Steam Fever (1992) FRA 01

The coming of the steam locomotive in the mid-nineteenth century revolutionised the way the world moved. No other invention since the wheel itself so completely and so permanently changed the landscape of overland travel.

The steam locomotive is a machine of great simplicity. Based on the simple principle of the expansion of steam, and the fundamental elements of fire and water, steam traction spread rapidly across the globe - conquering territories and feeding empires on every continent.

In "Steam Fever", we ponder upon the simple yet fascinating mechanics that so contributed to the steam locomotive's success.

We also discover South Africa, a country that was opened up by steam power and relied on it for many decades after it had disappeared from the rest of the world. Boasting huge reserves of coal, South Africa has an arid hinterland called the Karoo, where great distances separate major towns. The long-haul transport capabilities of the railway served this hinterland perfectly, while the coal reserves fed the fiery monsters that worked the heavy trains of the Kimberley-De Aar main line.

"Steam Fever" is an authentic portrayal of those early days. We travel on freight trains in regular service, with drivers and firemen whose calling was steam. We explore how the threat of diesel and electric traction began to loom, and how this brought with it a new breed of person, the avid steam photographer. And we investigate a new and exciting breed of engine - the Red Devil, a development of the well known Class 25NC's.

But the real story of steam is much more than a technical or geographic one. It's a grand tale of discovery and romance, and this DVD is an attempt to explain just what it is that afflicts people the world over with "Steam Fever".

DURATION 58 min.

Back to Frameline