Hi all,
We were really way out on the wilds here, this was the Lootburg Pass South Africa. The climb from Roemead to the summit at Lootsburg was just one long slog for mile after mile.This train of freight, the 0700 to Graff Reinet is being banked from Rooue Hoogte and had run round off the front of the train to the rears as there was no where to do it at the pass just a triangle to turn the banker.These were one of the remote watering places for the engines to have their fires cleaned and tenders replenished. There was not a single building in sight the work was all done by the crews.
This is class 24 2-6-4 24 3617 and at the front of the train was 4-8-2 19B 1413. Rosemead was the only place we would see this class of engine, a rare find. We had chase the train all the way to the pass along a dirt track up to the pass with fingers crossed we didn’t break down. Then returned to Rosemead for the evening and listened to a 19B being thrashed by it driver fly shunting wagons. The next day we did the same again but continued on to Graff Reinet. We never saw another vehicle all day until arriving there.
Thursday 6th September 1973.
Regards Ledg.