to walk the 61 Kms from Hofmeyr to Takastad as opposed to taking the train. The train would be traveling from Hofmeyr to Rosmead, Steynsburg, Molteno, Queenstown and then Takastad - the distance by road being 359 Kms (obviously rail distance is much more). I still cross the old Hofmeyr branch line on a regular basis when (mountain bike) cycling twice a year in the district.
Hello Richard. Many thanks for all your comments. Mike Grieves (the original film maker) has told me he would like to get in email contact with you. If you email me at info@svsfilm.com I'll let you have his email address.
The 19B's were built in 1930 so as the loco's were normally on 11 year tickets at that time, they were classed as unstandard so by 1975 they were retired. No 1412 was plinths at Middleburg, it was rescued and placed back in service by the Ceres Rail Company after overhall at Vooi Bay. It still a coal burner while the CRC 19D's are oil burners. GMA garretts took over but were replaced by Diesel by 1977. The Class 25 came in two batches 50 Non Codensers ordered from North British while 90 Condenser from Henshal Germany, however, Henshal couldn't cope so sub contracted to North British. Henshal built the first one and sent it to NB it also built many of the tenders while NB built the Loco and some tenders. The 25 had two problems which soon made them selves known, the first was the engines had split crosshead while soon picked up tumbleweed and a modification was quickly made to top slides only, the last 5 came out of NB with this modification, there is a works photo. North British then made the parts and sent them to SA. Also the main rods didn't have knuckle joints in them and this was again modified by NB parts. Two other points the gradient was nearer 1 in 33 towards the top of the Loots urge and I was pulled by 3333 between Oudtshoorn and Klipplaat in 1979.
