number1823

No strictly a museum exhibit, #1823 was
developed as an eye surgery as part of the
celebrations for the centenary of the arrival of the
railways in Bulawayo.

There was an argument that the centenary
should look towards the next 100 years, and not
only back to the previous 100. A number of 'good
works' were proposed, one of which was an eye
surgery, supported by NRZ and the Council for
the Blind.

The coach selected was 1823, until then used
as an Army Surgery for the Zimbabwean Army
supporting the relay gangs in Mozambique. It
had returned to Bulawayo and was due to be
sold on tender as it had been modified for it's
medical role.

It was intended that the coach would form part of
an exhibition train which would tour every station
in Zimbabwe between 04 November 1997 (the
centenary of the Bulawayo railway) and 04
February 1998 (the centenary of the Beira to
Mutare railway.)

The rest of the exhibition train would comprise
an art exhibition coach (converted 4th Class), a
steam locomotive (a 15th Class Garratt, this
would be for display only and would not steam),
a few economy coaches that could be used to
give local school kids short train rides behind the
local diesel shunting locomotive, and a private
saloon to accommodate a caretaker.

The eye surgery coach was to be handed to the
Council for the Blind at the end of the centenary
celebrations, after which is would again travel
across Zimbabwe doing it's 'good work'.

In the event, the Council for the Blind 'hijacked'
the entire train, took over the art exhibition coach
(with pictures still on display) as their waiting
room and started consultations. The private
saloon was beefed up with a twin dining car and
sleeper coaches to accommodate the surgical
staff.

By the time the train reached Mutare over 5,000
consultations had been given, and nearly 500
cataract operations had been completed. The
NRZ caretaker was still unsure as to why a
Class 15A Garratt was being hauled around with
the eye surgery train!

The original idea may have been derailed, but
this was one train hijack that no-one could object
to.

The train operated for a second season before
the coach was placed in the Museum for
safekeeping. It has stood there since then,
waiting to be hijacked again.