Steam to Mombasa - English • Great Railways

A dramatic steam safari through the East African bush by film maker NICK LERA, hauled by the most powerful meter gauge steam locomotive in the world, the massive Beyer-Garratt articulated ‘Mount Gelai’. The unique 330 mile adventure both trackside and on tbe loco footplate with legendary driver Kirpal Singh Sandhu ends with the famous spiral descent into Mombasa on the coast. Plus an historical introduction and rare archive footage.

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[harrys]

My father Mr Ajmer singh Sandhu used to drive 5925 on Mombasa Nairobi route till 1972. These Garrett locomotives were magnificent. This brought back fond memories.

[noelbowerman]

So nice to see rail history alive and breathing.

[chrisrobinson]

Very interesting factual video, I worked for Kenya Railways from 2001 to 2004 teaching modern trackworking technique and H&S safe working practice, I took a special tourist train hauled by a Bayer garrett steam in 2001 with my kids who came for holiday, we also had a trip from Vic falls to bulawayo in Rhodesia in 1998 having a short vacation when I was working in Mozambique for a 2 years

[majinga]

Thanks, great watch . 3 generations in East Africa from both my grand fathers who worked on the line from Mombasa, fighting disease and wild animals and put up with the most atrocious living conditions and settling there, raised families and eventually to lose everything they built up. After 3 generations kicked out because of Africanisation . My dad was a fireman on steam engines and I remember magnificent journeys to Kampala and Mombasa . But I feel really sad how these brave men were treated, not even a mention.

[francoisjackson]

Travelled from Kampala to mombasa a few times in the 60's on EAR trains with the Garret engines, great memories

[psycotria]

Great history. The Garratt is a beast. Liked & Subscribed.

[idalahow]

Superb Documentary by Nick and Team. Kenya needs to use these infrastructure to develop even more. The KR Senior staff are still required for service & pensions must be paid monthly as they worked hard during their am told he is no there anymore...RIP would be missed. The Living Team must also help the Government to make use of the New SGR

[khalid]

AT LAST THIS HAS MOVED ME TO TEARS I HAVE THIS STEAM ON A DVD I GOT BACK IN 2011 AT RAILWAY STAND IN NAIROBI SHOW AS A SOUVENIR WHICH IS BADLY SCRATCHED UNFORTUNATELY & IT CANT PLAY SADLY TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER SAME DVD ABOUT MAN EATERS LION & WAS WONDERING WHERE ON EARTH ILL GET BACK A REPLACEMENT MY DAD WAS A STEAM BOILER OPERATOR AT CENTRAL WORKSHOP SHOP NO 047 RETIRED IN 2002 I WAS BORN & RAISED IN MAKONGENI KENYA RAILWAYS NOW IN AMERICA

[Zeeshan-Nazir]

8:24 The cameraman is legend, an incredible understanding of foreground and backgrounds

[keithburrage]

The sight and sound of the mighty EAR Garrets ignited my interest in railways as a child nearly seventy years ago when my Dad worked as an engineer in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. The love of steam railways has never left me!

[ekimbrough]

Thanks Nick!
First video ever seen to date: that I've seen Beyer Garratts pull decent size... to long trains without any help!

[陳茂坤-lt]

這些老而彌堅的機車，在第二春 受到操作手的愛護 照顧下仍然活力十足 真的是一條長龍！🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[grahambird]

I used to work on the Garrets in Southern Rhodesia in the 70's 16a & 20th Class the closest to these Monsters ( Not many like me around now days ! )

[bobharrison]

Beautiful production! Just got out of a zoom meeting with a missionary in Uganda who travels to Nairobi regularly. Good to see another steam locomotive locomotive restoration. It was particularly impressive that they didn't have to use diesel boosters in order to conserve fuel and water.

[hooligan_labelle]

I most definitely like this conversation piece on his living room wall. And the firebox secret bar. Also kept well polished

[Rainermoba]

Many thanks for this wonderful video with an very impressive historical Garrat steam locomotive

[shaza]

This is one of the most unique types of steam locomotives I have seen. Very cool looking.

[hfvhf]

What a wonderful machine! And, what a wonderful documentary!

[hfvhf]

That faceplate built in his livingroom at the end is stunning!

[sjalana]

This is a good memory for the whole world to watch, greetings from Chicago, great video.😊❤😢