Patagonia, "Spooky", and New Years Day 1984

Sometimes the world can seem really small, especially when seemingly unrelated situations and events do connect. Such was the case with the 2 ft 6 in gauge coal railroad in Patagonia (subject of recent posts) and with 3 ft 6 in gauge steam in South Africa.

Those 2 ft 6 in gauge 2-10-2s in Patagonia were probably brought to the highest level of concentrated power and efficiency ever achieved on steam locomotives thanks to the work of engineer LD Porta. Engineer David Wardale started to implement some of these improvements on South African steam on an experimental basis in 1974. He installed a Gas Producer Combustion System and exhaust improvements on 19D 4-8-2 2644, nicknamed "Spooky", for amazing improvements in power and fuel efficiency. He then went on to even greater upgrades on 4-8-4 3450, the "Red Devil", making that engine the most powerful narrow gauge steam engine ever (5,000 indicated hp, 4,000 draw bar hp). In the meantime "Spooky" was assigned to the Vryburg engine pool where my brother was firing in 1983 - 1984.

So for the connection.....here is an excerpt from a letter he wrote in January, 1984

Vryburg, New Years Day, 1984

" We celebrated New Years Eve at the Johnstone's, and brought in the new year in style. 3 railfans from Jo'burg came for the weekend and we were busy watching movies and eating Pam's snacks until at Midnite, Robby ran outside saying "Daddy Train !" Sure enough the passenger from Mafeking was early, and Allan, who was firing, hung on the whistle. We wondered at the silence from the Loco, and tramped over there en masse. We each got on an engine and started blowing all the whistles!!! The racket woke up all the shed assistants who came sleepily stumbling out of their hut, rubbing their eyes. It also woke up the shedman who poked his head around the corner, only to disappear again.

It saddens me to think that next year I won't be able go across the street and blow Spooky's whistle on New Years eve. Needless to say, I brought my flashlight and shone it on the water sight glasses while climbing into the cab. Some habits get hammered in deep."

Here are couple S8 movie frames of Spooky in action between Vryburg and Mafeking, from my visit in 1983



The main external distinguishing features of Spooky are the somewhat strange looking smoke deflectors on an engine that produces almost no smoke (but of course condensed steam plumes on a cold day)