Please click on the images to see a larger image and a brief description.

 

Introduction:

I was heading back to Ermelo from spending an afternoon in the low veldt near Komatipoort  when I decided to stop by Nelspruit. By the time I decided to turn into Nelspruit, the sun was disappearing behind the hills and the clouds. Therefore, dear Reader, my images here are rather overexposed and otherwise lack contrast. But here is the advantage of having gone digi. By using a digital camera I could see how the images were coming out in real time, and adjust the settings on the spot as required. I never would have considered wasting shots like this on Kodachrome colour slide film. So some things do indeed get better with time............

The loco shed is located to the northwest of the railway station and across the main line tracks. The best way to reach the shed is to reach the R40 road and go north over the railway line. Turn left at the first intersection, you are looking for Loco Road, then just work your way in to reach the parking spots. It seems strange at first, as there are so many trees hiding the shed from the R40, but once past the 'camouflage', there is both a loco shed and a repair/overhaul shop.

Once inside, I made myself known, and signed in.

Welcome to GEC Traction (now called Alstom). Well, that brings back memories of the 1980's when the 10E class 3000 V DC locos were being introduced. Where does the time go?

These four images are of the loco shed for both the diesels and the electrics. I am facing south toward the N4 autoroute. Those silos to the right of the last images make a good marker for locating the shed as you drive in town on the N4. In these images can be seen class 35 diesels, 10E electrics of both the GEC(10.051-100, 126-175) and Toshiba (10.001-050) makes, and of course the 6E's.

These images were taken only a few meters north of the previous group of images. The first image is looking southward, the second toward the north east, and the third is looking northward into the front of a 6E1 with a newly painted pilot.

These images were taken on the north side of the shop. Notice the long out of date warning board for the steam locos specified not to try and negotiate this tight curvature.

I did not bring along a tripod, so here are some hand held images taken on the shop floor.