TOPIC:

I think your assessment is spot on - photos of No. 15 taken before the Relief of Ladysmith.

Apologies I did not see the Newspaper report. Appears they may have their locomotives mixed up?

Additional info from page 91



Regards










Regards

Neville, photo from the 1909 privately published "In Memoriam N.Z.A.S.M" from a slightly different perspective.
The text below confirms that the bridge was restored by the boers.

Thank you Everhard, good to have confirmation.
When I bought the plates back in 2000, I never believed I would be able to tell the story behind them. How wrong I was.


Locomotives were popular targets for souvenir-hunters, as the examples below show.




Umbrella stand made from NZASM locomotive plates taken from the "President Steyn", a 46-tonner, built by Emil Kessler of Esslingen, Germany, in 1897. The stand was offered at the Spink ABW centenary auction, but failed to reach the reserve of £5,000 GBP. For many years it stood in the lobby of Spink in King Street. When I inquired about it a while back, I was told that it had been "mislaid" during the move to Southampton Row.















A few of the vast array of trophies brought home by Captain George Frederick Whitmore, Volunteer Active Service Company, Suffolk Regiment. These included everything from Mauser & Lee-Metford rifles to a Z.A.S.M. locomotive plate & bell.
Note on reverse reads: "G.F.W. at home - Hills Road, Cambridge, 1901. Trophies brought back from S.A."


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This is a fascinating thread!
Can anyone discover who dynamited the Nelthorpe bridge, and on what date?
I’m on my way this evening to the Spioenkop area, and if I have an idle day I’ll try to visit the site.
Rob

Rob,

According to a report in the Evening Chronicle of 9th November 1899, the Boers severed the railway line at Nelthorpe on or about Saturday 2nd November.


Evening Chronicle, 9th November 1899

ESTCOURT, Nov. 5, 7.50 p.m.

On Friday evening, the Boers’ main body withdrew from Colenso, and on Saturday [2nd November] the rest of the force retreated to Nelthorpe, where they have broken the railway and occupy an investing position before Ladysmith.


If you do have time to visit the area, there are two bridges over spruits in the vicinity of Nelthorpe. The larger is over Davel's Spruit, which is identified in The Sphere as the location of the bridge in the photographs. The second structure is much smaller, but is closer to Nelthorpe, so is also a (less likely) contender. Unfortunately, both bridges appear to have been rebuilt with shorter spans since the war. It would anyway be interesting to see photographs of both locations for comparison.

Neville













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Hello Neville

Excellent sleuthing skills and a very informative piece.

Phil