SP007 Sunset of Steam 33RPM Vinyl LP 12" Railway Train Record

	£		15
	$		20

Rare Steam Sound 'Sunset of Steam' 12" 33RPM Vinyl LP Steam Train Record 
This scarce gatefold album was the first-ever high fidelity full Stereo Commercial recording produced in South Africa of South African Railways steam locomotives at work and was recorded in 1974.
This is a story in steam of a journey behind some of the greatest locomotives in existence today — veritable Brobdingnagians on 3' 6" gauge ... a journey through vast tracts of Orange Free State farming lands, up steep gradients of Natal's hilly terrain, hurtling through the hot, dry Karoo . . . A story of shunting, station and signal cabin, of wayside sounds - but above all a story of the Sound of Steam - the deep chuffs, the clank of trucks, clickety-clack of wheels over points, flanges squealing: the spine tingling thrill of a rapidly approaching train that thunders up and away past us a crescendo of throbbing power to fade away just as rapidly, the urgent chatter of the exhaust and shrill whistle blowing on the wind growing fainter in the night air... Sounds that will ultimately become memories only. . . A notable feature of travel on South African passenger trains is the vast range of sounds that one enjoys; thanks to the invariably fine weather one can travel with the carriage windows open and absorb the fascinating kaleidoscope of steam, rail and nature sounds that are all part of the African scene.
SIDE ONE BAND 1. The distant whistle of an approaching train with the rapid beat of the engines barely audible, followed by a longer whistle coming closer, gives a thrill of anticipation as a Class 15CA double header hurtles towards and past our microphones at Forfar Station near Pretoria, It is a brief 'curtain raiser' of sound that makes us impatient to commence our journey. Recorded on 9th March. 1974.
BAND 2. We are in a station ready to depart, the fireman wields his shovel as we listen to the activities on the platform. The station bell goes, a latecomer runs down the platform and the station announcer warns everyone to stand clear. Farewells are made and the train moves off passing a group of Africans as it gathers speed We are en route!
BAND 3. Escaping steam and a blast on the whistle announce our departure from a small siding where we stopped briefly: a few barks of the exhaust, a further whistle, and soon we are gathering speed - From being on train we now move to the lineside to listen to ourselves, as it were, going past. It is a passenger train on her way to Port Elizabeth going flat out up the gradient between Kroonstad and Bosrand past our microphones and into the distance. Recorded near Bosrand. 22nd March. 1974 Then we join her again on train to hear the music of the wheels as she speeds towards a wayside station. The driver opens her throttle wide after passing the facing points and we thrill to the sound of a giant Class 23 coming to life, with the remarkable rapidity of the exhaust beat punctuated by the syncopated rhythm of the wheels. Now we are drifting over points to slow down gradually,  passing a stationary locomotive, until we come to a clanking stop in a siding; and as we squeal to a halt nature takes over with a chorus of frogs and cicadas, and a dog barks in the distance. Recordings made en-route to Bloemfontein on 5th April, 1974.
BAND 4. In Natal now, we are at Henley station on the Pieter- maritzburg-Franktin line where a Garratt passenger train starts off with a brief whistle, accompanied by the typical double beat as she gathers speed, clanking and chuffing most importantly past our microphones; then a long whistle as her coaches roll past and disappear in the distance. Next we are transported to a very interesting section between City View and Claridge. about 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Pietermaritzburg as shown on the sketch below:
Cattle rustle the grass near us as we listen to an exciting sequence of a double-headed freight train hauled by two Class GMA Garratts. which pulled up briefly at the interloop, traversing the ruling gradient of 1 in 30 towards us. A few stately chuffs as a cow lows its farewell, and they are on their way winding up the incline, the rapid beats coming nearer then receding as the freighter snakes its way for a long time, until suddenly it rounds the bend near us and the exciting busy beat of the two locomotives pass our microphones and go through the shallow cutting They emerge with exhaust beat and whistle echoing as they disappear around the koppie (hill) into a cutting, which gradually swallows up the sound. What a thrill to hear the tremendous power of these GMA's making light work of this steep gradient! Recorded on 27th April, 1974
BAND 5. It is early evening at Bosrand station, about 14 kilo- metres (9 miles) from Kroonstad We are on the platform as a Class 15F puffs slowly in to a halt, steam escaping, with the drone of the turbo generator clearly heard. A brief toot and she starts, the deep chesty chuffs of this famous class gradually quickening as she pulls her clanking load past us, a skid on one tyre making a hobbledy rhythm, and moves on into the gathering night as a signalling block instrument bell is heard. Recordings made on 22nd March, 1974. Because of the way sound carries for so far and so long in the clear African air it has been necessary, unfor- tunately, to have to fade out sooner than the actual sound does, in a few instances in this recording.
SIDE TWO BAND 1. Daylight finds us once more on train drifting in to Kraankuil station, about midway between Kimberley and De Aar. We come to a stop, steam gently hissing, and move to the lineside Where another form of transport passes by, a double-headed two horsepower unit In the form of a pair of horses pulling a light 'buggy' vehicle with four African passengers. Shades of the pre-railway coaching days! Then under the soft hiss of steam comes the sound of a train hurtling towards us. the incredible power of a Class 25NC almost unnoticeable in the rapid beat of the exhaust as the driver attacks the long gradient on his way to Poupan station. Recorded at Kraankuil station and vicinity on 18th May. 1974
BAND 2. Now at Wolwehoek station, on the mainline between Vereeniging and Kroonstad, we hear a Class 19D shunting, with resounding clang and wheels screeching as the trucks come together. Brief cautionary toots, and the load is hauled complaining away as the engine slips a few times. It moves a short way as Africans chatter on the nearby platform There is more screeching as it makes contact with further trucks and the 19D then moves off, trucks clicking over the rail joints with flanges squealing. Back she comes finally to stop near us where she blows down, startling the locals. She is off now, slipping spectacularly and blowing her warning whistle; the train rolls by and her exhaust barks rapidly as she disappears into the distance. Recordlngs made at Wolwehoek and Skapplaas on 20th April. 1974
BAND 3. We are back at Bosrand station on a glorious summer's night with a typical, ever present background chorus of cicadas as we hear the prolonged, distant whistle of a Class 23 labouring up the gradient towards us. The signal cabin bell dings, as though in answer, and on she struggles; her exhaust barks sharp and crisp in the night air as she passes our microphones, the long procession of trucks confirming her heavy load. On into the night her exhaust pulses as she gathers speed, with a momentary dip in sound when she passes under a bridge. Then we hear the telephone ring in the cabin, and levers are thrown to signal the all clear to a double header which has been waiting patiently, unseen in the dark. The two engines whistle tneir acknowledgement and start up towards us. The cicadas sing their night songs, accom- panying the intriguing off-beat rhythm of the two loco- motives out of synchronisation, which makes exciting stack music as they bark past us with their long freight load, to fade gradually away, the red tail light finally disappearing into the dark. The sound has gone ... in the warm, calm night nature's music returns and moonlight gleams softly on the twin ribbons of line . . . Bosrand. 22nd. 23rd March. 1974.
BAND 4. We are on train again for the last lap of our journey as we start off. whistle blowing, to move on into the gathering twilight; and we are reminded that these giant engines and their thrilling stack music are destined to vanish all too soon — it is indeed the 'Sunset of Steam'. On train recording made behind Class 15CB ('Big Bill') hauling a rail enthusiast special on 23rd May. 1974.