The unique 4-8-4 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 inch) steamlocomotive is pulling a 13 cars freight train for the FarRailTours journey, between Worcester and Ashton on the former New Cape Central Railway line. The impressive locomotive was built in 1953 as class 25NC by Henschel/Germany for the South African Railway (SAR). From 1979 to 1981 it was heavy 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 Argentinian mechanical engineer Livio Dante Porta. Using both mechanical and electronic indicating equipment, the Class 26 recorded 4,492 indicated horsepower (3,350 kilowatts) on tests between Pretoria and Witbank in 1981, a world record for a narrow gauge locomotive. According to the dynamometer car, this was then developing 3,787 equivalent drawbar horsepower.
