Sightings

Great report this week from J&J, great pictures of the love life train. Nice one chaps.

Hi all.

Orange 34 043 was noticed shunting at Tierfontein silos, running backside first. Later we got this train leaving Wesselsbron for Kroonstad after having turned on the triangle. All the silos along the way had plenty of FZ's. Near Losdorings the Spoorbaan were busy on a level crossing. The Spoorbaan were uplifting all the rails at the old silos in Bothaville. Blue 34 409 was caught going through Allanridge with the return working of the Wesselsbron pick-up.

Just South of Makwassie Spoornet maroon 35 692 and blue 35 xxx headed north on a short load of mielies. The signals were green again soon but time did not permit a wait. Between Harrisburg and Regina TFR E 18 511, TFR E 18 614 and blue E 18 290 crawled past us with a Northbound load of mielies. Again all the silos along the way had plenty of FZ's. A lone DZ was standing staged at Harrisburg - probably a hotbox.

At the petrol shunt in Kroonstad we got Spoornet maroon 34 453 and an orange shunting personnel van. There were plenty of fuel tankers waiting to be filled. Gunhill yard was quite full for a change, lots of mielie trucks and petrol tankers. Blue 35 259 was idling away coupled to an orange shunting van. Just North of Holfontein we got orange 34 028 heading for Kroonstad with a load of ballast hoppers and FZ's. This was the Welgelee pick-up's return working as she was running back-side first and the ballast hoppers from Virginia also gave this away. Then 10 minutes later just to the South of Holfontein we got the return working from Friedesheim timber sidings and the Welkom mine exchange yards behind blue 34 037, also running backside first.

Near Hennenman the Spoorbaan were busy at a flange greaser.

Sheltam, RRL and Harmony Surface Rail were observed up and down the lines.

We have seen the following YQ's for special trains running over the next couple of days into next week:

The Reefsteamers special to Ficksburg,
The Love Life train, which we got standing at Senekal, then returning to Kroonstad for a week before proceeding to Brandfort, also for a week,
Rovos Rail African Collage (Harrismith - Noupoort section),
The Shongololo Express (Noupoort - Harrismith section) and
Sheltam class 31 no. 1201 (23) which is leaving Richardsbay for Virginia (Harrismith to Virginia section).

Unfortunately most of these special workings pass us during the night.

Sheltam has the following locos at there depot near Virginia, kindly supplied by the friendly staff there (Thanks Oom Dries):

No7 = shunt

No 0601 = 45 ton Shunter

No 22 = 31 class (Spotty) This loco is being refurbished and soon will be one of the smartest looking 31's around.

No 23 = 31 class (Arrives on Tuesday)

No 4 = 34-400

No 18 = 34-600

Greetings.
J & J.