Transnamib - Class 33

While returning from hiking the Fish River Canyon I was fortunate to stumble across TransNamib class 33, No. 483 in Namibia's Karas Region.

The line between Grünau and Karasburg runs parallel to the B3 national highway towards the border outpost of Ariemsvlei. Needless to say, a short chase ensued back towards Grünau where I decided to discontinue my pursuit for the sake and sanity of my travel companions. 

Number 483 is a General Electric type U20C and was previously owned by the South African Railways where they were classified as class 33 - 400. South African General Electric-Dorman Long Locomotive Group built 115 of these locomotives that were delivered between 1968 - 1970 with a large majority of them being transferred to Namibia in 1990. The U20C weighs in at 94, 494 kg and is powered by a V12 turbo charged prime mover.

Commonly known as a Bosvark (bush pig) they increasingly hard to find with many being sold off to operators in South America, Sudan, the Congo and local companies such as Kumba Iron Ore. These photographs and subsequent crops that appear at the end of this page were created so that further research on the consignment could be done. Fellow enthusiast, Piet Conradie put these images to good use and uncovered a interesting connection bewteen the Grünau images and a regular ammonia consignment that gets delivered at Mellish. Here is what Piet had to say as well as the link he provided to an New Era article.

Wayne,

baie dankie vir die detail fotos van die Grünau trein - dit is nou 'n baie oulike verrassing om daar iets raak te loop wat met Mellish verband hou !!!

Mellish se ammoniak gaan vir Braams se Voerkraal  -  So ons kan verwag die Ammoniak in Namibië word moontlik vir iets soortgelyks gebruik. Bietjie GOOGLE het die volgende te voorskyn gebring. Jammer die woord ammoniak wil saam werk nie!!! :-)

Ek dink die kanse is goed dat die Ammoniak by Feedmaster gebruik word, en ook dat die "FEED" sakke "pellets" bevat wat vanaf die voermeul af kom ... die trok met die voer in is in die kleur van TransNamib - soos die string wat jy in Grünau stasie gekry het --- (natuurlik ou SAS trokke wat steeds diens doen). 

Feedmaster het ook 'n teenwoordigheid op Upington (moontlik om lusern te laai???)

Jou toevallige waarneming is inderdaad baie interessant!!!

Groete
Piet 

Further reading - Namibian Class 33 (former South African Class 33-400)

New Era article - Feedmaster invests N$31 million in new feed mill

Youtube link - TransNamib - Class 33 - Handheld DSLR Footage

ISO 200, 1/640 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

Wednesday, 13 September 2017     10:40 a.m.

First Stop after sighting the train along the B3 national highway close to Karasburg.
Note the friendly wave from the driver.

ISO 200,1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm 

10:43 a.m.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 40 mm

10:43 a.m.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

10:45 a.m.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

10:49 a.m.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 35 mm

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

10:54 a.m.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 47 mm

10:58 a.m.

I spent the following twenty minutes filming the train using my DSLR with a no-frills kit lens and no tripod. Travelling as light as possible I had none of my usual camera gear at hand. Luckily the wind wasn't blowing as I also didn't have my external microphone there either.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

11:18 a.m.

The last stop before turning around and continuing our homeward journey. We had passed through Grünau about an hour earlier so took the opportunity to buy some cooldrinks at the surprisingly charming Grünau Hotel.

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm

This photograph and the subsequent crops of the same image were created so that further research on the consignment could be done. Fellow enthusiast, Piet Conradie put these images to good use and uncovered a interesting connection bewteen the Grünau images and a regular amonia consignment that gets delivered at Mellish. Here is what Piet had to say as well as the link he provided to the following New Era article.

Feedmaster invests N$31 million in new feed mill

Wayne,

baie dankie vir die detail fotos van die Grünau trein - dit is nou 'n baie oulike verrassing om daar iets raak te loop wat met Mellish verband hou !!!

Mellish se ammoniak gaan vir Braams se Voerkraal  -  So ons kan verwag die Ammoniak in Namibië word moontlik vir iets soortgelyks gebruik. Bietjie GOOGLE het die volgende te voorskyn gebring. Jammer die woord ammoniak wil saam werk nie!!! :-)

Ek dink die kanse is goed dat die Ammoniak by Feedmaster gebruik word, en ook dat die "FEED" sakke "pellets" bevat wat vanaf die voermeul af kom ... die trok met die voer in is in die kleur van TransNamib - soos die string wat jy in Grünau stasie gekry het --- (natuurlik ou SAS trokke wat steeds diens doen). 

Feedmaster het ook 'n teenwoordigheid op Upington (moontlik om lusern te laai???)

Jou toevallige waarneming is inderdaad baie interessant!!!

Groete
Piet 

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm (crop)

ISO 200, 1/800 sec. f/13 at 55 mm (crop)

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