West Rand – Blogging while allatsea

4-8-2T NBL Tank Loco 24386

On: 28/03/201711/01/2018 By: JA

One of the plinthed locomotives that has been on display for many years may be found at Florida Junction out on the West Rand. Listed as 4-8-2T North British Tank Loco 24386, I have seen this loco for the many years that I lived out on the West Rand and was able to photograph her in a number of liveries, in fact, shortly after she was plinthed you could still climb up into her cab. In 2011 I took the following image (more images to be added at a later date) shortly after she had been painted.

Piet Conradie has a page on this loco, and my images are on that page.

This is what she looked like in 2009

Towards the end of March 2017, I photographed her once again and her paint was fading and she was definitely looking the worse for wear. It also appears as if at some point the Florida Junction sign on her tank was redone.

She was built in 1937 in Glasgow by North British Locomotive Co. as works number 24386 and was one of the many standard NBL locomotives that were delivered for service at South African mines. This one first saw service as No 1 at Witbank Colliery Ltd and later at Vanwyksdrift as part of the Douglas Colliery Ltd rolling stock. By some strange quirk, there is a Witbank Colliery No 1 loco plinthed close by. It is possible that this loco replaced that loco at some point.

Of course with the demise of Sanrasm I do not know who owns the steamer now, or who is responsible for keeping her painted and vandalism free. It may be a good idea to watch her because at some point she may end up being redundant.

10BR-750 Plinthed at Roodepoort Station

On: 07/03/201610/01/2018 By: JA

This locomotive stands in the grounds of Roodepoort Station, surprisingly it is in a reasonably good condition, given the decline in the area in general. Unfortunately hawkers have taken root, erecting plastic roofs and using the cab as a storage area.

The loco, a class 10BR, (one of 15), was built in 1910 at the North British Loco Company Ltd. and went into service in 1910.

It was withdrawn in 1972, Unfortunately the information plaque is obscured by a large piece of plastic which makes it impossible to read completely, but the plaque identifies this loco as being number 750. This loco is over a century old!

When I took these pics in 2009 she was already looking bad, I would hate to know what she looks like now. Google Earth has a 2014 image of her and she was still there at that point but was covered in graffiti. The co-ordinates are: 26° 9.554’S, 27° 52.183’E.

Millsite continued (3)

On: 05/02/201610/01/2018 By: JA

I walked Millsite on four separate occasions, and it is a depressing place, but the pain is over as the collection is dispersed. I have over 400 images that I took there, and most have never seen the light of day. This page is a general hodge-podge of pics, I make no excuses for quality as I do not recall ever having a decent day of sunny weather while I was there. Images open in a new tab.

[ page 1] [ page 2 ]

Millsite continued (2)

On: 05/02/201610/01/2018 By: JA

Continuing from Page 1, Millsite does not only have derelict steam engines, but it also has derelict electrics and coaches. Unfortunately though, given the awkward situation of these photography is a really hit and miss because you can never really get a full view of what you are photographing. This page deals with the electrics, coaches and other bits and pieces.

[ page 1 ] [ page 3 ]

Update: 03/02/2016. It appears as if Millsite is being cleared with some locos being moved by road to Bloemfontein. (See the list on the first page), unfortunately it seems as if 4E-E219 is up for disposal. However, this has not been confirmed, but she is still in place in August 2016, however ES-E511 and 1E-01 were both moved to Bloemfontein.

ES-E511	ES-E511	ES-E511
ES-E511	ES-E511	ES-E511
1E-01	1E-01	1E-01
1E-01	1E-01	1E-01
4E-E219	4E-E219	4E-E219
4E-E219	4E-E219	4E-E219
Derelict Sleeper	District Surgeons coach	C-13 Balcony coach 7936
Destroyed Diesel	Decaying saloon	Decaying slam door sub
Breakdown Train Millsite	Breakdown Train Millsite	Breakdown Train Millsite

34-099 and 34-466

On: 15/04/201509/01/2018 By: JA

One fine day in Magaliesburg, while waiting for the Reefsteamers train to leave, a pair of diesels arrived with cement trucks which they stacked in lines next to the train before being decoupled. It appeared as if 34-466 had broken down and both were shunted into a siding and shut down.

Private Saloon Wesvaal

On: 15/04/201509/01/2018 By: JA

The Private Saloon Wesvaal, was originally built for the CGR in 1897. By some strange quirk of fate she managed to survive over the years and eventually ended up at Sanrasm where she was slowly deteriorating, but in a better condition than most. By the time I first saw her many of her interior fittings had been trashed, but there was enough left to make a stunning vehicle out of. With the breaking down of Sanrasm in April 2014, I believe she ended up going to Reefsteamers where she may still be today.

Lichfield Garden of Remembrance

On: 21/03/201509/01/2018 By: JA

I was quite surprised to find the Garden of Remembrance in Lichfield, considering I was not looking for it in the first place.

The War Memorial was designed by Charles Edward Bateman, and the garden was opened on 20 October 1920.

After the Second World War additional plaques were added to encompass the casualties from that conflict.

World War 2 and "Struggles That Followed" — World War 2 and “Struggles That Followed”

There is one statue on the memorial, and curiously another statue on the library which may or may not tie into the memorial.

There is one memorial which I found on the station which I want to include here, even though he did not come from this city but is worthy of being remembered.

Plaque of Remembrance to Private WR Davies

From what I could find, Private WR Davies was 19 when he was shot dead by the IRA, in an attack at the station where he had been waiting for a train, to take him back home to Wales after completing his first 12 weeks of training.

Royal Artillery Memorial

On: 08/03/201509/01/2018 By: JA

In the area where Wellington Arch is, there are a number of War Memorials, one of which is the Royal Artillery Memorial. I did not see this memorial at its best, in fact it was looking decidedly green when I was there.

Wellington Arch and the Memorials in the area

Neither was the weather very helpful on the occasions when I was taking photographs here. Even on the day I visited Wellington Arch I still could not get a sunny image of the memorial. However, World War 1 was not about sunny days, the all pervading view gained through black and white imagery is of cold and wet weather with gray leaden skies. Trying to imagine a battle like the Somme in colour would be almost impossible. Fortunately the sun did shine on me once.

Rear aspect of the memorial with the fallen artilleryman figure

The memorial is very rich in plaques, inscriptions and reliefs, but I think that the 4 bronze figures are what really make it stand out the most. In my opinion the most poignant of all is that of the fallen artilleryman. The inscription around the base reads “A Royal Fellowship of Death”.

In the front of the memorial is the figure of the Driver, he seems to look down on passers by as if to ask them whether they are worthy of the sacrifice that was made.

The gun portrayed on the memorial is 9.2-inch Mk I howitzer, and it was described by Lord Curzon as “a toad squatting, which is about to spit fire out of its mouth…nothing more hideous could ever be conceived”.

9.1" Breech loading Howitzer — 9.2″ Breech loading howitzer

It is an incredibly powerful memorial, and generated a lot of criticism by those who had not manned the guns or been in the trenches, but overall the old soldiers seemed to understand the message that it carried.

The memorial’s main inscription on the west and east faces reads

“IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE OF THE
FORTY NINE THOUSAND AND SEVENTY-SIX
OF ALL RANKS OF THE
ROYAL REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING
AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918″

In 2009 an addition plaque as added to the many already there.

THIS PANEL WAS ADDED TO
COMMEMORATE THE 29,924 OF ALL
RANKS OF THE ROYAL ARTILLERY
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING
AND COUNTRY IN ALL PARTS OF THE
WORLD DURING THE WAR OF 1939-1945
+ THEY DIED WITH THE FAITH THAT
THE FUTURE OF ALL MANKIND WOULD
BENEFIT BY THEIR SACRIFICE. +
QUO FAS ET GLORIA

One of the relief panels on the memorial

This memorial does not pull any punches, it is raw, emotional, and very powerful. It does not excuse itself or the men that are remembered here, and it does an excellent job of it too.

Hook War Memorial

On: 19/02/201509/01/2018 By: JA

The War Memorial in the village of Hook, may be found on the traffic island between London and Newnham Roads just outside Hook. at Google Earth co-ordinates 51.280389° -0.968156°

The memorial is inscribed:

AD 1920
This Stone of Remembrance was
raised in honour of the men of the
Parishes of
Newnham and Nately Scures
who laid down their lives for
their country
in The Great War

There are plaques from both world wars on the memorial.

A number of local casualties are remembered on a war memorial in the church of St Nicholas Newnham.

3 Class Balcony Coach 6086

On: 18/01/201508/01/2018 By: JA

One of the reach gems at Sanrasm North Site was the 3 class balcony coach 6086, she was unique, she is a 1st, 2nd and 3rd class vehicle and very worthy of preservation because she was probably the only one of her kind. Unfortunately she had been left to rot and was slowly falling apart. There was evidence of a fire inside of her, but you could still see the fine wooodwork in her rotting interior and exterior. Realistically she was only useable as firewood and in December 2010 she was broken up.

3rd class door visible