East African Railways Corporation

East African Steam in 1978

By the mid 1960s East African Railways & Harbours had become the East African Railways Corporation: but this was not to survive and the system was eventually split into Kenya Railways, Uganda Railways and Tanzanian Railways. However, in 1978, steam was still very much in evidence in Kenya.

                            Tsavo to Mackinnon Road

59 Class 5903 Mount Meru crosses Tsavo Bridge heading for Voi.   PHOTO - James Waite

Classic 59 scene as 5918 Mount Gelai (now preserved) holds its tank train in the loop.  PHOTO - James Waite

While 5918 Mount Gelai waits in the loop another 59 Class crosses with a train of vans (boxcars).  PHOTO - James Waite

An unidentified 59 Class at speed with a train of tank cars.  PHOTO - James Waite

Tribal Class 31 on a loop near Voi. Note the meticulously maintained ballast.  PHOTO - James Waite
                            Voi

24 Class 2455 detaches from its from its train and prepares to take on water.  PHOTO - James Waite

2455 has obviously seen better days.  PHOTO - James Waite

An elderly 24 Class 2406 in the Voi shed.  PHOTO - James Waite

13 Class tank engine 1307 takes water at Voi.  PHOTO - James Waite

5903 Mount Meru at Voi with a 60 Class and its train from Taveta in the loop.  PHOTO - James Waite
                            Voi - Taveta (formerly Moi - Moshi)

60 Class 6003 Sir Stewart Symes on the Voi-Moshi branch.  This line connected the Kenya and Tanganyika sections, but by 1978 deteriorating relations between Kenya and Tanzania resulted in the Kenya line terminating at the frontier town of Taveta.  PHOTO - James Waite

The same train in the Taveta Hills.  PHOTO - James Waite

Not the end of the line - but as far as 6003 is permitted to go as it runs round its train in the Taveta loops.  PHOTO - James Waite

5903 Mount Meru heads a freight train into Mackinnon Road - a one time major military stores compound.  PHOTO - James Waite

What used to be possible when through travel to Moshi was permitted.  The night train from Moshi sets off for Dar-es-Salaam in 1969.  It is headed by 60 Class 6005 Sir Edward Bourdillon.  Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro forms the backdrop.   PHOTO - James Waite

 East African Steam 1978