Chasing a 3ft 6 in gauge Baldwin (?) 4-8-2 in passenger service, SA R

In the late afternoon of June 14, 1964, I most reluctantly had to leave 2 foot gauge country and drive from Donnybrook to the Durban airport and start my return from South Africa to the USA. Along to the way I had one last encounter with an NGG-16 powered freight.



My friend Roger Perry met me at the Johannesburg airport, and after a night at his home, on June 15 we left early to chase the morning stopping train on the Johannesburg - Pretoria - Komatipoort -
(Lourenco Marques) route. This line was dominated by 15CA and 15CB 4-8-2s. Two 15CBs were supplied by Baldwin in 1925 as a trial of large American-type locomotives for South African conditions. Eventually Baldwin built 14 more 15CBs, Alco built 23 15CAs with very minor alterations, Breda added 10 15CAs, and North British built 47 more 15CAs.

In preparation for our first photo, Roger got out the clippers to assure no vegetation would interfere with a clean view of the running gear.



The 15CB (or 15CA) is getting her train underway after a brief local stop. Those 15Cs were some of the loudest engines in South Africa, with a sharp bark that marked their coming.







(to be continued)