This locomotive was built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) in Glasgow in 1958 under sub contract from Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the South African Railways. It also carried the Beyer Peacock works number 7850) as well as the NBL one of 27770.
For details of class GMA and GMAM go to Class GMA and GMAM.
It was one of the locomotives that was hired to the National Railways of Zimbabwe and spent from August 1979 until February 1981 in its service.
Shortly after returning to South Africa Railways it was sold to the Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company (REGM).
When REGM resumed full-scale operations in the early 1970s, it was necessary to replace its original tank locomotives with more suitable motive power for the extended mainline being built to serve the new shafts. This locomotive then became REGM No 4 following its purchase from South African Railways.
When REGM finished their steam operations, it was initially saved for preservation by New Zealander Ian Welch who purchased classmate No 4083 and then put this locomotive up for sale.
It was initially purchased by Reefsteamers but was then bought by Ian Welch in February 2011 and moved to Hermanstad where it was placed in store. In 2018 in was announced that the locomotive was for sale and it was sold to Bernd Seiler/FarRail in June 2019 but there is no record of the locomotive being worked on or moved.
After the locomotive had been stored at Hermanstad for some time it was purchased for the Ceres Railway Project. The aim is to restore the locomotive to working order but the first task is to transport it around 900 miles from Pretoria to the Cape.
The scenic line through Michell’s Pass, between Wolseley and Ceres, in the Western Cape region was the first successful branch line to be operated by the Ceres Rail Company under a concession with the national rail freight operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). The freight service on the 26 mile Wolseley – Ceres – Prince Alfred Hamlet branch line was launched in July 2021.
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Preserved British Steam Locomotives 