We normally do not get that excited when we resurrect a locomotive from a near derelict condition, but it is beginning to dawn on us that the NG4 is a very special locomotive. There has been more reaction to its restoration from around the world than for any one of the many locos that we have restored. Not only that the quality of the response and the amount of detail that accompanies it has been truly amazing.
A good example is the attached from Mr. Gysel of Switzerland, who not only has intimate knowledge of this loco’s background but has some classic archive photos to support his knowledge and interest.
“Dear Mrs Molyneux-Killik,
yesterday I was visiting the home page of the SANDSTONE-ESTATES once again. Then I was very suprised to find some pictures, which I already knew. You have two pictures supplied by Errol Ashwell, which shows an NG 4. These pictures I know already because they are part of a family album. This because the photographer was the brother of my great-grandfather. His name was Ernst Gysel (not Geysel) born 1882 in Schaffhausen Switzerland. As mechanical engineer Ernst Gysel was CEO from 1930 to 1947 of the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM) at Winterthur (near Zurich).
In 1927 he visited with a group of SLM South Africa to meet some african train-specialists for sale discussions.
The two picture were made near Port Shepstone. It was a special train for the visitors from Switzerland. Ernst Gysel was from his time as student a excelent photographer and he made from this expedition to Sout Africa an album of 200 – 300 pictures which is in possession of my father.
Now, it would be very interested to know, how Errol Ashwell got these two pictures.
I have added two additional pictures made by Ernst Gysel, the first shows NG 11 nr. 54 and the other shows NG 13 nr. 60, which is used by the Schinznacher Baumschulbahn (where I am an active member).
With kind regards
yours respectfully Peter Gysel
Address
Peter Gysel
Pfalzstrasse 44
CH-5106 Veltheim
Switzerland
gysel.peter@bluewin.ch”
The locomotive is now at Sandstone Estates having been loaded at 7am on Tuesday morning, 7th February. The attached pictures from Lukas Nel refers. The steam trials are this Thursday, 8th February. Further update to follow.
