South African Steam: 15CA 2850 around Pretoria

The 15CA's were an awesome loco. A gutsy 4-8-2 with classic lines and an unforgettable exhaust soundtrack! In the mid 1990's, there were still a few 15CA's left running - a number were employed daily at Rustenburg Platinum Mines for haulage work, along with a couple of 15CB's - but the best CA was Capital Park's 2850, which was usually turned out in supershine condition. Froiends of the rail operated 2850 on a number of trips around Pretoria in this period, until her boiler certificate expired in January 1995. A few of these trips are documented here. Friends of the Rail are working towards returning 2850 to steam, where she will be the sole operating member of this magnificent class of locomotive.

[@foreversteam]

Fabulous footage Trevor!! Amazing stack talk from that loco and as usual, you knew just when to get the camera rolling! Thanks for posting all these wonderful SAR clips!

[@steamfreak]

Cheers

[@Retaud21]

Lovely video Trevor. Well up to your usual high standard.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks John

[@steamfreak]

Hi John, yeah I recall 2056 operating in the recent past - only seemed to go for a short time though? Let's hope they are both back at the same time!

[@koegelenbergandriesng.153]

Spoorweg in my blood sal daarmee begrawe word.

[@steamfreak]

Yep - dunno how it got into mine, but it will also always be there!

[@JohnAshworth2023]

Great video, Trevor. Thanks. Hopefully FOTR's 2850 will not be "the sole operating member of this magnificent class of locomotive". Reefsteamers' 2056 was operational 5 years ago (and I had the privilege of firing her in Witbank a year or so earlier) and although she is out of service at the moment one hopes she will be repaired eventually. Will we ever see a train double-headed by 15CAs, 2850 and 2056?

[@steamfreak]

Looks like 2850 will be on the road again soon!

[@fatpigeon008]

​@@steamfreakShe is indeed! She's the only operational 15CA as of 2024.