Resulting from discussions with the Apple Express and with HRASA the lend/lease loco, NGG11, No. 54, has arrived from Port Elizabeth on two of Sandstone's low beds. The object of the exercise is to place this locomotive in safe, undercover, dry storage in the non-humid environment of the Eastern Free State. Engineering work will be carried out on the locomotive to ensure that the extensive rust that has reduced this locomotive to a very unsatisfactory state is arrested immediately.
The pictures below show the locomotive arriving at Sandstone Estates on 20th July 2011.
Stephan du Preez has provided the following report.
Report on PE. Trip
Ngg11 No. 54
Loading of No.54 went very well we tried to inflict as little damage as possible to the loco. We striped it on Monday. I had to wait for clearance from Spoornet to shunt the loco to the workshop so the loco could only be loaded on Tuesday. Very few parts are missing from no. 54. I will strip all the valuable parts off the loco to prevent them from being stolen. All the parts will be marked so it can easily be re-assembled if it’s going to be restored.
Coaches
I found a lot of coaches that has been marked Sandstone and took some photos of these encase they need to come to Sandstone Estates. I found only three of the four coaches that Mike Myers asked me to locate two SWA wagons and the GV wagon. The coaches are behind the old narrow gauge station on a siding. Attached you can see photos of the location and the coaches.
NG SWA
NG SWA
GV
See fully gallery of pictures below.
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From: Lukas Nel [mailto:
Sent: 01 August 2011 17:40
Subject: RE: COLLECTION OF NGG11 IN PORT ELIZABETH
Sir,
I do not have enough words to thank you and Mike for the enormous amount of trouble,costs and effort you go through to save the locomotive from a certain end of the road within a few months.
I am really ashamed that I did not try harder to save the locomotive earlier but if we consider the costs alone to move the locomotive which you pay in full you may understand that no working individual can do anything more than call for help.
Thank you very much again.
Regards,
Lukas.A.Nel
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From: Hannes Paling [mailto:
Sent: 02 August 2011 19:49
Subject: Re: COLLECTION OF NGG11 IN PORT ELIZABETH
Great news that the locomotive has been saved and moved to the farm, thank so much for saving it.
Some time ago I acquired some old pictures of the South African narrow gauge railways, I estimate that they represent the narrow gauge as it was from possibly the middle sixties to perhaps they early eighties, found the attached photo of number 54 amongst them.
Photographer, location and date taken unknown, my guess, PE.
Best regards
Hannes