Thursday 26 July 2012

Hennenman station.







Hi guys.

The guys were busy uplifting rails in the old Hennenman yard area today. This specific line was the one that went to the tri-angle. These rails are headed for Vierfontein, to be used for the re-laying of the Orkney line.

Cheers.
J&J

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Welkom Station






Hi everyone.

I got my train driver buddy at Welkom today on the return working of the Bothaville pick-up. This morning on the outward journey he brought 35 259 toreplace 35 257, RRL's hire locomotive from Transnet in Kroonstad. 35 257 failed this morning. I had a footplate ride with him while getting the 35257, as you can see one of RRL's 91's is waiting for us to complete the shunting movement to enter the yard. Meanwhile 35 259 on  another RRL ore haul had approached from Friedesheim and was also waiting for us - quite a
busy time in Welkom station!!

Their 31 class was in the "workshop" having a new traction motor fitted.

Cheers.
J&J

Thursday 19 July 2012

The Blue Class 14E1




Finally after many years, the first class 14E1 has been painted in Blue Train livery. Just a pity that the loco carries no Blue Train logo. Derek Walker spotted the new livery freshly out of the shops, the Locos had just hauled the Blue Train to Pretoria from Cape Town. Class 14E1 #14-110 was  first loco to be painted. Apparently a second loco will also be painted in the livery.

This was a great scoop from Derek while travelling on the Gautrain.

Queensland Locos






Thanks to Les for this interesting report. The Queensland locos could make things very interesting for us SA enthusiasts. let hope a number of them stay in the country. Will follow the rebuilding / refurbishment of these locos with great interest.
Craig

Hi all
I have just been to RRL Grinrod & A.R.& T.S(Surtees)
The U22C locos arrived late yesterday & today under the own power.(18 July)
Attached are photos of most of them.
I was unable to take any photos of the 1700 class, but can confirm the numbers
I confirmed the following:
Grinrod:
1755 + 1767 + 1772 + 1748 + 1775 + 1768
2600 + 2602 + 2603 + 2606 + 2608 + 2611
A R & T S:
2601 + 2604 + 2605 + 2607 + 2609 + 2610 + 2612

The 1700 class were delivered by road, the 2600 class by rail
Each company drove their own locos in two batches
5 from Grinrod & 4 from AR&TS under their own power towing the balance
The QR locos couplers are 770 mm from rail, were as SA couplers are 855 mm.
Does anyone know if QR altered these couplers for any other customer? I was asked
to enquire how this was altered if they might have changed the height

Les Bray
Pretoria

Sunday 1 July 2012

Winsorton Road,

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  



Riverton, Sheltam, Slypklip, Welgelee

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  




Petrusburg

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  



Perdeberg

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  

Koedoe, Macfarlane, Olienhoutplaat


From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there! 
 



Kimberley

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  



Kamfersdam

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!  







Dronfield, Emmaus and Immigrant

From the 700km of Sightings.
Click on the link above and read the story there!