Class 32 Diesels at Newington Station 1967- 1970

[Adelbert Stigling]

Photo's taken by my late sister Danita during a visit while I was stationed there.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Where exactly is Newington station. Is it still in operation

[Gabor Kovacs]

Adelbert,

Nice picture, but also from a aspect that has almost disappeared into the annuals of rail history, the changing of Van Schoor Telegraph tokens.
I also enjoy viewing pictures of "high-hooded" diesels like the Class 31's and 32's. Now there's just something that I like to see on SAR diesel locomotives

[Adelbert Stigling]

Stefan - Newington stopped exsistance when the railway line was taken out of the
Kruger Park in the 1970's it was the last station before the line went into the park coming from Hoedspruit to Komatipoort. The new line turn off at Hokwe to Kaapmuiden

[Adelbert Stigling]

Gabor - I do agree with you as for the "High Hooded" Diesels have something that I prefer, don't know why tho.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Gabor surely the drivers visibility was severely restricted because of that nose.(high hood). With safety issues the normal cab IE: class 34,35,36 etc are more preferred.??

[Gabor Kovacs]

Stefan,

I know for a fact that Class 31's had twin driver console (not sure if 32's had twin drivers' console????), so the driver could drive the locomotive from any side.
Yes, visibility is / was an issue, but that was one of the reasons why a drivers' assistant are / were required.

When I was employed by Spoornet, in the early 90's, as a Train Drivers' Assistant (electric), I spent two days working the Braamfonetin No.1 East shunt on a pair of Class 31's, as at the time there was a shortage of Assitant staff on the diesel rooster. I enjoyed every minute on the class 31's, and since then I have "something" that I like about high-hood diesels!

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Adelbert, for sharing these historic and interesting pictures.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Having been inside the cab of the revamped 9E, its sitting in fron of 6 computer screens high up with a panoramic view, and its airconditioned with its own fridge hot plate and loo. I think I could drive a train like that. Better than my own car

[Steve Appleton]

One just has to love the pride that used to exist on nthe "railways". The SM immaculately dressed up in his uniform with its braided cuffs of rank. All of this taking place at a hot, remote "station" that few of us have ever heard of and even fewer still have ever visited. Great, interesting pics, thank you.

[Barend Botha]

Excellent, that is very "cool" as young people would say.

[Adelbert Stigling]

Another photo of a diesel at Newington

[Steve Appleton]

My comment:

The SM immaculately dressed up in his uniform with its braided cuffs of rank. All of this taking place at a hot, remote "station" that few of us have ever heard of and even fewer still have ever visited.

To which Adelbert responded to me (posted here with permission):

Thank you Steve for your very true observation, there was just one thing mising in the makeup of the Station Master; he neglected to wear his cap, for which he got a letter of reprimand at a later date, that I've kept all these years as a reminder to stick to the rules.

It certainly was very hot and the staff on the Selati line got a climatic allowance of R12 a month that I prefered to call my "icecream allowance".

The System Manager, once on a inspection trip through the Selati, got out the motor trolley without his jacket and with his tie off and his shirt's four buttons loosened. He asked me to excuse the way he looked, but the heat is just unbearable. I said "I understand and do", but I just wonder if he would have excused me if I had done the same.

[Steve Appleton]

Does anyone know when permissive working ended in SA? I thought permissive working (with its inherent dangers) had been generally superceded by absolute working by the 1970s. Also, why was there a need for permissive working on a line apparently equipped with tokens?

[Adelbert Stigling]

The permissive system was to be able to handle more trains on single lines, as the following train would have to wait for the train in front to clear the section between to stations in some cases up to 60 minutes, the normal time between trains on permisive was 12 minutes, on the Selati line it was actually 30 minutes due to the wild annimals in the area and only during daylite hours.

There was three tablet holders - round shaped for absolute, triangular for permissive and square for a intermediate crossing.(the crossing tablet consissted of a permit and tablet0 that could be seperated to allow two trains to cross two from the oppsite direction.