Steam safeguarded after scrap scandal

Six years after one of the worst mass scrappings in preservation history, a number of locomotives and carriages have been safeguarded in an agreement between FEDRAIL (the Federation of Heritage Railways of Southern Africa) and the South African National Railway & Steam Museum (SANRASM). The museum cut up a large number of items in its collection in 2010, after attacks by scrap thieves left many damaged beyond repair (SR381). But now, a Memorandum of Agreement has been signed transferring the remaining SANRASM assets into the custody of FEDRAIL. The latter will now be able to distribute the items among its members on a ‘leaselend’ basis. As well as sleeping, kitchen and dining cars, suburban stock and a Cape Government Railway private saloon, the agreement covers two CGR ‘6th’ class 4-6-0s, Nos. 194 and 454. Also included is the surviving tender of one of the most historic victims of the scrapping spree - ‘19D’ 4-8-2 No. 2644, modified by David Wardale as a precursor to his famous ‘Red Devil’. FEDRAIL Director Dave Richardson commented: “At least some good will now come out of what was a preservation tragedy.”