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Geoff Warren rode 3020 on a successful test run on 5th March
2004:
Good news from Uplands! Joe Kamau and the team are very pleased with
the way 3020 has steamed today. Although there is plenty of mechanical work still to do, steam raising was good. Boiler pressure
never fell below 160 psi with water kept up to at least half glass for the full distance. Things are now looking much better for the
future, since the time taken from Nairobi to Uplands was 3h 15 min including two stops, and this means that time would be kept on the
present schedule to Naivasha.
As for the run itself, we left the workshops at 0905, took sand at the shed and reached the yard west end by 0949. The test train was
assembled in the next half hour. It transpired that we were to become a fully-fledged trip freight, number B4A. Load was one water
tank for the loco, one wagon of beans for the World Food Programme, Kampala via the train ferry, one wagon of fertilizer for
Jinja, one
wagon of salt for Malaba, and one open wagon of sleepers for Uplands, total 261 tons.
Departure was at 1157 and we got under way at a steady pace. Not fast, about 10-20 mph but sure. Kibera was reached in 30 minutes
exactly and a few cautious smiles around with boiler pressure at 170psi. This progress set the tone, passing Kibera and
Dagoretti, to
reach Kikuyu at 1330. There was a bout of prolonged slipping before Kikuyu, but were never stalled. 14 minutes sufficed for oiling and a
check all round.
1344 departure from Kikuyu, and a steady climb through Muguga reached Limuru. 1433, to 1442. Then on to Uplands, drifting through at 1513,
past the station to set back into the sidings. Very good feelings all round! Although the pace was slow, pressure and water were
maintained without using full fuel supply or regulator. Pace was kept down because of the need to turn the wheels and spring
condition.
What a lovely sight at Uplands, with 3020 basking in late afternoon sunshine! The days of EAR were recreated, plus
some considerable local interest!
The three though wagons were transferred to the next through freight, headed by 9409. Finally, with water tender in tow, we left Uplands at
1725 for a brisk run to Kibera arriving 1920. A long wait followed because of delay to an outbound
commuter service, so Nairobi was reached at 2038.
Thus ended a day in which steam hauled revenue-earning freight and good prospects for future action, since the load hauled was more than
the planned passenger load.
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