Railways around the Zambezi

[Mikkel]

Been restoring my photos in this thread. I've also been scanning old slides and these turned up:

 

 

15th class Garratt loco No. 387 at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in 1995. There were 74 locos in the class, making it the second-largest class of Garratts, if I understand correctly. They were built initially at Beyer Peacock, then Societe Franco-Belge  in La Croyere. No. 387 was part of a lot built 1949-50, named Imvubu (hippopotamous) in 1981 and scrapped in 1997.

 

 

 

Clerestory sleeper stock at Harare Station in 1995.

 

 

 

Another 15th Class Garratt, this is No. 416 Inungu (Porcupine) at Vic Falls in 1995.

 

 

 

416 was built by Societe Franco-Belge in La Croyere, Belgium in 1952. 

 

 

It looks like the plates were put up for sale in April 2015, so I assume it is no more. 

 

[Grovenor]

See also, http://www.norgrove.me.uk/garratts.htm

[stivesnick]

Great to see these photos - I visited Victoria Falls and across the bridge to Livingstone during the 1990s. I then built an N Gauge layout based on Victoria Falls as the idea of having through trains change locos had great appeal. It was never intended to be an exact copy so I invented the NRS (National Railways of Somewhere) linking with the ER (Elsewhere Railway). 

 

I have since considered a model of the Zambesi Saw Mills railway although I could not find any suitable steam locos in N. There is a book on the railway "Sitimela" by Geof M Calvert, ISBN 0 7974 2837 2. I have a copy if anyone would like any information. The book has track plans, schedules and rolling stock details.

 

Nick 

[Claude_Dreyfus]

On 01/11/2010 at 22:36, Mikkel said:

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder if the yellow NRZ 10A class is the same locomotive I photographed in March 2019? It is certainly a lot tattier... That said, the very faded number on the front looks like 1027.

 

[Mikkel]

18 hours ago, Grovenor said:

See also, http://www.norgrove.me.uk/garratts.htm

 

Thank you, that's an impressive display of Garratts in action.

 

Here's one from Flickr showing 387 crossing the bridge at Victoria Falls:

 

Source: Geoff Cooke. https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoff-cooke/8433425120/in/photolist-dRevto

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Claude_Dreyfus said:

 

I wonder if the yellow NRZ 10A class is the same locomotive I photographed in March 2019? It is certainly a lot tattier... That said, the very faded number on the front looks like 1027.

 

 

 

Interesting. Hard to tell the numbers - but the difference between the photos is 9 years, I suppose that time period would leave its marks on a much-used loco.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Mikkel
Typo

[Mikkel]

10 hours ago, stivesnick said:

Great to see these photos - I visited Victoria Falls and across the bridge to Livingstone during the 1990s. I then built an N Gauge layout based on Victoria Falls as the idea of having through trains change locos had great appeal. It was never intended to be an exact copy so I invented the NRS (National Railways of Somewhere) linking with the ER (Elsewhere Railway). 

 

I have since considered a model of the Zambesi Saw Mills railway although I could not find any suitable steam locos in N. There is a book on the railway "Sitimela" by Geof M Calvert, ISBN 0 7974 2837 2. I have a copy if anyone would like any information. The book has track plans, schedules and rolling stock details.

 

Nick 

 

The Victoria Falls layouts sounds good. I don't suppose you have any photos to share?

 

The Zambezi Sawmills railway - a.k.a. Mulobezi Railway - has always intrigued me. It is scheduled for renovation:

 

 

 

 

I have been looking for the Sitimela book for some time. Thanks for the offer of info, but I don't need any particular details at the moment, so will continue looking for the whole volume (there is on on ebay, but postage and EU import fees puts it at £70+).

 

I do have Gordon Shepherd's two volumes: "Old Zambia's Railways and More" and "Old Zimbabwe's Railways and More". They are rather eclectic, and in the Zambian one there are many photos from the early days that aren't directly associated with the railways. And nothing much on the Sawmills Rwy. Nice for a period study though.

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Mikkel
Added video and deleted rumour about extension, can't find proper documentation

[stivesnick]

10 hours ago, Mikkel said:

The Victoria Falls layouts sounds good. I don't suppose you have any photos to share?

 

My layout was called Matoko and there was an article in the Nov 1997 edition of Continental Modeller.

 

Copy of article below.

 

Nick 

[Mikkel]

Many thanks Nick. I downloaded and rotated the article, an enjoyable read.

 

I like the inclusion of locally purchased wildlife. When you mentioned "scratchbuilt crocodile" I first thought it was a GWR well wagon 🙂