South African Railways RED DEVIL on goods 1991

[struck2soon]

Can you remember which month you were there? I spent a week there at the end of August 1991 after I'd flown from LHR to C.Town to attend a mate's wedding. Couldn't resist the attractions of De Aar; things would have been better if I hadn't left my camcorder on top of car after filming first train, it certainly didn't work after hitting the gravel at 50kph!

[mrfire3776]

Thanks for the memories.

[FifaPavel]

nádhera

[SteffanLlwyd]

Exhaust beat sounds interesting....

[megatwingo]

Very nice video and loco. Thumbs up! :)

I have only "dangerous half-knowledge" about SA railways, like we Germans say.

But is this a Henschel loco with the condensing technique from the German locos that were build for the conquered Russian landscapes in WWII?

[LifeofRail]

@megatwingo This loco was built by Henschel in 1954 but was rebuilt and improved in 1980s. Many of the class 25s were condensing locos but 3450 was built as a standard 25NC meaning non-condenser

[TheFrankles]

No chuffing? The Red Devil is not a condensing loco. She's just going so bluddy fast that her beat is a drum roll.

[trainchugger53]

Amazing that this thing is only a 3-foot gauger...

[Rocketboy1950]

Beautiful piece of footage from the era.

[Heroduothecomedian]

that engine so beautiful looking,i wish i could fine a model train of this to have it running on my layout

[Spalterbockl]

Thank you for making this video public, at that time the our video cameras were not the best ones. Unfortunately I never got the chance to see the "Red Devil" in action besides a steam festival!

[CondeTERRAN0VA]

Most fast than diesel

[SteffanLlwyd]

'only 800 tons'' : )

Priceless technical artefact of global significance.

[LifeofRail]

@SteffanLlwyd Only 800tons!! That was a light goods load for that line for any steam loco. Most of the time it was about 1300tons behind the tender of these mighty 4-8-4s although I do remember taking a load of 1900tons with a single engine after the trains two diesels broke down!! Great old days indeed!!

[SteffanLlwyd]

@LifeofRail You drove steam locomotives! 1900tons is a terriffic load. You know I had this crazy idea which will need explaining in parts:

1. a very high pressure boiler similar to power station pressures which are 'super-critical' meaning that the steam they produce has a higher density than the water from which it is boiled. This is because I thnk high temps and pressure is essential to high overal thermal efficiency [CONTD.]

[SteffanLlwyd]

@SteffanLlwyd

2. An HP steam manifold that runs the length of the train with flexible connections.... supplying

3. Three stage turbines at every axle or possibly per bogie

4. Condeser water drawn from troughs between the rails on the level (an old idea but not for the purpose I have in mind... [CONTD.]

[SteffanLlwyd]

@SteffanLlwyd

5. Condenser water applied to the LP stage of each Turbine to improve efficiency (warmed water returned to track mounted trough on the level

6. Return saturated steam manifold takes condensate back to the boiler for re-heating. IE. a completely closed steam circuit.... still power station inspired but on wheels.

[SteffanLlwyd]

@SteffanLlwyd

Power stations are about 63% efficient or perhaps even a bit better than that and I think condensers contribute to that high percentage. Maybe 50% thermal efficiency could be yet attained by a steam powered train. It would have none of the majesty of a Stephensonian locomotive (it would whine instead). Not forgetting [CONTD.]

[SteffanLlwyd]

@SteffanLlwyd

7. A fluidised bed furnace burning pulverised coal to supply the steam....

8. As the steam circuit is closed only a very small tank of water would need to be carried to make good losses at the safety valve.

9. The simple bit is hardest, maybe: how to ensure chemically-clean and algae-free water from the troughs for condensing purposes?... and what to do about hills?!

[yardlet6]

It reminds me of the Union Pacific 4-8-4.

[kevingthompson13]

This locomotive is a completely different form of steam locomotive, It adds water to the coal and heats it to form a gas. The gas is then ignited.It is 90% efficient. Only this one was allowed to be converted.I am amazed it has been saved. The whole "diesel" conspiracy doesnt like any evidence of a SUPERIOR form of locomotive.This one engine is equilolent to 5000hp US. As you see, it is also nearly smokeless from the new combustion technique.Thanks for posting this video!

[LifeofRail]

@kevingthompson13 Not sure where you get the idea that she adds water to the coal!! She certainly was never like that when I worked her. What she had was air holes along the side of the firebox that sucked in air all around the firebed making a gas producer system. It was a great steaming machine but due to these holes one had to work her harder than most other 25NCs simply to get the heat through the boiler.

[kevingthompson13]

@LifeofRail Thanks for the explain. I had read an article in TRAINS magazine US about this engine. I should have known it would have been flawed.We americans love oil too much to have interest in any real engineering. The article stated that when the coal was fed into the firebox it was water saturated then heated creating a gasifying effect. It also said that the exhaust was almost entirely eliminated which I see by video was incorrect. Still, this engine is advanced.So glad it was saved.

[LifeofRail]

@kevingthompson13 My pride was to fire all the locos smokless. I had a fantastic driver who knew everything about driving steam. The injectoe was set to slowest as well as the stoker. This meant the boiler stayed filled and a smokless exhaust. The guy on the RD in the clip is firing her too fast. Im also not so sure she will be saved. I don't believe anything is safe in SA nowadays and recently she was on a list for the scram merchant.Good news is a group called Atlantic Rail is keeping her safe

[kevingthompson13]

@LifeofRail They have her stored on private property.Since this engine as rebuilt is one of a kind MANY are dedicated to saving her. Its a dirty secret just how advanced steam technology had become. 4-8-4s here in the US were exceeding 8000hp on a regular basis.Even the new gen diesels are topped out at around 4000hp. In many places coal is cheap and local like in SA. It was quite a fight you folks gave to keep steam going.The oil gods did you in.It is an honor to speak with a real steam man.

[Rocketboy1950]

@kevingthompson13 Yes but making the HP at 50mph isn't much help when trying to lift a load from a standing start when the rated HP is significantly less. I love steam too but I'm not going to let distorted statistics get in the way of facts.

Steam needed two in the cab, regular fuel and water stops and a crew of people to clean up and prepare for the next run. Beautiful to watch but economically lost against diesels.

[rossy60103]

i hear she has been saved by a group down in hilton

[LifeofRail]

She is at present mothballed and was even pulled out into the open a few weeks ago but the words you use "wasn't scrapped" means nothing in SA nowadays. Hopefully you are right but many a wonderful once preserved locomotives have already been cut up in that country!!

[Msts196]

Its a shame that this beautiful locomotive has been mothballed, but at least she wasn't scrapped...

[atsf7809]

whats her whistle sound like?

[WigzellRM]

Great stuff!

[SteffanLlwyd]

Thanks very much for posting.... steam had a future and this was it!

[Buemmo]

David Wardale rules!

[CGiordano464]

gorgeous loco. is this loco still operable

[daviator78]

THE BRITS WOULD GO CRAZY OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS... NICE ONE

[harryfaber]

@daviator78 Yeah, we do, and so would the Belgians, Dutch and French.

[Politcalamity]

@daviator78 Not the same gauge. No place in England you could run it. I believe the Brits run the same gauge like the U.S. Correct me if I'm wrong. But all SA equipment is narrow gauge, is it not?

[slendersausage]

You in the U.S.A run the same narrow guage as the Brits as we built the guage and you copied it

[slendersausage]

@Politcalamity And we Brits also were the first to use the standard guage you see across most of Europe as again we were the first to use it as we aslo invented the railways

[trainlover658]

what is she capable of hauling?

[LifeofRail]

On the Kimberley to De Aar line we only took loads of 1300tons for 160 axles on goods but on Passengers we often took 21 coaches which was about 1000 tons at speeds up to 120kph. She and all the 25s could handle a heavier load but that was what the book said was max. The line may look flat but it had some rather steep long gradents of about 1 in 70. On the shunt these mighty 4-8-4s often picked up loads well in excess of 4000tons and shunted them out as well as move them from one yard to another

[claypiesexygod]

Int it weird with no chuffing!? condenser ftW!

[LifeofRail]

@claypiesexygod

Oh, this loco has a great beat when she is working hard and especially at slow speed. In the video clip I should imagine she was on a string of about 40 empty DZ wagons which is about 600t and nothing for a loco like her. Due to that load she will only be working on about 1/4 - 1/2 regulator. Unlike normal 25s you could not pull the cut-off up too far. She would run at about 25% cut-off but would not steam so it was better at 35% and less regulator.

[UnionPacific7004]

She still running?

[7822welshsteam]

Probably the world's greatest steam loco.

[expatserviceskuwait]

Stunning!!!!!

[papoocanada]

has she got 2 stacks ???

[LifeofRail]

Oh yes she sure does have two stacks. Another class 25NC no 3454 was the other that had two stacks but these two were fitted side-by-side across the smokebox. Red Devil would fire and run almost smoke free but 3454 always gave out a rather dusty exhaust and by the end of the day us crews would be covered in this black dust

[therailfanman]

Great video and well done.

[luvmostmusic]

Portas' genius produced the most efficient steam loco in the world with the class 26. On converting more class 25s to this status, SAR is reported to have said "steam doesn't suit our modern image". A real damn shame, as drivers in De Aar told me that even standard class 25s are more efficient to use on pick-ups than any other form of traction. And check how much coal in SA is now being exported...............

[quert2]

Yes, it's a magnificent engine and the best one with grate firing for solid fuels, but for my humble opinion the modernized class 52 by the DLM-AG is more efficient and leads the way for modern steam Locomotives in traditional shape.

But still I hope they keep it going down in SA and I like to say thank You for this very nice video!

[alwhite666]

It's queit due to the Lempor Exhaust setup its running. It improves draught, but when not working hard there is little exhaust beat. When working at full throttle and cut off's though it is extremely LOUD. Check some of the other vids for it starting a good train and listen to the rifle crack of the exhaust.

[Trifu22]

it seems verry silent

[SteffanLlwyd]

A brave 'last shout' for the advanced steam concept.  Thanks for posting!

[steamfreak3450]

Stoomkrag! Lekker, boet! Good to see real steam doing real work...

[jk8286]

This sort of personifies the steam worker. I work for the railroad, and often times wonder what it would have been like to roam the line I work on a PRR K4, or a I1sa running at 70+. Now it's 25mph and the company doesn't care too much for online business.

[Willysmb44]

GREAT video! I always liked the looks of these fine engines...

[ibytedk]

Epic!

[1961sd]

How I wish I could've seen S.A.steam in action. Thanks to you the next best thing!

[Isochest]

Excellent!! 5 star steam freight action:-)))

[transkaroo]

stunning footage of my all time favourite Loco. She lies in Monument station. I don't think they have fired her up in a couple of years.

Thanx Richard for all these Karoo videos. If you have anymore please submit them. Regards Stefan

[LifeofRail]

Stefan, that loco was a magical machine to work. I had some great trips on her with goods and passenger trains. She had to be worked harder than the normal 25NCs so as to draw the fire through the coals otherwise she would not steam. More clips of condensers and garratts coming in next few weeks. Regards Rich

[PetersTrainz101]

I'm also tring to create that loco as SG

[foreversteam]

Top Video Rich! You certainly are making quite a collection of SAR stuff here on Youtube which can be seen and appreciated all over the world! Keep it up mate!

Bryn