South African Steam Trains Class ZAZM No 104

ZAZM No 104

17-01-2006

No. 104 "Van Rensburg" a "46-tonner" of the Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansch Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM)
No. 104 "Van Rensburg" a "46-tonner" of the Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansch Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM).  This was later to become the Class B, of which at least one has been preserved.  No. 104 was built by Emil Kessler in 1895 (works no. 2706).
Sue Lawrence (Holland, vol. 1 p. 117.)
The picture was taken at Heidelberg on 10 October 1895, on the occasion of the
completion of the line from Natal.
The line had reached Charlestown, the Transvaal border in 1891 which was greeted
with a big ceremony attended, inter alia, by Pres. Kruger.
Natal entered into agreements with the Transvaal Republic to extend its existing
line as far as Heidelberg to join the NZASM railway which was to be carried
south from Elsberg junction.
On October 10, 1895, the last bolt was fastened at Heidelberg and the following January a full train service was in operation.
Graham du Plessis
No 104 was named after  Hendrik Petrus Francois Janse van Rensburg.
Van Rensburg served President Kruger as a member of the Second Volksraad representing Heidelberg 1895 to 1898.
He then became a member of the First Volksraad 1899 to 1900. At Heidelberg is a dorp Rensburg and it is named after him.
Andre van Rensburg
On the photo of the two trains meeting, Van Rensburg and his wife are on the far left hand side, he is wearing a top hat.
Andre van Rensburg

Copyright is alive and well, please click