1967 Cowans Sheldon crane in Nigerian Railways workshop (1)
Photo © Martin Allen
Date: 3rd January 2010
A plate on the side of this 50-ton, 3' 6" gauge, crane shows the (presumed) CS works number as 444. Can any viewer explain why such a low number would have been allocated? We'd also like to know the running number if anyone can help.
Martin remarks that the pictures are a bit gloomy as the Nigerian Railways Corporation didn't have money at the time for artificial lighting in the workshops! In addition, virtually all of the labouring work force had been dismissed to save on the wage bill.
Reassuringly, the massive investment in the Nigerian railway system that started in 2009 is transforming the network.