Zimbabwe Steam: NRZ 20 Class Garratts Bulawayo to Plumtree

During Zimfest 2001, NRZ 20 Class Garratts worked trains out to Plumtree and return from Bulawayo. 730 went first on a goods train, followed by a struggling 740 a bit later with a passenger train. The locos combined at Pumtree for the double-headed run home with the passenger train.

[@nashemaroe]

Id waych this all day, the hisses, the clinking and clanking just gives me goose bumps. This is an engineering marvel

[@steamfreak]

They are amazing machines!

[@garydurandt4260]

I remember as a young teenager travelling on the train with my family, from Bulawayo down to Port Elizabeth every year, via Botswana. Man those were good days. Thanks for the memories!

[@steamfreak]

What a great journey

[@brianhairbottle8499]

Brings back many memories, thank you

[@steamfreak]

Thanks Brian, those were good days.

[@ROBINFREEMANTLE2012]

Good grief! Just happened to see this by chance.. I used to catch this same train way back in the 1970's when I went to Plumtree School as a border. The trains then were great, the clickety clack, soot and smoke blowing in your face while you looked out.. starched white linen beds and great food in the dining car. I would give a lot to do that again! Thanks for putting this up!

[@steamfreak]

Cheers, thanks for your memories!

[@r.cooper9790]

I grew up with steam train around me, back in Southern Rhodesia and Zimbabwe. I wrote about a Zimbabwean steam train in my book, Sam Edward the Steam Train, Lulu Press Ltd.

[@steamfreak]

Impressive locos

[@rsinclair6560]

If only Tasmania had had the good sense to preserve the M and L class garratts with 8 cylinders and do what you do now. CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE.

[@steamfreak]

Those Garratts were certainly impressive looking machines.

[@lauriefielder8762]

Tahnk you for reviving memories of my life in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia. so sorry I had to leave

[@conceretejungle1150]

u can always come back

[@steamfreak]

It's a beautiful place

[@grahambird3112]

Did my Apprenticeshjp on RR 1980 .... Worked on 12/14/16 & 20th Class .... Proud to see this !

[@steamfreak]

Ah nice! They are amazing locos.

[@newy2242]

did you do your apprenticeship at Bulawayo Train sheds, if so i bet you went to Greys Hotel for lunch and shopped at the Railway coop also Meakles

[@newy2242]

From Bulawoyo to Plumtree the stations are Syringa, Figtree , Marula And Plumtree, 63 miles. i lived in Marula and my bed room was 15 yards from the tracks , never needed an alarm clock as the 0600 from Bulawayo to plumtree woke us all up. Its so Sad to see the state of Plumtree Station it used to be full of flowers baskets and the platform was always white edged stones and well kept flower beds, great times

[@mabhodlelajj1195]

it is really sad man..where are residing now?

[@steamfreak]

Beautiful country.

[@beenyoni]

Majestic!!! At the start of the video, Locomotive No. 190 is/was the less popular German or Soviet Union steam loco built by Baldwin Locomotives Works. One of them is now kept at Hwange Colliery Museum... I think so.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks. I think this one is still in Bulawayo museum

[@user-sy9om8pb2k]

Fantastic I fired them engines in the 1970’s Rhodisian railways Bulawayo Victory Falls Hard work shovelling 10 tons a shift Dett Sawmills

[@steamfreak]

Tough work but good work. Great locos.

[@TheShamwari]

Probably the same engines when I was a border in1949, and then as Gaul h/m 1958 to 2000. Much prefered the train rides to Salisbury than the school bus with driver John Mabika.

[@steamfreak]

They would have been great train journeys

[@johnnie684]

Also did my apprenticeship on the railways enjoyed working in the steam shed don,t think I would have a chance of getting into the fire box these days

[@steamfreak]

🙂 They were great locos

[@MainlyHuman]

First saw the Zimbabwe Garratts on a programe by Robbie Coltrane around 93, love the whistle.

[@steamfreak]

They are impressive beasts!

[@Vicivicoing]

Beautiful video of this powerful locomotives,thanks for posting !!

[@steamfreak]

My pleasure

[@Spalterbockl]

Thank you again for your answer and your posting! Great stuff you do!

[@steamfreak]

Cheers

[@Isochest]

Good to see such a railway still steam powered.

[@steamfreak]

They still have a couple of steam locos that can operate I think

[@user-sy9om8pb2k]

I was based in Dete Rhodesia 1969 for 2yrs I fired these steam engines to Victoria falls and the opposite way to Sawmills I left and came back to UK because of the terrorist activity, not my country. Working tourist

[@steamfreak]

Those would have been good years on the Garratts.

[@steamfreak]

@Ganjastar there are still Garratts operating in Bulawayo, and farther afield on special tours. There is one coming up this year with Geoff's Trains

[@NN2Blue]

An excellent compilation 5* - Thank you for sharing. - Mike

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@BLESSEDTOBEABLESSING]

My dad used to drive these trains

[@steamfreak]

Hi Julia, There are still some Garratts in steam at Bulawayo, on shed and shunt duty. But the 20/20A Class Garratts are currently out of service.

[@dazekipper]

Great Video, Many Thanks. A friend of mine who died recently, used to be a fireman on number 724. Is she still around? was she a 20 class? I have a photo of her.

[@steamfreak]

I think there are only 3 or 4 left...

[@cuzinitr]

A great video of some beautiful machine's! 5* Rich

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@steamfreak]

@Spalterbockl this footage was recorded on a Sony TRV-7 Mini DV digital camera. Audio and video are both digital. I had a Sennheiser mic as well.

[@stephensmith799]

Moody and magnificent!

[@johannesijdutoit190]

africa you beuatiful place

[@steamfreak]

What a great day, not repeated since...

[@steamfreak]

No. 724 was indeed a 20 Class. I don't think 724 is still around though.

[@Spalterbockl]

Fantastic stuff! 2 class 20 on one train! Since I believe that at that time you did an analog recording, how do you avoid drop-outs?

[@steamfreak]

That recording was done on miniDV digital tape, it was pretty reliable sound-wise

[@TheShamwari]

Oops should be 1988 not "58".

[@steamfreak]

Thanks

[@mebeasensei]

So steam is still used in regular time-tabled revenue work in Zimbabwe?

[@steamfreak]

no, real steam is all but gone in Zimbabwe now...

[@isaacshoko1895]

Good for tourism l guess but too much air pollution.

[@steamfreak]

🤣 Less pollution than diesels...

[@Yitao_Su]

They look so similar to the one in Sydney Australia, number 6029🤣

[@steamfreak]

Yes there are similarities. These Zimbabwe ones are 3'6" gauge and more powerful than the AD60

[@Yitao_Su]

@@steamfreak Are they still being used?

[@steamfreak]

@@Yitao_Su Sadly not.

[@Yitao_Su]

@@steamfreak Okay