International Railroad Discussion > Zimbabwe: Hwange Colliery II

After our second morning in Victoria Falls, our earstwhile 15A Garratt "UBHE JANE" (Black Rhino) gave up the ghost. With one failed injector, the chief inspector would not let the locomotive back on to the main. It would take too long to bring up a spare from Bulawayo, and attempts at a fast repair at a local shop were not successful.

It is NRZ's policy that a locomotive needs to start with two working injectors. If one fails en route, it can keep going with one working injector, but it cannot start the day with only one. This seems reasonable.

Bernd made some phone calls and we reverted to a backup plan, which was to return to Hwange by minibus after lunch (an hour and 10 minute journey via the main road) and spend our afternoon at the colliery with the 16A, in different light than our last visit.

We also spent the following day there, and I'll combine the two sessions here.

Photo 1: Class 16A #611 Getting up steam in the morning at the engine facilities at the Colliery.

Photo 2: Derelict locomotive, don't have any information on it.

Photo 3: A nice sunset light photo of 611.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/17 15:19 by Harlock.

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Photo 1: A view of the shop compounds from above.

Photo 2: Some still life.

Photo 3: Another shot from above.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Photo 1: Industrial architecture.

Photo 2: Throwing a switch at Thomson junction.

Photo 3: industrial buildings, industrial loco.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Photo 1: Abandoned loco shed, Thomson Jct.

Photo 2: Disused tank cars, Thomson Jct.

Photo 3: abandoned coal loading tower, Thomson Jct.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Photo 1: Steaming out of the engine facility, Hwange Colliery.

Photo 2: More industrial architecture at the Colliery.

Photo 3: Sunset on the last steam freight service in all of Africa.

This concludes my photo presentation for Zimbabwe. Hope you all enjoyed the show.

-Mike

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/17 15:20 by Harlock.

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Hi Mike,

You "hope" we enjoyed the show??
I would beg you, It is impossible to NOT enjoy the show !!!
Steam I have never seen before, in a place I will not get a chance to go, all shown to me
by a PRO !!
A simple Thank You is the best I can do.

Dave Leland

I agree. This is one of the VERY "STEAM" programs. wag216

Mike,
Did I miss something??
What year did all this take place?
Great presentation --Jim Baker -LALS

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

Photo 2 in the first set, "derelict engine", looks like it might have been a really classy one back in the day.

Echoing what others have said, "many thanks" for taking the time to post your photos here. It's been a delight.

JimBaker Wrote:
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> Mike,
> Did I miss something??
> What year did all this take place?
> Great presentation --Jim Baker -LALS

This took place in July of this year, a few weeks ago.

Best,

-Mike

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Wow that was a great series of pictures. Good stuff.

Jon in Az

What a great presentation
Thank you so much.

Thanks for the great photos and captions. Way back in the day one of my largest futures hedging accounts was Rhodesia Selection Trust ( RST) which then was one of the worlds largest copper producers. My customer was headquartered in Rhodesia ( now called Zimbabwa, IIRC) and he said that he and his family would be packed and leaving Africa within weeks after Rhodesia declared its independence from British rule as he was certain that the natives were totally incapable of managing the nation.

He said he paid a return visit only 3 years later and the infrastructure was crumbling, power was often off most of the day, the sewer system had failed and the telephone service was sporadic at best. A scenario that sadly has followed across this continent and now is even true of South Africa.

I'm pleasantly surprised that they still run trains at all especially steam.

Great photos and stories. Ross Rowland

There is a lot of copper still moving through Zimbabwe via truck. In the last 10 years a lot of the rail freight has shifted to truck.

I saw great big copper ingots strapped down to flatbeds going north to Zambia and beyond, across the border at Victoria Falls.

The country is in a state of arrested, functional decay. In certain places where tourists go, things are doing better. (Victoria Falls). All in all we really enjoyed our trip and we really got along well with all the locals. The wildlife and national parks are incredible. We'd go back in a heartbeat if it continues to hold up as-is.

-M

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Harlock Wrote:
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> Photo 2: Derelict locomotive, don't have any
> information on it.
>
Mike, this is Hwange Colliery No.5. She is one of three former Rhodesia Railways 19th Class. Generally based on the final North British Loco series of the South African Railways 19D type, the twenty RR 19th class locos - supplied by Henschel & Sohn in 1951/2 - had only been usefully employed on the “South Line” (Bulawayo to Mafeking) and the entire class was put aside during 1973 for want of other work.

Cheers,
Jack

Yes, thank you for sharing ! I 'm not a steam man my self , but "WOW" !!!
Than you for sharing...Again... :):):)

NICE pics!!

Mike - many thanks for taking the time out to upload all the photos, plus the detailed captions. As I mentioned in a previous post, I worked at Hwange power station in the 1980s. Things have changed!! Did you see anything of the daily Coal Liner which ran from the colliery. Always 3 DE10 GM diesels, and always with armed guards?? Seen here at the Lukosi river. Chris uk

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africansteam Wrote:
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> Harlock Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Photo 2: Derelict locomotive, don't have any
> > information on it.
> >
> Mike, this is Hwange Colliery No.5. She is one of
> three former Rhodesia Railways 19th Class.
> Generally based on the final North British Loco
> series of the South African Railways 19D type, the
> twenty RR 19th class locos - supplied by Henschel
> & Sohn in 1951/2 - had only been usefully employed
> on the “South Line” (Bulawayo to Mafeking) and
> the entire class was put aside during 1973 for
> want of other work.
>
> Cheers,
> Jack

No 5 is a former SAR 4-6-2 plinthed on the highway into Hwange. Although that is listed in a book as first No. 5. They had at least three of the big tendered 4-8-2s, Nos 6-8 and this looks like No. 6, given the arrangement of certain brackets above the running board. Was there a fourth of this class numbered second 5?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/17 11:05 by PERichardson.

Here's #7 back in 1986. Presumably one of the ex-RSA 19Ds? chris uk

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