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Locomotives - A Wonderful
Winter's Week |
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BY DICK GILLATT,
RM: |
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ADMINISTRATION, N
TVL |
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Chasing steam
trains around the country is what prompted
the theme for one of the Allied's past
television advertisements. This month we are
treated to a 'chuff-by-chuff' account of
what it is actually like to go dashing after
the old giants along the byways and
off-the-beaten-track sidings in South
Africa. Our cover picture is a beautiful
photograph taken by Dick, of a Class 15F
locomotive leaving Cullinan. |
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When your hobby dictates that
you have to dip into your annual leave in
order to pursue it, an innocent discussion
with regard to a vacation can quickly turn
into a heated debate with your spouse!
Happily, I am most fortunate in having a
wife who understands my need to go off and
chase steam trains every now and again, and
it was recently that this need arose once
more. |
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Thus it was that during the
week of 16-22 July 1989 my friend Tom, his
two sons, my son and I found ourselves in
our cars on the road south to explore the
steamy activity in and around Kroonstad and
the Welkom goldfields. Our first stop was
the Kroonstad Locomotive Depot, where we
found a Class 23 no 3300 locomotive. This is
the only one of its kind left in the country
and it is retained for use as a tourist
train only. Furthermore, it is in immaculate
condition and a pleasure to photograph.
There is a daily steam train from Kroonstad
to Hennenman, where some shunting is done,
after which the train returns to Kroonstad
for the night. We wanted to catch no 3300 in
action, so we assessed the possibility of
the SA Transport Services allowing its
prestigious no 3300 to be harnessed at the
head of the daily train to Hennenman,
instead of the
usual filthy 15F locomotive! Well, no harm
in asking and as 'faint heart never won fair
steam engine', we decided to raise the
question and try to obtain the necessary
permission. We were pleasantly surprised
(and thoroughly delighted!) when permission
was granted and it was arranged for no 3300
to head the train the next morning, which
was Tuesday. |
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When you realize how long it
takes, not only to fire up a locomotive, but
also to clean it out after a day's trip, you
can really appreciate the assistance
received from the staff of the Kroonstad
Locomotive Depot! |
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The rest of Monday was spent
on the Loraine Gold Mine, photographing
their steam locomotives in action, after
which it was back to the Kroonstad
Locomotive Depot for the night, in order to
follow the early morning (action would begin
at 05:30!) departure of no 3300. |
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It should be mentioned, that
in order to capture the best possible
photograph, you never quite know where you
will be from one night to the next and it
therefore follows that the most versatile
form of accommodation must be found. Now
what could be handier or more versatile than
your own motor car? So it was that our cars
became not only our means of transport, but
also our hotels for the week! Meals
consisted mainly of tinned meatballs, tinned
baked beans and tinned spaghetti heated over
a small gas stove. This gives a whole new
meaning to the phrase 'eating out' (out of
tins!). Sometimes some other form of tinned
meat was thrown in just for a change.
Mmmmmmmmm! Meatballs and spaghetti for
breakfast! Lovely! |
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We awoke on Tuesday morning
at 04:30 to find the car windows completely
iced up. During the night a cold front (the
coldest in a decade) had swept across the
Free State. However, this was not the worst
of the cold. Whilst following the train to
Hennenman, it began to sleet and the
temperature really plummeted. Upon our
arrival at Hennenman the temperature was
down to -14°. This huge drop in temperature
was attributed to the chill factor caused by
the wind. It was so cold that Tom's movie
camera froze up, so it was a case of dashing
out of the car, taking one or two pictures
and scurrying back into the car again to
thaw the camera, then dashing out again for
another snap or two! I have never known such
a cold day. The wind, sleet and drizzle
continued all day, but despite the inclement
conditions, we persevered with our
photographs, as the possibility of getting
SATS to put this very special locomotive on
duty again within the week, was remote. |
The beautiful Class 23 no 3300 at
Hennenman |
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Murphy's law being what it
is, during the trip back to Kroonstad and as
the sun was setting, the sky began to clear!
Well, I suppose you can't have it all,
although it would have been fabulous to have
had the sun shining on this sparkling clean
locomotive. The rest of the week was clear
but cold - perfect weather for photography. |
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The following day was spent
at Loraine Gold Mine and Thursday and Friday
at St Helena Gold Mine. At these mines, the
steam trains work round the clock hauling
ore from the mineshafts to the processing
plant and then taking the empty skips back
to the shaft. Photographs were taken during
the day and then at night we would record
the sound effects on audio tape, as sound
travels a lot further at night and the
effect is a lot clearer than with daytime
recordings. |
Class 16 CR no 8 of the St Helena Gold
Mine during its monthly service.
This loco was specially pulled out of the
sheds for the photograph. |
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On Thursday night, after a
long session of audio recording, we managed
to find a spot (in the middle of nowhere and
next to a railway line) where we could park
our cars and sleep for the night. |
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At about 04:00 on Friday
morning, I awoke to a loud banging on the
car window and someone yelling at us to "Maak
oop! Maak oop!" in a very guttural accent. I
couldn't see what was going on outside
because of the frozen windows, so with my
heart pounding, I scraped a clearing on the
ice and peered outside. I made out two
figures in greatcoats and peaked caps.
"Gestapo!" I thought! Still not quite sure
as to who was whom, or what was going on, I
managed to open the window slightly and my
terror quickly turned to huge amusement when
the 'intruders' identified themselves as
members of the South African Police force,
who ordered us to "Klim uit!" |
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Well, the night being as cold as it was, you
can imagine the amount of sleeping bag,
blanket and duvet there was to "klim uit"
of! Wow! It was freezing outside!
So after grabbing blankets to wrap around
myself and my son, we were bundled out of
the car while the upholders of justice
(bless them!) did a thorough search of the
car plus the boot. After a lot of
explaining and showing of cameras,
photographic equipment, tape recorders and
food supplies, they were convinced that we
were genuine steam train enthusiasts and
they (apologetically) left us (greatly
relieved) to get on with it! |
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Amidst all the terror, confusion and
subsequent hilarity, it was somehow very
comforting to know that our police force is
so alert to the unusual. |
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The locomotive crews love their locomotives
as much (if not more so) as the locomotive
enthusiast and are always only to keen to be
of assistance. You get to hear some amusing
stories when chatting to, and sharing a cup
of coffee with, the drivers and crew of the
locomotives. |
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I recall an incident related to me by a
driver, of the time he was in charge of a
tourist train. They had stopped at a small
station and he was busily making his midday
meal, which consisted of a casserole cooked
over the heat from the locomotive's firebox.
An American tourist popped his head into the
cab and remarked "Hey, man, that smells real
good!" Ever ready with good old South
African hospitality, the driver generously
offered to share his meal with the tourist
and asked the tourist to join him as soon as
the dish was cooked. The driver then set
about preparing a second portion of
casserole in another tin while the tourist
went off to take some more pictures. |
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Unfortunately, while the driver was
preparing the tourist's lunch, the tin
accidentally toppled over and landed on the
floor of the cab, which is invariably
covered with a fine layer of soot! Quite
unperturbed, the driver reasoned that 'what
the eye don't see, the heart don't grieve'
and promptly scooped the casserole back into
the tin and popped it back on the fire to
continue cooking. The finished dish was
presented to the tourist who remarked "Wow,
this is good, especially the little crunchy
bits ! |
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All good things must end, however, and on
Saturday morning it was one last, lingering
look at the steam trains of Loraine Gold
Mine and - then back to 'home,
sweet home , a good, hot meal and a nice
soft bed! |
Class 25 NC just outside Pretoria,
with a steam special. |
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