Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: Africa

We spent 3 weeks in South Africa and rented a car to do an anti-clockwise road trip from Johannesburg. We headed east and then south. I think I took this shot from the roadside somewhere south of Glencoe as we were driving to Rorke's Drift. The landscape was wide and open and this fence did little to hem it in! HFF to everyone and have a great weekend.

An image from 42 years ago to the day on our road trip around South Africa. Driving up on the N1 to the Du Toitskloof Pass (820 metres, 2,690 ft) in the Hawequas Mountains east of Capetown heading north eventually to Kimberley. This road is now the regional route R101 since the opening of the Huguenot Tunnel on the N1 in 1988.

It's difficult to capture the depth of the "Big Hole" in Kimberley but the height of the buildings give an idea of the scale. It's a real vertical wall of rock. Kimberlite, an ultramafic igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite, is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds. It is named after Kimberley where diamonds were mined from this hole. Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes and can also occur as horizontal sills. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle, hence at high temperatures and pressures. HWW to everyone. Have a great day!

We drove from Johannesburg to Kruger Park for a short break spending just one night at Pretoriuskop in the park. With no particular plan we just drove around for the day and were surprised how many animals were about although we didn't see any big cats. This pod of hippos were lazing about in the river. In fact they are among the most dangerous animals in the world due to their aggressive and unpredictable nature.

Table Mountain complete with tablecloth as seen from the Camps Bay area. HBM to everyone. Enjoy the start of the new week

Light, shadow & steam. An early morning shot of the steamy atmosphere inside Sydenham loco shed in Port Elizabeth as the engines were being prepared.

North British-built Class 24 2-8-4 3685 stands ready to go off Sydenham shed while behind Class 15AR 4-8-2 2082 leaves a cloud of steam as it sets off to itself leave the depot. Other 15ARs are on shed including 1802 simmering in front of the buildings on the right.

We took an early morning Pilatus flight from Hassi Massouad to the Lasmo-operated El Ouar drilling permit, in south-central Algeria, 200km southeast of Hassi Massouad & approx. 800 km southeast of Algiers. Lots of sand dunes in the Sahara! I love the sharp line contrast between brightness and darkness at this time of day. A freeze frame from my video.

A panorama stitch of two photos I took at the SAR Touws River steam shed in 1982 and that I only recently realised were taken alongside each other for this reason. There are 52 withdrawn steam engines in this Barry Island-like view of the Touws River yard. A total of 131 locos were present with only 4 in steam and although it may look like Woodham's, unlike that scrapyard, only one engine has survived out of these 131.

South African Railways Class 15AR 4-8-2 1966 being prepped on Sydenham shed.

South African Railways 4-8-2 19D 2759 vigourously shunts goods wagons out of the yard at Grahamstown. A total of 268 19Ds were built, initially in Germany; 2759 was delivered in 1945 by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns (RSH) of Darlington.

Waiting to board a Pilatus in the Sahara desert south of Hassi Massouad. We were en route to a seismic crew shooting a survey in the Lasmo-operated El Ouar drilling permit, Algeria. It was pretty cramped for the first stage of the journey from Hassi with a full complement of passengers in the small aircraft but after dropping off most of them at this wellsite the two of us flying on to El Ouar could spread out. It was said that El Ouar meant "the worst" in Arabic referring to the the sand dunes being the most impassable. They had a relief of up to 1000ft and were so dense that it was impossible to drive/walk around them. This meant some serious climbing was needed to progress through the area. While the dunes gradually increase in size & density from the north to the south the dune belt stops very abruptly along a southwest-northeast line. I have flown over the area since on the way to West Africa & from 30,000ft this change from sand to rocky desert is very clear & hence it is easy to locate yourself.

SAR Class 25NC 4-8-4 3492 departs north from De Aar station.

SAR Class 25NC 4-8-4 3492 departs north from De Aar station.

SAR Class 25NC 4-8-4s 3509 & 3491 come on De Aar shed adding their smoke to the overall atmosphere.