East African Railways and Harbours
Departing Nakuru the train climbs up the eastern side of the Great Rift Valley. An EAR&H publicity photograph with a false backdrop (left) showing giraffe - however it was not uncommon to see giraffe as the train traversed the valley floor in the vacinity of Mount Longonot. The first class compartment is in one of the stainless steel coaches which in 1959 were painted cream with a maroon waist strip and later were painted into the maroon and cream like all the other passenger cars. The seats were blue leather and the top bunk folded into the bulkhead by day. The compartment was finished in light green formica. The cover to the washbasin doubled as a table. Other EAR&H photographs - (centre) a 29 Class (Tribal) heads a freight along the escarpment towards Nairobi and (right) shows a 57 Class hauling a train of mixed 3rd and 2nd Class stock towards Nairobi with Mount Longonot forming a real backdrop.
Virtually the same scene as above, except that two 90 Class diesels (left) have ousted the 59 Class. PHOTO EAR&H Magazine. Mount Longonot (right) as seen from the carriage window as the train crosses the valley floor heading for Nairobi - it was not unusual to see giraffe among the thorn bushes - PHOTO Malcolm McCrow
A 90 Class diesel (left) heads a Uganda bound Mail Train along the Escarpment towards Nakuru. Mount Longonot dominates the Valley floor (right). This view is from the 1948 alignment towards the site of the earlier Escarpment Station (1900-48) and the top of the temporary incline down to Kadong (1899). A triangle led off to the top of the first incline - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
59 Class 5915 Mount Mtorwi heads the 134 Down Goods between Nakuru and Nairobi (left). The 59 Class was introduced on 28 April 1955. A 59 prepares to accept the section token during a run-through of an unidentified station in the Highlands (right). - PHOTOs EAR&H (left) and Harry Dodge (right).
A 58 Class emerging from Limuru Tunnel (left) PHOTO - EAR&H Magazine. Limuru Tunnel - the longest on the system - was opened in March 1950 in the final phase of major track re-alignment between Nairobi and Nakuru. The re-alignment had been started in 1948 by the KUR&H to reduce the Up ruling grade from 2.0% (1 in 50) to 1.5% (1 in 67). The track was also up-rated to 80lb rail. A 59 Class photographed at the same location by Harry Dodge
A 58 Class Garratt (left) departs Limuru with a stopping passenger train for Nakuru. A 59 Class storms out of Limuru with furnace roaring (right) - PHOTOs - A E Durrant (left) and.Harry Dodge (right)
A 54 Class Garratt (left) arriving at Limuru with a stopping passenger train for Nairobi. The first freight to be hauled by 90 Class diesels exchanges tokens at Limuru (right). PHOTOs - EAR&H
A 60 Class fitted with Giesel ejector with a special passenger train. PHOTO - EAR&H - P B Whitehouse. (left) This is a very unusual formation as the passenger consist is made up almost entirely of First Class cars. A pair of 90 Class negotiate a reverse curve with a long freight train at an unidentified location between Nairobi and Nakuru. (right) - PHOTO EAR&H Magazine.
A freight hauled by a pair of 90 Class diesels near Kikuyu (left). A 29 with bogie caboose in the lashup approaching Kikuyu (right). PHOTOs - EAR&H Magazine (left) and Kevin Patience (right)
A Tribal Class 29 takes water at Kikuyu (left). Another 29 Class passes a Kenya Railways 90 Class at Kikuyu in the 1970s (right). Apart from the new colour scheme, the atmosphere is still of the sixties. PHOTOs - Kevin Patience.
Typical village nearing Nairobi (left) from Nakuru. Limuru Market seen from a Nairobi-bound Mail Train (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
A 90 Class heads the Uganda bound Mail Train out of Dagoretti Station (right) in the 1960s. The three-aspect semaphore signal is showing line clear. In the 1970s, a 29 Class looks the worse of the wear as it heads into Dagoretti - PHOTOs EARC Annual Report 1970 (left) Kevin Patience (right)
A Nairobi bound freight (left) runs through the grounds of Duke of York School (7 miles from Nairobi) in 1959 - PHOTO Malcolm McCrow
A 59 Class heads a Nairobi-bound freight under the bridge on the Ngong Road near Dagoretti Corner. PHOTOs - Harry Dodge
(Left) A crowd of spectators watches the daily 1815 Kisumu train depart Nairobi for Nakuru where it will arrive at 2355. The train is hauled by a 90 Class 1-Co-Co-1 diesel electric. It is due out of Nakuru at 0015 and will call at Elburgon, Londiani and Lumbwa, arriving Kisumu at 0800. At 0815 it will depart Kisumu for the 15 minute journey to Kisumu Pier. Interestingly there is no return working from Kisumu Pier to Kisumu in the public timetable.
(Right) 90 Class 9023 bound for Nakuru sweeps round the curve under the eucalyptus trees out of Nairobi Station with the clock tower of Parliament Buildings visible in the background
- PHOTOs Harry Dodge (left) and EAR&H (right)
6022 - formerly Sir Andrew Cohen - passing through Nairobi Yard. The red roofed building behind the station platforms is the Railway Headquarters. Nairobi Station with Kenya Railway diesels arriving and departing - PHOTOs Kevin Patience (left) and Kenya Railways (right)
A 29 Class heads out of Nairobi for Nakuru (left) A 59 Class 5918 Mount Gelai leaving Nairobi (right) arrives Nairobi East from Mombasa. The embankment to the right of the picture is the famous photo spot used in many EAR&H official photographs - PHOTOs A J Hudson (left) and EAR&H Magazine (right)
A 24 Class shunts at Nairobi (left). An 11 Class Tank (right) at the Mombasa end of Nairobi's No 1 Platform - PHOTOs A J Hudson (left) and (right) Malcolm McCrow
A busy scene at the Mombasa end of Nairobi Station (left) The Kenya Planters' Cooperative Union with 29 Class shunting boxcars (right) - PHOTOs EAR&H Magazine