The moment it all went wrong

The Bagnall 2-6-2 was thrashing up the bank through this gorge above Namtu when suddenly, just as I took this shot, disaster struck. The front right coupling rod broke in two and one end dug into the ballast and bent the crank pin. Luckily the loco did not derail and the staff on hand rapidly dismantled the offending parts in order that the train could creep backwards down to the depot about two miles away. When I returned to Namtu that evening the locomotive had already been repaired and a replacement rod fitted!