Locomotion - National Railway Museum, Shildon (UK), ex-SAR Class 7A no 993 / CGR no 390

This January 2014 image kind courtesy of Chris Benadie.


This January 2014 image kind courtesy of Chris Benadie.


This January 2014 image kind courtesy of Chris Benadie.


This January 2014 image kind courtesy of Chris Benadie.

Cape Government locomotive and tender 4-8-0, 1896
Cape Government Railways locomotive No.993 at Locomotion

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

04 May 2012  (original National Railway Museum news release here)

Visitors to Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon during week commencing Monday May 14, 2012, will have the chance to get a close-up view of the cosmetic restoration of one of the vehicles on display.



Cape-gauge locomotive Government Railways No. 993 (SAR 390) is positioned at the front of the museum’s Collection Building, and a team from specialist contractors Heritage Painting will be cosmetically restoring the vehicle on the gallery, giving visitors a chance to see the project progress.

This wood-burning 4-8-0 locomotive was built in 1896 by Sharp Stewart for the Cape Government Railway, and operated initially throughout the Transvaal, Cape Colony and the colony of Natal in South-Eastern Africa.

From 1915 to the 1960s, the locomotive saw regular work in Namibia, before being retired to shunt passenger stock in Braamfontein Yard, South Africa. Then in the late 1960s, the locomotive was sold to the Zambesi Sawmills (also known as Mulobezi Railway), who used it as a forest shunter until 1973.

In 1974, renowned wildlife artist and conservationist David Shepherd donated a helicopter to Zambia to help the local population hunt for poachers. In return, the President of Zambia Dr Kenneth Kaunda donated the locomotive to David Shepherd.

Mr Shepherd brought the locomotive back to the UK in 1975, and the engine was displayed at Whipsnade Zoo, then East Somerset Railway, and then the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, before being transferred to the National Railway Museum.

The locomotive was originally painted in unlined black with scarlet buffer beams and wheel and a matt black smokebox. The team from Heritage Painting will restore the vehicle to the appropriate livery, working on the gallery at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon from Monday May 14.

For more information on this and other on-going restoration projects at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, please call the museum on 01388 771439.

Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon
Shildon
County Durham
DL4 1PQ
01388 777999
locomotion@nrm.org.uk
www.nrm.org.uk/locomotion

Class 7A SAR no 993 / CGR no 390 (image 22 June 2012 (c) John Oram)

Image: Unidentified photographer
Maker: Sharp Stewart & Co


Place Made: Atlas Works, Manchester, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Date Made: 1896


Undated image:  (c) Mike Hutton via Flickr

Measurements: Length 51 4"; width 8'; height 12'.

undated image: (c) Williamfj2 (via flickr)


image: May 13 2012 (c) David Fowler

(height: 3.658 m length: 15.646 m; width: 2.438 m)



Description: Locomotive and tender, 4-8-0, 3' 6" gauge, wood burning, with 8-wheel double-bogie tender, built by Sharp Stewart in 1896 for the Cape Government Railway, later South African Railways. Order number E1073 and T1073.


More info about this painting at shop.davidshepherd.org

Subsequently operated by Zambezi Sawmills Railway (also known as the Mulobezi Railway). Operated on the Mulobezi to Livingstone line.

This image credited to www.heritagerailway.co.uk : David Shepherd is seen with a photograph showing the locomotive in use in Africa.




This wood-burning 3ft 6in gauge 4-8-0 was built in 1896 by Sharp Stewart, and initially operated throughout the Transvaal, Cape Colony and the colony of Natal in South-Eastern Africa.




In 1974, David donated a helicopter to Zambia to help the local population hunt for poachers.
In return, the President of Zambia Dr Kenneth Kaunda donated the locomotive to David.