When some people think of 3'6" gauge locomotives, this can conjure up images in their minds of wheezy, breathless locomotives trundling along some short branch line track and heaving two or three ancient, creaking carriages at 20Km/h on good days with little wind.
In South Africa, however, these tracks carried nearly 200-ton monsters operating at speeds of 100-120Km/h an hour pulled by massive, powerful locos!
South African Steam Locomotive designs are among some of the finest and most beautiful in the world and although many were built and supplied by foreign countries, South Africa designed their own locomotives.
The South African Railways Steam Preservation Association (SARSPA) aims to pay tribute to the men who designed these beautiful and powerful machines and is taking the necessary steps that it believes to be most beneficial for the continued survival, construction and operation of SAR Steam Locomotives and to relive the "Golden Years" of steam.
We are a non-profit organisation and any funds generated from any items that we may sell or promote are used strictly for the benefit of furthering South African Railways Steam Preservation. |
