Garratts in Zimbabwe 1987 and 1991 60 mins • Colour • Stereo Sound • DVD

£18.25

Over two visits to Zimbabwe in 1987 and 1991, Ton Pruissen filmed the Garratts of Classes 14, 15, 16, 20 and 20A which were then operational on freight and some passenger workings.
 
There were then nearly 90 of these locomotives operational, all built by Beyer Peacock. The refurbishment and return to service of these monsters had been started by Rhodesia Railways prior to independence by RESSCO and continued under ZECO until 1983, when they became responsible for maintenance.
 
 
Work is shown underway at ZECO’s works, and there are scenes at Bulawayo Shed and Thomson Junction Loco. The routes from Plumtree, on the Botswana border, to Bulawayo, and to Dete are covered and there is linesiding around Hwange (Wankie). Dramatic and well shot footage from lineside, on shed and in, and on, the cab, of these last giants of the steam age working hard during the last decades of the twentieth century.
 
 
EXTRAS: This DVD also includes maps and ephemera on Garratts in PDF format. The film may be viewed with or without the commentary.
 
 
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