Preserved Steam

2001-2005

In 2001 the first tentative steps towards creditable steam restoration and preservation were taken in Kenya as outlined below:

5918 during test runs in 2001.   PHOTOs - (left) Kevin Patience (right) Trevor Heath

Before the passenger excursion, a test run was made hauling a freight.  PHOTOs - Kevin Patience

The first passenger excursion from Nairobi to Mombasa - PHOTOs Kevin Patience

5918 at Athi River waits for the return working of the charter passenger train.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

5918 runs rear tender first around its train.  Unlike Rhodesian and South African Railways, EAR&H Garratts were seldom seen running rear tender first on a train.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

30 Class 3020 Nyaturu also made its debut in genuine EAR&H livery.  It is seen easing out of the shed (left) and heading a train at Kikuyu (right).  The first passenger car in the consist is a 1953 aluminium first class coach originally turned out unpainted. They acquired the familiar maroon and cream livery, like the rest of the passenger stock, in 1960, having, for a while, run in all-over cream - the colour adopted for the Royal Train consist during the Queen mother's visit of 1959.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

Nyaturu heads a passenger excursion from Nairobi to Naivasha into Kijabe while a freight for Nairobi waits in the loop.  The three aspect semaphore signal is vertical, indicating mainline clear - (green at night).  45 degrees (amber at night) indicates "proceed with caution";  horizontal (red at night) is stop.  PHOTO - Trevor Heath

Typical murram (red earth) cutting seem from the tender top - the bank is showing signs of erosion and the bushes on the cutting sides are a sign that this is a recent photograph.  PHOTO - Trevor Heath

A timeless view - dormant (but far from extinct) volcano Mount Longonot dominates the valley floor.  PHOTO - Trevor Heath

Before and after 2921 Masai of Kenya.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

3123 Bavuma - before (left) and after (right)  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

2409 was fully restored to running order and out-shopped in Kenya and Uganda Railways graphite livery and in July 2006, back in the familiar EAR&H crimson lake, it was at Ruiru with a revenue freight for Thika.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath 

Restoration work gets under way on 57 Class Garratt 5711, which had reverted to its KUR livery and number 87 Karamoja.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

Static exhibit 59 Class 5930 Mount Shengena in its before and after condition.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

Still to acquire a number plate on the cab, 60 Class 6006 Sir Harold MacMichael is, apparently, likely to remain a static exhibit.  PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

          5505, bought by EAR&H from Burma Railways, has also been fully painted but has had its Giesel ejector replaced with its original round chimney.  Before (left) and after (right)                    PHOTOs - Trevor Heath

East African Railways & Harbours