THE ULOLIWE

SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA

A monthly railway historical and research publication
n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie
Vol 3 No 10
Un-official / Nie Amptelik - Gratis
Everything to do with the
former
SA
Railways:
i.e.
lighthouses, harbours, staff,
photos,
books,
RMT,
stations, tugs, SAR Police,
SAA,
catering,
pipelines,
stamps,
models, rolling
stock,
armoured
trains,
diagrams, etc

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, ZA

[email protected]
Octobeer 2012

Cambridge (East London) Nico van der Westhuis

Contents
Welcome .............................................................................................................................................................8
Front Cover Voorblad:...................................................................................................................................8
Editorial Redaksioneel...................................................................................................................................8
Fuel crisis (petrol & diesel) ......................................................................................................................9
Wepeners Perambulations and Railway History ...................................................................................9
New Line Vierfontein Orkney .....................................................................................................................9
Sightings .......................................................................................................................................................14
Friedesheim timber shunt ......................................................................................................................14
Articles from our readers ...............................................................................................................................15
Les Pivic............................................................................................................................................................15
Van Reenens 7 new Tunnels: Les Pivnic.....................................................................................................15
Van Reenen: Brian Conyngham ....................................................................................................................17
Bloemfontein: 31st of May 1960: 50 years of Union ...................................................................................19
Garratts: Richard Clatworthy ........................................................................................................................19
Locomotive types: Garratt, Six-coupled, 4 9 wheels, 3 6 gauge .....................................................19
Nico van der Westhuis ...................................................................................................................................21
E7010 from Cape Town entering East London station 25-08-2012.......................................................21
Slurry - Richard Clatworthy ..........................................................................................................................22
The FC Train-bridge Lourens Sturgeon ................................................................................................25
Railway History of South Africa HBH .......................................................................................................27
CGR: 3rd Class: Wynberg Tender Nos 12 - 17.........................................................................................27
NGR: Altered Dubbs A ..........................................................................................................................28
NGR: Altered Dubbs A (Enlarged diagram) .......................................................................................28
2

Cape Town Station - What has happened to Blackie? ...............................................................................29

OVS Staatspoorwegen (OVSS) ......................................................................................................................29
The Oorlogsmuseum in Bloemfontein has no information on Pres Steyns saloon. They only have
information on Pres SJP Krugers saloon.....................................................................................................29
OVS Staatspoorwegen (OVSS) ......................................................................................................................29
Crest and Button .........................................................................................................................................29
NZASM.............................................................................................................................................................32
Anglo Boer War ...............................................................................................................................................32
Anglo Boer War? Leon (Div) de Villiers .................................................................................................32
Anglo Boer War Brian Conyngham and Rory Reynolds ...................................................................38
We are marching to Pretoria..................................................................................................................38
Princess Alice Ambulance Train ...............................................................................................................42
Sister Jones ...................................................................................................................................................46
NGR: Stations ..............................................................................................................................................47
Railway Stations: .............................................................................................................................................48
Old Newcastle - Johannes Botha .......................................................................................................48
New Newcastle....................................................................................................................................49
Irene ..........................................................................................................................................................49
Alexandra Anton van Schalkwyk ......................................................................................................50
SAR: Photo 1932 Johannesburg municipal buss ......................................................................................53
SAR: World War 1 ...........................................................................................................................................53
SAR in GSWA ..............................................................................................................................................53
SAR: World War 2 ...........................................................................................................................................53
SAR Traction and Rolling Stock ....................................................................................................................54
3

14859: Nico van der Westhuis ...................................................................................................................54

Transnet ............................................................................................................................................................54
Chinese locos for SA J Wepener .............................................................................................................54
SA Metro Rail...................................................................................................................................................55
33-505 with Metro at Fort Jackson 24-09-2012: Nico van der Westhuis .........................................55
Gautrain ....................................................................................................................................................56
Photo reports ...................................................................................................................................................56
Robert Maidment-Wilson ..........................................................................................................................56
Something different from Robert Maidment-Wilson.............................................................................58
Natal Midlands - Jacobus Marais..............................................................................................................60
The Blue Train: Francois Matthes (Cape Town) ...................................................................................61
A Mixed Bag Lourens Sturgeon .............................................................................................................62
Noel Welch: E7175 Transnet Swartkops Diesel Depot. jpg ..................................................................64
32-042 Outeniqua Tjoe Choo: Robert Adams ..........................................................................................65
Green F15 Adrian Hill .............................................................................................................................67
Bloemfontein by an Obderver .......................................................................................................................68
Namibia ............................................................................................................................................................78
Railway People Spoorwegmense ...............................................................................................................78
Nico van der Westhuis ...............................................................................................................................78
Nico van der Westhuis ...........................................................................................................................79
Kyk Spoorwegman, ek skryf en bid vir jou! Koot Swanepoel ...........................................................80
Water Police .....................................................................................................................................................80
Previous issues of Uloliwe .............................................................................................................................80
4

Rail Humour ....................................................................................................................................................80

Book Shelf.........................................................................................................................................................80
FOTR Calendar Nathan Berelowitz.......................................................................................................80
Bruno Martin ...............................................................................................................................................81
Garratts and Kalaharis of the Welsh Highland Railway - David Payling ..........................................82
Road Motor Transport Service [RMT]..........................................................................................................85
South African Airways: New Boeing 797 J Botha.......................................................................................85
SAA History .....................................................................................................................................................85
Historical Aircraft: South African Airways: De Havilland DH104 Dove - Johan Jacobs.................85
Harbours...........................................................................................................................................................92
East London Grain Elevator - Nico van der Westhuis..............................................................................92
Catering Division: Dinner R1-25 ...................................................................................................................93
Railway Police The Demise Question by Charlie Lewis .....................................................................94
Reply to Charlie Lewis ...............................................................................................................................94
Railways: Tourism, Steam, Preservation, Societies & Clubs.....................................................................97
Rovos Rail.....................................................................................................................................................97
Rovos.........................................................................................................................................................98
RRL Grindrod: John Batwell......................................................................................................................98
RRL Grindrod tracks through Africa: John Batwell reports on a visit to thisBEE railwaycompany
in Pretoria.. .........................................................................................................................................100
Atlantic Rail Cape Town .............................................................................................................................102
Cape Town - Simonstown: Adrian Hill .............................................................................................103
Rhodesia Railways, National Railways of Zimbabwe J Batwell .....................................................104
Memories: Bosveld Train Safaris HBH ...............................................................................................107
5

Railway Society of Southern Africa Natal A Peter ............................................................................107

Reefsteamers: Lee Gates .............................................................................................................................108
Shunting out the no.1 road ......................................................................................................................108
15F Cab Scenes...........................................................................................................................................113
Lights for coach No.25073: (Dusty the SEMUMA coach.) ................................................................114
Around the depot ......................................................................................................................................117
Contact details ...........................................................................................................................................121
Umgeni Steam Railway: GMAM 4074 ...................................................................................................122
Patons Country Railway .........................................................................................................................123
Patons Country Railway: Annual Aloe Train Trips .........................................................................123
Umgeni Steam Railway - Ashley Peter ..................................................................................................123
Friends of the Rail .....................................................................................................................................123
FOTR Calendar Nathan Berelowitz.....................................................................................................124
Enquiries Friends of the Rail ...................................................................................................................125
Sandstone ...................................................................................................................................................125
JB Tours: Treintoere in Suider Afrika .........................................................................................................125
Railwayana.....................................................................................................................................................126
South African Models ...................................................................................................................................126
Scalecraft: - Adrian Hill ............................................................................................................................126
Contact Scalecraft ..................................................................................................................................130
Scalecraft news ..........................................................................................................................................131
Shaun and Rinkes contact information is as follows ......................................................................131
Scalecraft product information ..............................................................................................................131
6

Dream Trains Wynand Vermeulen .....................................................................................................132

Hopefield: Terry Rowe ............................................................................................................................132
Railway Modellers Information Group: Contact Details ...................................................................135
From the Press ...............................................................................................................................................135
Zambia ends railway deal with SA investor .........................................................................................135
Mangaantrein slaag sy langste toets ....................................................................................................138
Trein ry 2 swanger vroue dood ...............................................................................................................140
SA RAILWAY RELATED INTERNET GROUPS......................................................................................141

Suid-Afrikaaanse Spoorwe / SA Railways / Ulolwe (sic) ......................................................141

Yahoo: SAR-Miniatures Adrian Hill .......................................................................................141

Facebook: RHODESIA RAILWAY Group - John Batwell ....................................................141

Website for Reefsteamers: Lee Gates ..........................................................................................141

Well worth a look ..........................................................................................................................142

Andre Kritzinger ...........................................................................................................................142

Adrian Hill says:............................................................................................................................142

Angola: Nostalgia Old CFB Coaches (part 1) - Anton van Schalkwyk .................................................142
Map: Bruno Martin ...............................................................................................................................142
CFM: Lourenco Marques or Maputo..........................................................................................................149
Tanzam-line ...................................................................................................................................................150
Tanzam Map by Bruno Martin................................................................................................................150
Pandoras Box ................................................................................................................................................150
Mail Bag ..........................................................................................................................................................150
Stop Press .......................................................................................................................................................150
7

Disclaimer ......................................................................................................................................................150

Welcome
We have a very varied readership and anything is possible in this railway magazine! Once again sit
back, relax and enjoy. So have a cup of coffee ready at your side! Lets enjoy what we see and read
here!

Front Cover Voorblad:

Locomotives @ Cambridge (East London) locomotive depot 30/09/2012 - Nico van der Westhuis
7E 7039 Spoornet Blue
7E 7032 Spoornet Blue
33-017, 33-505, 33-032, 33-509, 33-487 SAR Gulf red (Leased to Metro/Prasa)
7E2 7197 Spoornet orange
7E2 7215 SAR Gulf red
34-062 & 34-064 Spoornet orange (to replace 7E's)

Editorial Redaksioneel
Its once again an honour to welcome you on this electronic magazine for old men. Its
more looking at railway pictures than reading the fine print! The editor is not a
professional journalist or editor just an Old Chappie interested in trains, especially
from a national security point of view.

During late 1992I was transferred from the uniformed police to the HQ of Internal Stability
Unit. We had a large reserve force called Unit 19 in Prewtoria which was deployed country
wide. I came up through the ranks and I knew how we suffered during the 1960s and
1970s. (No beds, no food, no hot water! (Did you think this is a hotel!!?)
I remember once during 1974 we left Maleoskop at 19:00. I was a lieutenant and had to sit
in a troop carrier / prisoners van on a steel seat with perpex windows rattling all the way
to Welkom. I was bitterly cold when we arrived. We were tired, cold and hungry. Some of
us had to work immediately while others did day shift. We slept in the police gymnasium
on little portable camp beds.
Even at that time the demise of the old SAR was visible and I suggested to my General that
we acquire some rolling stock from the SAR or SATS. My idea was to put a few trains
together to be staged in Pretoria: First class and second class sleepers, dining cars, kitchen
cars, shower coaches, post / specie wagons, a few containers with materiel on flat trucks
and railway trucks capable of transporting our vehicles and armoured personel carriers.
My idea was that our men could be transported in ease with these police trains from
Pretoria to hotspots or at leat to the the nearest station to a hotspot. Men would then arrive
there warm, well fed and not tired. The General used the idea to hire trains for the men to
sleep in at the Bisho-disturbances. I have seen SAPS now have a few special SAPS coaches;
painted white in the SAPs corporate colours.

Fuel crisis (petrol & diesel)

Once more the feul price is increasing! This has a nasty effect on almost anything we eat or
use! We must wake up and revive the railways, open branch lines!

Wepeners Perambulations and Railway History

New Line Vierfontein Orkney
Hi guys.The first train to cross over the Vaal River from the Free State into the
Transvaal since the line has been closed! (IMG 00059). The line must be
finished by the end of September, don't think they are going to make it...
Cheers.

10

11

12

13

Sightings
Friedesheim timber shunt

34 067 is at Friedesheim, shunting the timber siding

SAR: All photos by J & J Wepener carry their copyright.

14

Articles from our readers

Les Pivic
Patron
Our patron is Les Pivnic. He is a renowned
railway photographer and author. His book
on SAR Dining Cars is a classic book and by
now Africana. He was assistant- curator at
the old SAR museum in Johannesburg. He is
one of the experts on the SA Railways as he
has a lifelong interest in railways.

Van Reenens 7 new Tunnels: Les Pivnic

15

16

Van Reenen: Brian Conyngham

17

18

Bloemfontein: 31st of May 1960: 50 years of Union

Garratts: Richard Clatworthy

Locomotive types: Garratt, Six-coupled, 4 9 wheels, 3 6 gauge
1. South African Railways Class GG (1925): 2-6-2, 2-cylinder units, TE* 39900 lb, one loco.

19

Largest of SAR first generation Garratts, for assessment as fast passenger loco but unsteady
at speed, superseded by 4-8-2s from Baldwin and Alco (classes 15C, 15CA) with same
coupled wheels, superior T.E. (42,440 lb), steadier and Straight so the GG was not
repeated.
2. New Zealand Government Railways Class G (1928): 4-6-2, 3-cyl. units, TE 51580lb, two
locos

plus one delivered as spares, not assembled. Middle cylinder worked by Gresleys

conjugated valve gear with the problems associated with the system.

Excessively

powerful, capable of hauling trains too long for crossing sidings. To me, with the wisdom
of hindsight, the logical solution would be to blank off the middle cylinders, rotate the
wheels on the axles to 90 degrees instead of 120, with replacement of the crank axles with
plain ones, to give adequately powered, straightforward maintenance 4-cylinder
locomotives. However they chose to use the frames to build, with appropriately-sized
boilers, six Straight Pacifics , retaining the problems of the Gresley gear. Consequently
they were early candidates for withdrawal.
3. Sudan Railways (1936-7): 4-6-4, 2-cyl units, T.E. 38400 lb, ten locos. For light (50 lb/yd)
track,
maximum carrying wheels for maximum water capacity.

Worked alright but on

unballasted track the passage of the front unit caused sand to be blown into the air, to
cause excessive wear in the rear unit. In 1949 they were sold to Rhodesia Railways, who
owned a growing fleet of similar locomotives derived from them. However they did not
take kindly to the change from oil to coal firing and in 1964 they were passed on to the
Camino de Ferro de Mozambique (CFM) for use on the Beira-Umtali line, where they
survived until the civil war.
4. Rhodesia Railways 15th class (1940, 1947,1949-52): 4-6-4, 2-cyl. Units, T.E. 37720/41908 lb.
(180/200 psi boiler pressure), 74 locos. Intended as passenger locos for the MafekingBulawayo line through Bechuanaland (Botswana), owned by RR but operated by SAR with
RR locos. It was laid with 60lb/yd rail and neither railway was pepared to invest in heavier
track. (For their internal main line, RR planned a 4-8-2 similar to the SAR 15CA.) The use
of Garratts on the Bechuanaland line was conditional on certain bridges being strengthened
and the outbreak of war prevented this, so the four Garratts worked in Southern Rhodesia
and so impressed the authorities with their performance that after the war ten more were
20

ordered and then 60 more followed. The later orders had higher boiler pressure and were
classified as 15A but as boilers were swapped round with maintenance the distinction was
meaningless (and later abandoned). The class worked the mainline throughout Southern
and Northern Rhodesia (infrequently east of Salisbury but they did occasionally work to
Umtali) and in 1966 onto the Botswana line, reaching Mafeking at last! (RR now worked
the line themselves.) As they became displaced by diesels on the main line they moved
onto certain branches, though they were less effective there than double-2-8-2s with 40
wheels. About 8 went to Zambia at the split-up.

In 1978-80 30 were refurbished with

roller bearings. Several ran up over 2 million miles by the time that they were displaced
by diesels. A few were returned from storage and now work tourist trains as well as
shunting while others may be restorable, as one hopes 398 will be in New Zealand.
On seeing 398 and learning of the service rendered by the class, New Zealanders, aware of
the precipitate abandonment of their own two similar locos, can only say If only . . .
* All Tractive Efforts @ 75% bp.

Nico van der Westhuis

E7010 from Cape Town entering East London station 25-08-2012

21

Slurry - Richard Clatworthy

The following is one of many stories told to me by a railwayman, now deceased, whom I
knew in the Bulawayo Railway Circle. To the best of my knowledge no-one is writing his
biography, which is a pity as he had a remarkable three-stage career, on the footplate, in
the guards van, and finally, after incapacitation, clerical. I feel I owe it to others to record
as many of his stories as I can, so here is one.
Slurry means a fluid suspension of a solid in a liquid, with applications in the farmyard, in
ore processing and industrial use. Somehow it became the name of a place in the western
Transvaal, near the Cape Province border, on the railway line between Johannesburg and
Mafeking (I am using names applicable at the time, c. 1970). Here I presume there are
limestone deposits and it became, and no doubt still is, the site of a large cement factory.
The cement was largely transported in tank cars of special design, the halves of the tank
sloping down to the centre to assist discharge. At the time new tankers had just been
22

introduced without frames, the tank being mounted directly on the bogies. There were
steps and a platform at each end but only one end had a handbrake wheel. Having roller
bearings, the cars were free-running, and Slurry is higher than Mafeking with nearly
constant downgrade in between.
So it came about that one day one of these tankers, loaded, started to roll downhill in Slurry
yard. The trains guard pursued it and mounted the nearer platform - but it was the
platform without the handbrake!

By now the tanker was moving too fast for safe

disembarkation and it burst onto the main line and sped away westwards with its
involuntary passenger.
For whatever reason the Slurry stationmaster did not advise Mafeking of the approaching
runaway, but reported the fact to Headquarters in Johannesburg. They in turn notified
Mafeking, to be told We know - its been through. The tanker had burst in at the
southern end of the station, fortuitously on an unoccupied track, with the guard hanging
on and blowing his whistle desperately. The car had run the length of the station and
disappeared northward toward the Botswana border.
Amongst those who witnessed its passage was a Rhodesia Railways employee who was all
too well aware that there was at the time an RR train inbound from Ramathlabama on the
said border. He therefore dashed to his car and set off along the dirt road that paralleled
the railway.

He overtook the now slowing tanker and carried on until he saw the

oncoming train. He stopped, tumbled out and dived through the barbed wire fence and
screen of thorn bushes that bounded the servitude, and emerged dishevelled, scratched
and - too late! The DE2 locomotive had gone past without the crew seeing him.*
In the meantime the tanker, on undulating track, had rolled into a depression, failed to
surmount the far side, rolled back and rocked to a standstill in the bottom. The mightily
23

relieved guard stepped down to the ground. Now there arises for me an interesting
psychological question: had the car come to rest on South African Railways-controlled
track instead of foreign (under RR control), would the SAR-employed guard have
retained sufficient sense of duty to walk forward and attempt to protect the scene? In the
event he started to walk back towards Mafeking, and who can blame him? The DE2
surmounted a crest and the crew saw the tanker ahead, hopelessly inside minimum
braking distance. A collision occurred with extensive damage, no fatality but some injuries
to the relief crew taken unawares in the caboose behind the locomotive.
At that time, as stated, the Mafeking-Ramathlabama section was operated, along with the
continuation through Botswana and Rhodesia to Bulawayo, by Rhodesia Railways. Since
that time, along with RRs name change to National Railways of Zimbabwe, the section
within Botswana has been taken over by Botswana Railways and the track between
Mafikeng (another name change) and Ramathlabama is under the control of the successor
company to SAR (though I believe BR have running rights into Mafikeng). Slurry is no
longer on a boundary, being within North Western Province, and I hope the cement factory
is still producing and that the yards western exit is protected by trap points!
* Apoint has subsequently occurred to me and it may actually have been unsuccessfully
attempted, but there is no way of finding out now if he had gathered up rocks from the
edge of the ballast and bombarded the guards van as it went past he might have attracted
the guards attention and been able to give a stop signal as the guard looked back. The
guard could then have opened the vacuum brake valve in the van. Of course the warning
would have come from the left side of the train while the guard would probably have been
looking out on the right.
Thanks Richard Clatworthy! More from Richard next month!
24

The FC Train-bridge Lourens Sturgeon

The frame of FC No 2310 was used for a pedestrian bridge at Poet's Corner station on the
Rossburgh - Pinetown line.1

FC No 2310

Thank you Ashley Peter - HBH

25

26

Railway History of South Africa HBH

CGR: 3rd Class: Wynberg Tender Nos 12 - 17

Enlarged diagram

27

NGR: Altered Dubbs A

NGR: Altered Dubbs A (Enlarged diagram)

28

Cape Town Station - What has happened to Blackie?

We wish a spokesperson for Transnet will inform our readers about Blackies future! Blackie is
in hiding.
We must keep Blackie on the agenda.

OVS Staatspoorwegen (OVSS)

The Oorlogsmuseum in Bloemfontein has no information on Pres Steyns saloon. They only
have information on Pres SJP Krugers saloon.
Please keep youe eyes and ears open for more information on this historic coach!
We will keep this important coach on the agenda for a while ...

OVS Staatspoorwegen (OVSS)

Crest and Button

Coat of Arms of OFSR, source Souvenier Album of the OFS. Steve Sergeant alias SA Badgeman
(ex-SAP) now from Scotland sent the above OFSR button he found in the UK.

29

30

31

NZASM

Armoured train & NZASM Loco. Note horse gangplank

Anglo Boer War

Anglo Boer War? Leon (Div) de Villiers
Div wants to know whether these photos were taken during the Anglo Boer War, if so, when and
where? Leon de Villiers
Goeiedag Hennie,
Hiermee die fotos vir plasing in Uloliwe, soos per F/B bespreek. Wat ek probeer vasstel is
ten eerste of dit wel gedurende die Boereoorlog geneem was en enige verdere inligting wat
iemand moontlik met betrekking tot die tydperk en omstandighede (ligging: is dit
Boerekrygsgevangenes of slegs gekontrakteerde spoorwerkers ens.) kan gee, sal waardeer
word.
Die e-pos dien dan ook as toestemming om die aangehegte fotos in Uloliwe te publiseer.
By voorbaat dank,
Leon (Div) de Villiers
32

33

34

35

Water Train

36

Comments by HBH
Div showed us some other photos which were possibly taken in Ceylon while Boers
whilst on parole were working on the railway lines. [The Boers as I know them would not
work on railway lines in South Africa they would rather escape! You would need many
Tommies for guard duty! Hired labour would be cheaper.]
These photos were certainly taken in Southern Africa, my guess is Cape Colony or
Rhodesia. My reason: See the Class 7s. I see no Tommies gaurding the workers. Could this
be aken during WW1 when the line from the Cape (via Upington) to GSWA was built in a
hurry? See the Water Train.
Please let us have your comments.

37

Anglo Boer War Brian Conyngham and Rory Reynolds

We are marching to Pretoria

Carriages: Cape Government Railways

38

We are marching to Tshwane! Agh! I mean Pretoria!

39

40

41

Princess Alice Ambulance Train

42

43

44

45

Sister Jones

46

NGR: Stations
-

47

Railway Stations:
Old Newcastle - Johannes Botha

48

New Newcastle

Not a car in sight!

Irene

Irene is the goddess of peace. The farm Irene belonged to Nelmapius and general Smuts
bought the farm from him. This Irene railway station has an interesting link with General
Oubaas Smuts. Communication was limited in the old days and genl Smuts one tasked
49

Lt-Col Trew of the South African Police with a covert action. The first report he had to send
to the station master rat Irene who had to inform the Oubaas. The second part of the covert
operation he had to send a wire to the Station Master at Matjesfontein. When Smuts and
the cabinet were on their way to Parliament in to Cape Town, the train stopped at
Matjesfontein. Here the SM informed Smuts of the success of the operation. One gathers
that the SAR, like the police, also performed non-departemental duties.

Alexandra Anton van Schalkwyk

50

51

52

SAR: Photo 1932 Johannesburg municipal buss

SAR: World War 1

SAR in GSWA

SAR: World War 2

-

53

SAR Traction and Rolling Stock

14859: Nico van der Westhuis

Transnet
Chinese locos for SA J Wepener
Breaking news.... SOUTH AFRICA: CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive has won a 254bn
yuan contract to supply dual-voltage electric freight locomotives to Transnet from late
2013, beating eight other domestic and international bidders.
The four-axle 31 MW general freight locomotives will have a top speed of 100 km/h,
equipped to work under 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz electrification.
CSR Zhuzhou said the deal announced on September 11 is its first contract to supply
electric locomotives to Africa, and one of the largest locomotive export orders to be won by
54

a Chinese firm. The company sees Africa as an important market, especially South Africa
where more than 55% of Transnets 2 100 electric locomotives are over 35 years old.
The Transnet contract includes local production requirements, with the first locomotives to
have 60% South African content. CSR Zhuzhou has invested in the development of 1 067
mm gauge bogies and dual-voltage technology, and sees South Africa as a possible base for
supplying customers across southern Africa. It is also seeking to enter the electric multipleunit market.

SA Metro Rail

33-505 with Metro at Fort Jackson 24-09-2012: Nico van der Westhuis

55

Gautrain

Both sides of the Gautrain Card.

Photo reports
Robert Maidment-Wilson

Gea 4016 At Canfer: October 1971. RS Maidment-Wilson

56

NG 15 No 136 Humewood Rd: August 1981 - RS Maidment-Wilson

GMA 4072 Franschoek-line nr Groot Drakenstein: May 1989 - RS Maidment-Wilson

57

A Class 24 and a 19D on the Barberton line c 1991 - RS Maidment-Wilson

Something different from Robert Maidment-Wilson

14xx tank no 1450 - RS Maidment-Wilson

58

GWR Auto coach 278 - RS Maidment-Wilson

Dean Forrest Railway - RS Maidment-Wilson

59

1450: 1 Sept 2012 - RS Maidment-Wilson

Natal Midlands - Jacobus Marais

-

60

The Blue Train: Francois Matthes (Cape Town)

Francois Matthes
Francois Matthes - I do believe that all of them have been repainted. They do however each have
to go back again for the gold and white stripe to be painted
What

beautiful

sight! Wish we were

all inside having a
KWV and Coke and
Ice!![My old General
always warned me
not to drink KWV &
Coke on their Cape
farm! They drink it
with ice. But I love
the

Coke

Things

go

because
better

with Coke! [Pic F

Matthes]
61

A Mixed Bag Lourens Sturgeon

62

Adrian Hill here is another model to make!

63

Trans-Rail and white SAPS Coach (Travelling charge office & holding cells?)

Noel Welch: E7175 Transnet Swartkops Diesel Depot. jpg

64

32-042 Outeniqua Tjoe Choo: Robert Adams

Hello Mr Heymans,
Herewith my pictures of the very last Outeniqua Tjoe Choo arriving from Mossel Bay on
the 17th September 2010.
As you can see it was hauled by diesel 32-042, and as I stood waiting for it's arrival in
George, I was expecting a few more photographers and maybe even a small "farewell"
ceremony. But there was nothing like that. The train pulled into the Museum, the
passengers disembarked, the loco uncoupled, came back to the sheds, entered the gates,
turned off and the crew went home.... That (as they say) was that.
I am at least grateful that I have seen what I did on the lines of the Garden Route albeit
only for the last 7 years or so, much like many before me I believed I would be able to
witness these things for a long time to come. Much like them, I was absolutely wrong.
Regards
Bob

65

66

Excellent! Thanks!

Green F15 Adrian Hill

Adrian is buiding 15F and is looking a Green 15F.

Please send us your pics of green 15Fs so that we could get the correct green colour!
- HBH

67

Bloemfontein by an Obderver
Gents
During my visit to the old depot at Bloemfontein I saw a grave yard and total destruction
off history
As you will see the hammer also went for the yards south to Bloemfontein and for the
hump yards..lines ripped up and broken up and what left of a mighty depot that I loved in
steam days...trains only go to the West yard and the south departure and hump are non
operational and gone...all these lines was next to Bloemfontein loco
Kind Regards

68

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Namibia
-

Railway People Spoorwegmense

Nico van der Westhuis

Nico with his son Lionel Scott-Andrew (6) At least they are dressed for the occasion!

78

Lionel Scott-Andrew at the controls of 7E 7010

Nico van der Westhuis

Kom uit n familie wat die spoorweg administasie gedien het:
Oor-oupa-grootjie: Johannes Pieter arbeider met bou van hooflyn; later gestasioneer te
Kabusie Stasie (CGR);
Oupagrootjie: Johannes Frederick; voorman laaimeester O.L. Hawe (CGR SAS&H);
Oupa: Pieter Berend voorman laaimeester O.L. Hawe;
Pa: Lionel treindrywer.
Gebore te Oos-Londen 1979
Verlaat skool in 1996 te Grens Hoerskool
Begin werk by Efekto in 2004
Diploma in Volhoubare Landbou 2009
2012 aangestel as hoof-tegniese beampte navorsing en ontwikkeling
79

Versameling en bewaring van spoorweg memorabilia

Getroud met Valery en ons het twee kinders
Lionel Scott-Andrew 6 jaar oud
Nico Lionel Jr. 2 jaar oud
English synopsis: He says he has steam, coal, fire and grease in his veins. He hails from a family of
railwaymen going back to the Cape Government Railways and apparently he is a Shark!

Kyk Spoorwegman, ek skryf en bid vir jou! Koot Swanepoel

U kan Koot direk kontak by: J.C. Swanepoel [email protected] of by 082 041 9123

Water Police
-

Previous issues of Uloliwe

Here is the link to the July issue of Uloliwe:
http://issuu.com/hennieheymans/docs/3_no_7_uloliwe It had 345 readers last month.
Here is the link to the Aug issue of Uloliwe:
http://issuu.com/hennieheymans/docs/3_no_8_uloliwe
For previous all previous issues of Uloliwe click on: http://issuu.com/hennieheymans/docs

Rail Humour
Book Shelf
FOTR Calendar Nathan Berelowitz
Hi Hennie, if you can open this could you publish the calendar advert in the next issue.

I will also

post you a complimentary copy if you send me your postal address please.

80

Cheers,
Nathan

Bruno Martin
Greetings Hennie
Ive attached some information and a scan of the cover of a new book that has just been
published in Britain titled Garratts and Kalaharis of the Welsh Highland Railway by
David Payling. If you have a space in the next edition of Uloliwe it could perhaps go under
the new books section.
Attached are also 2 images my son Michael emailed recently when he was in North Wales
and had a ride on the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon to Beddgelert with exSAR NG/G16 #143 in charge.
The Welsh Highland Railway owns 2 NG 15s (#133 awaiting overhaul & 134 under
81

restoration) and 4 NG/G16s (87, 138, & 143 in service and 140 awaiting overhaul).
Ill be away for a week at the end of this month Im off on another long distance train trip
with QR travelling from Brisbane to Longreach in Central Queensland (1310km one way),
leaving on the 29 Sep (Sat) on the Spirit of the Outback, and coming back on Friday, 5 Oct.
If maps are needed for the next edition of Uloliwe, please let me know before the end of
this week.
Groete van huis tot huis.
Bruno

Garratts and Kalaharis of the Welsh Highland Railway - David Payling

The book describes the history and career in service of each of the eight Garratts and
Kalahari NG15 locomotives on the Welsh Highland Railway. It also includes an account of
working on the footplate on the Garratts on the Welsh Highland, plus the ongoing efforts
of the WHRS Group to restore and make one of the two NG15 engines ready for service on
the railway.
There are few accounts available of the design origins of these locomotives, built in Britain
and Europe for service on railways in the Southern hemisphere. The book draws on the
extensive research undertaken at Boston Lodge since the mid-1990s in connection with the
making of these engines ready to take their place in the intensive services planned on the
Welsh Highland Railway. It therefore traces their origins of their design. It also records
their development from early beginnings and includes the work of the individual engines
now in North Wales. With Railway Modellers in mind there are also fold-out scale
drawings of the locomotives, including the special features carried only on the first batch of
NG15s in 1931.
The search for information to guide the work of the engineers and fitters at Boston Lodge
has led to contact with many in Southern Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Profusely illustrated, the book draws on photographic collections of these friends to show
the locomotives in action in both the Southern hemisphere and in North Wales.
The author, a life-long volunteer on the F&WHR, is part of the team at Boston Lodge
working over the last 15 years to assemble the drawings and information to allow the
restoration of these locomotives.
82

The book, produced in support of the restoration of NG 15 No.134, is published by The

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, Harbour Station, Porthmadog, LL49 9NF,
Tel: 01766516034, Web: www.festshop.co.uk, 132pp, 100+ colour and b/w illustrations,
hardback, 282mm x 215mm, ISBN 978 0 901848 10 9, 25.00 plus p&p.

83

84

Road Motor Transport Service [RMT]

South African Airways: New Boeing 797 J Botha

SAA History
Historical Aircraft: South African Airways: De Havilland DH104 Dove Johan Jacobs
The de Havilland DH 104 Dove was one of a few historical aircraft over the world and the
only one in South Africa that was restored and is now magnificently displayed in the South
85

African Airways Museum Societys display area at Rand Airport in Germiston. SAA was
given the opportunity to buy the scrapped aircraft and it was restored by the SAA
Apprentice School.
The de Havilland DH 104 Dove was de Havillands first post-war production aircraft and
was developed to replace the de Havilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide. Development began in
1944 and the aircraft was of all metal construction with a semi-monocoque fuselage
structure covered with a stressed aluminium skin. It was the first British transport aircraft
with tricycle landing gear. Two supercharged 330 hp de Havilland Gipsy Queen 70-3
engines with three blade, DH Hydromantic fully feathering and reversible propellers were
mounted on the low-set, metal covered cantilever wings. Seating was initially provided for
eight passengers. Two cockpit crew sat in the distinctly de Havilland raised cockpit. The
prototype (G-AGPJ) made its first flight at Hatfield airfield, Hertfordshire on September 25,
1945.
Technical data for de Havilland Dove 1
Wingspan
Length
Height
Weight empty
Weight loaded
Maximum speed
Cruise speed
Ceiling
Range
Engines

Crew
Passengers

17.37 metres / 57 ft
12 metres / 39 ft 3 in
4.08 metres / 13 ft 4 in
2,562 kg / 5,650 lbs
3,855 kg / 8,500 lbs
340 kph / 201 mph
265 kph / 165 mph
6,960 metres / 20,000 feet
1,609 km / 1,000 miles
2 x de Havilland Gipsy Queen
70-3, inverted 6 cylinder, aircooled in-line producing 246 KW
330 HP driving de Havilland
Hydromantic 3 bladed reversible
pitch propellers.
2
8

Production of the Dove, including the RAF version known as the Devon and the Royal
Navy aircraft as the Sea Devon, totalled 544 aircraft, including the two prototypes, and
86

continued until 1967, the last delivered as late as 1970. By this time the aircraft was
a product of Hawker Siddeley. The type saw widespread service, examples being sold to
over 15 countries for both civil and military use.
After World War 2, the sole responsibility of providing air transportation in South Africa
was vested in SA Airways. The Minister of Transport at the time, F.C. Sturrock, instructed
that SA Airways evaluate all available aircraft types for use on feeder or secondary routes.
After much consideration, the DH Dove was found to be the type best suited to the airlines
needs. South African Airways purchased two of these eight-seat British-built aircraft for
use on the proposed feeder services in South Africa. Two aircraft ZS-BCB Naval Hill
(04009) and ZS-BCC Katberg (04079) were acquired in November 1946 and December
1947 respectively.

ZS-BCC Katberg
ZS-BCC was originally ordered by Skyways Ltd. as G-AJOU on 17 April 1947, but was
subsequently sold to SA Airways for 18352. After a test flight on 25 November 1947, it was
handed over on the 28th. The aircraft left London on 5 December 1947, and during the
87

extended delivery flight, called at Paris. Dijon, Geneva, Rome, Malta, Tripoli, El Adam,
Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Kisumu, Tabora, Ndola and Salisbury en route to
Palmietfontein, where it arrived on 14 December 1947. It operated its first service from
Palmietfontein on 8 March 1948, to Windhoek, via Kimberley, Upington, Karasburg and
Keetmanshoop. Former Chief Executive Jim Adam remembers that the aircraft was also
used on VIP flights, transporting the then Chief Airways Manager, General Venter, and
other senior officers, as well as for urgent missions.
Utilisation was, however, very low and when ZS-BCC operated its last service from
Loureno Marques to Palmietfontein on 30 October 1951, it had only 307 hours on the
clock. It was sold for 18000 to Northern Rhodesia Air Services on 31 January 1952, and
departed on 18 March 1952, it was registered VP-RCL. The registration was later changed
to VP-YLX while still with NRAS. Although some sources show that the aircraft also
belonged to Anglo-American and the South African DCA (Department of Civil Aviation) at
one time. It was again sold and became 9J-RHX on 15 February 1968, with Mines Air
Services. After a brief stay with MAS the Dove was exported to Fairey Surveys at White
Waltham west of London and registered G-AWFM on 24 April 1968. The Dove was sold to
Fairflight, a charter airline operating out of Biggin Hill, and was used as a source of spares.
With the help of the late Alan Bell, Hawker Siddeley made a donation of 500 for the
purchase of the remains of the Dove.
On 27 March 1968, it was acquired by Fairey Surveys as G-AWFM (7145 hours), and
modified for use in photographic surveys. There is a large camera hatch in the aft cabin and
the cockpit top is also non-standard. The aircraft flew with SA Airways as a series 1 but
was subsequently modified through a series 2 to a series 6, the main changes being
increased weights and higher speeds. During its time with Faireys, G-AWFMs logbook
shows such destinations as Ajaccio, Tripoli and Jeddah, whilst its home base was White
Waltham airfield near Maidenhead, Berkshire. The aircraft was bought by Fairflight
Charters in June 1975, and ferried to Biggin Mill on 11 June. This was to be its last flight,
having completed 9518 total airframe hours.
The availability of the aircraft came to notice at this time, and enquiries were made
regarding possible purchase. The expected price of 3000 was clearly too high, and
gradually the aircraft was stripped of usable parts. In January 1976 it was finally
withdrawn from service and parked in the open.

88

ZS-BCC as G-AWFM at Biggin Hill on 15th August 1977. Photo: Chris England
The aircraft was then offered to SA Airways, and it was acquired as mentioned earlier.
Hawker Siddeley Aviations involvement stems from the fact that de Havilland Aircraft,
the aircrafts original manufacturer, became part of Hawker Siddeley during the 1960s.
Transportation to South Africa was the next hurdle to be overcome. Shipment by sea was
the obvious solution but preparation and crating charges proved prohibitive. Shipment by
air was next looked at but approaches to Tradewinds (CL-44 swing tail freighter) and
Lufthansa (B747F) were unfortunately unsuccessful. The only alternative was the
dismantling of the Dove for it to be accommodated in conventional aircraft. Preparations
were made, manuals consulted and every conceivable item of tooling that would be
required, collected.
On 12 February 1979, the first sections (or at least parts of it) arrived back in South Africa,
in the cargo hold of an SAA B747 some 27 years after leaving these shores. Restoration was
started by the SAA apprentice school. The de Havilland Dove aircraft (G-AWFM) which
saw service with South African Airways as ZS-BCC, was brought back to Johannesburg
with the help of generous donations by Hawker Siddeley Aviation (now part of British
Aerospace), Dunlop and Goodyear.

89

At 02h00 on Monday, 16 October 1978, Johann Prozesky, Koos Coetzee, Roger Overton and
Joe Schlebusch arrived at Heathrow after a not uneventful flight by British Airways. Upon
arrival at Biggin Hill, it was found that G-AWFM had literally and figuratively been put to
pasture, with deflated main wheel tyres and weighted low down with concrete blocks.
To everybodys surprise these tyres inflated easily after 30 months in the open, and the
Dove was pulled onto hardstand. The aircraft had suffered considerable damage,
apparently at the hands of youngsters attending the annual Biggin Hill Air Fair. As the
nose wheel was missing, the aircraft would have to be towed tail first, and the rudder and
horizontal stabilizer were removed.
The first objective was to separate the cockpit and fuselage at a production join forward of
the main plane, and this was achieved by Tuesday lunchtime. Initially the recovery team
was very conscious of the obvious amusement it was affording the Biggin locals, but as
time went by and work progressed, this feeling changed to one of admiration. The
occasional visitor also stopped by to enquire about the project. The tail section presented no
real problem except for a sizeable rodents nest that had to be removed.
The separation of the port main plane initially had everybody guessing, until it was
realised that G-AWFM differed from the manual, in that the wing bolt and washer were
integral instead of separate. Thereafter progress was steady, and the remainder of
Wednesday was spent in removing as many unwanted bits and pieces as possible (to
reduce mass).
Two other Doves are lying derelict at Biggin Hill, and permission was obtained for the
recovery of items required for AWFM. On Thursday afternoon, a 40-foot container truck
arrived, and within an hour, everything was on board, this had to be done manually. The
route took them through London to Salisbury Hall. This stately house was used during the
Second World War for the design and construction of the prototype Mosquito, Salisbury
Hall is off the A6 road between Barnet and London.
Here the bits and pieces of the Dove were stored, whilst deliberations were underway to
find the most convenient way of shipping it by air. SA Airways scheduled cargo service
only goes as far as Paris and ground transportation would be costly. Luxavia were thinking
of having maintenance work done on LX-LGT (ex ZS-SAF) in Johannesburg, but later
changed their minds, and Lufthansa initially thought that they would have spare freight
capacity on their new 747 SCDs over the Christmas period, but for various reasons allpassenger aircraft were used, and that was that.

90

South African Airways freight man in London, Barry Soper, had been convinced that he
could move everything bit by bit on a space available basis, provided they were positioned
closer to Heathrow. On 9 February 1979, Dave Ackerman, Carel Gronum John Ikking and
Johann Prozesky arrived at Salisbury Hall to separate the outer wing sections from the
inner and to split the centre fuselage section into two. Working in the open under freezing
and windy conditions was decidedly unpleasant, but being invited for tea in the 500 year
old house (surrounded by a moat dating back to Norman times), proved to be ample
compensation. Even now John Ikking finds it hard to believe that the ducks and the solitary
swan managed to walk on the frozen areas of the moat, barefoot! The various bits and
pieces were again manhandled into a truck, and G-AWFM then set off on its penultimate
journey, to Heathrow by road. By 14h00 on Saturday 10 February 1979, it was stored at
British Airways Heathrow Cargo Centre having been off-loaded in record time (with the
help of two fork-lift units).The redelivery flight was on B747 ZS-SAM, with stops at Paris
and Lisbon, and was re-assembled in the apprentice training hangar by a new generation of
Airways personnel, the majority of who were born after the aircraft had left South Africa
on being sold by SA Airways. The Dove was expertly restored and moved to the SAA
Museum Society at Rand Airport for static display.

James Engels left and Keith Lennard with

rotten control surfaces. Photo: Des Pinard

Busy with restoration. Photo: Des Pinard

91

Des Pinard tackles a stubborn propeller.

Photo: Des Pinard

Photo: SAA Museum Society

The aircraft is now part of the SAA Museum Society collection at Rand Airport and wears
post war livery.
References:
SAA Museum Society
Wikepidia

Harbours
East London Grain Elevator - Nico van der Westhuis

92

Catering Division: Dinner R1-25

93

Railway Police The Demise Question by Charlie Lewis

Thanks Hennie,
/.........../
I really look forward to hearing your take on the demise of the railway police. For me that
was a pivotal turning point in the fortunes of our railway - it led directly to the
abandonment of wagonload traffic.
Regards, Charlie Lewis

Reply to Charlie Lewis

If I had to appear before a firing squad about this matter, I would not say: Should a write
or type it? I will say: Here is my typed version! (Remember this is from memory!)
During the 1980s I was a SAP Staff Officer attached to the Secretariate of the State Security
Council (SSSC) in the Branch: National Strategy. The work was very interesting because
everything affecting our national security went past (or over?) our desks. We formulated
national (and departmental) strategies and we monitored the progress of these strategies.
We were also well informed by attending various intelligence meetings, preparing the staff
work for the Work Committee (WC) of the State Security Council (SSC). They approved or
amended our work and a week or two later the SSC sat in full session under chairmanship
of the State President, Mr PW Botha. Here the staff work in draft form was laid before the
SSC for decision.

94

There was a multi-directional onslaught against the policies of the National Party. The
Security Forces bore the brunt of the onslaught 24 hrs a day. There were thousands of
attacks on schools, busses, trains, railway property, beer halls, police stations and
everything that represented the government or local government.
The Trojan Horse-incident was the trigger of the demise of the railway police. A Railway
delivery truck was attacked and SARPs were in hiding on the back of the truck. When the
SAR truck was attacked the SARP jumped up and attacked the mob of thieves and those
who wanted to plunder the truck of its contents. [Milk Lorries, Beer Lorries and Bread
Lorries et al suffered the same fate. All was done to make the country ungovernable.]
There was a huge international outcry after the Trojan Horse-incident. SSC was afraid that
our international flights and shipping could be affected if unions co-operated
internationally and boycotted our ships and aircraft in foreign countries. (The role of the
unfriendly media during the revolutionary onslaught was worth more than 1000s of
armed freedom fighters!) At the same time the fiscus was also in trouble!
(Dr Kobus Loubscher, GM SAR, warned PW Botha that Mozambique should not be
attacked he pointed to the Maputo harbour and its proximity to the Rand and said it was
unwise to open a front on the East.)
The SSC then decided to pre-empt the whole issue by combining the SARP with the SA
Police. I remember two things:
1. I had to draw up a policy: Oom PW felt that there would only be one law enforcement
agency in South Africa (I remember the policy was called:

Rasionalisasie van Wets-

toepassingsagentskappe in Suid-Afrika) and that would be the SA Police. From a licence

inspector and a municipal policeman upwards, all would fall under the police.)
2. Then a decision was taken at the SSC that the SAR Police (and later the Municipal Police
of the bankrupt Black municipalities) would be merged with the police.
3. I was the chappie who wrote the formal letter informing the Commissioners of the SA
Police, Railways Police and the GM of the SAR that in terms of a resolution taken at the
SSC the SAPR would be merged with the SA Police.

95

I wrote that letter against my better judgement; The SA Police do not have specific clients
only the whole of South Africa at large! The SARP were dedicated to the SAR and not only
performed pure police duties but also performed various departmental duties in the
interest of the SAR. The SAP would not do those duties. The other day I read an article (of
that time) by a SAP General of the Inspectorate lauding the step and he said it would lead
to better policing! (Which I knew was bolly at the time when it was published!)
The Commissioner of the SARP did not want to move to Pretoria. He was in charge of the
Branch: Transport Policing. He stayed in Johannesburg until he retired while his deputies
came over to Pretoria. Slowly the old railway police functions and their police stations fell
apart and e.g. in Pretoria the SARP Station was called Jacaranda. It was closed and merged
with Pretoria Central SAP station. Immediately it became very dangerous to visit the area
south of the station where the old NASM offices were. A rail fan was robbed on the bridge
and the rot sent in. Mini-containers of e.g. Foschinis were plundered and more and more
SAR clients went over to road haulage.
When the riots in Soweto went sky high: We had feuds between the taxis operators
involving the SAR Metro and busses. We had over 500 SA policemen (not weathered old
SARP men) doing duty on the trains. I found that the old SARP knew his commuters and
they knew him! And he knew his beat i.e. the trains! When the SAP came we did not have
the intimate knowledge (corporate memory) of the SARP. The same applies to our airports
and the harbours in days of old we had a dual system police & railway police at harbours
and airports.
The result was: Even the SAP and the SADF had to start their own internal national
transport service! How do you get 50 rounds of ammunition in a little packet to, say
Wintersnest? How do you deliver police stores to more than 1000 stations? The Police
Quartermaster could no longer used the SAR and large trucks were bought to do deliveries
country wide! No more SAR and RMT service. We had a SAP address book and as far as
the SAR was concerned each police station had a passenger and a goods address.
You had to know how to make out a route form when a policeman had to travel officially
or if stores or exhibits had to be sent by rail, what the goods address was!
A last point on the police and the railways: I was also a police clerk for six months and had
to make out and issue Rail Warrants, amongst my other duties. The danger was, if you
96

made an error and sent a Constable by first class you had to pay the difference! He had
to travel 2nd Class with his own (police) blankets. He was issued with balnkets two on
joining. In the 1980s all class distinction fell away then everybody travelled 1st Class, got
bedding and meals.
From my novice point of view on the SAR: Automation (signalling) did away with station
masters and station foremen. Small railway stations closed and the railways pined.
Keeping stations open could have made the SARP a luxury to afford.
They could have made the SARP meaner and leaner and they could have transferred
many of their surplus men over to the SA Police. However during the days of sabotage
and terrorism we had SARP-men (Special Branch) detached to the SAPs Special Branch
they knew the harbours, airports and railways!)

Railways: Tourism, Steam, Preservation, Societies & Clubs

Rovos Rail

97

In reply from a question from Les Pivnic: This happened when Rovos Rail and Blue Train
coaches had their wheels replaced. It was not a revenue earning trip.

Rovos

RRL Grindrod: John Batwell

Having seen your Sept. issue, I am submitting this story on my visit to RRL for your
October mag. If you want some alternative photos to the ones in the September issue, let
me know, regards now and so glad by the way you got Richard Clatworthy on board re.
Rhodesian memories. You might like to ask Richard for his detailed series on ex-CMEs of
the SAR to run in the journal in time to come.
John and Pam Batwell

98

99

RRL Grindrod tracks through Africa: John Batwell reports on a visit to

thisBEE railwaycompany in Pretoria..
Inthe September edition of Uloliwe, photos were carried of RRL Grindrods work in the
African rail context as well as the company supplying interesting motive power for Rovos
Rails Dar es Salaam trains in latter months CFCO unit No. 1103 and also two of the
Australian-acquired class 26 locomotives (ex-Nos. 2606/11).
One can only describe the directors and staff of RRL Grindrod as passionate and
enthusiastic about their company. RRL and Grindrod married some three years back it is
a 50% black-owned joint venture between Solethu Investments and Grindrod, the latter
having previously been in bed with another private South African rail operation, Sheltam.
The company, with a staff complement today of 300, started out as a parts business before
going into the motive power business. Today, as a leasing company, RRL Grindrod has a
fleet of some seventy locomotives. The RRL Grindrod label or brand, so to speak, is seen in
Mozambique, the Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Ghana
and Tanzania over and above its rail service to seven mining companies in South Africa.
The business provides besides motive power leasing, rail operations, shunting, rolling
stock maintenance services, rebuilding, and track maintenance through its subsidiary
Racec.
The companys loco fleet comprises a number of former Transnet Freight Rail classes of
diesel units the classes embrace 31, 33, 34, 35, 36 and re-gauged class 91 locomotives. The
latest acquisitions to arrive during July at the Pretoria West plant were a combination of
diesel and electric locomotives from Queensland National Railroad in Australia. Shipped
out from Brisbane to Durban, these locomotives have already found new operating
grounds once they have been reviewed mechanically by RRLs staff. There are three 25kV
electric locomotives earmarked for use on the nearly sixty-year-old electrified section in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Built by Comeng/Hitachi, the three locomotives
look ostensibly has-beens, but they are mechanically sound and will see more service.
They are similar in performance to Transnet Freight Rails class 7E. The diesel-electric units
from Australia are six General Electric class 26 locos of 2 600hp fitted with the ever-reliant
7FDL-12 power unit, this batch of units was refurbished just over a decade ago by Goninan,
Townsville. They are designated C22-MMi 2000/2002. Some of these locomotives were
transferred to Pretoria under their own power via the Swaziland Railway system as
Transnet Freight Rail put up a barrier to diesel traction passing through tunnels on the
100

main Natal corridor (Natcor). Furthermore, the Queensland locos couplers are 770 mm
from rail, whereas South Africas couplers are 855 mm.
Ten class 1720 Clyde GL18C type units from Australia - which last ran in 1995 - are at RRL
Grindrod and are mechanically still in good order. They will go ultimately to the DRC as
well. During the visit,one of the ex-Australian class 26 locos was undergoing repainting in
RRL Grindrods red colour scheme. Four of the class 26 imports are headed off to
Mozambique to Brazilian mining giant Vale for use on the Sena line. The mining group did
deploy initially some of its own motive power to the Tete coal-fields but the locos have not
proven as good as had been hoped in service in Mozambique they are too heavy. A
second mining group in Mozambique, Rio Tinto, is moving coal out of the Moatize district
to Beira harbour and RRL Grindrod has secured a maintenance contract in Beira for its fleet
of locomotives and 200 wagons. Its 15 locos, an EMD-derivative, were supplied by the USbased National Railway Equipment Companys (NREC) Croatian assembly plant, TZV
Gredelj. RRL Grindrodchooses to specialise specifically in three power packs General
Electric, EMD and Caterpillar and can put out motive power within a 2 000 4 000 hp
platform.
A new contract in the offing is to rebuild a batch of class 64/65Henschel type diesel units
for Tanzanias state railway. The generic rebuild will be undertaken in the Pretoria West
workshops and then kits will be sent out to this east African country. The building of the
generic at RRL Grindrod will facilitate skills transfer to Tanzanian rail personnel.
To the present builds RRL Grindrod is euphoric at having secured a run-on order of
fourteen 3 000hp diesel locomotives for Sierra Leone. The original order comprised twenty
locos of type S30SCC. The background to this initial deal for motive power Standard
Bank South Africa has entered into two five-year loan deals totally $130 million, which is
helping boost Sierra Leones economy. It has backed African Minerals Limiteds (AML)
development of the first phase of the Tonkolili iron ore project to export ore to China. The
first loan was to RRL Grindrod to supply 20 locomotives on lease to AML and insured by
the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) of South Africa. The S30SCC units under
assembly in Pretoria are to work on a 200km rail link from Tonkolili district to the port of
Pepel. Three to four of the locomotives can be lashed together in ore haulage. Sierra Leone
becomes the third African country to produce significant volumes of iron ore after South
Africa and Mauritania.
In building these powerful locomotives, RRL Grindrod has, under its roof, six assembly
stations. The underframes are built internally. The locos cabs and hoods are contracted
out. Atchison bogies are being fitted. Assembly is a twelve-week process in all. Besides the
101

Sierra Leone contract, the 3 000hp locos have also appealed to local mining companies and
one has been built already for Assmang and a second for Kumba Iron Ore. Meanwhile,
Vale in Mozambique has expressed an interest in three of these units for coal haulage.
CFCO, the Congo Ocean Railways, linking Pointe Noire with Brazzaville in the Congo
Republic, was about to take delivery of the last two of a batch of four single-cab
locomotives which have been fitted with EMD 645 E3B engines and frames to meet an 18,5
ton axle load.
Rebuilds are undertaken by the company, but these are expensive and do necessitate the
right man-power. RRL Grindrod is fortunate to have on board staff who has gained this
experience in other South African rail companies, but it also aware of the need to empower
new people and to this end it has developed its own training programme. One of the four
locomotive rebuilds for Richards Bay Coal Terminal was on site for maintenance. A CFM
GECT/Alsthom-built AD26C loco was being re-engined with a 3 000hp power unit as an
experiment and forerunner to looking at securing the remaining set-aside fleet in
neighbouringMozambique.
On the local mining front, RRL Grindrod is very excited about its prototype R7I
(Integrated) shunting locomotive. With a R7m, 700hp Caterpillar-engine fitted, two of these
dinky low-profile locos were seen on the assembly floor. They have three individual wheelsets opposed to bogies and can be crewed or remote controloperated. RRL Grindrod
envisages a market for 400 or so of these little shunt locos. Underground locos feature too
in the companys diverse tasks. Goodman mine locos were undergoing adaptation and a
micro-turbine small mine loco for Zambias Copperbelt was observed on the floor.
As mentioned, RRL Grindrod works with Racec in track maintenance contracts. To this end
the workshops took Transnet Freight Rails AY-wagon type, which is a ballast wagon, and
designed sixteen such units of its own which can be transported to the particular
maintenance site by road.
All in all, RRL Grindrod represents an exciting, vibrant, home-grown rail company which
is not only proving essential to rail growth and development within South Africas borders
but is well on track with its state-of-the-art work for other rail expansion, development and
progress along the length and breadth of the African continent.

Atlantic Rail Cape Town

Contact Tel: (021) 556-1012 or [email protected] or visit their website at www.atlanticrail.co.za

102

Cape Town - Simonstown: Adrian Hill

103

Rhodesia Railways, National Railways of Zimbabwe J Batwell

Early morning departure Down Line to Dete from Thomson class 15 No. 400 works
hard with its coal drag, winter 1992. Photo: J M Batwell
Photo: J M Batwell
ction with empties for Hwange Colliery, 1990.
Photo: J M Batwell

104

 The north side of the countrys only tunnel class 15 No. 410 rolls Up Line towards
Thomson Junction with empties for Hwange Colliery, 1990. Photo: J M Batwell

105

 Diesel traction twenty years apart on the left an English Electric DE 3 of 1962 vintage
and on the right one of the GM DE 10A units delivered from 1982; Thomson Junction,
1991. Photo: J M Batwell

106

Zim - South Line 1992

Emerging from behind the rocks a class 15 heads a goods train southbound out of
Leighwoods bound for Plumtree, winter 1992 Photo: J M Batwell

RR Memorial: Bulawayo

Memories: Bosveld Train Safaris HBH

Railway Society of Southern Africa Natal A Peter
RAILWAY SOCIETY OF
SOUTHERN AFRICA
NATAL

Founded 1960

P. O. BOX/POSBUS 33202,
MONTCLAIR, 4061

SPOORWEGVERENIGING
VAN SUIDELIKE AFRIKA
NATAL

Dear Ashley Peter thanks for the Natal Newsletter - HBH

107

Reefsteamers: Lee Gates

Shunting out the no.1 road

S01 When the magical melody of the dual

tea horns blow, a really smart shunting
driver parks his kettle closest as to where
the other kettle happens to be, in this case,
opposite the cloak rooms more or less in line
with No.3046s cab.

S02 Heres the view of the big coal-fired

kettle waiting outside the windowed
domain of the small gas-fired kettle. This
cloak room area is going to be opened up
soon, when we start disposing of derelict
and unused storage lockers.

S03 15F J9 falls foul of that unwritten

Reefsteamers law, that tea breaks are not
finished until the rusks are down to the crumbs
and orphaned bits of muesli. She is still regal
here, but as you can see, is starting to get a tab
impatient!

S04 15F No.3046 pulls out a rake of coaches.

Although most of the load is moving upgrade,
the loco is actually starting a mild downer. Note
that she isnt in full reverse gear, according to
the position of the canted radius rod.
108

S05 Viewed in the space between the

Shedmans Office and the Forge House, 15F
No.3046 pushes into the crossover and into
the running sheds bypass track. The plate
leaning on the press is a coachs battery bay
cover.

S06 The coach with acne is the Sandstone

Sleeper, and the white-heads are paint
applied over the recently welded patches.
Once the No.1 road is cleared out and its
tracks serviced, the body work will
recommence on this coach.

S07 A rather shabby looking 15F No.3135,

the so called Springs F, is out in daylight
(Albeit cloudy) while the coaches retreat. At
the moment, Shunt the Smudger is a bit
distracted by an car train passing by on the
high irons.

S08 Nothing quite like a ride in the tender

during a shunt! Fireman Victor is doing OK
with 1100kPa on the dial and glasses at .
Note the surviving diesel supply pipes on
the columns, as well as the hexagonal 4kph
speed limit sign.

109

S09 Another tender shot chugging

downhill and having safely ducked the
water towers spout and the soggy sock.
Note that the Hangin Tree has already
started to busily bud out, in firm be-leaf that
summer is finally on the way.

S10 Salt n Pepper commin right at ya!

Two vertical boilers for the steam cranes
head in for some welcome cover. This is
Rnng. Shed Road No.2, one of the 2 tracks
assigned to diesels, and you can clearly see
how the rails were raised to provide
clearance under traction motors.

S11 Poor old 15F No.3016 Gerda is pulled

out. She has No.2914s firebox problem
twice over. She is unlikely to run again until
we get Hott-Nutts 15F 2914 and Dave
Shepherds 15F 3052 Avril running again.
Then wed rather get the 12AR, then 15CA,
then 12R back in steam.

S12 Shunter Smudge is watching for the

rear bogie to clear the points blades without
having the train go too far down the eastern
grade. Fireman Victor did NOT have the
injector on with the water rising in the
glasses with the downhill cant thats just
the steam leaking on a cool day.
110

S13 Just to freak out our overseas friends

with their boring 4ft 8 inch gauge sledgeirons, hows this for a classic Cape Gauge
overhang shot? Notice the point blade
stretchers are painted white. The theory is
that it makes it easy to see if they have
broken or have been removed.

S14 Class 15F No.3016 Gerda trundles

gloomily back to bed after a brief sojourn
under a grey sky. This locomotive was
deliberately stripped by us. Many of her
parts were used to get No.3046 Janine
going, and the leftovers were systematically
removed and locked away from theft.

S15 Putting 15F No.3016, the PepperPotted DZ and Uncle Wilfreds water bottle
away would be the last move. Everyone
had had enough.
The fellows in the
background checked the tracks, scotches,
handbrakes and the like.

S16 Although looking pretty knackered,

15F No.3135 is known to have a fairly good
boiler and could be a candidate for future
restoration, once we get some smaller
engines running.
We were using the
coaches as handles to reach into those
sidings and spread the weight out a bit,
rather than have two heavy locomotives
111

coupled together

S17 Right, were done. Time to roll the

cracked old anvil off the yard rails and put
her away for the week.
Bit of an
improvement over the previous picture,
dont you think?

S18 Wearing a crown of leaves, like the

Roman Senators of old, Class No.3046
Janine undergoes a still-early fire dumping.
The unblown and Victorized fire was only
gust a little thick from a whole day on the
shunt, but it was basically just lots of ash
with just a bit of kibble.

112

15F Cab Scenes

C01 Hott-Nutts Hoddi sees to it that the

Depot Joker gets punked. The heat rising
from Oom Attie de Hekkes cranium is
being used to dry out some used cotton
waste. Attie is drawing release vacuum to
get the brakes off.

C02 Oom Attie passes James Thomson (To

be precise, Thomson without a p, as in
Venezuela), who is just about to start
blowing sarcastic kisses at the cab. The two
hack playfully at each other all the time, but
they are good mates.

C03 For training and coal economy, the

Mini-Mienie was restricted to hand firing,
which he thoroughly enjoyed. But he didnt
bother to trim the coal down for easier
reaching. I took pity on him and trimmed
some coal after this photo.

C04 We have two preteen youngsters as

regular visitors but both are notoriosly
camera shy. I successfully caught Gabriel
Blore (Step-son of Smudge) in an unguarded
moment and also not sending messages on
his cell phone!
113

C05 A more general view of a rather sooty

15F cab. You can see the effects of a blowerless opsteek in two sooty updraft streaks
on the regulator cross-shaft, the blackened
stoker jet gauge and a nicely blackened
lubricator.

C06 A new charge of coal has taken up

nicely, visible through the inspection ports
on the spreader tables atrium. There is
often a bolt placed in one of these to
temporarily change the spread without
having to adjust the steam jets.

Lights for coach No.25073: (Dusty the SEMUMA coach.)

All pictures in this section were by Aidan McCarthy.

114

L01 Something to do on a cold, rainy,

totally miz day get under cover with some
friends and work together to fix up some
passenger coach lights. The coach gang
roped in extra volunteers and eventually a
production line was set up to do the entire
coach in one session.

L02 Here are the new lights hooked up

and all glowing with pride on a test run.
They do, admittedly, look rather bare here,
but the trapezoid intermediate channels
(that hold the translucent diffusers and
originally hid the ballasts) are not yet in
place.

L03 This project involved a removal and

L04 A close up of one of the fittings. The

115

total strip-down of all the old luminary

bases and mounting of entirely new fittings,
connectors and hardware. Alan and Gordon
had to electrically trace the original wires
and in classic Union Carriage and Wagon
fashion, the wires were all the same colour!
(Yellow)
Some of those base plates have rusted and
need to either be buffed up or painted to
provide decent reflectors.
Seen in the photo from left to right, Josh
Wood, Jeremy Wood,. Alan Lawton, Johan
Breydenbach and Robert Cousins. New
member, Lucas, was not in the picture.

14W flourescents run with integrated

inverters and thus do not require external
starters and ballasts. We have found that
even the inherently more rugged 220V
ballasts and starting gear fitted to the other
coaches tend to be a bit unreliable in the
rigours of railway service. The original
110V gear running from DC-AC inverter
sets, is even worse after several decades of
use. (We dont use them anymore.)
These tubes are fitted on an experimental
basis and were organized by Cousin Rob. If
they prove reliable, or easy to swap out,
when Dusty is in revenue-earning work,
we will gradually start converting the other
coach light fittings to this technology when
they come in for their service.

116

Around the depot

T01 You can slap our mothers and kick our

puppies, and get away with it but dont
you DARE stop us from having tea! A
substation cable that was hacked in an
attempted theft meant we had to have our
tea fired by gas today.

T02 Oom Attie supervises Coenie as he

makes tea with individual baggies instead of
using the pot! It is traditionally the younger
greasers and stokers who get the tea duty,
but yours truly, as the camera man, often
gets bagged as well.

T03 Three portly gentlemen pose in the

forge. A remarkable thing about being
active in steam preservation is that it brings
people together from all different walks of
life such as these friendly fellows who
each have very different lifestyles,
challenges, memories and skill-sets.

T04 A classic Reefsteamers gravel-hound

piccie. This scrofulous mutt is snoozing
away quite happily in spite of a nearby
generator van roaring away, and shunting
going on in the yard. Notice, as an added
touch and totally unposed, the large chunk
of coal parked right in front of the sniffer.
117

M05 Some of the money collected from the

recent Open Day is being put to good work.
This is just a part of the extensive trench
work that has just been dug to insert a new,
underground and properly specified water
main! By the time you read this, pipework
will have been installed.

M06 Never mind the shunting, what about

the herd of wild toolboxes a-roaming free on
the range? The guilty parties were Lawton,
Bennett and McCarthy. The fourth toolbox
was found with liberated RS tools which
were set out for pick-up at the fence,
presumably by a former staff member.

T07 Taking after his Granddad le Roux,

young Victor settles down, lights up his
twak and sneaks a few puffs on his pipe
after tea. Little did the poor little sod know
then that would be his last smoke break for
the day and he would later have to be
content with coal fumes.

T08 And this is the reason why! A certain

ou stoute of a spoorie decided to shred
some squished tea bags and add some
Ceylon Herb to Victors tobacco to make for
a unique smoke! I was wondering if I could
read Atties future in those leaves, or does
that only work in the bottom of a cup?
118

T09 The tea trolley and a pair of coasters.

These are surprisingly useful around the
yard. The middle coaster is actually a manpowered pump wagon sans the lever and
ratchet. However, it still has the reduction
and axle gears.

T10 A pair of newly-revealed coupling rod

knuckles dumped aside and long-hidden
on the normally occupied siding. Note the
sharp profile between the pin boss and the
tongue not great engineering but seems to
have worked!

T11 The same components on 15F No.3135

hangin a bit loose without the bronze
bushings. A loco being shunted like this
makes a metallic gritty hissing sound. This
coupling rod was still attached to the other
wheels though, so no danger of it dropping
off from the shunt!

T12 No matter how many times you look,

there is always something new to notice on
our Big Bessies. Check out the conical finial
capping the mounting bolt for the RHS
Sellars valve on 15F No.3046. The scruffy
braided hose in the front is the signal cable
for the speedometer

119

T13 The axle packing project of a few

weeks ago, now seen in daylight. There is
still a fourth axle (and two front bogie axles)
on a service track within the Running Shed.
The area behind is the old sand bunker,
although we draw our traction sand from a
pile of white builders sand stored and kept
dry within the covered Forge House.

T14 Quite an amazing vintage bogie

suspension with a pair of opposing semielliptic leaf springs as a rather bouncy
secondary and (hidden) coil springs as a
primary suspension on the bolsters. The
guys are collecting coach stats on FaceBook
and this is a Type E13 2nd Class mainline
coach built in 1936.

T15 Gormet or Gourmands? An early

evening braai before an evening slide slow.
(Slow, as the slides werent working!) A
freshly scrubbed and changed Mini-Mienie
is now a fireman of a different kind, opening
up the LPG gas.

T16 Whoa! Ease up on the stoking there

dude! Actually, this braai was more of a
meat warmer. We achieved more cooking
on the fat-flares than we did on the gas jets!
But the braai is usually quite cooperative in
the expert hands of Johann Coetzee!
120

T17 The Staff and Baggage van, type GD-1

and one of only 20 made and the only one
currently serving in preservation, stands
duty in the coal dock as a stand-by
generator for the 15M shops.

T18 Nestled amongst the coal. The main

electrical cable turned out to have been
hacked with a pick axe and not actually
stolen. It has since been replaced and
encased in concrete. So, the lights are back
on again!

This Depot Report was compiled by Mr. Lee D. Gates on behalf of Reefsteamers
Association NPC.
For
observations,
corrections
and
suggestions

email
me
at
[email protected]

Contact details
Postal Address :
P.O. Box 1736, Germiston 1400
Depot Phone =
4363

(011) 025-

MOTIVATION : The Reefsteamers Depot Reports and

associated Photo Essays
COPYRIGHT : This document may be freely distributed
as it is.
The contact details and copyright notice must remain
intact.
This document is not to be sold. This document is not to
be included in whole or in part in any other media,
121

Depot Mobile = 083 651 5424

(Attie de Necker)
Enquiries =
[email protected]

whether optical, laser disk, flash, magnetic, printed

including forums, websites and newsletters, without the
prior permission of the Author or that of the Board of
Directors of Reefsteamers Association NPC.
INFORMAL PUBLICATION CONDITIONS :

Bookings and Marketing :

Bookings :
[email protected]
Marketing :
[email protected]

As I have a full time job, as well as being active at the

Reefsteamers Depot, I cannot and will not make promises
concerning the timing of releases.
Reefsteamers
Association NPC will not accept accountability for regular
releases and website updates of this material.

Reefsteamers Web Master :

[email protected]
Reefsteamers Web Site :
www.reefsteamers.com
Reefsteamer Facebook :
https://www.facebook.com/grou
ps/reefsteamers/

Owners of locomotive(s), rolling stock, equipment and

machinery will be given material for reports and
photographs by me upon request and not necessarily
through a Depot Report or a Photo Essay.
DISCLAIMER : The views and comments contained
herein are my
own views and observations, and are not
necessarily
those held by Reefsteamers Association
NPC.
Due to the nature of this type of work, Reefsteamers
Association NPC will not accept responsibility for loss,
damage or misinformation due to the contents of Depot
Reports, Photo Essays or other related Articles.
Information included here is verified on a best-effort basis.

Umgeni Steam Railway: GMAM 4074

Contact Mr. Rob McGregor at Tel: 031-303 3003; 082-353 6003 or 087-808 7715 or
[email protected] or visit their website at
www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za

122

Patons Country Railway

Patons Country Railway: Annual Aloe Train Trips
-

Umgeni Steam Railway - Ashley Peter

-

Friends of the Rail

Tegnap Tony, Nathan s n vgl megkaptuk a gzmozdonyok vezet diplomkat...:)
Yesterday Tony, Nathan and I finally received our steam locomotives driver's diplomas ...:)
Photo by Chris Janisch with Tony Attwell and Nathan Berelowitz.
Tegnap Tony

123

Having just passed their steam drivers practical exam on a Friends Of The Rail train to
Cullinan, we see Gabor Kovacs and Tony Attwell in the cab of 19D number 2650 as she
stands

on

their

return

to

Hermanstad.

Well

done

and

congratulations.

August 11, 2012 with Gabor Kovacs and Tony Attwell Pic: Natahan Berelowitz

FOTR Calendar Nathan Berelowitz

Hi Hennie, if you can open this could you publish the calendar advert in the next issue.

I will also

post you a complimentary copy if you send me your postal address please.
Cheers, Nathan
Nathan [email protected]

124

Enquiries Friends of the Rail

Contact Mr. Arno Victor at Tel: 082 293 4616 or [email protected] or visit their
website at www.friendsoftherail.com

Sandstone
-

JB Tours: Treintoere in Suider Afrika

JB Tours issue a lovely program with beautiful pictures. Unfortunately I cannot copy and
save it as a word.doc/x . Please subscribe to their annual program!
for full 2012 year programme here is the email adres:
[email protected] ; www.jbtours.co.za ;
Tel 011 913 2442; 086 152 8687;
Fax: 086 687 7344; 011 913 0552
125

Railwayana

Note spelling of fietse

South African Models

Scalecraft: - Adrian Hill

126

127

128

129

Contact Scalecraft
www.scalecraft.co.za
http://www.facebook.com/Scalecraft
[email protected]
021 592 72 69
+2721 592 7269
130

Scalecraft news
Locomotives, locomotives, locomotivesthat is our war cry for the foreseeable future. Our
model of the iconic Class 15F has become highly sought after. The model runs well and
blends in nicely with our range of rolling stock. So where to from here, well, we have the
Class 23, Class 16E, 6E, 6E1, 5E, 5E1 & 18E on the drawing board. The 23 and the 6E will be
available shortly with the rest following shortly thereafter. Our steam locomotives are built
around Mehano running gear and the electric locomotives are built on Bachmann. We
install either constant current lighting or DCC depending on user preference. Keep in mind
that the models are designed and assembled in such a way that DCC can be fitted later on
if not factory fitted.
Our aim is to provide the avid modeler with products of the highest quality that are an
asset to their collection. We have decided to appoint two official agents with this in mind.
Our agents will ensure that your SAR modeling needs are met. Scalecraft products are only
available via three channels, namely; ourselves (of course), Mr. Shaun Le Roux of Cape
Model Trains and Mr. Rinke Blok of The Model Train Shop. Shaun and Rinkes businesses
are the ONLY two official Scalecraft representatives so please feel free to speak to me,
Adrian, Shaun or Rinke should you be interested in our products.

Shaun and Rinkes contact information is as follows

Shaun le roux
Cape model trains
081 475 4786
[email protected]
Rinke Blok
Model Train Shop
Tel: 011 795-3270
[email protected]
www.modeltrainshop.co.za

Scalecraft product information

Scalecraft product information is available in the following publications:
The Uloliwe
RMIG (Railway Modellers Information Group Newsletter)
131

Dream Trains Wynand Vermeulen

16 Besembos Avenue,
Pellissier, 9301
Bloemfontein,
South Africa
PO Box 32882,
Fichardtpark,
9317

www.dreamtrains.co.za

Hopefield: Terry Rowe

Hi Hennie
Here is a short piece on Hopefield with some photos of Hopefield and my models. I'm
about to rearrange my study and the layout will built on top of my book shelves. I will
send photo's of progress.
011-Station building
015-small goods shed
003-large goods shed
087- fence post made from CGR rail2
031- Station name boards
023-small goods shed
005- 5door 3rd Class CGR Coach
CGRT1 and 2 Season Ticket
I trust you are well on the road to recovery, all the best.
Regards

The photo is not properly focussed I cant publish it.

132

133

134

Railway Modellers Information Group: Contact Details

From the Press

Zambia ends railway deal with SA investor
Mandy Rossouw
State seizes control of national railway system from company in which Nedbank, Sanlam
and Old Mutual have significant stakes

South African companies Nedbank, Sanlam and Old Mutual suffered a blow this week
when a company with a railway freight and passenger concession in Zambia in which
they hold significant stakes was nationalised by the Zambian government.
On Monday a letter was delivered to the offices of New Limpopo Bridge Projects
Investment Limited saying the concessions of the company had been repossessed by the
government with immediate effect.
According to New Limpopo spokesperson Tom Plaistowe, the company was taken by
surprise.
There have been regular engagements with the government in which the company
convinced the government every time that all obligations were met.
New Limpopo tried unsuccessfully to convene a meeting with the Zambian government
this week.
135

Zambian Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda announced what was in effect a

nationalisation of the railways, citing mismanagement of the Railway Systems of Zambia
Limited, owned by New Limpopo.
It is unclear what implications this move may have on other South African businesses in
Zambia.
Companies such as Shoprite, Truworths, Woolworths and Spur have outlets in Zambia.
In a television address, Chikwanda added that the rolling stock used by New Limpopo led
to the railway systems deterioration.
Zambian President Michael Sata was a proponent of nationalisation during his election
campaign and, since he was elected last year, the government has reversed the sale of two
banks that were sold under the previous administration led by Levy Mwanawasa, who
died in office in 2008.
In May this year, Sata said: We are not nationalising anything, but anything which was
privatised with corruption, like Zamtel, we will move in.
Zamtel is a major telecoms company that was sold to a Libyan company. This sale was
reversed by Sata.
Shortly after his election in September 2011, Sata reversed the sale of Finance Bank, which
was due to be sold to South Africas FNB. Government officials and civil society claimed at
the time that corruption had played a role in the initial sale.
Sata also hinted at nationalising another Zambian bank, Zanaco, but this has not been
confirmed.
The concession to operate the railways was won by New Limpopo Bridge Projects
Investment Limited, a holding company based in Mauritius, in 2003 after a tender process
that was overseen by the World Bank.
The company was given the right to run railway services for 20 years, with the option of an
extension for a further 10 years.

136

Zambia Railways is one of the biggest railway networks in southern Africa and comprises
900km of main-line railways and 300km of branch lines.
The Zambian government said the railways had had too many derailments and fatalities
necessitating this move for the state to take control.
According to Chikwanda, New Limpopo underinvested in the railways and passenger
service is not up to scratch. He said freight services on the lines connecting mines had also
been stopped.
Plaistowe said New Limpopo had invested more than double of the required investment
into the railways. He said freight services on the lines that connected mines were stopped
because it was more cost effective to transport freight between mines by road.
Those were short-haul routes and mines preferred the road because it was cheaper.
The railway network operated by New Limpopo stretched for 1 200km from Sakania, on
the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. It included
Zambias Copper Belt, which was a crucial source of income for the country.
The World Bank released a report in 2010 that states that the investment made by New
Limpopo was in accordance with its concession contract.
The Zambian government has made no investment in the railways since the concession
agreement was signed on Valentines Day in 2003.
The government took over the operations of the company, including offices and railway
stations in Kabwe and other areas, while the government said it intended to search the
New Limpopo head office in Lusaka, Plaistowe said.
Former finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane told The Post that the cancellation of the
pact would result in the government being dragged to court by the South African investors.
Nedbank confirmed the takeover.
Nedbank, as shareholder in New Limpopo Bridge Projects Limited Investments, which is
the holding company of Railway Systems of Zambia Limited, confirms that the company
has received notice of the repossession of its freight and passenger concession by the
government of Zambia.
137

(New Limpopo) is actively seeking a meeting with the relevant authorities in this regard.
Sanlam said it would respond in due course and Old Mutual did not respond by the time
of going to the press.
New Limpopo would not disclose its shareholding breakdown, claiming the information
was confidential.
Zambian rail network to get $120 million revamp Zambia will invest $120 million (R990
million) to revamp a railway line linking Africas top copper producer with South Africa to
move transport from road to rail, its finance minister said on Friday.
Zambia exports the bulk of its copper through the port of Durban in South Africa, but most
mining companies transport the metal by road because railway transport has been
unreliable.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda told a media briefing that $120 million of the $750
million Zambia raised through a debut eurobond on Thursday would be spent on the rail
infrastructure.
The matter of investing in Zambia Railways is of top priority and urgency, he said.
Increasing use of rail will reduce the amount of money spent repairing roads damaged by
heavy trucks, Chikwanda said.
The government this week cancelled the lease of the railway line awarded to private
company Railway Systems of Zambia, accusing it of mismanagement.
Mining companies operating in Zambia include Canadas First Quantum Minerals,
Vedanta Resources, Glencore International and Barrick Gold.
- City Press
http://www.citypress.co.za/Business/News/Zambia-ends-railway-deal-with-SA-investor20120915

Mangaantrein slaag sy langste toets

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Sep 16 2012 21:43

Transnet het verlede week begin met die toets van die langste mangaantrein van die
nuwe Tshipi Borwa-mangaanmyn by Kathu in die Noord-Kaap na die hawe van Port
Elizabeth.Die trein van 18 diesellokomotiewe, 4 toetswaens en 208 vragwaens gelaai met
mangaan het Donderdag van die nuwe takspoorlyn by die Tshipi-myn vertrek en het
Vrydagaand in Port Elizabeth aangekom. Die trein is 2,23 km lank.
Die mangaantreine het gewoonlik 104 waens en dit is die eerste keer dat treine wat so lank
is op die spoorlyn van Kathu na die kus loop. Die trein sal radio-verspreide-kragtegnologie
gebruik wat tans nog net op die ysterertslyn tussen Sishen en Saldanha gebruik word. Die
nuwe syspoorlyn by Tshipi is uniek omdat dit n lang lus het wat drie treine van 122 waens
elk kan huisves sonder om die hooflyn te versper.
Die laaigeriewe is modern en die laaityd vinniger. Dit sal Transnet help om
bedryfsdoeltreffendheid te verbeter en omdraaitye te verkort.Die 18 lokomotiewe is dieselelektriese lokomotiewe wat voor, in die middel en heel agter die 208 vragwaens geplaas is,
met die krag wat deur n radiosein tussen die lokomotiewe versprei word. Die rit na Port
Elizabeth is 1 085 km en 13 000 ton mangaanerts word vervoer. Finn Behnken, uitvoerende
hoof van die Tshipi-myn, s die nuwe syspoor is ontwerp om uiters doeltreffend te wees en
sal die myn vir die verwagte leeftyd van 60 jaar dien.

Personeellede van Transnet en die Tshipi-myn voor die vertrek van die toetstrein met 13
000 ton mangaanerts wat na die Port Elizabethse hawe vervoer is. Foto's: Verskaf
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Die voorpunt van die langste mangaanertstrein wat nog van Kathu na Port Elizabeth
geloop het. Dit het 18 diesel-elektriese lokomotiewe gebruik om die 208 ertswaens te trek.
http://www.sake24.com/Maatskappye/Nywerheid/Mangaantrein-slaag-sy-langste-toets20120916

Trein ry 2 swanger vroue dood

2012-09-07 11:57
Kaapstad Twee swanger vroue is buite die Kuilsrivier-treinstasie in die Moederstad deur
n trein omgery, het n koerant berig. Cape Times berig die ongeluk waarin Judith Mtumba
en Sarah Njibu gesterf het, sal ondersoek word.
Besonderhede oor die gebeure is nog onduidelik, maar die treindrywer s hy het drie
mense raakgery. Ons het selfs onder die trein gekyk, maar daar was niks nie, het
Mthuthuzeli Swartz, provinsiale bestuurder van Metrorail, aan die koerant ges. Swartz
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het n gebreekte heining uitgewys en ges mense het dikwels kortpaaie oor die treinspoor
geneem.
http://afrikaans.news24.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Trein-ry-2-swanger-vroue-dood-20120907

SA RAILWAY RELATED INTERNET GROUPS

Suid-Afrikaaanse Spoorwe / SA Railways / Ulolwe (sic)
Visit our website: http://www.facebook.com/groups/74709226744/
It is an open group on the railways in South Africa. Keep abreast with the latest developments of
the railways in South Africa. It was started by Hennie Heymans some years ago. Johannes Marais is
co-administrator. No politics or no language questions. Keep it simple: only one thing on the
agenda: Railways in Southern Africa.
641 Members

Yahoo: SAR-Miniatures Adrian Hill

Please join us on our mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sar-miniatures/join We
not only talk about modelling SAR but also about modelling in general. The list is free of
politics and bickering and our aim is not only to advance SAR modelling but also to
exchange ideas and techniques.

Facebook: RHODESIA RAILWAY Group - John Batwell

A recent innovation on Facebook has been the start and rapid development of a RHODESIA RAILWAYS site.
Started by former railway employee Eddie Roussot, the site has grown in leaps and bounds and has over 260
members already and a plethora of photographs which depict the historical milestones and development of
the small countrys railway since those pioneering days back in 1897. Besides photos of stations, sidings,
locomotives of all types of traction, there are a number of photos posted too depicting the human resources of
the railway. The facility has enabled so many folk spread far and wide across the world to reunite
electronically and share their nostalgic and contemporary photographic records and short comments of
another time and age working on one of Southern Africas most efficient rail systems. The facility also enables
technical questions to be shared and responses offered, new publications to be marketed, as well as a catch-up
time with old friends and work colleagues of yesteryear.

Website for Reefsteamers: Lee Gates

You can find the latest information (albeit a bit scattered) on the 15F 2914 on our
Facebook Page at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/387773301244867/
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 Well worth a look

Reefsteamers Website is : www.reefsteamers.com
Reefsteamers Page is : www.facebook.com/groups/reefsteamers/
Reefsteamers Locomotive Restoration Project Page (15F 2914) is:
www.facebook.com/groups/387773301244867/

Andre Kritzinger
Andr Kritzinger, Cape Town, Website:
http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/grela/chessie01.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Locomotives_of_South_Africa
http://grela.rrpicturearchives.net/
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=12115

Adrian Hill says:

Take a look at my website www.scalecraft.co.za

Railway Groups not mentioned above:
You are welcome to ad your groups particulars here ...

Angola: Nostalgia Old CFB Coaches (part 1) - Anton van Schalkwyk

Map: Bruno Martin

You can't imagine the wonderful memories I had taking photos of the insides of these old
coaches and the smells that I was so very much used to more than 40 years ago. This was
really special to experience. There is a great need in Angola for restoration of some of these
coaches. The guy who made this possible had a father who was the CFB GM for 40 years.
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CFM: Lourenco Marques or Maputo

-

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Tanzam-line
Tanzam Map by Bruno Martin

Pandoras Box
Anything can come out of Pandoras Box; here are some pictures we received this month:

Mail Bag
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Stop Press
-

Disclaimer
We dont like legalise, but it has to be there, so read the small print .

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Readers and/or Viewers may use content from The Uloliwe for non-commercial purposes on condition that such material is attributed to
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obtained and/or utilised in an unauthorised and/or illegal manner.
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The main purpose of adverts is to be of an informative nature.

Goodbye from J & J Wepener

The next issue of The Ulolwe will be Vol 3 No 10 and will be published, DV,
sometime during October 2012.
Please send in your comments, anecdotes and photographs.
Take care! Issue / Volgende Uitgawe
Stuur solank u stories, herinneringe en eie fotos aan [email protected] in jpg-formaat
Hennie Heymans Pretoria, ZA

2012

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