Surviving Railway Cranes in Africa

This is just one of a series of pages covering surviving Railway Cranes across the world. Click here for the Index.

Chris Capewell (chriscapewell AT googlemail.com) has provided the following data, he would greatly appreciate additions, corrections and confirmation for data with a yellow background.

We would welcome more pictures of cranes in this list which can be used to illustrate the article, as links are notoriously ephemeral.

Angola	Benin (16th Oct 11)	Burkina Faso	Egypt (22nd Feb 12)	Eritrea (16th Oct 11)	Ghana	Kenya (14th Feb 12)	Liberia
Malawi	Morocco	Namibia	Nigeria	Sierra Leone	South Africa (9th Apr 12)	South Sudan (4th Nov 11)	Sudan (24th Feb 12)
Togo (16th Oct 11)	Uganda (16th Oct 11)	Zambia (2nd Nov 11)	Zimbabwe (6th Dec 11)

Builders

Booth = Joseph Booth & Bros., Leeds, UK
Cecchetti = Officine Cecchetti, Civitanova Marche, Italy
CS = Cowans Sheldon and Co, Ltd., Carlisle, UK
D-G = Demag - Gottwald, Düsseldorf, Germany
Ellis = H. and J. Ellis, Salford, UK
Figee = Gebr. Figee, Haarlem, Netherlands
Grafton = Grafton Cranes Ltd., Bedford, UK
Milano = Officine Meccaniche Milano, Italy
R&R = Ransomes and Rapier, Ipswich, UK
Wilson = John Wilson & Co, Liverpool and Birkenhead, UK

Railways

B&MR = Beira and Mashonaland Railway
BR = Benguela Railway
CGR= Cape Government Railways
EAR = East African Railways
EARH = East African Railways and Harbours
ESR = Egyptian State Railway
KUR = Kenya and Uganda Railway
MR = Malawi Railways
NR = Nigerian Railways or Nyasaland Railways (according to context)
NRC = Nigerian Railway Corporation
NRZ = National Railways of Zimbabwe
RR = Rhodesia Railways
SAR = South African Railways
SLDC = Sierra Leone Development Co
TR = Tanganyika Railways
ZR = Zambian Railways

Others

MoS = Ministry of Supply

Each entry is arranged as follows after the country/location:

Number

Railway

Gauge

Diesel, Electric
Hand, Steam

Capacity in tons

Wheels

Works Number

Comments

Angola

http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb241/jamie_grieve/interesting%20iron/#!cpZZ7QQtppZZ16
Huambo Works

3'6"

36T

4RB

CS 9838/1952

Order E529/1951, wood fired, dumped, 2008; it may have since been cut up.

Benin (added 15th October 2011)

Allada Station

OCBN

Present in 2011

This 1999 photograph is courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

Burkina Faso

http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/burkina01.htm
Bobo Dioulasso Works

MoS

16T

4+4W

R&R GG2123/1946

Sold as surplus post WW2. Dumped oou by 2006

This picture is courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

Egypt (updated 22nd February 2012)

Despite large orders for modern diesel cranes in the 1990s it is possible that some steam breakdown cranes might still be in use. One ESR crane survives in preservation, in Israel.

Simon Colbeck has sent this 1998 picture of an ancient crane at the Aswan Lower Dam. Expert opinion suggests it may be a Ransomes and Rapier from around 1930 when the dam height was raised. However a February 2012 report states it has been scrapped and replaced with a more modern device.

Eritrea (updated 15th October 2011)

Asmara Workshops

8.000		950mm	H		4W	Milano 1912	Derelict
GRU 8.001		950mm	H	5T	4W	Cecchetti 1938	In use 2010

Massawa

GRU 8.002

950mm

Cecchetti 1938

Derelict

These pictures of 8.002 (left, February 2010) and 8.000 (right, January 2008) are courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

These pictures of 8.001 in February 2010 are courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

Ghana

It is believed that no steam cranes survive, any information to the contrary would be very welcome.

Kenya

1164 from the workshops to the railway museum (14th February 2012)

http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/Kenya/nrm.html
http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=320&t=8014
http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=320&t=8268
http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=320&t=6850
http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=320&t=6737
Nairobi Workshops

1164	TR	MG	S	25T	6-4W	R&R C6813-4/1926	Crown Agents for Tanganyika Railways, as no. 2962 to EAR, to be refurbished by the Steam Restoration Team Volunteers
1129	EAR	MG	S	76T	6-8-6RB	R&R G6383/1955	Hydraulic relieving bogies, articulated jib foot. Overturned in late 1990s and in 2003 put aside, damaged and dismantled at Central Workshops, Nairobi, used for spares.
1013	KUR		H to D	15T	6-4W	CS 4582/1927	Operational 2005, Crown Agents for Kenya Uganda Railway to East African Railways. Diesel conversion 1955, later de-rated from 20 ton to 15 ton, jib replaced / lengthened in 1955.

This is John Ashworth's picture of 1013

Nairobi Railway Museum

1106	EARH	MG	S	2T	4W.	Grafton /mid 1920s	To be refurbished by the Steam Restoration Team Volunteers
1164	TR	MG	S	25T	6-4W	R&R C6813-4/1926	Crown Agents for Tanganyika Railways, as no. 2962 to EAR, to be refurbished by the Steam Restoration Team Volunteers

This is John Ashworth's picture of 1164 in the worksshops, it is now in the museum where it is seen outside (14th February 2012)

This is John Ashworth's picture of 1106

Nairobi Depot

1130

EAR

S to D

76T

6-8-6RB

R&R G6383/1955

Hydraulic relieving bogies, articulated jib foot. Converted to diesel power in 1993, operational

This is John Ashworth's picture of 1130

Liberia

Yekepa

150T

6+6W

CS 253/1962

Grangesbergbulaget for Lamco, Liberia, dumped, stripped 2010

Malawi

Liwonde

NR to MR

3'6"

S to D

100T

4-8-4RB

CS 10050/1954

Converted to diesel under CS 468/67, operational 2008.

Morocco

Aïn-Seeba

Derelict

This picture is courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

Namibia

http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2010/06/keetmanshoop-1921-built-craven-bros.html
Keetmanshoop

SAR

3'6"

36T

2-6-2W

Cravens.11196B+11197+10202/1921

Nigeria

Lagos, Ebute Metta Depot/ Workshops

	NR	3'6"	S	?3T	4W	Grafton	Coaling Grab, Refurbished by Indian engineers, during the 1980s.. Noted 2003, as 'laid aside'.
2	NRC	3'6"	S	40T	4-8-4RB	R&R GH7232/1953	via Crown Agents oou by 2010
	NRC	3'6"	S	40T	4-8-4RB	R&R GJ4291/1956	via Crown Agents oou by 2010
4	NRC	3'6"	S	40T	4-8-4RB	R&R GJ6888/1959	via Crown Agents oou by 2010, marked as reserved for the Railway Museum

This picture of one of the R&R cranes is courtesy of Thomas Kautzor:

Sierra Leone

http://www.derbysulzers.com/sierraleone.html
Pepel

SLDC

3’6”

S to D

?5T

TSSR ?11338?/1929

South Africa (updated 9th April 2012 with 4 pictures at Reefsteamers,96 and 578) and one from Witbank, 108)

Bloemfontein, Sandstone Heritage Trust

187

SAR

3’6”

10T

Grafton 2812/1946? Type 912E

Stored at TFR shed

This is 187 in April 2011 (photograph by Thomas Kautzor):

Bloemfontein, TFR shed

CGR to SAR

3’6”

CS 1714/1890

This is the hand crane in April 2011 (photograph by Thomas Kautzor):

Sandstone Estates

?SAR

3’6”

Figee 349/1891

http://www.outeniquachootjoe.co.za/museum.htm
http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2007/11/visit-to-outeniqua-transport-museum-14.html
George, Outeniqua Transnet Transport Museum

374	SAR	3’6”	H	?T	4W	Ellis
376	SAR	3’6”	H	6T	4W	CS 1780/1892
	SAR	3’6”	H	?T	4+4W	RR
551	SAR	3’6”	S	36T	2-6-2W	CS ?/1950	possibly 9487

http://www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za/Directions_Pietermaritzburg.php
Umgeni Steam Railway, Inchanga, (Midway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg)

SAR

3'6"

36T

2-6-2W

Cravens.11196B+11197+10202/1921

This is 48 in May 2010:

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/museums/north_west_transport_museum/klerksdorp.html
Klerksdorp North West Transport Museum

577

SAR

3'6"

60T

4+4W

CS 354/1965

tendered for sale 7/2007 at Klerksdorp; provisionally allocated to NWTM

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=304724&nseq=1
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?locomotive=Steam%20Crane
Koedespoort Works, Pretoria

SAR

3'6"

10/20T

4+4W

CS 6101/1937

Plinthed next to the gate

http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/railway-heritage/39-railway-heritage/768-reefsteamers-booth-36ton-steam-crane-no-96
Reefsteamers, Germiston

SAR

3'6"

36T

2-6-2W

Booth 4317/1936

usable

These are April 2012 photographs by Thomas Kautzor:

http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2011/05/historic-rail-crane-restoration/

578

SAR

3’6”

60T

4+4W

CS 355/1965

Owned by Sandstone

These are April 2012 photographs by Thomas Kautzor:

Witbank

108 (?)

SAR

3'6"

Figee 501/1897

This is a April 2012 photograph by Thomas Kautzor:

Touws River

119

SAR

3'6"

10T

CS 1841/1892

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/museums/natal_railway_museum/crane_db.JPG
Natal Railway Museum, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal

184

SAR

36T

2-6-2W

CS 6317/1937

This is 184 at Hilton in April 2010 (photograph by Thomas Kautzor):

http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2009/01/waterworks-museum-table-mountain-andrew.html
Cape Town, Woodhead Dam, Table Mountain

3'6"

?2T

Wilson c.1895?

Works contractor

SANRASM, Krugersdorp

702

SAR

3'6"

?5T

Grafton

Probably cut up; or moved to Germiston?

The following were tendered for sale in 7/2007, their ultimate fate is not known, John Middleton has told us a 36T CS crane was bought by Rovos Rail.:

193	SAR	3'6"	S	36T	2-6-2W	CS ?/1946	at Danskraal
194	SAR	3'6"	S	36T	2-6-2W	CS possibly 8769/1946 or 8817/1946	'Steam in Action' bidding for it off Reclam; the scrapping firm

This SAR hand crane and steam crane 50 (CS, 4556/1927. 4+4W, 60T) at Millsite in April 2010 are safe for the time being... (photographs by Thomas Kautzor):

South Sudan (added 4th November 2011)

Juba, old port area, near the River Nile

Sudan Government

Grafton (2993/1961?)

Derelict. no boiler

These are Nick Nick McWilliam's 2007 photographs

Sudan (updated 26th February 2012)

It is possible that dumped steam breakdown cranes may still exist.

Anold crane near the Sudan Railways depot and riverboats at Karima is shown here (December 2011 picture) - http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/image/120985591.

Togo (added 16th October 2011)

Lomé

CFT SG1

Derelict

This is Thomas Kautzor's photograph from December 2007:

Uganda (added 16th October 2011)

Kampala

Derelict

This is Thomas Kautzor's photograph from May 2011

Zambia (pictures added 2nd November 2011)

http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/livingstonemuseum.html
Livingstone Museum

ZR109

35T

2-6-2W

CS 9470/1951

These are Elmar Pfannerstal's pictures from July 2011:

Zimbabwe (updated 16th October 2011)

http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/exhibitboothscrane.html
http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/exhibitsmallcrane.html
http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/exhibitransomscrane.html
http://www.geoffs-trains.com/images/Copy_of_DSCN4853.JPG
Bulawayo Museum

14	B&M	3'6"	S	7T	4W	Booth ?/1913	Later RR 14
20	B&M	3'6"	S	25T	6-4W	Booth 3456/1922	Later RR 20, later NRZ no. MXU 100 007
Crane 65	RR	3'6"	S	25T	2-6-2W	R&R D2871/1930	Later NRZ no. MXU 100 010, named ‘PAUL’

This is 20 in August 2006 (photograph by Thomas Kautzor),:

NRZ (At least one still operational with one reported at work at Bulawayo, in 2011, http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2011/05/steam-activity-at-nra/)

MXU 100 023	RR	3'6"	S	35T	2-6-2W	CS 9469/1951	Lochinvar, reported as possibly converted to diesel power in late 1980’s
MXU 100 036	RR	3'6"	S	50T	6+6W	D-G 1123/1962
MXU 100 037	RR	3'6"	S	50T	6+6W	D-G 11??/1962

This is MXU 100 036 at Bulawayo in August 2006 (photograph by Thomas Kautzor):, possibly this was the one reported active at the depot in late November 2011 (6th December 2011)

Thanks to: P.F.Bagshawe, Richard Awde, Colin Chambers, Chris West, Ted Knotwell, Thomas Kautzor, John Middleton, Dave Rind, Piet Conradie, Graham Roberts and Geoff Cooke.