The Stoker

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Written October 2008
From an earlier era - Transport Museum, George Shunted into silence and retirement’s rest
Sent out of service to the history shed
With coaches assembled from railway’s best
Preserved for posterity, but far from dead.
 
The signal’s still, the red light’s on
The shovel set aside, the wheels un-greased,
The coal in a heap, the water gone,
The rails rusted brown, the points tightly seized
So all we can do is remember the past
With brakes that echoed through passing caves
The steam producing its piercing blast
As sleepers were rocked by the pounding waves.
 
Jump onto the foot-plate, load up the coal
To celebrate the steam engine’s role.
 
 
October 2008 The Stoker - Transport Museum, George
 
After a walk along disused rail track on the George – Knysna line, and a visit to the Transport Museum in George, later that day.

Click here to view the album: Rail-Track - George to Kaaiman's River