Contributions for this section should be sent to the Editorial Office, with the following exceptions:
• Southern Africa – John Middleton, c/o Editorial Office. Email: johnmiddleton3401@gmail.com
• South America – Lionel Price, 9, Liverpool Road West, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1PE. Email: jldprice@btinternet.com
• Spain & Portugal – Joan Carles Salmerón, c/o Editorial Office. Email: cet@terminus.cat
Contributions which are primarily photographic in nature should all be sent to the Editorial Office to give the best choice of material for covers etc. Similarly historical articles and features should be sent to the Editor. The Editor’s contact details are inside the front cover.
AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
Ceres Rail Company On 28th November 2021, the first steam hauled working from Cape Town to Elgin since early 2020 was operated. 19D 4-8-2 No. 3322 was used but the lengthy train also had two GE Class 35 diesels in the consist. The train was likely overload for a single 19D on Sir Lowrys Pass. A number of trips are being advertised for the Christmas holiday season and Ceres must be congratulated for restarting operations.
Wonder Steam Trains Pretoria Good news from Pretoria in early December was that Wonder Steam Trains Pty Ltd were the winning bidders of a 15 year concession on the use of locomotives and rolling stock on the national railway network. They will now start planning for steam hauled excursions early in the new year, although exactly where they will be able to operate is not clear now that the branch to Cullinan is closed. To celebrate, Wonder Steam Trains held a mini open day on Saturday 18th December when 15CA 4-8-2 No. 2850 was steamed and operated short trips up and down the yard at Hermanstad.
The latest new Bombardier Co-Co electric locomotives placed in service have been 23083, 23084 and 23085, seen at Beaconsfield in early December, 23081 has also been noted in traffic. Although the use of class 6E1 electric locomotives on TFR
