Ex-SAR 19D Class 4-8-2 No. 2685 near Kloof with an Umgeni Steam Railway train on June 27.
AD VAN STEN
IN LATE June, with little notice, operation of some heritage steam trains in South Africa was permitted after months of Covid-19 related restrictions. The volunteer-run Umgeni Steam Railway Museum operation on the Kloof- Inchanga section of the original 1067mm gauge Natal Government Railway main line between Durban and Pietermaritzburg saw steam trains during the last weekend in June, with ex-South African Railways (SAR) 19D Class 4-8-2 No. 2685 (built Borsig, Hennigsdorf 14736/1938) working trains in crisp southern hemisphere winter weather.