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Helping to identify those saved African engines

Regarding the article on Sandstone (centre pages), I was one of the drivers on Garratt No 88 this year, my second visit to this wonderful railway. Besides driving several of the other steam locomotives I spent a day on Marshall road roller No 88876 of 1940. Also in steam during the week was Marshall No 53048, Fowler crane No 9403, Sentinel No 9178 and, fresh from overhaul, McLaren No 797. Other road locos on site in a large shed or under a canopy include Fowlers 19539/? and 19543/35, Burrell 3312/14, Ransomes 34229/?, 36040/26, 39059/28, 39089/?, Robey 32237/13 & 39701/36, Marshall 45672/06 & 75283/22, RSJ 31330/? and a Lanz 683x/25.

Two Fowler ploughing engines are in a field close by the railway and I discovered the following on them ‘Nos 10 & 12’, with works nos 12455/6/7 and 8.

Of the ‘saved engines’ in your article, they have been placed in the open with a canopy over them along with some previous engines. A few of us managed to find the following on them. Fowler road roller No 15516, Fowler road rollers Nos 16667 and 8963/27. Fowler roller No 17577, Aveling road roller No 509 & 9228/04 and possibly No 4309 and Fowler No 18060/29.

Note, in Bethlehem, SA, there is Marshall portable No 72884. Besides those in the James Hall of Transport, Johannesburg, there is a portable outside a factory called Geldings near Helmaustead, Johannesburg.

I suspect the O & K mentioned is No 12691, as this was there in 2010 when I visited.

Hope the above is of interest.

David Rollins,
Brisbane, Queensland,
Australia