A.E. „Dusty“ Durrant
Orange Free State System
A pair of South African Railways class 16DA 4-6-2 locomotives head the Bloemfontein - Bethlehem daily passenger train near Fouriesburg in the eastern Free State iin 1968. The twenty locomotives of this class were highly regarded when introduced to work principal express services out of Johannesburg. After new rolling stock had increased train loading beyond their single-handed capabilities, these Pacifics had been transferred to the Orange Free State system. Working from Bloemfontein dépôt at the time, they were regularly employed on outer suburban services to Lynchfield and Springfontein, for example as well as general mixed traffic duties. The leading loco is thought to be No. 849 - built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works under BLW works number 60826/1929.
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