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Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 13:23
by James Attwell
Class 19D (air braked), is seen here pulling 30+/- empty wood wagons. There are from what I remember 3 Dollys (box tender) still running on a regular basis on the 1Km line. The wagons were going to the Sappi paper factory. This is from my knowlage the last steam industrial operated line left in SA.
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 15:46
by Derek Walker
Wow, what battered loco's. Where is this sappi paper mill anyway?
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 19:10
by John Ashworth
I think it's somewhere in KZN. One of the Rovos drivers who also used to drive regularly for FOTR left Rovos and went to drive for SAPPI a couple of years ago.
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 20:56
by Stefan Andrzejewski
Do these Loco's including the 6E 1's belong to SAPPI?
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 13 Mar 2009, 22:17
by Nathan Berelowitz
SAPPI Saicor on the South coast in KZN. Driver Dirk Nagel ex Rovos, is driving there. Interesting pics.Must definately be the last regular steam operation on a daily basis in an industrial environment.
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 14 Mar 2009, 07:01
by Chris Janisch
Umkomaas.
Very interesting and apparently hard to get in there, so these are unique shots.
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 15 Mar 2009, 00:11
by Gabor Kovacs
Very nice pictures!
Ex Braamfontein prestige steam driver on the Class 25NCs' that use to operate the Fridays' only steam hauled return working of theTrans Karoo from Johannesburg, Pottie Potgieter, who was also a member of RS, is still gainfully employed and shares the roster with Dirk Nagel at Sappi Umkomaas.
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 26 Mar 2009, 17:22
by John Ashworth
A comment from the
sar-L:
Returning from Durban airport this morning, steam was seen at the Umkomaas
Exchange yard so a short detour was made. Domeless boiler 19D, "Saiccor No.1",
turned out to be the culprit. What a sight and sound as it slipped whilst
shunting a heavy load of timber. Real steam 2009. However of interest was
that the loco was coupled to a bogie flat wagon on which was mounted the
necessary equipment for air-braking. I don't remember this having been reported
before but, according to the driver, the locos were fitted with air-brakes about
12-18 months ago.
Regards
Peter Bagshawe
Re: Last industrial steam operation in SA
Posted: 26 Mar 2009, 17:31
by John Ashworth
I didn't know there was another operational "Domeless Dolly". I had thought FOTR's 2650 was the only surviving example.