South African Steam: NGG16 131 Loerie to Assegaibos Narrow Gauge August 2002

Join a special mixed train from Loerie to Assegaibos hauled by Garratt NGG16 131. We begin the journey in the pre-dawn at Loerie, following the train along the scenic 2-foot gauge line to Assegaibos.

[@alantunbridge8919]

I lived in Uitenhage from 1974 to 1994 , frequently rode on & chased the”Apple Express” also rode & chased trains on the Patensie branch ,additionally rode & chased trains Assegibos to Avontuur, but the Gamtoos Junction to Assegibos section eluded me, so very interesting & memory evoking to see this. Well done!

[@steamfreak]

Thanks Alan, you're very fortunate to have experienced so much of the narrow gauge. I only managed to get there a couple of times.

[@alantunbridge8919]

@@steamfreak Just to boast. I visited more than once the Natal n.g. lines viz:- Estcourt- Weenen Umlaas Road -Mid Illovo Port Shepstone-Harding Umzinto-Ixopo, but not Ixopo-Donnybrook I chased & photo graphed on all these lines & rode the “ Banana Express”

[@edwardhadland1534]

Fantastic!!

[@steamfreak]

I love those little Garratts

[@robertroos9380]

I worked there for 7 years. I love the narrow guage

[@steamfreak]

Yes those 2' lines were awesome, and those Garratts are great!

[@davidvlok1755]

Marvelous footage 👌 once again proof of our rail system reaching all parts of the country

[@steamfreak]

Thank you. It was one of the most incredible railway systems in the world!

[@Retaud21]

Trevor, Lovely images of a fantastic railway. I only wish it were possible to relive your experience today. Thanks once more for sharing your fantastic film.

[@steamfreak]

You're welcome. I wish too that w could relive that trip, and many others...

[@moyrajoyce9832]

I was one of the volunteers on that trip to Avontuur. Wonderful.

[@steamfreak]

It was an amazing journey

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Excellent video! Sad that the majority of people in SA has no interest in these old trains, except for the value of their metals! The view of Spoornet management and government on heritage doesn't help as well. Lot's has been lost nowadays by neglect, vandalism and theft, I had recently copied my tapes of my '94 journey on my harddrive and realised that none of the trains I had been on runs today (banana express, George-Knysna). Thanks for sharing these beautifull memories. A footnote; this does not only happen in SA, In Belgium there were 4 beautifull mainline steam loco's running in the '80 and '90's, there were a lot of other items of stock stored in depots for a future national railway museum. Since then only 1 steam loco was kept in running order and a lot of the other stock stored in the open air because of closure and demolition of sheds. By the time plans were made for the museum a lot was rotten and vandalized so badly that it had to be scrapped, and the museum built is to small to house all the good items (surplusses have been donated to other preservationists, that's at least a good thing), and it's built in such a way that it had to be built shut around exposed items, so none of it can ever leave the museum in the future!) Then the government implemented such stringent rules about railway safety in 2014 that no heritage loco can ever comply with them, and mainline tours are almost sure a thing of the past. Luckily a private group preserved a lot of diesel and electric heritage loco's, and recreated a couple of steam classes which they run on a own heritage line.

[@steamfreak]

Yes it takes a lot of effort to keep the steam wheels rolling... It is very sad how much we have lost over the years.

[@Retaud21]

Trevor these are great images of this line. Once again, thank you very much for sharing them with all on the Ethernet.

[@steamfreak]

Thank you!

[@foreversteam]

Another wonderful SAR steam video clip! That NGG16 is a superb runner in tip-top condiition (well it was back then!) LOL! Thanks for sharing!

[@egalf]

And a few years ago, they scrapped them away. Gone, forever.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks Bryn

[@dereksmith4691]

"What once was..."! This sort of thing makes an old man happy,... BUT, sad that these scenarios are no longer part and parcel of daily life! I LOOK, I LISTEN AND .... I wish FOR THE DAYS GONE BY! Still, I'm in the warm and dry with a nice glass of decent wine by my side so, wallow if I may!! Lovely!

[@steamfreak]

Very true! Enjoy the nostalgia!

[@rogerwillsher6145]

Want to view an NGG 16 performing today - 2021, come to the Puffing Billy Railway , Australia. We have two although only No. 129 is gauge converted and rebuilt as new

[@steamfreak]

Yes but it's out of service. So you can't actually go to Puffing Billy today, or any time in 2021 so far, and see the NGG16 in service. Hopefully we'll see it running at some point this year.

[@BennettBrookRailway]

Great video! Some beautifully scenic shots.

[@steamfreak]

That's an incredible line, I hope they can resume operations soon....

[@steamfreak]

No worries John, I'm glad the videos are being enjoyed!

[@stevenmitchell6040]

Great video Trevor! I was on that train and 17 years old at the time.. my father, the late Roy Mitchell, making a brief appearance at 0:31. Would love to see all the "inbetween" bits of the unedited footage.

[@steamfreak]

Hi Steven, I'll see what else I have.

[@quhitcorse1943]

brilliant video thnaks

[@steamfreak]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@WigWagProduction]

Thnaks is how they say it in South African?

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

Do you have any more footage of the Avontuur Railway

[@steamfreak]

That was my only trip there with steam unfortunately.

[@mikgsal1384]

Thank you for a fantastic video. At 5.25 was that a 8 foot by 20 foot Maersk shipping container? If so thats impressive on a 2 foot gauge line!

[@steamfreak]

That is indeed a 20' container!

[@egalf]

In Europe they tried to move freight traffic on a few narrow gauge railways to containers in some places or tested it at least, but it sadly didn't work out most of the time on a 150mm wider gauge.

[@crewkerne40]

Another fascinating video.I rode the 2ft gauge in Natal but missed out on this line.Like the consist of the train including the TZ dairy van,was this brought along to keep the beer cool?.Is this line now shut?.Alan.

[@steamfreak]

Line is now closed although a dedicated group in PE are working to get trains running on at least part of the line

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

Is this the Avontuur line?

[@steamfreak]

Yes it is. Beautiful line! I hope we get to see it operating under the Apple Express again soon.

[@lorrainelamprecht2990]

Triain from PotElibeth to Pretoria

[@steamfreak]

This one went on the Avontuur line, not to Pretoria...