In April 2013, Peter Sinclair, now living in Villiersdorp, sent me four images of a Class 7 No 712 which at one time was plinthed at Cambridge station in East London.
Peter wrote: "Knowing your interest in tracing the
history of plinthed locos from the past, and following the trail of the mystery
loco that was central to a film, I came across these
pictures I took in 1987 at Cambridge of
No 712 class 7. Times were still relatively civilized and there was still an
air of responsibility towards items of historic interest. I wonder what her ultimate fate was?"
Upon which I could reply: "Good news - the specific engine is still around!"
"Of course the images show her as restored to her CGR no and colours. (In the SAR she was renumbered to Class 7 no 982.) In the early 90's (according to John Middleton's lists) she was stored at the Queenstown loco shed and eventually she was re-plinthed at Aliwal-North. I assume this was an exchange for Aliwal-North's original plinthed Garratt GB no 2166 which was subsequently restored to working condition, doing many special runs, and which is now on display in the OTM at George."
You can look up the Aliwal-North plinth here.
Upon which I could reply: "Good news - the specific engine is still around!"
"Of course the images show her as restored to her CGR no and colours. (In the SAR she was renumbered to Class 7 no 982.) In the early 90's (according to John Middleton's lists) she was stored at the Queenstown loco shed and eventually she was re-plinthed at Aliwal-North. I assume this was an exchange for Aliwal-North's original plinthed Garratt GB no 2166 which was subsequently restored to working condition, doing many special runs, and which is now on display in the OTM at George."
You can look up the Aliwal-North plinth here.
Image: Peter Sinclair
Image: Peter Sinclair
Image: Peter Sinclair
Image: Peter Sinclair
More technical and background information about SAR Class 7 locomotives may be found on Wikipedia.
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