Double-header?

[Barend Botha]

Does anybody know when its likely for a double-header to Cullinan or other destination?

[Steve Appleton]

FOTR has run a few double-headers to Cullinan in the past either as part of a special celebration or else to handle heavy trains. Neither the class 24 (nr 3664) nor the class 19D (nr 2650) alone can be fully trusted to pull a train of much more than 6 or 7 coaches plus caboose up the initial 1 in 50 grade (incuding two tight reverse check-railed curves) out of Cullinan. It must be noted that double-heading is much more expensive to run and with the return of an FOTR class 15F (nr 3117) to the rails, the need for FOTR to double-head heavy trains has diminished considerably. In fact, the 15F can haul all of FOTR's currently servicable day-sitter coaches (9 coaches) plus the caboose and a water tanker to and from Cullinan without serious difficulty.
Regretably it seems that, special occasions excepted (of which we have none scheduled at present), double-heading to Cullinan is not likely anytime soon.

[Barend Botha]

Thanks for the info Steve, totally understandable.

[Arno Victor]

The train trip to Cullinan on the 7th of November will be a double header with the 19d and 15f. This was requested by the client chartering the train on Saturday.