Nigeria has a Rail System?

Believe it or not, this place used to have a thriving rail network... nowadays it's a great place for people to build, so slums have grown through all the rail land in the major cities and it's going to be interesting when they try and fire it all up again. But anyway, but when the Empire was getting rich off the backs of its colonies in Africa, the Brits built a line from Lagos heading up North to bring whatever wasn't bolted down back to port to sell back in the Motherland...

That was then, now the Nigerian Rail Corporation is probably the world largest owner of scrap rail parts that are useless to anyone. The good folk at the Nigerian Field Society organised a trip down to the old yards and HQ at Ebute Metta in Lagos (which was supposed to be on while we were in Kenya but had been put off due to the nationwide strike and petrol shortage). Unfortunately, being the wet season, it was absolutely pouring down and half of the rail yards were flooded, so we didn't get a chance to see the old steam loco's they still have sitting in a shed {this site has some pics of what we didn't see} - but they still had some amazing stuff, all just sitting there gathering dust. No one around here really gives a crap about history, and since Independence the military and various politicians have cleaned out every government owned company, coup after coup (which is why there's never any power or water here either...that's another story though)

So here's some pics of interesting stuff we stumbled upon as we wandered around on a wet Saturday morning...

The "new" NRC logo from the 60's when the Japanese
and Chinese brought in Diesel Electric trains

Unfortunately those diesel electrics didn't last too long...

This is an interesting one. Fingering through a bunch of old drawings, George & I found some drawings of the carriages that were built for the Queen's first visit to Nigeria back in 1956 (when she was barely 30)
Here's a little blurb from African Affairs, in April 1956

Royal Tour of Nigeria

The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, in February carried out a tour of Nigeria lasting three weeks which took them to all the Regions. It was a memorable visit, not only because of its unprecedented success, but also because it was the first time that a reigning Monarch had set foot in this, the most important of the African colonies. For a colony it still is—though one on the brink of self-government, and a country, therefore, which pretty well runs its own affairs already.
Lagos, the Federal capital, was first to welcome the Royal party on January 28, A political truce had been agreed to by all while the Royal visit lasted, and in place of politics, the people of Nigeria busied themselves with great demonstrations of loyalty and happy festivities. However carefree her subjects might have been in those joyful three weeks, the Queen herself laced a complicated and exacting programme. Her patience, charm and affection for the Nigerian people never deserted her.
Perhaps the most impressive and symbolic part of the Royal visit was the Queen's visit to the Federal House of Representatives. Wearing a gown of ivory satin embroidered with pearls, a diamond tiara and the star and sash of the Order of the Garter, her Majesty walked in procession to the House preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms. She was received by the Speaker at the Bar of the House and conducted to the throne. The Duke of Edinburgh in white naval uniform, sat on her left, The Governor-General, the Chief Justice of the Federation, the Archbishop of West Africa and other dignitaries sat on her right.
The Speaker then read a loyal address, referring to the intense feeling of loyalty which the visit had created. The Minister of Transport, the Minister of Communications, and the Leader of the Opposition spoke in support of the address.
The Queen, in reply, spoke of "this most important stage of Nigeria's development." Nigeria was moving forward to what she was sure would be a happy and fortunate future and a place of increasing significance in the modern world, She regretted that difficulties of time and distance prevented her and the Duke of Ed arch from meeting more than a fraction of her subjects…”

The Office for Impractically Long Acronyms



The maintenance sheds are basically the same as the day they
were deserted (whenever that was...) tools are just lying around
as though they were left one day and no one ever came back.



If you're in the market for old train wheels, give me a call...