Hello,

Can any of you advise on the status of the Red Devil? The last I heard she was getting a few weeds around her wishing for some TLC. Is she in peril?

I believe the major rail entity in South Africa is Transnet (the current successor to the former SAR - South African Railways?? Is she still owned by them?

In recent news from the Sandstone Heritage Trust, it appears main line steam in the country is also in peril. See the following link.

http://www.sandstone-estates.com/heritage/rail/news/rn402_last_steam_tour/rn402_David_Rodgers.htm

(If you attempt to open Sandstone's home page, their offices were pillaged for a second time.) This is too bad, they seemed to have a very interesting operation there! I wish them well and hope they can get back on their feet.

Back to the Red Devil, hopefully she can be preserved. When she was converetd to a Class 26, she was an impressive piece of iron. I believe she may be parked in Capetown? I would appreciate any feedback.

Here is a link to a photo of her back in better days.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/images/13/279.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/show.php%3Fimage_id%3D279%26cat_id%3D19&h=398&w=600&sz=46&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=KyY7gTU5roGIHM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsar%2Bclass%2B26%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

Note that at that time, the nameplates on her smoke deflectors stated "L. D. Porta" in honor of the master......may he rest in peace.

Best regards,

Randy Musselman

Randy;

I don't know the absolute latest news; last I heard the Red Devil was still operational; but many of the changes Porta made have since been removed.

Any idea why they removed the modifications? Were they not as effective as hoped, or too complicated to maintain, or some other reason???

Perhaps the simplest explanation would be to say 3450 being a one off has suffered as all one offs do. The long explanation can be found in David Wardale's book on the subject, "The Red Devil and Other Tales from the Age of Steam."

Hello,

Thank you for the feedback.

Per the reply of Martyn, I recall one specific aspect that underscored her unique configuration. David required excess air to enter above the fire since the open area in the grates was drastically reduced (gas producer furnace). In addition, to inlet ports in the side of the firebox, he required the firedoors to be open.....all the time and if recall, it was a substantial opening. This requirement was so unorthodox that he was forced to weld in spacer bars so the crew would not close the doors.

After reading this, it seemed alarming to me as well. In my limited exposure to steam on this side of the pond, I recall many operators emphasizing the doors must be opened as little as possible as it could warp the side sheets inside the box. If I recall, Mr. Melvin from the 765 crew stated that in the case of the 3450......the doors were always to be open. He noted the intermittent shots of cold air when normally closed is the problem with a classic design.

If you put yourself in the shoes of the operator, a one-off machine was probably a nuisance, especially when you are expected to get a train over the road. Even if the SAR authorized the test, I would bet the "fire" would fly if they caused delays due to testing adjustments. On the up side, I recall David mentioning drivers that really bought into the concept and were an integral part of seeing how far she could be pushed. Those guys are the keepers.

As for her current state, removing some of the features is probably a necessity since staff with any knowledge on how to operate her in the customized state are long gone.

She still looks impressive with the dual chimneys and extended smokebox.

As for color, my preference is get her back to all red.....right down to the frame rails.......back to her original purpose....to get people's attention. Internationally, she is about as close as you can get to a real gem, once in America, the NYC Niagara.........rolling bearings on the axles and rods with a godzilla strong one-piece cast bed frame.

I recall Kelly Anderson from the SRR stating the 3450 suffered piston rod and/or crosshead failures? I was not aware of that issue arising and don't believe it was mentioned in the book. They must have pushed her to the limit.

She reached some astounding performance for a 3'6" loading gauge.

Best regards,

Randy Musselman
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The last report I have seen was in "Continental Railway Journal" Winter 2006-7 edition.

On 26th June 2006 3450 and a 25NC without plates but thought to be 3422 were seen at Monument station Cape Town - apparently stored.

Also present and showing signs of recent use were 15F 4-8-2 2916 and 24 2-8-4 3655.

I do not think that 3450 has a current boiler certificate. I think it is still owned by Transnet Foundation Heritage Preservation.

Jim.

Jim,

Per your information on Transnet, I did some research and found two references to her location.

First in the "East Coast Champion", the newsletter of the Florida East Coast, NRHS, there was mention of the 3450 being moved from Dal Josafat (Apparantely a Transnet location?) to Cape Town around the time of the letter which was November 2006. There was mention that she was moved along with 3655.

Secondly, I found mention of the 3450 on www.steamlocomotive.info in an overall listing of 90 locomotives in the West Cape region. In that listing, it stated that the 3450 was located at Dal Josafat.

In digging deeper, I came to find that there are detailed satellite maps of Cape Town and Dal Josafat readily available.

I searched over Cape Town and found no signs of the 3450, at least out under the open sky. I believe this is Monument Station (right at the "+" at the center of the view) since their are 10 coaches intergated into the hotel (if you look closely there are 5 on each side of the platform, I read about this coach arrangement at the Train Lodge web site which is Monument Station http://www.trainlodge.co.za/index.html) Here is the satellite of Monument Station:

http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=-33924502&x=18431443&z=18&l=0&m=a

Note that the main Cape Town metro station is immediately to the left of the Old Monument Station. The metro station appears to be a terminal and quite large. Its not to say the 3450 was not parked under the elevated streets or platform covers. This map is dated 2007.

Then I searched over Dal Josafat and found this:

http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=-33700797&x ... =0&m=a&v=2

At the center of the view, just to the right of the "+" may be the 3450. The 3450 is slightly over 91 feet in length. If you look at the map scale, the length of this locomotive is precisely that. In addition, it appears you can see the smoke lifter shields and tender with coal bunker. And most significant....the locomotive is red.

Also note directly in front of her is a 25NC that was converted from a 25C (condenser version) since it has the extremely long tender behind it. It appears their may be more locomotives stored at this sight.

One additional find, in Cape Town, the former SAR, Salt River Shops, where the 3450 was converted from a Class 25 to a Class 26, may be located to the east of the Cape Town metro station. This may be a view of that shop.

http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=-33927863&x=18473741&z=18&l=0&m=a

There is a turntable present but most importantly, directly above the turntable, I recall seeing the overhead bridgework at the shop entrance in a photo of the 3450 in David Wardale's book. The 3450 was sitting right in front of this shop for final adjustments before her refit testing. I believe the photo stated that Table Mountain was behind the shops and indeed it is behind the shops to the southwest.

It is interesting to use technology to explore South Africa when you sitting in your chair part way around the world in central Pennsylvania, USA!

Cheers!

Randy Musselman

Hi Randy

It is standard with the Gas Producer config that the vast majority of combustion air is secondary air. It is, I'm afraid, myth and legend that admitting last amounts of secondary air is to the detriment of the loco. Would I do it with a traditional combustion loco? No, not to the same extent, but then I'd like to keep the pressure up! That said, of course, secondary air is often still required to enable good combustion, that is keep down smoke.

To anyone who objects to large amounts of (cold) secondary air going into the firebox I'd point them to the Rio Turbio line where the Gas Producer was first seriously used, after initial development further north in Argentina. Here the loco setup was very similar to 3450. But the climate was somewhat hasher - winters still get down to minus 4F or lower. The Rio Turbio 2-10-2s ran as Gas Producers for nigh on 40 years and with no recorded firebox problems beyond what would normally be expected.

People who have fired Gas Producers tell me the intensity of the fire - most of which is above the firebed, that is the gas produced is being burnt away from the coal - is more like that from an oil fired loco.

In February 2013 she was standing in Cape Town under cover near the Atlantic Rail platform they are using. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/dvdmerwe/8685966746/in/photolist-eexRcJ-eexRim-eexRq1/

The last post from Mr DVD Merwe remains basically accurate in that 3450 is stored in the same place today in the care of Atlantic rail. It is inoperable due to the theft of copper piping from the side you cannot see in the images which it is sarcastically stated the security guard also cannot see from his bench on the station platform.

David Wardale's other loco the 19D 2644 "Spooky" was also in one piece until about two months a go when metal thieves cut it's frames to steal the main bearing brasses rendering the locomotive "scrap" although many thought it could be rebuilt.

Last week a flat car showed up at the Reefsteamers depot in Germiston with a set of red wheels from a 19D.....there was only one 19D with red wheels.

TH

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