South African Steam in 1972.

Evening All,

Although not actually preservation, some members might be interested to see some photos I took back in 1972 when I went on a three week tour of South Africa and Mozambique, both countries being a Mecca for steam starved Brits! Now, nearly 50 years later, I have started putting a few photos from that trip on YouTube and if anyone would like to see them, here's the link:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

Evening All,

I have now put a further selection of South Africa steam pictures on my YouTube channel. This time, the pictures are from Capital Park MPD in Pretoria. Hope they're of interest:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

Good afternoon,

The third slideshow of photos taken in South Africa in 1972 is now on my YouTube channel. The pictures were taken at Braamfontein, Kaserne and Springs MPDs in or near Johannesburg. Hope they're of interest:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

Afternoon All,

I have been putting some more photos from my trip to southern Africa in 1972 on my YouTube channel if anyone would like to have a look. The latest one isn't in South Africa though, because we made a detour to see trains in Swaziland and Moçambique; what we saw there was wonderous to behold:



Take a look; I'm sure you wont be disappointed!

TTFN,

Ron.

 

I was visiting SA in the late 70's and took a couple of "Drive by" pictures of steam locomotives...but I was told by a local colleague that I shouldn't stop, as they were "Strategic" and I might be thought of as a spy!

 

We were on an organised tour and had permits to photograph in sheds, stations, yards, at the lineside, etc. We only got questioned by the police once, or possibly twice, but when we showed our permits and explained our interest in their old engines, they were happy to let us get on with it. Most of the engine crews were quite happy to have their steeds photographed and one or two of them even invited us onto their footplates.

 

As long as you had a shed permit, there was very little trouble. The worst problems with authority in one organised and one private trip was falling foul of the local law prohibiting packing on a ramped bridge approach. I gained access to East London Docks on the strength of a SAR shed permit and my BR pass to enter Southampton Docks. I think the most thorough security was entering the yards of a few Transvaal coal mines.

Cheers, Neil

 

There was one coal mine that refused us entry, but that was all.

 

We had no permits but shed masters proved happy to allow visits when we toured in both 1968 / 1970; unrestricted access to main sheds such as Bloemfontein, Capital Park, De Aar, Germiston, Kimberley, Queenstown, Rosmead, Sydenham and Springs was always granted. We also found the industrial complexes / collieries extremely welcoming hence visits to such as Dunn's Yard, Greenside, Grootvlei, Landau, Port Elizabeth Docks, Springfield, Tavistock and Witbank where many ex-SAR locos were still in regular use including Beyer Garrets - the main reason for our visit to South Africa.

Our only problem was on the narrow gauge when chasing one train we inadvertently photographed a camp-site with black soldiers sitting around; it turned out they were a band of Selous Scouts (black military personnel attached to the WHITE South African Police Force) and when we stopped to photograph the branch service watering at the nearby station cum passing loop we were accosted by Secret Police demanding our film or else !!! I worked for the Home Office at the time hence pointed out the political consequence of shooting a UK Civil Servant; it worked to the extent of him backing off after a 15 minute discussion.

Our group almost caused a riot around Bloemfontein when we were chasing a local train to Thaba Nchu and drove into a park to reach the station. It turned out to be a cemetery where a funeral was taking place of a black person and the mourners assumed - with both Cape Town number plates and all the cameras on the parcels shelf - that we were white Security Police and looked set to lynch us had we not sped away back to Bloemfontein.

Our fondest memory is meeting Dusty Durrant and his wife Christine and being invited to join them for a meal. At 21:00 Christine suggested a trip to the local gold mine where we raced the evening trip of a 6-wagon train filled with gold ore - IN THE DARK. This exhilarating trip was one they did regularly for "entertainment" - and an experience never to be forgotten.

 

Further to my post July 20th here are the three "Drive By" photographs. Посмотреть вложение 62314

 

Those were the days. Sigh.

 

Here's another selection of my 1972 pictures:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

Evening All,

I've just put another short album of photos from my 1972 tour of southern Africa on YouTube; it covers the delights of Mason's Mill shed in Pietermaritzburg, plus a footplate ride on a GMAM class 4-8-2 + 4-8-2 Beyer Garratt:



Previous pictures can be seen in this playlist:


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFsbViNeGSHkvf06mbJ4f-wyYL9dX-zwA

Hope they're of interest.

TTFN,

Ron.

 

Morning All,

There's now a few more piccies from my 1972 South African tour on YouTube; this time it's narrow gauge, i.e. 2ft gauge, in Natal:



TTFN,

Ron.