Friends of the Rail Forum

On the 6th November 1974, Greg Morris, John Kierley, Allan Tilley, Bruce Worthington and I set out before dawn to get as much steam as possible on our last full day in South Africa. First stop was Panpoort on the busy Pretoria to Witbank line. We arrived with class 15CA No 2817 waiting for the crossing. The "International" flew through with double 15CAs, but 2817 did not move. Then along came the local passenger. Still no movement. But a little while later 2803 crept (if a 15CA can creep!!) into the loop alongside. Then down the hill came this double freight, right about sunrise headed by Nos 2047 and 2042.
After that had passed, 2817 decided it was time to go, just as 2810 came in from the western end. We waited till these two had gone and then headed off for the Witbank coalfields. Incredibly it was still not yet 9 a.m.!!