Steam to Mombasa - English • Great Railways
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- čas přidán 25. 10. 2023
- A dramatic steam safari through the East African bush by film maker NICK LERA, hauled by the most powerful meter gauge steam locomotive in the world, the massive Beyer-Garratt articulated ‘Mount Gelai’. The unique 330 mile adventure both trackside and on tbe loco footplate with legendary driver Kirpal Singh Sandhu ends with the famous spiral descent into Mombasa on the coast. Plus an historical introduction and rare archive footage.
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My father Mr Ajmer singh Sandhu used to drive 5925 on Mombasa Nairobi route till 1972. These Garrett locomotives were magnificent. This brought back fond memories.
From where you yaar
Sikhs, one of the most patriotic and bravest of all Indian people, for generations not only have protceted motherland from enemies but also contributing to India and the world to make it a better place to live with their seer hard work and service to humanity, as taught by Gurus. We are proud of our NRI brothren. Now the world recognise India more by two class of people from the same spritual lineage, Sikhs and Hindus. My regards to your father and Kirpal Singh Sandhu for their splendid work. 🙏
I thank your Dad for His dedication to Kenya. May His soul be forever blessed.
Thank you. I worked at Athi River cement factory for ten months in 1976. I used to travel to Mombassa on the overnight sleeper, it was not steam, but I used to dine in that beautiful carriage. Also, one lunch time I got on the footplate of a Garret that was delivering fuel oil to the factory. The driver let me "drive" it foward a few meters! Very happy memories, Kenya is heaven on earth.
Thank you for your kind comment about Kenya. Indeed a beautiful land.
@@alfredkiranga1237 oh Alfred, there you go, being so typically polite and modest like a real Kenyan. I was only in Kenya for ten months, in 1977, I was 25. I worked at Athi River, and for a couple of months at Kabini Hill. It was a wonderful year, I learned to fly at Wilson Airport, a lifetime dream! BUT the most wonderful thing I took from that year was the memories of Kenya. Beautiful landscapes, amazing wildlife, superb weather, fantastic food, and the people!!! I felt loved by total strangers! The old lady in the village shop, the duka, reminded me of my own grandmother, because I would turn up on my motorbike, and she would say "hello my dear". At Kabini Hill, some evenings I would spend a few hours drinking millet beer with some massai warriors. They spoke no English, and I spoke no Massai, but we communicated!
My PC home screen is a very blurred photo of my friends at Kabini Hill.
Years later, I cried when I learned of the atrocities carried out by the British during the Mau May.
Now I am angry that climate change is hurting Africa, and the west is refusing to take sufficient action. Also the world exploits Africa, she must be the richest continent on earth in terms of natural resources, but the poorest in the world run by the rich.
So thank YOU for your comment Alfred, and thank your whole country for the very happy time I had.
Thank you for your story,greate memories.😊💨🇭🇺🇨🇦
The drinks cabinet! Great sense of humour from Kirpal Singh Sandhu. I read that he died in 2010, and we can only hope that his famous house wall has been preserved for posterity.
It has been preserved in a new location 😊
@@prabniksandhu4648Any relation?
BEYER - GARRATT'S
This method of balancing the cab boiler & smokebox on bridge girders, articulated between two "engines" (the two chassis' each with sets of wheels cylinders & motion) was Patented by an Australian named Garratt. He sold the Patent to the British locomotive manufacturer Beyer-Peacock (Manchester). The very first Garratt was built for use in Tasmania. It's now preserved in working order and operating on the Welsh Highland Railway (1ft 11.5inch gauge) in North Wales (UK).
The Double Articulated Garratt design is intended to spread the weight of the locomotive over a much greater length of track. So as to allow for very large powerful locomotives to be built with a low axle load compared to normal steam types. This allows such huge monsters to run over lightly laid track of maybe only 45lbs per yard, as typically found in many British Colonies.
The double articulation also allows these Monsters to negotiate very sharp curves, which would otherwise preclude such huge machines.
Garratt's were built in their HUNDREDS by Beyer-Peacock in Manchester. They were built for use on many different gauges in many British Empire Colonies,as well as Railways operated by British Companies in such places as Argentina & Brazil. They were therefore very common in many African Countries, including Kenya; Uganda; Tanganyika; Sudan; South Africa, Angola, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast; Nigeria & Both Northern & Southern Rhodesia. They were of course also found in Australia, & New Zealand, and even in Britain itself.
Further the French also built a batch of "Express" 4-6-2+4-6-2 (5ft 11in driving wheels) semi-streamlined, large Standard gauge Garratt's. 29 of which were built for use in Algeria between 1936-41, having paid "Garratt" for Patent useage. Supposedly they were capable of reaching 80mph (130kph) while blasting their way across bits of the Sahara Desert.
Even the Russians toyed with the Garratt design. One 5ft (broad) gauge monster weighing around 300tons was shipped from Manchester to Russia.
PRESERVATION
A number of Garratts are preserved some in working order, in a number of countries. Probably the largest of those preserved are the four examples of Class AD60 of the Australian New South Wales Government Railways. These are Standard Gauge monsters with a 4-8-4+4-8-4 wheel arrangement. They weigh 264 tonnes with an adhesive weight of 144 tonnes, & boiler pressure of 200psi. Axle load is a maximum 18 tonnes, and these beasts develop a Tractive Effort of 63,490lbf .
However surpassing even the power of the standard Gauge Australian Class AD60. Were the East African Railways Class 59 4-8-2+2-8-4 type (as seen in the film) which ran on the 3ft 3in 3/8ths gauge. 34 of this type were built in 1955, & 1 is preserved. They weighed 252tons. Adhesive weight 157tons, Boiler 225psi & developed a staggering 83,350lbf. it should be noted that these locos had to climb over 7,000ft from the Kenya coast at Mombasa to reach the Uganda border on their way to Kampala, and still haul significant loads, up the 1.8% gradients.
Great overview comment - thankyou . . .
Very good summery Australian? Herbert Garratt was born in London 1864
The Garratt locomotive patented in 1908 and expired in 1928
@@nigelslade5276 Indeed, but as with a lot of famous figures in Australian history, He was born in the UK. Here's a brief Historic note about him:
www.eoas.info/biogs/P003552b.htm
Australians will lay claim to anybody, especially New Zealanders.. Errol Flynn was a Tasmanian - easy mistake to make. @@nigelslade5276
Incredible engineering. Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the upload, my grandfather was the driver of this loco.
He seems like a wonderful person and a great driver!
@@kikivoorburg yes he was.
Prabhnik ji is shree gurpal ji in video your grandpa ? ..i hope he is doing well
Thank you 🎉❤😊.
BRITISH engineering at its finest.
Re the old train driver, Imagine the thrill he must have got when he was asked to once again take control of this magnificent machine he drove for all those long years ago. 😊
No doubt, he must have been over joyed. But his wife look like she has seen it all before 😂
He came to watch like a spectator and ended up taking control of the beauty.
my dad was a driver in South Africa. 90 yrs old but the passion for these magnificent machines is still there
What a wonderful locomotive. I was born in 1940 and remember well the steam days of the Pennsylvania RR here in the US.
Most drivers of these magnificent locomotives were sikh and they kept their engines clean and polished all copper and brass . Ajmer singh Sandhu, Joga singh chohan were the team on 5925.
Sikhs in Kenya are best known for mechanical engineering
@@martino6205I am guessing the dukawalas are Patels, Murkhejees, or Mahatmas Gandhis.
@@b.3940 Gandhis are teachers and doctors. Shah sells everything.
Thanks , great watch . 3 generations in East Africa from both my grand fathers who worked on the line from Mombasa, fighting disease and wild animals and put up with the most atrocious living conditions and settling there , raised families and eventually to lose everything they built up. After 3 generations kicked out because of Africanisation . My dad was a fireman on steam engines and I remember magnificent journeys to Kampala and Mombasa . But I feel really sad how these brave men were treated, not even a mention.
😮
Sorry to hear about your bitter experience in Kenya. There are many such illtreatments meted out to Asian aliens , sad but very true...
They could never succeed without the patronage of Asian wisdom, specially from Indians who dedicated their lives to build up the railroads. Even today most of the African econmies survive with the contribution from Asian human resources and expertise... !
Nevertheless they too have become very smart in plundering and corruption with the influence of foreigners.... ! To be frank the average Kenyans are very sincere and good people except for weeknesses common to all human beings... but their problem is corrupt heirachy and politicians who keep a tght grip on their subjects in the name of democracy... !
The irony is such a beautiful vivid continent full of life and nature... and above all the natural resources they have been blessed with , being exploited by many foreign powers unscrouplously... making many african nations poorer and more poorer... !
Our Journey to Mombasa from Nairobi by train in 1991 was a wonderful and fantastic experience during the nights specilly under the starry sky and full moon through Tsave plains full of wildlife.... !
A beautiful record of this historic journey, with valuable background information; thank you.
As Schoolboy travelling this line, this way, some 70 years ago, your wonderful video showed me the parallels that steam railways has created over the years. There was little difference between all those attending there, and those attending the 50th Celebrations of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It was inspiring to see. Thank you. Rmb
I love the reunion of engine and driver, it's just great.
My dad was station master at Mombasa in the late 50's and I spent many an hour amusing myself as a 8 to 10 year old on the platforms. Travelled many times by train between Mombasa to Nairobi when flying back to UK for annual leave or the more enjoyable sea trip on the SS Uganda and Kenya. Great memories!
I think we also sailed on the Uganda, which way can’t remember, it gave us a bit of a holiday co the British government after six months leave in the UK. Much more fun than flying which we did several times, and myself alone when I was sent back to finish school in England.
My memories of the sea trips were the rough seas of the Bay of Biscay and the fancy dress parties for kids. I remember having either beef tea or ice cream on the deck in the afternoons depending on the weather. Happy memories mostly.@@ragbag46
Superb Documentary by Nick and Team. Kenya needs to use these infrastructure to develop even more. The KR Senior staff are still required for service & Training.....Their pensions must be paid monthly as they worked hard during their lifetime......Singh, am told he is no there anymore...RIP would be missed. The Living Team must also help the Government to make use of the New SGR Railway......
I used to work on the Garrets in Southern Rhodesia in the 70's 16a & 20th Class the closest to these Monsters ( Not many like me around now days ! )
God bless you 🙏❤️.🇭🇺
So nice to see rail history alive and breathing.
I loved the typically British signal box early in the video.
I remember when I was in Mombasa in 1978 and visited the engine sheds where they had retired steam in storage. First time I've ever seen a Beyer Garrett locomotive!
A great video for a 77 years young train buff here in Queensland, Australia. Britain gave railways to the world in those golden years of
expanding means of travel. As a young lad I'd visit my Uncle who was a Station Master in New South Wales. I saw more of the state
than any of my school mates. Every holiday period I'd join him, my Aunt and cousins, as he was transferred to new stations quite
frequently. Hence my love of trains, rolling stock and stations grew. The sounds, sights and smells of the steam era are with me yet.
這些老而彌堅的機車，在第二春 受到操作手的愛護 照顧下仍然活力十足 真的是一條長龍！🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
This train journey takes us back to 1890s when the rail track was built by our forefathers, brought from British India. They worked in most perilous circumstances and hundreds of lives were lost due to attack of the lions or disease. Their sacrifices are inscribed on every inch of this rail track. That is the sad part of this journey.
Fantastic film, wonderful people, beautiful railway, magnificently uplifting spiritually. Thank you to all involved.
Thanks to everyone who had anything to do with restoring ,running and documenting this magnificent Garratt Engine! Loved them since seeing and riding the Hwange Coal Haulers in 85 to88. Replaced with 2 Diesels for 1 Garratt for each coal train!
These famous Garrett engines were always very impressive for me, in the early 1960’s especially on the long 5,000 feet climb from Mombasa to Nairobi.
Saw these locomotives in operation in 1967. I was in port in Mombasa twice that year for 3 months at a time. The early train used to make a lot of black smoke firing up. One siting was near Tsavo gate, could see it from miles away. Happy days
Hi Mrpath99
You mentioned "Tsavo gate".
I want to know, was there also a Tsavo river and a Tsavo rail bridge ?
Great history. The Garratt is a beast. Liked & Subscribed.
I remember my dad exclaiming "look son, we have a Garrett pulling us now!" Eastern Cape - East London route, South Africa, about 1957 ... and being facinated by the strange looking loco. Terrific train journeys those days! Green leather and shiny wood and a Springbok sand blasted on the windows. Great memories!
Wonderful. I now feel that I know a little about this part of Africa.
Me too !!!
The Bayer Garrats are a beautiful and smart railway engineering concept for the day, thank you for posting
Wow! I wasnt aware of these superb locos. A worthy companion to the American artics.
Thank you for this wonderful upload. Viewing it brought back childhood memories of travel to and from Tororo, Uganda to Mombasa in 1962 - in those days it was a three-day journey, and for a young 10 year old an awe-inspiring journey!!
I was twelve, but this brougnt back some of the excitement of the old EAR&H days, for sure.
wonderful memory of my 4 years in east Africa in late 60's early 70's interesting to see two tank cars now that services were no longer available.
Interesting that much of the steam infrastructure was still intact at the time of this filming, IE the water standpipes.
Travelled from Kampala to mombasa a few times in the 60's on EAR trains with the Garret engines, great memories
😀😀 Travelled on this as a child........Happy days......Happy memories..........💗
Fabulous ! As a kid growing up in Kenya in the 1950s I have fond memories of seeing these giants, my favourite recollection was at night in our house in the highlands on the western side of the Rift Valley, hearing their whistles echoing up in the cold night air as they worked their loads up to Uganda.
Truely wonderful thank you !
Great film, i once did a safari to Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Did see a class 60 at work in Doshi mid 80's. Sadly probably won't be able these days to go to Kenya still nice to see the 59 working.
Brilliant film! Thank you very much for uploading it.
Very interesting factual video , I worked for Kenya Railways from 2001 to 2004 teaching modern trackworking technique and H&S safe working practice , I took a special tourist train hauled by a Bayer garrett steam in 2001 with my kids who came for holiday, we also had a trip from Vic falls to bulawayo in Rhodesia in 1998 having a short vacation when I was working in Mozambique for a 2 years
Thank you for this splendid film, it brought back my childhood memories, we used to go for holidays from Nairobi to Mombasa and the carriage seats would convert into comfortable beds.
There are 4 of these engines presently running in North Wales on the Welsh Highland Railway on a two-foot gauge. They were bought from South African Railways where the two-foot gauge was common. In Wales they are painted in dark red, royal blue, racing gree and black.
Brings back nostalgic memories of early morning 5am boarding the Kampala train at Eldoret station.Boiled eggs were offered for sale by locals even as the train started moving
Three words only. " That Was Awesome !"
Thank you, Barny!
Magnificent! I do remember this engine in Nairobi's railway museum, so large for metre gauge. At the time I visited (1986) the carriages were made by Metro-Camel 30 years earlier: these look to be the same? Thanks for putting together.
What a fantastic film. Thanks so much.
My family travelled from Nairobi to Mombasa in 1962 on the way back to England - a memory deeply etched.
Wonderful footage of this beautiful Garratt on this spectacular trip to Mombassa, always a bucket list for me to do. Thank you for uploading this footage.
Thanks Nick!
First video ever seen to date: that I've seen Beyer Garratts pull decent size... to long trains without any help!
My only railroading trps during my life so far were mostly on the Kisumu to Nairobi trains, traveling by lake steamers from Mwanza to Kisumu overnight by way of Musoma, then by train in the afternoon overnight to Kijabe. I made the round-trip about six times during my school days. At Kijabe my dormitory was just a few hundred feet downhill of the escarpment grade, and when these Garratt engines would make that climb the whole building shook. My final EAR train journey was from Kijabe to Kampala in about 1965.
The sight and sound of the mighty EAR Garrets ignited my interest in railways as a child nearly seventy years ago when my Dad worked as an engineer in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. The love of steam railways has never left me!
This is a good memory for the whole world to watch,greetings from Chicago,great video.😊❤😢
Good work, Beautiful presentation, what I am saying is an Excellent Documentory film, more then words.
Wspanialy dokument,piekny gest. Brawo !!!
Many thanks for this wonderful video with an very impressive historical Garrat steam locomotive
This film dates from 2002. Great to see all these retired fellows, African and Indian, back at work for this occasion. The Chinese-built standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi was opened in 2017, which I guess has superseded the metre gauge railway.
Great to see this film: my first ever train journey aged not yet 5 years old, was a run over the whole length of the line, behind one of these majestic locomotives from Kampala all the way to Mombasa in January 1963. It took as I recall, over 2 days and I can still remember the locomotive (I think it was Mount Kenya) resplendent in its glistening paint and polished brass, pulling into Kampala for us to board. Those Indian and African crews kept their charges absolutely spotless and I remember my mum commenting , back in England, how filthy British railways engines were in comparison! 61 years later I have the smokebox number plate from sister locomotive Mount Kitumbiene, No 5917 along with her cast brass tank letters E-A-R, in my collection.
Wow it,s great job am Sri.Lakan.In.1956.we have.agraet.Enging.in.Sri.Lanka.Now.I,m 70.years.Old.I.saw.this.Docummery.It,s.very.nice.and.Beautiful.Ssen in.my Fife.time.see.this again.thank.you.very.much.Showing this
Well done!!! GREAT documentary!!
Excellent photography alongside easy to understand narrative and technical details simplified for lay public. Best wishes, keep it up !
I love this continent
I really, really enjoyed this. I got to see Kenya and also a wonderful locomotive. Awesome !!!
Aarre Peltomaa
Remember as a young 10 year old boy starting school in England travelling from Kampala to Mombasa to catch a Ship to Tilbury. Never forget that journey. Made the london to Entebbe a few times but by then we flew on the old Argonauts via Rome, Benghazi, Khartoum & Entebbe. Took forever in those days.
One of the major side effects,of the Kenya- Uganda Railway was the elimination of the Slave Trade,which was still rampant! Not all the effects of the railroads was negative! Anyway,a small side note,on a bit of history! Thank you 😇 😊!
In Kenya there wasn't slavery......
By 19th century the swahili coast was in shambles. Slave trade was minimal.
Stunning restoration on 5918. She looks amazing. The retired regular driver really got the train moving. Would love to go on a bush safari tour on this train.
As regards the single line token, you say in the comments that only one token exists for each section. If they did not use Tyer interlocked token dispensers, trains would have to alternate, two trains could not run through in the same direction.
Pure nostalgia, steam locomotive, semaphore signals, token exchange, the lot.❤
Only just come across you - what incredible videos
My dad was a station master in Voi 1950.
In 1960 when I and my sister were sent up country to boarding school in Mbeya the first leg of our journey was by steam train, then the second half by bus, it took three days. Half the train and bus had comfy seats only, the other half wood in the cheap section. If you were lucky and were teachers pet you got the few comfy seats. The unusual engine design brings back memories with steam engines sandwiching the boiler. Very powerful with extra wheels I think to cope with the above normal steeper gradients. It was a long time ago so memories are vague. Latterly we went the whole way by bus, quicker and more direct to Mbeya.
My grand father worked with collies/Indians workers on these railways. He was Known as Asuman Muhwana. At the time, there were no uniforms for workers, they used to supply them with Jute/sisal threaded sucks once used to store grain. A cutting of arms and neck in these empty bags would be made and hand written with numbers to identify workers. My grandfather's mark on
His improvised uniform was number seven according to his story telling. Wonderful.😂
What brilliant work these Kenyan railway enthusiasts have performed.
Certainly the nost beatiful metric Garrats in the world.❤
40:45
I love the use of a broom handle to keep the Regulator in position, the driver caming prepared👍👏
‘When needs must’
Beautiful restored locomotive, the EAR with its Maroon Garratts never failed to impress.
In this film shot in 2001 the infrastructure seemed to be very well kept, although nothing was modernised yet as the old token system was still in use.
But now with the new standard gauge railway in operation it seems very unlikely that we ever can see one of the steam engines in use again, as most of the metre gauge network seems to be abandoned now or soon.
that was such a good video
Excellent shot, Like
Fascinating, absolutely fascinating!
Superb ❤
I was born in Nairobi, and went down to Mombasa a few times over night trips were great. Went to school in Karen
What an excellent video and layout.
Wow, the feelings, and respect from me. I think it's a valuable experience to drive a steam Loco!!!
I used to go to boarding school, in the 1960's, by the 'Bournemouth Belle' as a child. A beautiful steam train in its own right.
Must be the only steam locomotive with cruise control ( the piece of wood to hold the regulator open). I once used the same technique on an old Ford D series truck going up the M42 at 4am.
My motorbike here in Thailand also has an equally primitive cruise control relying on friction of a lever attached to the accelerator grip then resting against the front brake lever, crude but effective. I am here because in 1960 me and my sister attended boarding school in up country Mbeya and we travelled half way by rail.
Well done. I think the skills the railways gave those African workers should be encouraged more into similar projects. This video gave me more insight into Kenya than I ever have seen before. The enthusiasm I witnessed, put me, an Englishman to shame
The biggest Gaet i ever saw was in a shed in New South Wales 40 years ago. the Driving wheels wee over 6ft diameter.Queensland had Garrets of a similar size to the Kenyans. New Zealand tried three garrets but were considered too complex and too powerful
I never had any opportunity to see Garratt’s at work, too young. In about 1980 I was trained to drive 62T stock on the Central Line Tube. My fondest memory of the ex-Kenya Railways Sikh Drivers is of the driver trainer who taught me to operate the Westinghouse D type brake. He was a maestro and before I did my Road Test he made sure I could use the Westinghouse at every station. After a 20 year interval driving “modern stock” (Westcode brake) I found myself (under instruction) driving a Bakerloo Line 72T stock downhill into Kilburn Park southbound platform. I instinctively put the controller into Westinghouse braking at the outer home. Much to my delight the train behaved exactly as designed and stopped on the diamond! The instructor operator commented that he thought I’d never driven the line before and was surprised to hear that Kilburn Park was the first Bakerloo station I’d ever berthed in. This was all achieved because of the kindness and enthusiasm of those displaced steam drivers from Kenya.
What an excellent 'insider' story. Thank you. I shall be sure to bring this to the attention of Kirpal Singh Sandhu's cousin Charan, ex-EAR driver and long term UK resident, who is seen in the fireman's role in this film at 40.53, also appearing earlier at 15.18 and 37.57.
Fantastic. Nothing more can be said.
VERY AWESOME EXPERIENCE.✌🤞💐💐
Too good
Just too good
Beautiful piece of machinery!
Excellent video! 👍🏻👌🏼👏🏻
That guy puts my train collection to shame! An entire cab of a steam locomotive? Awesome! I just have some semaphore signals and some signs....
A nice video. I have driven this route several times. It's a great experience and the service is first class. thanks for the video
a great story too!😇
Why did America not use Garratt locomotives? Wonderful views! Thank you.
very excellent documentary!
Awesome thanks
Very good !
Very nice.
Sir, did you keep any reminders of your time as a driver at home?
Well there is this one little thing...