Garratt Loco's
 

1st) A 16A Garratt climbing from Mbalabala.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hzwC...eature=related

2nd) Cab ride - 15th class Rhodesian Railways Garratt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqP1WPrHWrA

Train leaves Bulawayo station, passes a 15th class shunting, passes Westgate sidings and a short glims of Westgate signal box before heading out to Impopomo then on to Victoria Falls or Salisbury.

Two great videos Syd. Thanks for sharing.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Thanks for posting! :)

They were(are) great locomotives.

And Rhodesia was a great place!

What a great pair of videos Syd I found them very entertaining. Thanks for sharing.
Regards
Phil

The next part of the video 'Cab ride - 15th class Rhodesian Railways Garratt'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfZCQ...endscreen&NR=1

Starts with the loco taking on water at Gwaai, where the fire would have been cleaned as well. Note on the drivers side (the right) the rails stuck in the ground with wires strung along them. This is the signaling cable. The white ant like the insulation covering the wires and eat through them when underground, causing shorts. Other things to note are electric lights behind the gauge glasses, the fireman and drivers comfortable seats and the thin glass frame by the driver (and fireman's window) to stop cinders and insects hitting people in the face.

Great films. When were they filmed? Is steam still used in Africa where there is plenty of coal, or have they gone to diesels using imported oil?

I checked with Col. Andre Kritzinger, he says that in South Africa it is all electric and diesel these days, the only steam locos operating are with the preservation societies. In Gabon there is only a diesel train that operates between Libreville and Franceville. The train operating in the Congo, Pointe Noire to Brazzaville is also diesel. I saw some very old steam locos (quite small ones) in Angola but they were not in working condition. The locos there were also diesel.

Click here for his pictures

More pictures here

Hello 27Vet,
Thanks for your informative answer. The link "More pictures here" gives all the info you would ever need on SA steam locos.

South Africa's locos
 

Hi 27Vet, thanks for those links, I did not know about them. I see there are only photo's of 2 of Saiccor's 19D's in the list. I had the privilege of a footplate ride on Saiccor 1.