South African Steam 1991 - Part 2

Filmed by Chinarail1 (Peter Crush of Hong Kong ) from 30 Sep- 4 Aug 1991. Continuing the South African Steam Festival steam tour of 1991, the second part of this video shows a parade of preserved vintage locomotives as well as still-operational steam power. Regrettably, during the ceremony at Kimberly, the Director of S. A Railways saddened the atmosphere by publicly announcing that steam was to be rapidly phased out within South Africa

[@winco68]

Fantastic recording. Only 30 years ago but such a contrast to today. A rail system lying in ruins. 🙁

[@Adventurescot]

Great old days of steam. Working on those locomotives was some of the best days of my life. With an extremely enthusiastic driver as John Gilberthorpe as my regular driver on and our own regular 25NC no 3488 it was just fantastic to say the least. Looking at your clip, right at 36min 30sec are 3 guys standing with their backs towards you. The chap in the Spoornet overalls certainly looks like myself. I may have been showing the photographers around the shed or such. Thanks so much for posting

[@Chinarail1]

Nice to hear from some of the former SAR staff and particularly rewarding when somebody recognizes themselves in these old video clips. Thanks for the kind comments. ( regards, Peter Crush , Hong Kong )

[@Adventurescot]

@@Chinarail1 Peter, you may even have chatted to me on the opening day of the festival. Were you up at the station for the handover of 15F 3052 to David Shephard?? Just before the handover Pat Abbott and myself brought 5 locos up from Beaconsfield shed to Kimberley station. I was up front in the 6 class where I generally stayed during the whole handover and chatted to many visitors. Other than that I generally worked 25NC 3488 and the condenser during the festival. Thanks again for that great clip

[@Chinarail1]

@@Adventurescot Thanks. I was indeed on the platform for the hand-over of 15F 3052. I must have seen you. However I didn't do much chatting.... I was too busy with the video camera. The past few years ( until Covid ruined all my travel plans) I have been gricing in Mainland China & assisting a mining and railway museum at Tangshan , east of Beijing. ( see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2exipdsebeonLs)

[@Adventurescot]

@@Chinarail1 Once Kimberley steam ended I worked steam for a few years in movies but finally ended up at Voorbaai working the tour trains over Montagu and the Knysna line until I returned to Scotland where I am still driving hi speed trains out of Edinburgh. I then turned to building live steam models and now have a collection of 6 SAR machines. Last Feb we had a parade of steam day with all my engines in steam. Sadly they did not perform too well but it was still a good day. Here is a clip of the day on my KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4bYYYiMr95khJY

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

The locomotive shown is the Red Devil,it was improved to make the best use of steam traction.

[@rupertmcnaughtdavis3649]

It survives, part of Ceres Rail,I believe.

[@matthewschinazzi6594]

Those locomotives were beasts.😊

[@Antloo2009]

Al hierdie mooi lokomotiewe is weg. Baie hartseer 😞

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

The gauge in South Africa is Cape Gauge Three feet six inches.

[@Scrat-hp2wl]

29:01 Some footage of the class 6 locomotive

[@jacobaras2589]

Die treine laat my ver terug dink aan my kinderdae.

[@laurariccio6003]

Are there any 25nc still running.

[@ferdinandbunyan8793]

Lovely clips! Interesting to know what’s the gauge of track in SA

[@paultickner2]

3ft 6 inches

[@thejdmguru621]

1067mm narrow gauge. The Class 25 was the biggest locomotive produced for that gauge.

[@johnbeck2042]

It is three feet six inches, approx half of the UK gauge of six feet! I don't know why it is different, but we still have an excellent safety rating, despite the narrow gauge!

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

The loading gauge is much bigger though.