The unique 4-8-4 "Northern" class 26 # 3450 "Red Devil" (Transnet National Collection) is leased by the Ceres Rail Company and made operational again since last year. The world most powerful narrow gauge (Cape gauge 1067 mm or 3 ft 6 in) steamlocomotive is tackling the heavy grade from Robertson westbound with the 13 car photo freight. The locomotive was built in 1953 as class 25NC by Henschel/Germany for the South African Railways (SAR). From 1979 to 1981 it was heavily rebuilt by mechanical engineer David Wardale from England while in the employ of the South African Railways. The rebuilding took place at the Salt River Works in Cape Town and was based on the principles developed by Argentain mechanical engineer Livio Dante Porta (the locomotive was named "L.D.Porta" after the rebuilding, the name "Red Devil" was used later). Using both mechanical and electronic indicating equipment, the Class 26 # 3450 recorded 4,492 indicated horsepower (3,350 kilowatts) on tests between Pretoria and Witbank, a world record for a narrow gauge locomotive. According to the dynamometer car, this was then developing 3,787 equivalent drawbar horsepower.
