End of the line for Old Ben
Remember the battered locomotive which stood for years in C R Swart Park, in Rynfield?
Well, the grand old piece of machinery has come to the end of its 90-year journey and now stands jauntily in pride of place outside the Benoni Museum.
Many Benonians will remember clambering over the engine as youngsters, first at the Bunny Park and later at C R Swart Park. There will, however, be few who will remember as far back as 1903, when the engine was operational at New Kleinfontein Mines.
It was built by R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd of Glasgow, Scotland, and worked at the Kleinfontein Mine. The train was one of three built for New Kleinfontein Mines and was christened “Benoni”.
A Benoni resident, Ken McLuckie, who lived at number two shaft on Kleinfontein, remembered: “Although the mine had its own power station, its heavy machinery was operated on steam power and Old Ben had to transport vast amounts of coal from the siding at Range View Station, on the Witbank line, every day.”
The daunting task of placing the heavy engine on rails outside the museum meant the closure of a section of Elston Avenue, in 1995.
A crowd of curious onlookers gathered to watch two cranes lift the train onto the tracks, cheering as it was lowered into place.
Information supplied by Glynis Cox Millett-Clay.
Also read:
Glynnwood’s history won’t be forgotten
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