\u2019n Stuk spoorwegerfenis wat byna as skrootmetaal verlore geraak het, is danksy \u2019n toegewyde span gemeenskapslede tot sy vorige glorie herstel. Die miniatuur-stoomlokomotief \u201cAlet\u201d, wat in 1977 vir Touwsrivier se eeufees gebou is, staan nou trots langs haar \u201cma\u201d \u2013 een van die laaste twee Klas 23-stoomlokomotiewe in Suid-Afrika \u2013 in die historiese Gideon Joubertpark.<\/p>\n
Die reddingsoperasie is gelei deur Christiaan du Plessis, die voorsitter van Touwsrivier Toerisme, nadat die lokomotief vir 47 jaar by die ou Touwsrivier Ontspanningsklub verwaarloos is. \u201cOns het besef as ons nie nou optree nie, sou Alet stuk vir stuk as skrootmetaal verdwyn het,\u201d s\u00ea Du Plessis.<\/p>\n
Die lokomotief, wat spesiaal vir die dorp se 100-jarige viering in 1977 gebou is, was oorspronklik \u2019n indrukwekkende gesig. Hoewel dit nie self kon ry nie, kon dit rook maak wanneer steenkool in die vuurkas brand \u2013 \u2019n groot aantrek\u00adkings\u00adkrag tydens die destydse eeufeesvie\u00adringe.<\/p>\n
Die restourasieproses was geen geringe taak nie. Die lokomotief moes in dele gesny word om dit te kon verskuif, aangesien dit te groot was om as een stuk te vervoer. \u2019n Span toegewyde gemeenskapslede het aan die projek gewerk \u2013 elkeen met sy eie spesialiteit.<\/p>\n
Willie Marais, \u2019n veteraan van die spoorwe\u00eb, het die lokomotief se neus herbou en \u2019n nuwe lig geskenk.<\/p>\n
Clarence Thomas was verantwoordelik vir die maak van nuwe nommerplate en die outentieke SAS-SAR-letters.<\/p>\n
Jason Prins het \u2019n spesiale platform gebou om die lokomotief op ballastklip te monteer.<\/p>\n
Du Plessis self het \u2019n nuwe metaal-steenkooltenderwaentjie gebou en voorwiele uit Pietermaritzburg bekom.<\/p>\n
Die lokomotief se nuwe tuiste by Gideon Joubertpark is veral betekenisvol. Hier staan dit nou langs een van slegs twee oorblywende Klas 23-stoomlokomotiewe in die land. Hierdie groter lokomotiewe, waarvan 136 voor die Tweede W\u00eareldoorlog ingevoer is, was die grootste van die 4-8-2-Bergstoom-lokomotiewe wat deur die destydse Spoorwe\u00eb gebruik is.<\/p>\n
\u201cDit is \u2019n merkwaardige transformasie,\u201d s\u00ea Du Plessis \u2013 \u201cvan \u2019n verwaarloosde stuk yster tot \u2019n blink gemeenskapsjuweel wat nou weer die verbeelding van jonk en oud aangryp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Die projek beklemtoon die belangrik\u00adheid van gemeenskapsamewerking in die bewaring van erfenis. Touwsrivier Toe\u00adrisme nooi alle belangstellendes \u2013 veral gesinne met kinders \u2013 om die geres\u00adtou\u00adreerde Alet by Gideon Joubertpark in Janestraat 50, Touwsri\u00advier, te kom besigtig.<\/p>\n
\u201cHierdie is meer as net die herstel van \u2019n ou lokomotief,\u201d voeg Du Plessis by. \u201cDit is die herstel van \u2019n stuk gemeenskapserfenis wat nou weer kan dien as \u2019n bron van trots vir ons dorp.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2019n Stuk spoorwegerfenis wat byna as skrootmetaal verlore geraak het, is danksy \u2019n toegewyde span gemeenskapslede tot sy vorige glorie herstel. Die miniatuur-stoomlokomotief \u201cAlet\u201d, wat in 1977 vir Touwsrivier se eeufees gebou is, staan nou trots 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