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143
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
South African Railways Class NGG16 2-6-2+2-6-2T Beyer Garratt locomotive built by Beyer Peacock (Builder's number 7868 of 1958). One of a batch of seven (no.s 137 - 143), the last steam locos built by Beyer Peacock, which were ordered by the Tsumeb Copper Corp of South West Africa in 1958 but when its line was altered to Cape Gauge, South African Railways took over the order.
Although not first placed on the 93 mile long Ixopo branch (from Umzinto to Ixopo / Donnybrook), according to the November 1965 Natal System locomotive returns, 140 and 143 were in service on the branch at that time (together with No.s 85, 86, 112, 113, 114, 115, 126, 129, 131 and 139).
143 was obtained from the Alfred County Railway and arrived at the FR in January 1997. It entered service on the WHR(C) in September 1998, after receiving boiler attention. As the last Beyer-Garratt built by Beyer Peacock, it makes an interesting stablemate of the pioneer of the type, K1.
The WHR(C) is home to 3 other members of this class, no's 87, 138 and 140.
