Slippery drama at the steam locomotive depot 12AR 15F 25NC

Germiston Steam Locomotive Depot – once a great cathedral of South African Railways steam at one of South Africa’s largest railway junctions. The Germiston Locomotive Depot was once the home to over 150 steam locomotives, with over 300 footplaters, not mention other crew members and admin staff. The great depot operated 24 hours a day. Founded circa 1896, the depot served Reefsteamers steam locomotives in the 2000’s, albeit on a much smaller scale. The South African Railways Class 25NC 4-8-4 of 1953 was a class of steam locomotives built between 1953 and 1955 for the South African Railways. The Class 25NC was the non-condensing version of the Class 25 condensing locomotive, of which ninety were placed in service at the same time. Class 15F was the most numerous steam locomotive class in South African Railways service. Between 1938 and 1948, 255 of these locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement entered service. Between 1919 and 1929, the South African Railways placed 67 Class 12A steam locomotives with a 4-8-2 Mountain type wheel arrangement in service. Non-standard new boilers had been fitted from 1943 and the locomotives were reclassified 12AR.