South African Steam: Trans Karoo Steam Finale March 1997

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  • Опубліковано 28 січ 2015
  • High speed scheduled mainline steam enjoyed an Indian summer in South Africa, with double-headed 25NC 4-8-4's hauling the Trans-Karoo from Johannesburg to Klerksdorp on a Friday afternoon, then hauling the opposing working back on the following day. This video features scenes from the very last steam-hauled Trans-Karoo on 21st & 22nd March 1997.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 80

  • @olafeklund6200
    @olafeklund6200 4 роки тому +5

    Brought back memories of many trips on the Trans Karoo. They had fabulous lounge cars, and the dining car and the quality of the food was great. It was especially nice to go for breakfast and watch the sun come up over the Karoo on the southward trip.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      Yes I remember my breakfasts on the Trans Karoo very fondly!

  • @matthysswanepoel187
    @matthysswanepoel187 4 роки тому +7

    was the best still the best still music to my ears i will not see this again in my life wish we could turn back the time

  • @brucewilliams8714
    @brucewilliams8714 4 роки тому +3

    Winter, 1991, Klerksdorp. Late night visit with Ashcat to the loco shed to see the two NCs rostered for the run into Jo'burg the following morning, Breakfast, (almost too early for hotel staff), and then chasing the train for as long as we could. I got some good video. Even more, during the rest of the Safari. Happy days there, Trevor.

  • @sanniegroenewald1054
    @sanniegroenewald1054 3 роки тому +4

    Dit is darem maar mooi

  • @Crosshead1
    @Crosshead1 8 років тому +5

    Love the 25s, C or NC. Some great 'footage' there. Such a pity we didn't have HD video back then. Maybe one day we'll see these magnificent machines back in steam and in HD.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  Рік тому

      Yeah they were just all round great machines!

  • @devinbattley8492
    @devinbattley8492 6 років тому +5

    So cool. The beauty of steam propulsion.

  • @edwardbotha792
    @edwardbotha792 3 роки тому +1

    This bring back a lot of good memories and wish they could bring back the trans karoo

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому +1

      Those locos were certainly very impressive on the front!

  • @budgie8264
    @budgie8264 5 років тому +1

    Thanks Mate nice video.

  • @philbraithwaite287
    @philbraithwaite287 2 роки тому +1

    I remember that day well, followed them from JHB to Klerksdorp.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      It was great to see, but sad that it was over...

  • @thefredtkt
    @thefredtkt 2 роки тому +1

    Great video

  • @Isochest
    @Isochest 2 роки тому +2

    Was this the prelude to full electric traction between Cape Town and Johannesburg?

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому +1

      This was a steam revival of sorts, the electric traction from JHB to KDR was replaced by steam at the request of pro-steam people at Braamfontein for quite a few years.

  • @Mbu1050
    @Mbu1050 3 роки тому +2

    Stupendous engineering

  • @augustinogeorgecloete8050
    @augustinogeorgecloete8050 Рік тому +1

    I work 1500km from home I would love if the bring trains back

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  Рік тому

      Yes they were certainly world class back then...

  • @theolerou7490
    @theolerou7490 3 роки тому +1

    Vir my die mooiste klank wanneer die stoomlokomotief in aanloop is (wegtrek)
    n Wonderlike ervaring om met stoomtrein te reis.
    Nou 71jr oud so ek ken hulle goed

  • @scootergrant8683
    @scootergrant8683 4 роки тому +2

    I love how large South African locomotives have large boilers that sit low and seem to overhang the loco.

    • @abywater
      @abywater 4 роки тому

      It's probably because the gauge is only 3' 6''

    • @scootergrant8683
      @scootergrant8683 4 роки тому

      @@abywater Well in N.Z we too have colonial gauge but ours don't look like that. I just love how it makes South African locomotives have some uniqueness while others like Eastern European ones all have a similar vibe that you cannot determine country to country.

    • @IndustrialParrot2816
      @IndustrialParrot2816 3 роки тому

      unrestrictive loading gauge and narrow rack gauge

    • @Uptownloki47
      @Uptownloki47 2 роки тому

      I read in the book Twilight of South African Steam by AE Durant that the class 25s were roughly based on the NYC Mohawks, only at a 3:4 size ratio.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому +1

      They are massive for 3'6" gauge!

  • @7822welshsteam
    @7822welshsteam 6 років тому +4

    At first I thought we didn't have the real sounds. The valve timing is very strange on the first loco. I wondered whether David Wardale had been messing around with a new compounding system!

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  6 років тому +3

      Yes it had a faulty bypass valve on the fireman's side, and it was blowing through rather than sending steam to the cylinder.

    • @struck2soon
      @struck2soon 3 роки тому

      “David Warble”. That is somewhat disrespectful of the man who almost single-handedly did his best to advance the case for continuing to use steam traction in an improved form on SAR. If he hadn’t been hindered by the narrow-minded thinking prevalent in that organisation who knows how much longer we would have enjoyed the sights of well-maintained steam locos instead of having to endure the painful sight this lead loco provided?

    • @7822welshsteam
      @7822welshsteam 3 роки тому

      @@struck2soon That must have been a spell check. I didn't mean to write Warble. I love his locomotives.

    • @7822welshsteam
      @7822welshsteam 3 роки тому

      @@struck2soon I just changed it and it tried to change it to Warble again.

  • @vivianventer527
    @vivianventer527 3 роки тому +1

    And that was end of long distance Train Travel for Me . Flew back to Durban

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      Travelling behind steam on an express passenger traffic was an amazing experience!

  • @JohanKuhn-k2c
    @JohanKuhn-k2c 23 дні тому

    Was een fan die stoompassers op die transkaroo ek staan bekent onder die bynaam poffie

  • @blikkiesvdm
    @blikkiesvdm Рік тому +2

    Hierdie ou Reuse sal Altyd be wonder word. Pragtig.

  • @gertjiegert1092
    @gertjiegert1092 2 роки тому +1

    Die beste ooit. Dis moer toe. As gevolg van ..........

  • @joesprinter8202
    @joesprinter8202 9 років тому

    Does anyone know what happened to the two NBL locos?

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  9 років тому +1

      They're both still around, although neither are in working order at present.

    • @joesprinter8202
      @joesprinter8202 9 років тому

      Thanks for your info. I'm guessing that both are NBL engines and would love to see them in action again.

  • @MagnetOnlyMotors
    @MagnetOnlyMotors 4 роки тому +1

    0:37 Good way to use a wrench.
    1:12 sounds like a leaky valve.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      Yes, the bypass valve was stuck or blowing through I believe.

  • @struck2soon
    @struck2soon 9 років тому +1

    Something badly wrong with the valve events on lead loco, any ideas?

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  9 років тому

      Apparently a broken bypass valve on LHS which meant that (according to my notes at the times) the live steam for one of the power strokes was exhausted straight up the chimney. Would have made for an interesting time for the fireman! I do recall it being almost painfully loud.

    • @struck2soon
      @struck2soon 9 років тому

      That would make sense judging by the particularly long exhaust on one of the strokes. And a lot of the fire being pulled out the chimney...

    • @stephensmith799
      @stephensmith799 8 років тому +1

      +steamfreak3450 Thanks for the explanation - I was wondering too...

    • @britinibrocker
      @britinibrocker 7 років тому

      struck2soon iimio

  • @normansilver905
    @normansilver905 4 роки тому +1

    We rode across the Karoo on a SAR passenger train pulled by a condensing steam 25 locomotive in 1979. Quite a ride. BUT the condensing steamers were not too popular.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  4 роки тому +1

      I never got to see a condenser in action. Impressive locos but quite complex... I hear they exhausted super fine soot particles that found their way into everything!

  • @kunalmathur4591
    @kunalmathur4591 4 роки тому +2

    This is meter gauge or standard gauge?

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  4 роки тому +1

      It's 3'6" Cape Gauge

    • @maxwellthehedgehog6273
      @maxwellthehedgehog6273 2 роки тому +1

      @@steamfreak a gauge used in:
      Australia
      New zealand
      Japan
      South Africa
      And many other countries.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      @@maxwellthehedgehog6273 Thanks you, I am aware of that.

  • @koegelenbergandriesng.153
    @koegelenbergandriesng.153 3 роки тому +1

    Baie met hom gery Laingsburg toe.

  • @jurgens4134
    @jurgens4134 Рік тому +2

    Puik
    Die naasbeste nadat ek dit as kind kon ervaar het wat n vooreg was dit

  • @hawkeye-vv4kb
    @hawkeye-vv4kb 6 років тому +1

    Why the "ooooooh hel" at 2:35 ? ... lol

    • @scootergrant8683
      @scootergrant8683 4 роки тому +2

      Probably 'cause he wasn't expecting that to shoot out of the smokebox. I think it's 'cause they whacked on the blowers too much.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому

      The noise of that exhaust... The live steam was blowing straight out the chimney on the lead loco's left hand cylinder. Faulty bypass valve I think.

  • @nigelslade5276
    @nigelslade5276 3 роки тому +1

    Sounds first loco has valve problems.

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  3 роки тому

      Yes it definitely did. One of the strokes on the left hand cylinder was going straight through the bypass valve.

  • @blikkiesvdm
    @blikkiesvdm Рік тому +1

    Ek tjank sommer laaaaang trane.

  • @markwilliams4201
    @markwilliams4201 2 роки тому +1

    Goodbye to a treasure of SAR,as well as a workhorse.Spoornet,you made a big mistake taking this train and the Orange express off the lines.You should be ashamed.....

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  2 роки тому +1

      They really were a treasure...

  • @jopiejgdewittuffie
    @jopiejgdewittuffie 6 років тому +1

    ik vind treinen kijken niks

    • @steamfreak
      @steamfreak  6 років тому +3

      Thank you for your valuable input...