A thousand miles on 3664

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John Ashworth
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A thousand miles on 3664

Post by John Ashworth »

Peter Odell wrote:Writing up my recent F O T R steam "haulage" I checked as ever for any locos reaching the 1,000/5,000 or 10,000 mile mark.

To my delight 3664 became my first 2-8-4 (CFR,EAR & Nickel Plate notwithstanding) to reach 1,000 miles, somewhere around Rayton about 15.45 on the afternoon of December 4th 2011.

But the history of this is intriguing........

In the 70's 3664 was allocated to Sydeham, my first depot! The first run was on the P E suburbans 14/5/73 , 4 months after hitting SA. Joining SAR on 8/10/73 I was restricted to the shunt, untill relieving at Cookhouse Xmas 73. I recall asking all and sundry for a road job so my first-(appalling/inexperienced/assisted by driver)-road firing turn was 10/1/74 on the Cookhouse-Somerset East & return mixed and yes 3664 was the rostered engine !

More firing of 3664 included 2 return P E -New Brighton a m subs on 28/5/76 and on 14/6/76 the return P E -Kirkwood mixed.

Records for 2000-2005 are still being processed but I'm sure our paths never crossed again untill Nathan's birthday special out of Hermanstad, 32 years later on 27/7/2008!

Some other interesting facts emerged... On 16/11/74 I rode a 09.40 Germiston-Hercules-Cullinan railtour with 12A 1524, certainly pre Reefsteamers! And alighting at Pretoria on the return I'd already bagged 2822 & 3788 before riding the 18.30 to Bronkhorstpruit with wait for it....2850.

And relieving at Kroonstad from 14/9/75 my first firing turn to Bloemfontein,goods137 at17.15 on 15/9/75 was none other than FOTR ex servicable, now stored 15F the magical 3094 !

Peter J Odell
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Michael James
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Joined: 15 Oct 2007, 15:21

Re: A thousand miles on 3664

Post by Michael James »

Hi Peter

As a university student I worked as a fireman (on the shunt links) at Sydenham during vacations in '73, '74 and until the beginning of '75.

I recall meeting you one day at the PE docks in 1974 - my driver that day was the late Jan van der Mescht - he was killed in a derailment on the narrow gauge line a year or so later.

Two of the other drivers I recall working with were Johan Nel (known as Donkeykop) and Henry Williamson.

Regards

Mike James
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John Ashworth
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Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
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Re: A thousand miles on 3664

Post by John Ashworth »

Welcome to the forum, Mike - your first post. Hope there will be many more.
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