Sandstone Heritage Trust – Rail News
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Wickham 9 man Type 40 Mark 2 Inspection Car

Ex SAR number RT1717 Wickham 10444/1970

Updated – 15th May 2006

Imported into South Africa in September 1970, it was one of the last batch of 20 delivered to South African Railways. The unit is powered by an underfloor mounted Ford F250 petrol engine. It has reversible seating and can be driven from either end having a full set of controls at each end.

Senior railway personnel, permanent way inspectors and the like, on inspection trips, used these Inspection Cars which had a good turn of speed, over 70kph being seen on occasions.

The Inspection Car fleet was rationalised in 1999 with the Wickhams, and later locally built Plasserail and Trackmaster vehicles, being collected at Elandsfontein near Germiston. Eighty vehicles were offered for disposal and three Type 40 Wickhams were purchased for preservation, Sandstone obtaining RT1717. Similar vehicles can be seen at DamRail near Pretoria and the Outeniqua Power Van Tours in George.

The same basic type of vehicle was used by rail operators around the world and examples can still be seen in Canada, Australia, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and elsewhere.
The unit is believed to be in working order but has not seen use whilst at Sandstone.