South Africa: Steam loco derailed after thieves steal sleepers.

[27vet]

Train derails in Cullinan after sleepers were removed

The problem with wooden sleepers is that they can be sold as people use them to make furniture and curios. Of course, the thieves don't think about the consequences of removing them. I don't think the loco was too badly damaged, thank goodness.

[27vet]

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Pretoria - A steam engine pulling carriages with hundreds of passengers on board derailed just outside Pretoria on Sunday, probably because sleepers were stolen from under the train track near the Cullinan station.

The carriages did not derail, and none of the 627 passengers were injured. There were no tourists on board.
A preliminary investigation shows that thieves stole a few sleepers from the track near Cullinan, and that seems to be the cause of the accident," said Jaftha.

The steam locomotive, coal tender and the train's water tank derailed and overturned.

[Steve from GWR]

Originally Posted by 27vet

Train derails in Cullinan after sleepers were removed

The problem with wooden sleepers is that they can be sold as people use them to make furniture and curios. Of course, the thieves don't think about the consequences of removing them. I don't think the loco was too badly damaged, thank goodness.

There's another interesting article about it here:
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/wandere...k-in-the-head/

They do say the loco is badly damaged. Falling over on its side even at low speed would bend a lot of bits I imagine!

Also the links at the bottom of the page give a sad story of SA's steam tourism at the moment

[27vet]

Originally Posted by Steve from GWR

Also the links at the bottom of the page give a sad story of SA's steam tourism at the moment

Very sad. My dad used to take us on the train almost every weekend in the late 60s. South African Railways was a very proud establishment in those days.

Start at the following link and you can see many pictures, past and present : http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=12115

[48111]

Well I dont know a great deal about the railway in South Africa, not from a personal side anyway. But I have met a couple of chaps who used to work on that railway, one chap who became a good mate, I met him when he was a "tapper" on BR.
But from what they used to talk about the Railway in that country, it was a well organised, well liked and very proffessional railway and a lot of good railwaymen worked on it.
If it has changed now in modern times, it is hopefully not for the worst.

Hope everything is ok over there.

48111