The Mau Escarpment Kenya

[rogerfarnworth]

 

Hello, I am working at present on a series of articles about the Uganda Railway which runs through Kenya and Uganda. I am aware of an inlcine that was used for about 15 months while the railway was being built in the Western Highlands of Kenya but I have just found this photograph which purports to be of a similar incline on the Mau Escarpment. Does anyone know anything about this? Perhaps the location, further pictures, or any articles?

 

PS: I have been posting these articles I mention on this Forum under the Narrow Gauge Section. Perhaps I should also post them here?

Edited May 26, 2018 by rogerfarnworth

[EddieB]

I’ve seen the picture before, but can’t remember where. From what I can recall, it’s the incline that was constructed at the eastern wall of the Rift Valley, before the down gradient was constructed westwards from Nairobi. One of the locos imported from India is at the bottom.

 

Having rechecked, it’s reproduced in Kevin Patience’s “Steam in East Africa”, and shows an F class locomotive at the foot of the incline. There are further shots of the incline in operation (also in “Railway Across The Equator”, Mo Amin).

 

It was on the eastern wall, with stock split into manageable loads and carried down two sections on special platforms running on 5’6” bogies. Re-assembly took place at Kedong, near modern Limuru.

 

One more edit - the F class came new from Kitson, not second-hand from India.

Edited May 26, 2018 by EddieB

[rogerfarnworth]

Hi Eddie

 

And thank you. The place I found the image talked about it being on the Western side of the Rift Valley but I had been unable to find any support for that suggestion elsewhere.

 

It is good to know that it is a picture of the incline on the Eastern flank of the Rift Valley. There is still evidence of the existence of that incline which can be found on Google Earth.

 

Thank you again.

 

Roger

Edited May 27, 2018 by rogerfarnworth

[rogerfarnworth]

These are the images that I have included elsewhere. A Google Earth satellite image and an old photograph. The Goggle Earth image shows the line of the incline.