South Africa's mighty Red Devil Steam Locomotive's Final Steam Test and Transfer after 15 years of storage

The Restoration series, the day we all have been waiting for has finally arrived. The mighty Red Devil makes its return to the rails after being in storage for almost fifteen years. The restoration crew do final checks and adjustments, including setting the safety valves, reverser and attending to a number of steam leaks. Once the roadworthy is complete the locomotive departs for its journey back to Cape Town. Western Cape, South Africa.

South African Class 26, No 3450 affectionately known as the Red Devil originally started life as a standard class 25 Non-condenser built by Henschel in 1953, works number 28769.

If you listen carefully near the beginning you'll also hear the engineers speaking in Afrikaans. At around 8 mins you'll see some snow on the mountains in the background - not a site often seen.

Watch the video at youtu.be/3_vDBjhOfUw

#reddevil #southafrica #steamlocomotive www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_vDBj…

The mighty Red Devil locomotive steams again in Cape Town on trips out to Robertson Wine Valley

The moment we have all been waiting for is FINALLY upon us – for the first time since winter 2004, the Red Devil locomotive will be on the tracks again. Join Ceres Rail Company for a 3 day trip on the Red Devil from Cape Town to Robertson with visits to various wine estates & numerous photographic run pasts.

Due to the public demand, they have split this trip into 3 options:
– OPTION A: a return trip from Cape Town to Robertson excluding the day trip (Accommodation, all meals and transfers for your own account)
– OPTION B: a day trip around Robertson including lunch and 2 wine tastings
– OPTION C: full trip which includes the return trip from Cape Town to Robertson (Accommodation, all meals and transfers for your own account) & the day trip around Robertson including lunch and 2 wine tastings

Once on your way on any of our trips, you will get to enjoy comfortable lounge cars with hot beverages and savoury snacks in the Selati Dining Car – which dates back to 1932 and was originally part of the blue train. They also have a fully licensed Bar Car where you can purchase beer, bubbly, wine and soft drinks.

History of the Red Devil - The original locomotive from which the Class 26 was rebuilt entered service in 1953 as the last of the Class 25NC 4-8-4 Northern type locomotives to be built. Work on Class 25NC no. 3450 began at the end of 1979. The manufacturing of all new items and modifications to existing parts were carried out at the SAR workshops at Salt River in Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Beaconsfield in Kimberley, Koedoespoort in Pretoria and Pietermaritzburg, the work being allocated to the workshop best suited to the particular task at hand.

The primary objectives of the modifications were threefold.
- To improve the combustion and steaming rate.
- To reduce the emission of wasteful black smoke.
- To overcome the problem of clinkering.

Compared to an unmodified Class 25NC, the Red Devil achieved a 28% measured saving on coal and a 30% measured saving on water, measured during freight service, and a 43% increase in drawbar power based on the maximum recorded drawbar power. Its approximate maximum range in full-load freight service on 1% to 1¼% grades is 700 kilometres (430 miles) based on its coal capacity and 230 kilometres (140 miles) based on its water capacity.

More information on the Red Devil itself can be found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Af…

Bookings and info at www.ceresrail.co.za/booktrip/

#reddevil #steamlocomotive #locomotive #southafrica #tourism www.ceresrail.co.za/booktrip/