The whole world has felt the passing away of South Africa’s “Greatest Son”.  Nelson Mandela died yesterday in Johannesburg aged 95.  After 27 years in prison, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate campaigner against apartheid peacefully led South Africa away from white-minority rule.Nelson Mandela’s impact on the history of humanity is immeasurable – in fact it could even be felt in the world of preserved steam in the UK.  During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, before Mandela unified the racially divided South Africa, the locomotive named after the country – 60009 Union of South Africa had to be renamed Osprey.  In those times, the racial inequalities in South Africa were so terrible that not even a heritage steam engine could take the country’s name.  It is fair to say that without Nelson Mandela, number 60009 could well still carry the name Osprey.  Obviously the naming of a steam engine is absolutely nothing in comparison to the massive advances that Nelson Mandela made that improved the human rights of black South African’s, but I think it illustrates how far-reaching Mandela’s impact was on every tiny corner of the world.  It even reached the voluntary heritage steam community.

It is because Nelson Mandela is the most inspiring person that I have known of in my lifetime, that I wanted to write this piece.  I send my condolences to all those who feel his loss, especially to his family and those close to him.  Farewell Nelson Mandela and thank you for genuinely making the world a better place.