NGG 16, No. 88, is coming along very steadily. Here is an updated picture of one of the engine units being completely rebuilt in our Bloemfontein workshops. Thanks to Lukas Nel and his team for the photograph.
From: Peter Micenko
Subject: SANDSTONE STEAM RAILWAY; Restoration of steam crane at Bloemfontein
Also, Lucas and the steam team should be justifiably proud of their work on 19D #2654.
The Sandstone Heritage Trust owns the following O&K locomotives, together with an Arn Jung unit also of German origin. For the sake of this exercise we have included the Arn Jung under the same grouping as the O&K locomotives.
Kerr Stuart loco, No. 4062, has been problematic since it was restored.There is a technical question mark relating to its performance and it has been decided to send it back to Bloemfontein to be looked at in detail and to be reworked and upgraded.
Locomotive O&K number 10311 was offloaded in Bloemfontein last week. Attached is a preliminary report on work Lucas and his team intend to do.
After Sandstone's visit to Angola in 2003, a number of ex sugar estate locos were acquired and brought to South Africa . Of these two have been restored, namely Decauville "Bathala" and O&K 0-4-0T 10311 of 1922.
As with its sisters the locomotive was in a very poor state and was not considered restorable but times change! Initial work has begun on the boiler at Stevens Mechanical in Howick, Kwa Zulu Natal. The boiler has been stripped completely for a total rebuild.
23rd November 2009
The first of the freight stock items (total 114 units) purchased by the Sandstone Heritage Trust has arrived at Sandstone Estates. The cost of transporting each item is greater than the actual cost of the items in question due to the long distance that needs to be covered. It is an 850 kms trip each way.
Due to height restrictions the wagons have to be removed from their bogies which will be transported separately. The first item to arrive is a relatively rare NGX tanker.
Our Heavy Haulage fleet has completed the extraction of all the tankers which were offered on the scrapping tender in Port Elizabeth which was awarded to the Sandstone Heritage Trust. There were a total of 5 tankers on the tender. They are as follows:
XC 2196 Liquid Fertilizer
Sandstone Estates transport dept reports that yet another guards van has arrived from Humewood Road Port Elizabeth
18 June 2010
After some fine tuning our 1910 BSA Railcar is now finally on its home rail system and ready to commence duties.
5 March 2010
BSA RAIL CAR MAKES RAPID PROGRESS TOWARDS COMPLETION
Henry Dearlove and his team in Pretoria North have fabricated new seats, a canopy, doors, door handles, and numerous fittings.
The next step is for the upholstery to be done. This will be completed in a luxury old-fashioned button type commensurate with the Edwardian age of this old rail car.
It is hoped that the project will be completed by the end of April and the rail car will be commissioned for service on the Sandstone Steam Railroad.
3 December 2009
After languishing for a while due to other priorities the BSA Rail Car has been moved to Pretoria to the premises of Henry Dearlove for upholstery and final mechanical work. It is hoped to have it complete and operating by Mega Power 2010.
Henry Dearlove (left) with Charles Viljoen
The old rail car being loaded gently onto the Ifor Williams trailer.
A glimpse of the mechanical drive assembly at the rear.
Some ingenious work was carried out on this Rail car by the Sandstone Heritage Trust Hoekfontein workshops but they do not have the upholstery and other cosmetic upgrade capabilities to complete the job.
This year the expected harvest will be so the best ever and the Railway will play a very important role to transport the wheat from the hungry Combines to our grain silo's at Hoekfontein Station. 15 B wagons will be prepared for the harvest and the Bagnal will be used as motive power. The two new NG OK wagons and AY wagons will be part of the Harvest consist.
The harvesting of the massive wheat crops have started and the huge John Deere Combines are running like hungry wheat Eaters through the lands. The Railway is on Standby with 19 wagons to assist if the Freightliners and Richard Westerns can't cope with the loads.
Thabiso and Manas collected two AY Ballast trucks. Next - two NGOK wheat trucks.
