Red ‘Dragon’s Mountain’ breathes steam in valley
NG/G13 Garratt hauls Vale of Rheidol Railway trains.
AS revealed in RM Headline News last month (picture, page 11) ex-South African Railways Hanomag-built 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt NG/G13 (10551/1927) No. 60 Drakensberg has returned to steam following overhaul by Vale of Rheidol Railway (VoR).
It undertook a light engine gauging test over the full VoR line on October 16, followed on October 18 by a loaded test run hauling seven carriages to Devil’s Bridge.
A further special passenger train ran on October 27, followed by early November photo charter operations.
The NG/G13 finished working in South Africa in 1973 and was acquired by Swiss enthusiasts in 1986. They returned it to operation in 1998, running on the 60cm gauge Schinznacher Baumschulbahn until track layout changes precluded its use on the entire circuit at the site. Three years of negotiations culminated in its July 2017 arrival in Britain (RM Headline, August 2017) for use at the MidWales line.
VoR commenced a full overhaul which has progressed amid other work, and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The boiler was found to be in good condition, requiring little more than new tubes and an overhaul of the fittings.
The power bogies were overhauled and full VoR specification air braking added. The original vacuum and loco steam brake equipment has been retained in the cab, conserving its original appearance. No significant work was needed on the bunker and water tanks. A correct earlytype NG/G13 chimney has been fitted and the loco equipped with VoR couplings and safety chains.
The name Drakensberg was applied in Switzerland. It refers to an area in central Southern Africa named Drakensbergen (Dragons’ Mountains) by early Dutch settlers which became Drakensberge in Afrikaans.
With a red dragon being symbolic of Wales the name will be retained. Although the crossed SAR/SAS (SuidAfrikaanse Spoorweë) lettering on the bunker was present for its initial tests, this has now been replaced by crossed VOR/ VOR lettering in the same format.