South African narrow gauge 2-8-2

[Wayne Laepple]

This South African Railways NG-15 2-8-2 stalls on the grade and backs down for another go at it. He really roars up the hill. Shades of the SR&RL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sWseLit9ms

[Glenn Christensen]

Love it Wayne!

Thanks,
Glenn

[Philip Marshall]

What a neat video! Thank you, Wayne.

Youtube's ever-perceptive algorithms suggested this other video to me after watching the above. I'd love to have one of these elegant little outside-frame 4-4-0s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u99VjboT-U

[Wayne Laepple]

Whoa! I didn't realize until I saw the clip that Phillip posted that the one I put up was not a real, in service video of No. 17. It was apparently shot recently at the Sandstone Estate, a sort of Edaville on steroids in South Africa. The estate is something like 13,000 acres and includes several miles of two-foot gauge track and multiple locomotives. They even have one of the very large GE two-foot gauge diesels.

[Philip Marshall]

Yes, I believe both videos are from Sandstone Estate.

It's apparently quite an operation! See http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/about-us-28

Here's a quote that says it all:
"Although we set out collecting Agricultural machinery we did not close our doors to any collector who wanted a safe haven for his beloved old bus or engine or piece of earth moving machinery. While the 2-ft Narrow Gauge railway is at the centre of our activities because it plays quite an important role in the ongoing transportation of items on the farm it should not be allowed to over shadow many of the other fascinating items of interest. Military vehicles, Agricultural Traction engines, buses, cars, ox wagons with oxen attached are all there. Finally, by way of clarification we are not a museum; we are simply a private collection of Heritage items on a commercial farm and the staff do their best to keep everything in tip-top condition and to show visitors around as appropriate."

I would love to get down there sometime.

[James Patten]

Also check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cALKH4CWv4k for a general overview of the railroad system at Sandstone Estates.

[Wayne Laepple]

The line at Sandstone is about 8 miles end to end including the loops, with many grades around 2%, although the steepest section is a bit more than 3%. The annual event includes not only trains, but also antique vehicles, farm equipment, military vehicles and aircraft, not to mention ox-drawn wagons. Many of the men who run the engines during the open house are volunteers from railway museums in England and Australia, although an occasional American slips in. The NG-16 Garratts seen in this video are the same as those running on the Welsh Highland Railway in Wales, and one is currently being regauged for use on the Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria, Australia. I like the outside the cab seats for driver and firemen!