Talented throwers

I thought those guys were pretty darned good. He would take it out of the fire, with the tongs, then fling it half way across the shop. It landed (as you say with sparks flying)right next to the guy who was to install it. He reaches down with his tongs and starts to install it. After seeing this I always thought there should be new game at the Olympics for Talented "Rivet Tossers".
As for the safty, remember these folks are in a whole different world than what you and I are used to. This is the country that refused to believe there was an AIDS problem also!!!
On another note, the head roundhouse foreman David Putnam, seen in the video, and heard explaing a few things, passed away a couple of months ago. He was curator of the Bulawayo Railway Museum and was a good friend to all steam fans.
One nice thing about this tape there is a fair amount of human interest, which is so difficult to capture in today's diesel railroading. One of my favorite things was the stationmaster taking the orders, and riding his bike out to hand them to the garratt-hauled train. I enjoyed those high-stepping 15th class Garratts (4-6+6-4).
South Africa was the place for steam though, and our 1977 trip saw tons of steam, including Garratts on the mainline on such things as the daily Capetown to Port Elizabeth Passenger train.
In 1984 I got to ride in a Garratt while switching(sorry shunting)the yard at Waterval Boven. I nearly got lodged in the backhead on one sudden stop. Shot no stills or video. After dinner though we shot some switching in low lighting, and the next day some more action. Sometimes the most memorable things are not always on video or film.
Greg Scholl