Friends of the Rail Forum

Gill and I booked tickets for the early morning photographers event when only 50 were admitted. Cost us 15 quid each but well worth it to have some time to photograph and reminisce. A great uncle of mine, Ted Windle, was one of HNG's draughtsman on the project, so there was a family connection ...

Class 24 3366 does belong to SANRASM and has been looked after by FOTR for more years than I care to remember!

Regards
Geoff Pethick
SANRASM Exco

It has been stored in Pretoria for many years and is in very poor condition. SANRASM donated it to FOTR on the basis that they could scrap it and use the funds raised to assist in moving track from SANRASM North site to Hermanstad, all that track also having been donated to FOTR. In addition FOTR ...

Hello all

For some time, and particularly after the Chamdor debacle, which saw 27 historic locos cut, SANRASM has had a pretty poor reputation andhas been a prize candidate in the art of not communicating. This despite the excellent SANRASM Courier put together by John Batwell.

The Chamdor saga ...

And todays' useful information is:
King Zog was King of Albania before World War 2. On 7 April 1939 the Italians invaded Albania and he and his Queen fled, never to return.
From 'A Journey with Rovos Rail'.
Who says you never learn anything on this forum.

Two years ago I visited the Qingdao factory of China South Railways.

An incredibly impressive place turning out what looked top quality products. The complex has a dedicated test track around its periphery were they can run trains at up to 120kmph. They were building high speed trains, Beijing ...

Its only the first four which were ordered in a hurry to a dodgy spec that are being sold, most of the other 17 are still giving good service. Although only of the same nominal power as a Class 33 a pair will haul 1800 tons as opposed to 1400 tons of the 33s.

The coach looks like one of the Infectious Diseases coach, and judging by the withdrawal dates its 96 which was withdrawn from service in January 1985. If so it was built in Pretoria, entered traffic in 1929. Umgeni also had one of these, No. 97 which was written off by SATS in an accident ...

I think you'll find the van is 4517, a K-43.

Hi all
Following delivery of the last of the class I was asked by UCW to organise a special train to Magaliesburg for a celebration. We used two locos, can't remember which ones now, and I think I'm right in saying it was only the second time 38s had been allowed to haul passenger trains.

A ...

I heard a story a while ago that these vehicles were not in fact road legal in this form and the lack of registration plates tends to bear this out.

I doubt this is the last in use. There were six delivered in April and May 1975 from Wickham of Ware, UK. There was one OOU in PE about four years ago, and I think there was one working from Braamfontein fairly recently. I have seen a locally built copy, in fact I travelled in it, but being such ...

Hi all
It was originally 9222, type U-37-CM, imported from the UK, entered service in May 1937. In February 1981, it was converted and renumbered 15071. At the opposite end to the large windows you can make out the panelled over drivers door window.
Regards
Geoff Pethick

Does anyone have recent photos of any of these? The steel suburbans were well past it when I last saw them about 4 years ago.

Regards
Geoff Pethick

Hi all
My records show:
60 Dynamometer Car
151 Shire A-18 Dining Car
14122 C-22 (ex 8151) 1st Class articulated mainline (damaged by fire)
14141 C-22 (ex 8174) 1st Class articulated mainline
14190 D-32 (ex C-25) (ex 8240) 1st & 2nd Class mainline
14189 D-32 (ex 8549) 1st & 2nd Class mainline ...