South African Railways - Last Locos to Lootsberg. 19B 1412 and GMAM 4122 August 2001

Join the last train over Lootsberg Pass. The Union Limited Maluti, hauled by Lootsberg veterans 19B 1412 and GMAM 4122, has a final fling over this magnificent stretch of railway line. Down to a slow walking pace at times, the locos never stalled and the enginemanship of the crews is apparent as they coax the heavy train over the mountain and manage to reverse and restart the train for a number of photo stops.

[@davidvlok1755]

Steam locomotives are fantastic, but when you see the double headers it's incredible. Thanks very much for sharing this fantastic footage. Sound is brilliant 👍👌👏🤗

[@steamfreak]

Thanks! Yes Lootsberg is an incredible piece of railway.

[@ronfisher2-railwaytravelvideos]

I did a tour of South Africa in 1972 and the Lootsberg was one of the (many) highlights. 👍👍👍

[@steamfreak]

It's definitely an impressive bit of railway!

[@geoffreyblack5982]

This gave me goosebumps. Beautiful and steep line.👍

[@steamfreak]

Incredible enginemanship!

[@jacquesleroux5069]

Brilliant! The true power of steam!

[@steamfreak]

Yes, what a line and so spectacular with steam at the front!

[@Herriot7]

Thanks so much for sharing. A lovely compilation of shots and sections. Most atmospheric.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks, it was a great journey and the last steam over the pass.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

This is one of the best rail tour videos out on YT, what a scenery and what an action. Only some snow on the pass could have made it better. The correct loco's for this route as well, especially the 19B's had a long life here. If not for the wash aways this tour would still have been possible today, despite the re-closure the route is in good condition.

[@steamfreak]

Would be great to see trains over the pass again

[@willieterblanche9417]

1976 When coming home from Oudtshoring after military service we traveled over that way on our way back to Durban via Bloemfontein we actually got out the train and walked up the mountain as the train picked up speed we jumped back in good old time

[@steamfreak]

It's beautiful country

[@alanm569]

Love the sounds of steam trains.....nice footage

[@steamfreak]

Thank you!

[@zenzaleni]

A magnificent steam video, thank you to the camera crew/s you did an excellent job. Thank you

[@steamfreak]

Thanks! It was one of the best train trips I have done...

[@paulash7993]

South Africa's most mountainous railway. Imagine hand-firing a steam engine constantly for five hours with only two rest breaks, one at each water stop. The line closed in 2001. In 2013, Transnet told farmers it was reopening the line once more and spents hundreds of millions of rand on repairs. They ran a single test train over the pass in 2016 ... and that was it. The track washed away at Marais in November 2017 and in other places since then and Transnet has now told farmers that the line is officially closed once more.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks Paul. Yep it was an awesome line. A pity it couldn't stay open. Cheers, Trevor

[@johnbeck2042]

So sad that the powers that be cannot/will not help preserve this once amazing steam route. I did the Graaff-Reinet - Oudtshoorn route in 1962 during an officers' training course at SAI 1, during the coldest winter for seventy years. Steam always seems to be at its visual best on icy cold days! Wonderful memories - I am eighty years young!

[@TrainLordJC]

Absolutely amazing to hear those two magnificent engines double heading, awesome sound, beautiful video. Lucky you to have been there to capture it.

[@steamfreak]

+Train Lord that was one of the best journeys I ever made in SA...

[@TrainLordJC]

@@steamfreak revisiting this video again. Just awesome! I was in South Africa in 1984 but unfortunately I didn't see any steam locomotives working even though I took the train to and from Durban from Jo'burg. And in 2011 I took Rovos Rail The Pride of Africa from Cape Town. And what an amazing train ride that was!

[@sjert1]

Awesome video! Those beasts... The Karoo landscape... love it!

[@steamfreak]

It was a fantastic trip!

[@Retaud21]

Fantastic video. Brings back memories of the 'Union Limited' in 2000.

[@steamfreak]

Those were good trips!

[@crewkerne40]

Fascinating video,many thanks for uploading it.I hitch hiked over the Lootsberg back in November 1976,the road was close to the railway,this video shows what I missed by going by road.How sad to know that the Lootsberg is now history.RIP South African RAILWAYS-not SATS or whatever they call themselves these days.Alan.

[@steamfreak]

Yes this line was refurbished a few years back, only saw one train and was then abandoned again... Sad.

[@LMatters1]

A wonderful video, thank you so much for posting.

[@steamfreak]

Thank you!

[@jimyoung2188]

What a magnificent Duo, that Garratt is so sure footed it was doing most of the work where it got tough at one stage it was actually pushing the other loco and pulling the rest of the train. Great Video would have loved to have been on that trip.

[@steamfreak]

Yes I swore they would stall, but they just kept pulling!

[@johnbeck2042]

Yup! This makes me think of the old Afrikaans hit "Trans-Karoo" Try watching this with that in the background as well. Brings tears to my eyes!

[@Turitea]

A magnificent video, many thanks !

[@steamfreak]

Cheers!

[@viviennehart14]

Oh WOW, more memories!!!! Our water tender ran away down the line, had everyone putting ballast on the track to slow it down, just in time before it hit a truck containing bags of cement for the work on the road pass!!!

[@steamfreak]

Oh wow! 😬

[@struck2soon]

Great stuff Trevor, you've certainly been on some excellent steam treks in your time. It must break your heart to know that they've just let it all die away...

[@steamfreak]

Thanks. Yes it is very sad 😔

[@Adventurescot]

Great stuff Trev. If only we could bring back the past!! I went over this pass a few times as a passenger but only once fired a GMAM over it!! Best line in SA. Thanks for posting, Cheers Rich

[@steamfreak]

Those truly were the days.

[@Adventurescot]

@@steamfreak I still watch this clip over and over again Trevor. I just think back to my days on the footplate of those locos and how we use to hammer them up these passes. 4122 was not my favorite GMAM, that goes to 4072 which is actually the boiler on 4122 in your clip. I however worked 4122 more than any other GMAM. Witbank to Germiston, Germiston to Magaliesburg, Kimberley to De Aar and of course all around Mossel Bay area. Sad she stands rusting away now in Voorbaai.

[@steamfreak]

@@Adventurescot Hey Rich, what a life you have led! What I would give to be back there again in the days of steam!

[@duxberry1958]

A very good video indeed my old man worked for RR in the 60,s

[@steamfreak]

Thanks. RR and SAR were world class in those days.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks, Rich. Yep it sure was a spectacular line! I felt privileged to ride it - you are fortunate to have fired on it!

[@peterlittle6208]

at 13:00 the crews had already climbed the horseshoe once. They would stop to let us off so that we could climb up the hill to get a good view for a run past. Then set back and do the climb all over again, good memories.

[@steamfreak]

Amazing enginemanship with that heavy train on steep grades!

[@natashanel1665]

Awesome Transnet should bring them back into service There s enough of them standing at Voorbaai

[@steamfreak]

I believe some of the Voorbaai locos are being repaired at the moment.

[@zzh3518]

Great video. Not the last train over the Lootsberg Pass in the end, as the railway line through Graaff-Reinet was rehabilitated and recommissioned in 2015.

[@steamfreak]

+ZZH I was very pleased to hear about the line's rehabilitation! Still the last steam over the line I think? Let's hope we can see some more steam over the pass in the future.

[@paulash7993]

@@steamfreak Transnet ran a single test train over the pass in 2016. The track was washed away at Marais in 2017 and in other places since then and Transnet has now told farmers that the line is officially closed once more.

[@irelandbloke]

Super video

[@steamfreak]

Cheers

[@quintoflyer]

great video

[@steamfreak]

Thanks, it was a great day!

[@alandcruiser]

Bringing back old memories of my own ride in 1987. Thanks from Switzerland.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@Spamcan81]

Awesome.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@samuelkock7693]

I saw nothing of the rehabilitation when I passed through Graaff Reinet four years ago. The only infrastructure that is left i is the lovely old station building at Graaff-Reinet. The infrastructure at Klipplaat is gone. The station building was completely torn down and stolen, only the name board remained. The same sort of thing happened in the eastern Cape. It really is a disgrace. Have you seen what DE-AAR STATION IS LIKE TODAY? Shocking.

[@steamfreak]

It's very sad. The SAR was once a world class system... 😕

[@steamfreak]

The steam safaris provided funds to keep these locos maintained and in service. Without them we would have seen few if any steam locos survive operating into the 2000's. Rather look to the government and railway administrations for the answer to who f***ed up the steam in SA...

[@itait7372]

Ja ne those we're the days my friend's,die dae van die ouens 🤘

[@steamfreak]

Yes, we thought they'd never end...

[@slave2live]

My first job... stoker on the railways .... 1965

[@steamfreak]

Nice. Would have been hard work, but satisfying.

[@jimjardine4705]

At times, they seem to be struggling!

[@steamfreak]

Yep, heavy train, sharp curves, 1 in 50...

[@Parlophonic]

Superb film of the Garrett engines, but infuriatingly little onus vintage clerestoried carriages! Some shots of those would have gone down a treat, especially views if the insides. They,like the steam engines, have gone I suppose, judging by the trip I took 3rd class to Majtiesfontein not too long ago. The train was much too modern for my liking!. Thanks for a beautiful film otherwise.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks. I think I did take a few pics inside, must find those...

[@brycenew]

Omg GREAT! video mate! Couple of Qs - was that a regular revenue train? Roughly how many carriages? What an epic battle those locos and their crews faced hey. Great work by them all. Thanks for recording and posting this :D

[@steamfreak]

+Bryce New that was a special train with 28 carriages/wagons. The line was basically abandoned at that point and this was to be the last train. The line has since been refurbished but I'm not sure if regular trains run there.

[@gertniemand6228]

Lekker

[@steamfreak]

Dankie!

[@GarrattHamster]

watching this very carefully. from 10.40 is it me or is the garratt producing smoke ring's.

[@steamfreak]

Yes it was indeed! I remember seeing that on the day.

[@SteamerSA]

Wish I could ever have experienced a steam safari. Perhaps its jealousy speaking ;) but I always kinda felt a bit resentful towards the steam safaris, especially in the 2000s, the reason being that I always felt the safaris F'd-up the precious engines - so much so that nothing of this is running today. Despite the line and video being quite spectacular, every breathing chug and screech of the wheels pains my soul.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks Henry. I think there are more factors at play that resulted in very little steam running today but I'm happy for what still remains!

[@jimjardine4705]

It seems like they had too many carriages.

[@steamfreak]

A very heavy load!

[@MANDREW33]

At 12.41 = Heartbreak hill

[@steamfreak]

No hearts were broken this day!

[@likoni02]

What's the ruling gradient?

[@jacobusliebenberg6896]

likoni02 in

[@steamfreak]

1 in 40 I believe

[@jimjardine4705]

I reckon that one American Big Boy would have done a better job!

[@mthokoowen1460]

I fully agree.The performance of those two locomotives,a 19B+GMAM garratt which =3×19 class locos,was far below par It was a struggle all the way up and by look of things the gradient was something around 1 in 50 the same a single 1938 GM garratt locomotive worked rated from 800 to 1000ton train to Groot Marico.I wonder if those two locomotives had aged to the point of losing much of their power as the train they hauled was enough for a single 19B,well depending on a gradient.(2021.02.23-18:33)

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@mthokoowen1460 The line has gradients as steep as 1 in 40 uncompensated, 2 class 19B's would be limited to 600 tons on this line. The train in the video accounts for ca 900-1000 tons including the 2 extra water tankers and steam heat car in the consist. So for a GMAM (2x19D) and a 19B maximum weight but still within the limit. Daily operations back then might not have looked much different. I don't know the condition 1412 and 4022 were in back then, but both loco's had major overhauls since and are both in service now.

[@steamfreak]

Hahaha yep on those light tracks too, never mind the gauge...

[@sydneymartin6941]

I don't think you guys know what you are talking about As far as I know "BIG BOY" runs on 4ft 6 gauge if I am correct whereas here in South Africa we run on 3ft 6inch However if you really wanted to see locomotives working you should have seen the Transkei Our drivers never ever battled as we always made sure that the sand boxes and sand bottles were full Greetings from an old fireman