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WELCOME Welcome to the first edition of 2017. As we are primary a railway history magazine we will focus on milk trains in this issue and the vital, important role of the railways and the Road Motor Transport (RMT) service in this regard. (I once visited my extended family that moved from the Free State to the Kalahari. These family relations said that milk, but especially cream, was a monthly cash income and without the RMT they would not have been able to survive after the Boer War and the depression. Cream meant money; without which they would have gone bankrupt and would have been unable to pay for their children’s education. The RMT picked up the cans of cream and delivered the empty cans at the farm gate.) We will also visit Heilbron and look at the history of the station.
FRONTPAGE The old NZASM Krugersdorp Railway Station dating from the days of Pres SJP “Paul” Kruger captured by Hennie Heymans on 2011.02.04 while waiting for the “Trans-Karoo” now the Shozaloza Meyl. (NZASM – Nedelandsche Zuid Afrikaansche Spoorweg Maatskappij.)
THANKS Firstly, thanks to Glenn Elsden who, so diligently, design our front covers each month. To Johannes Botha who sent off the first picture of the SAA’s new Airbus to SAS-SAR, we are a railway related electronic magazine however in the former dispensation the SAA formed part of the former SAR & H. Thus here and there we will share the odd photograph or article about the SAAand/or SA Harbour (including tugs). To John & Jacque Wepener for their continued support – they have a mine of information at their disposal and I would be failing in my duty if I did not thank my two “Uncles in the Railway History business” – Messrs. Les Pivnic and Charlie Lewis for permission to use their photographs to illustrate (and capture the ambience) of the past. Nico Moolman who, while he is combing his archive, shares his entire railway related photographs with us. Many are just photographs and we have no details, and this is where you the reader come in. Please help us with the particulars. Nico also introduced me to Ms Quarta Pretorius of the Heilbron- and Vegkop Museums after he, Dr Peter Lamb and I visited the town and all the historic sites in and around Heilbron. Treinry en melktreinstories via Facebook vir Marlene en Flippie Nieuwenhuis, Yuri Thumbran, Piet en Ona Matthee, Corrie Herbst en Stefan Andrzejewski ook baie dankie. Finally thanks to Elne Watson, from Vietnam I believe, who has sent us a few historical photographs.
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CONTENTS WELCOME ...................................................................................................................................... 2 FRONTPAGE................................................................................................................................... 2 THANKS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 NEW SAA AIRCRAFT: Air Bus A330-300: JOHANNES BOTHA ..................................................... 5 THE TRANSPORT OF MILK AND CREAM BY THE SAR ............................................................... 6 The Life of Milk/Cream Cans Transported by Rail: J & J Wepener .............................................. 6 Milk Trains by Les Pivnic .............................................................................................................. 8 Milk Trains by Charlie Lewis ......................................................................................................... 9 Some stations where milk/cream were kept cool: J & J Wepener .............................................. 12
Barkly East ........................................................................................................................ 12
Bultfontein ......................................................................................................................... 12
Cookhouse........................................................................................................................ 13
Elliot .................................................................................................................................. 13
Lindley .............................................................................................................................. 14
Parys................................................................................................................................. 15
Taung................................................................................................................................ 15
Tweeling ........................................................................................................................... 16
Viljoenskroon .................................................................................................................... 16
Wepener ........................................................................................................................... 17
Winsorton Road ................................................................................................................ 17
Zastron.............................................................................................................................. 18
MELKTREINSTORIES ................................................................................................................... 18 Treinry: 1960’s: Marlene en Flippie Nieuwenhuis ....................................................................... 18 Melktrein tussen Pretoria en Kaapstad: Yuri Thumbran ............................................................. 19 MILK PRODUCTION: NICO MOOLMAN ....................................................................................... 20
Clocolan Creamery ........................................................................................................... 20
Reitz Farm butter .............................................................................................................. 21
Making “farm” butter.......................................................................................................... 22
SAR Petrus Steyn Cool Room .......................................................................................... 22
Milk Can: P Joubert, Oshoek via Breyten ......................................................................... 23
NGR / SAR NEL’S RUST: BAYENSFIELD DAIRIES ..................................................................... 24 CONVEYANCE OF MILK & CREAM BY SAR RMT ...................................................................... 25 RAILWAY TRUCKS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS ..................................... 26
T 35255............................................................................................................................. 26 3
T-1 36286....................................................................................................................................... 26
TZ6 ................................................................................................................................... 27
TZ8 ................................................................................................................................... 27
TZ14 ................................................................................................................................. 28
Milk trains in Great Britain .............................................................................................................. 28 British railway milk trains ............................................................................................................ 28 AMATEUR RAILWAY DETECTIVES ............................................................................................. 29 Railway Related Photographs: Nico Moolman ........................................................................... 29 1. SAR Photos ............................................................................................................................ 29
“Voorspoed” ...................................................................................................................... 29
Class 23 ............................................................................................................................ 29
New SAR Stewards .......................................................................................................... 30
Lounge car 587 ................................................................................................................. 30
2. Most Probably German East Africa/ Tanganyika now Tanzania ............................................. 32 Comments received ................................................................................................................... 35
No 15 “Voorspoed” later “Wesvaal”: Diagram & Photograph ............................................ 37
Notes on No 15 from/by SANRASM ................................................................................. 40
Class 23: Photo & Diagram ............................................................................................... 42
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS / POST CARDS OF RAILWAY STATIONS: ELNE WATSON..... 43
Barberton ............................................................................................................................. 43
Bloemfontein Station ............................................................................................................ 44
Bloemfontein: New Railway Schools .................................................................................... 45
Cape Town ........................................................................................................................... 45
De Aar: Railway Square ....................................................................................................... 47
Durban ................................................................................................................................. 47
Durban Point: Railway Station & Post Office ........................................................................ 48
East London ......................................................................................................................... 48
Johannesburg: Park Station ................................................................................................. 49
Kroonstad ............................................................................................................................. 50
Ladybrand ............................................................................................................................ 51
Middelburg NZASM .............................................................................................................. 51
Modderpoort ......................................................................................................................... 52
Mowbray .............................................................................................................................. 53
Muizenberg .......................................................................................................................... 53 4
Pietermaritzburg Natal Govt Railway Offices.............................................................................. 54
Port Elizabeth ....................................................................................................................... 54
Pretoria Railway Station (NZASM) ....................................................................................... 55
Standerton: View from Station.............................................................................................. 55
Van Reenen [Drakensberg], Reversing Station.................................................................... 56
Vereeniging Railway Station ................................................................................................ 56
Vogelfontein ......................................................................................................................... 57
Unidentified Station .............................................................................................................. 57
Railway Accident - Unidentified ............................................................................................ 58
1898: HEILBRON RAILWAY STATION ......................................................................................... 58
The present Heilbron Station according to the Wepeners .................................................... 60
RAIL AROUND THE WORLD ........................................................................................................ 62 If you thought Southern Rail was shocking... Chris Tarrant tries trains that are sure to make you sick, are six days late and cost thousands of lives ..................................................................... 62 SOUTH AFRICA: ROYAL TRAINS ................................................................................................ 67 Greetings / Vriendelike groete........................................................................................................ 67
NEW SAA AIRCRAFT: Air Bus A330-300: JOHANNES BOTHA
The new Air Bus A330-300 photographed by Johannes Botha near the Airport in Johannesburg during the first week of December 2016. 5
THE TRANSPORT OF MILK AND CREAM BY THE SAR The Life of Milk/Cream Cans Transported by Rail: J & J Wepener Milk/cream cans patiently awaiting a goods/mixed/passenger train, was a familiar sight to railway passengers for decades. No longer experienced, with introduction of sleek stainless steel road tankers, calling at farms and delivering to dairies. The cans day started early, being rudely awakened from their nights slumber. Manhandled from their upside down stance, on the racks they spent their leisure time on. Hastily carried to the filling point, once the cows had been milked. A cooling jet of fresh, frothy milk filling their emptiness, not too exciting on a cool Winters morning. Smaller cans being filled with freshly separated thick cream. Once again being handled, this time heavy with their contents. A sudden thump, landing on a trailer, drawn by a noisy, smoking diesel tractor or a large “Dodge” bakkies. The by now familiar bumpy ride down the corrugated with “middelmannetjie” path to the main road. Even this un-tarred road was a jarring trip. Cans bumping each other at regular intervals. Many murmurs from the youngsters who bruised easily. Not made of the tough metal of the older cans. Then a sudden turn into the Railway reserve, jolted the cans to the right, more moans as cans jarred each other. [A cry of why can’t Uncle Ben not improve his Station and siding access roads, for his regular daily clients]. The load of cans often greeted by the familiar sound of other cans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the train, some even distant family members. Again being manhandled off the high sided trailer/bakkie, with a heavy thud landing somewhat, muffled/softened by the tufts of grass and weeds on the platform. Not much time to exchange the latest gossip. “Het jy gehoor Piet van Grootkraal, het ʼn nuwe outomatiese melk masjien by die KoOp bestel, before the recognisable sound of a branch line Class 24, straining under a heavy load is heard in the distance. This time of the year, farmers are sending their cattle to Markets, country wide. [The life of livestock is another tail, which could be told]. Hence the 24’s battles up a steep gradient, towards all the eagerly waiting cans. The exhausted 24 arrives at the siding, but with care from her loving crew is soon at full pressure again, with a very hot fire in her fire box, her valves popping with a plume of steam. Time for the crew to oil all her parts, brew a quick coffee and give her a loving wipe down. She sparkles in the early sunrise. Shimmering away and ready for the next few climbs, before she joins the mainline. If not having endured enough rough treatment, all the cans are hurriedly carried/dragged into the Guards van. Through the large brown painted doors, with their massive hinges. Neatly stacked together. All with some, still shiny brass address plate riveted to their top sides. [From/Van P.W.J. Boedery. To/Na NCD Dairies.] Names of towns on brass labels. Another brass plate stating. [Empty – Return to sender/Leeg – Terug na afsender]. The cans now being close together a very comforting feeling for them, knowing the swaying of the van, will not cause them to rough and tumble against each other and all the other consignments in the van. Large wooden crates, cardboard boxes, even farm implements and a few bicycles, belonging to the motley lot of passengers crowed into the small seating compartments of a goods van. Now a time for a quick nap, before being jerked awake at the next stop. Numerous naps after greeting new cans en-route. Finally a squeal of metal brakes on the vans steel wheels. An abrupt halt, human voices heard. “Maak gou die passasiers loop laat word enige tyd verwag. Plaas julle gou in die dood loop perron”. The hiss of vacuum being re-created, the jerk of the train being propelled backwards, clang of brake blocks on steel wheels as the train passes over various sets of points. Cans almost holding each other for the final sudden stop. The cans later hearing strange tone voices as. At some larger 6
stations Walkie Talkies were introduced. Cans hearing a clear voice then a reply, in a squeaky voice. Older cans muttering, all these new ideas. We will probably be replaced at some stage. Van doors swung open, cans being dragged once again for loading onto, a string of blue painted trailers, with three sides enclosed by pipe railings. A smart newly painted platform tractor purring away up front. The older cans saying “Lister” looking smart. Suddenly cans hear a resounding clamour from the humans waiting on the main platform. The late running passenger train, arriving. The Station Master and his staff determined to disembark/embark passengers and also unload/load everything quickly, to try and regain a few precious minutes of lost time. Cans laughing silently at the frantic actions of the humans. Some saying we are always orderly even if handled roughly on occasions. Our goods train just ambles along at a leisurely pace. Look there are some of our friends from up country, travelling in luxury on in a main line van, rubbing shoulders with, grand luggage. Unloading of the country cousins resumes. The passenger train having departed. Station staff saying. “Sewe minute op gemaak, behoort regte tyd by bestemming te wees”. All cans loaded onto the long string of trailers and off to the, lovely redbrick building, specially built for perishable traffic. Not a conventional building with windows, but one with many bricks, seemingly missing. Then filled with coarse clinker, with a trickle of water continuously running down. Humans having discovered, that by creating evaporation, cool air remains, to keep perishables fresh. Nature knowing and using this principal, before humans. Being placed in this lovely cool, fresh and dark place, the cans feel refreshed after their tiring, but enjoyable daily trip. Chatting to the other cans, they soon find that some do come from far off places and are on their way to the same dairy in town. Not much time for rest. Soon the cans are being loaded again. This time onto a large fully enclosed vehicle. A swift smooth ride this time, on pneumatic tyres on a tarred smooth surface. Not steel tyres on steel rails. Arriving at the dairies loading bay. Cans removed by mechanical means, smooth trip to mechanical arms, pouring milk into large stainless steel tanks. Cans continue along line, to a fast and efficient washing section of the dairy. A quick rinse with cold water, then a wash with warm soapy water, a final rinse then a short hot steam spray rinse. After this cans placed in a holding section. Then in dairies closed truck cans taken to station, for their return trip home. This time a bumpy trip on the Lister hauled trailers, cans being empty, to the dead end platform. No stop at “Koelkamer”, straight to awaiting van, as empty cans rough handling dished out. There are times when being empty counts. As with R.T.S. services, all empty returns on rail, are transported free of charge, to sending station. Cans always enjoy their trip back. Knowing that tomorrow they will do it again. On their days off they enjoy the peace and quiet of the “Melk/Room Kamer” on the farm. If only they could talk. Fortunately they can type. Spoorweg [Melk can] Groete, John and Jacque.
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Milk Trains by Les Pivnic
Note the Milk Trucks, classified TZ, to the right at the old Johannesburg Station.
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Milk & Cream cans are being conveyed to and from the trains to and from the dairy.
A heavy milk train being banked at Johannesburg.
Milk Trains by Charlie Lewis (Photo below) A seriously mixed train: Passing a fine stand of arum lilies, 308-up was climbing away from Wintervogel towards Klipheuwel, heading for Culemborg on a Saturday in July 1971. Behind its 12-wheeled torpedo tender this 19C trails a parcels van, followed by two TZ milk and cream vans, a string of livestock trucks destined for the abattoirs at Maitland, some general freight and three passenger coaches whose patrons would have to change to a suburban EMU at Bellville.
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The mixed train classification of 308-up (rather than a goods train with passenger accommodation) was supposed to be because in addition to passengers it conveyed high-rated traffic such as milk, fruit, livestock and road-rail trailers usually loaded with precious cargo. The WTB specifically stated that it was not to be made up with short wagons, presumably to allow it to move faster than the 35mph limit decreed for trains containing shorts. Like a few other SAR operating rules these could be honoured more in the breach than the observance. Whenever I look at this photograph I regret that timidly venturing off the platform ends at Cape Town made it seem unnecessary to come all this way when the classes five and six were working these trains.
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Some stations where milk/cream were kept cool: J & J Wepener
Barkly East
Barkly East – note little white cooled store room
Bultfontein
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Cookhouse
Elliot
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Lindley
Magogong
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Parys
Taung
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Tweeling
Viljoenskroon
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Wepener
Winsorton Road
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Zastron
MELKTREINSTORIES Treinry: 1960’s: Marlene en Flippie Nieuwenhuis 4 Junie 2016 · Durban, KwaZulu-Natal via Fcebook My gedagtes gaan terug na die sestiger jare, toe my vader op die Spoorweg gewerk het en ons elke jaar met die trein met vakansie, vanaf Port Elizabeth na Durban en vanaf Durban na Gingindlovu gegaan het. Gingindlovu is aan die Noordkus van Natal. Dit was ʼn drie dae treinrit. Ons het eendag op Noupoort vasgesit agv sneeu. Dit was winter en vrek koud. Op Bloemfontein was jy gerangeer en op die trein gekoppel na Ladysmith Natal. (Dit was die Melktrein genoem.) In Ladysmith aangekom, het hulle jou in ʼn sylyn gedruk vir die dag en moes jy wag tot die aand vir die aansluiting vanaf Johannesburg na Durban. Dit was altyd ʼn laaaang dag. Dit was seker die mooiste gesig om die stoom lokomotief vooraan die trein te kon sien. Ek kan nog die leer ruik van die sitplekke. Ons het altyd baklei oor die middelste slaap bank. Ons kompartement was ʼn ses slaapkamer kompartement. Dit was altyd interessant om die foto's te sien wat teen die banke uitgestal was en die lang ronde kussings. Hulle het ʼn naam gehad, maar wil nie die naam hier noem nie. Wonder of daar nog mense is wat die naam kan onthou van dit? Daar was ʼn balkonnetjie aan die einde van die rytuig en ons was altyd bekoor om daar te kon staan en die uitsig te bewonder. Baie kere was ons gewaarsku om nie by die venster uit te kyk nie, want daar was stukkies van die steenkool van die lokomotief en baie kere moes moeder maar in die oë krap om die stukkies steenkool uit te grou, want dit was vasgebrand in die oë. Vroeg in die oggend kon jy al van ver af die gekloppery aan die deure hoor vir die aankondiging van die lekkerste koffie en die ding-dong wat geslaan was om etenstyd aan te kondig (net soos in die Trans-karoo-TV-reeks.) Die rytuie was van hout gemaak en ook so die was die een van die eetsalon met die silwer eetgerei en die eetsalon personeel met hulle netjiese swart drag. O ja, en dan die wag vir die ruk 18
van die trein se wegtrek wanneer jy die fluit van die stoom lokomotief hoor om die vertrek van die trein aan te kondig. Die uitkyk by die venster om te sien hoe die sinjaal van groen na rooi verander wanneer die trein by die sinjaal verbygaan het my altyd bewonder. Wanneer ons op n stasie gestop het en nie kon wag om by die stasiekafee te kon kom om ʼn pakkie skyfies of roomys of ʼn koeldrank te kon koop nie. Sal my altyd by bly. In Durban aangekom moes ons weer wag vir die aansluiting na Gingindlovu. Ons het so by vyfuur in die middag opgeklim en eers twaalf uur die nag by Gingindlovu aangekom. My swaer was rangeerder op Gingindlovu. In die nag kon jy die geblaf van die stoomlokomotief regdeur die nag hoor. Min het ek geweet dat ek jare later deel van dit sou word. Ek het in 1975 toe as rangeerder daar begin werk en ongelukkig ʼn paar maande later my arm op diens daar verloor. Alhoewel ek my arm op die Spoorweg verloor het, sal ek altyd die mooi onthou van my lewensondervinding op die Spoorweg. Gingindlovu was ʼn klein spoorwegdorpie, maar wat ʼn dorpie! Vanaf die stasiemeester, die posmeester tot by die Tannie wat die stasie-kafee gehad en die Algemene Handelaar, was almal vriende, vriende wat ʼn groot deel van my lewe sou word. Ek wonder somtyds waar almal van hulle is. Saterdae wanneer ek rugby vir Ging gespeel het, was die hele dorp daar om ons te ondersteun. Die mense van Ging was so wonderlik met hulle ondersteuning vir my, dat toe ek my arm verloor het, het hulle my so ondersteun en bygestaan, dat ek nege maande nadat ek my arm verloor het, weer vir Gingindlovu rugby gespeel het. Ek het saam met Koot Gerber, Koos Smit, my swaer, Pillie Mathee en my broer, Danie Nieuwenhuis en Oom Bessie, die Stasievoorman gewerk. Ek het ʼn jaar of wat gelede deur Gingindlovu gery en dis met ʼn groot hartseer; die vervalle van die ou Spoorwegdorpie aanskou, hartseer, man, hartseer. Ek wou maar net my hart bietjie uitpraat oor die stasiegeboue wat so vervalle is. Groetnis. Flippie Nieuwenhuis.
Melktrein tussen Pretoria en Kaapstad: Yuri Thumbran 20 Januarie 2016 via Facebook Weet iemand wanneer die sogenaamde Melktrein tussen Pretoria en Kaapstad geskrap was. Dit is die een waarop 'n mens twee nagte deurgebring het. Een van my drome was om my kinders aan die Spoordiens bloot te stel. Ongelukkig kan en nie ... Treindienste is beperk en swak. So hulle op die Trans-Oranje neem, maar dit is ongeveer 2010 gestop... Laas in 1986 op die melktrein gery. Net om die Karoo te sien was wonderlik Kommentaar Stefan Andrzejewski: The milk train ran between Pretoria and Cape Town. The trip lasted 36 hours. Departing Pretoria 19h00 on a Friday and arrived in Cape Town at 08h30 on a Sunday. I would catch this train when I was in the SAAF in 78 and 79. Some of it ran through Bloemfontein and the rest ran through Kimberley and all the trains joined up and split at De AAR. This train also ran through Stellenbosch on its way to Cape Town. 21 Januarie om 09:53 VM. Corrie Herbst: Ek het baie jare terug die melktrein tussen Johannesburg en Bloemfontein verpas en het toe plek op die Bombella (van ons senior Spories sal weet watse trein was dit) gekry in die laaste rytuig waar die kaartjie knipper / kondukteur ook was, maar wat 'n straf was dit gewees vanaf 21h00 Vrydag aand tot 22h00 Saterdag aand. Jy kan nie slaap nie, by elke halte stop hy, as 'n voornemende passasier nog aankom na die halte stop die trein en wag. Die kondukteur vloek en skel hulle en skree hulle moet agter toe kom want hy klim nie uit nie. Ek het vir myself gesê volgende keer bly maar liewer in die hostel as jy die trein verpas het.21 Januarie om 11:58 VM. 19
Piet Ona Matthee: Kan ook nog die melktrein onthou. My pa was destyds 'n "kaartjiesondersoeker" wat net geregtig was op 'n tweedeklas vrypas. Ons het dan met die melktrein tussen Kaapstad en Pretoria gery. Ons het die tweedeklas waens verkies want dan kon ons familie van 5 almal in een kompartement in pas. Het lank nadat hy vir eersteklas vrypas gekwalifiseer het nog steeds 2de klas gery om bymekaar te wees.22 Januarie om 07:41 NM. Yuri Thumbran: Die lekker van die melktrein was dat 'n mens ongewone plekke en stasies kon sien: Poupan, Graspan, Belmont, Oranjervier, De Aar, Sterkaar, Drie Susters, Nelspoort. Al ry 'n mens per kar sal jy moet afdraai om die stasies te kry. Bowenal was almal mooi en netjies in daardie tyd. Please note: I am no longer subscribed to Facebook – Hennie Heymans
MILK PRODUCTION: NICO MOOLMAN Nico has provided the following photos from his archive regarding milk production. We live in a modern age where everything comes from the supermarket. When we had the “milk trains” this was the situation on the farms. All farms with cows had a “creamery” or a “roomkamer in die rondawel” with separator. Farmers sent the cream away, Ouma baked rusks (karringmelkbeskuit) and the whey was fed to the pigs. These days we have mega-farmers. From Nico’s archive:
Clocolan Creamery
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Note the Creamery pays the railage! (20th of June 1923). 
Reitz Farm butter
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Making “farm” butter
SAR Petrus Steyn Cool Room
The cans were stored here awaiting transport to the creamery. Some places had cheese factories. 22
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Milk Can: P Joubert, Oshoek via Breyten
Comments by Hennie Heymans: The SAR played a vital role in the socio-economic strategy of the Union of South Africa (later the Republic of South Africa) after the various wars, droughts, the depressions and recessions it came to the aid of the farmer, the public and industry! Incrementally railage was replaced by motor transport. The railways were the backbone of little towns and dorps. The railways still have a part to play, but it’s clear they are interested in running block freight only. Today there is no place for station masters, station foremen and guards, sadly everything is computerised. Was it such a good idea? Stations have become surplus to requirements. We need e.g. passenger trains instead of taxis on the platteland. Spoornet should be divided into sections: a business entity and a public utility service so that stations could be revived and the poor could travel by trains, goods and parcels could be sent by train. Branch lines could be reactivated in the process. The railways of today should look back into their own corporate history.
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NGR / SAR NEL’S RUST: BAYENSFIELD DAIRIES
Milk on the way to the railway station by horse drawn carts. With reference to our previous edition re SAR Nel’s Rust in Facts about Durban (www.fad.co.za) under the subsection Bakeries and Dairies I (HH) found the following entry by Gerald Buttigieg dated January 8, 2013 where he wrote, and I quote: “””””””Baynesfield Dairies were based at Nel’s Rust, the farm owned by Joseph Baynes. It is situated not far from Thornville on the R56 road. Joseph Baynes was a very well known Natal and Durban pioneer. In 1898 he started Natal’s first dairy farm at Nel’s Rust. Dairy goods were transported to Durban daily. He initiated the “Model Dairy” tea room concept and opened several of these outlets in Durban, the most notable one being the one on the Lower Marine Parade, now demolished. Its legacy is the calling of the beach where it stood, “Dairy Beach”. Some of the above from the book “Joseph Baynes Pioneer” by R.O. Pearse.”””””” Reference: http://www.fad.co.za/2012/09/22/bakeries-and-dairies/ - 8 Dec 2016
Loading the milk & cream cans at Nel’s Rust in NGR days.
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CONVEYANCE OF MILK & CREAM BY SAR RMT
Speaking to my extended family members in the Northern Cape who were farmers in Hotazhel and other very arid parts around Kuruman they told me they survived solely as farmers because of the support they received from the SAR’s Road Motor Transport Service. Cream was a “cash crop” and with the regular income from cream they survived the hard times – Hennie Heymans
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RAILWAY TRUCKS FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS The “railways” could transport anything one could think of: Manure, whales, circus elephants, sugar cane, horses, sheep, game carcasses for hotels, day old chicks, corpses for burial, army tanks, or a small box of bullets to name a few. Here are a few photographs and diagrams of trucks used for the conveyance of dairy products:
T 35255
Photo: SAR (via Eric Conradie).
T-1 36286
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TZ6
TZ8
TZ 8-040-345 Millsite 24-4-2004 HB Heymans
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TZ14
TZ 14-011-417 at Capital Park HB Heymans 2000
Milk trains in Great Britain As I had some British model trains I remembered that in the UK they had rail tankers for the conveyance of milk – like we have wine tankers on rails.
British railway milk trains Milk trains were a common sight on the railways of Great Britain from the early 1930s to the late 1960s. Introduced to transport raw milk from creameries to food processing units in remote locations, they were the last railway-based system before the mass-introduction of pasteurization and the resultant industry use of road transport.1
A Southern Railway 6-wheel milk tanker: Express Dairy Milk for London in a steel Tank.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_railway_milk_trains
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AMATEUR RAILWAY DETECTIVES Railway Related Photographs: Nico Moolman Railway Related Photographs from Nico Moolman’s archive. He is a collector of old sepia and black and white photos and negatives. Over the years he has found real gems that people were going to dispose off. Comments are invited please.
1. SAR Photos
“Voorspoed”
Photo 1: Note: “Genl Hertzog en gade”.
Class 23
Photo 2: Note: “Vrystaat” 29
New SAR Stewards
Photo 3:
Lounge car 587
Photo 4 30
Photo 5
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Photo 6
2. Most Probably German East Africa/ Tanganyika now Tanzania
Photo 7
Photo 8 32
Photo 9
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Photo 10
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Photo 11
Comments received Comments received: Before publication I circulated the eleven photos and received comments from: Hello Hennie, Thanks for the interesting photos. Re - the lounge car 587 – please consult my dining car book – pages 342 – 352 – the full story on her and her sisters is recorded there.
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The 3rd photo shows a group of stewards standing in front of what appears to be an A-18 single dining car. It was obviously taken at a passing-out ceremony when the young blokes had finished a steward’s training course. At first I thought it might be the catering training facility at Robert’s Heights where two old NGR dining cars were used – see pages 44 and 45 in my book but on further examination – the steward’s uniforms are older than the type used from the 1940s and later – they look like the early 1920s uniforms. The photo of the class 23 would have been very good if it didn’t cut off the right side of the smoke deflector.
Thanks for sharing! Cheers Oom Les
Comments by Carlos Hi Hennie I hope our friend is well. Thank you for sharing the pictures of the coaches - always interested. Nice to see the class 23 = 3226 and then the private coach 15 which still exist today. See link further down. That to me looks like an A-22 dining car with all the staff outside. Lovely to see 587. I used to see these lounge cars in Braamfontein and in one occasion I saw 796 and 797 arrive on a special train at the rear just before the bag van. Normal train and it was quite different watching these unusual sets inc one when one of the Managers had his coach couple again before the Trans Karoo bag van. 587 still exist today but not as beautiful as in that photo. Baie dankie Oom and mooi bly Carlos http://allatsea.co.za/blog/private-saloon-wesvaal/
Comments by Hennie Heymans Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3
Gen and Mrs JMB Hertzog in front of Private Coach 15 named “Voorspoed”. Class 23 – “Vrystaat” has been identified by Carlos as No 3226. Nico found the date: “Spoorweg personeel - 11 Oktober 1930”. Oom Les says: The 3rd photo shows a group of stewards standing in front of what appears to be an A-18 single dining car. It was obviously taken at a passing-out 36
Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7
Photo 8 Photo 9 Photo 10 Photo 11
ceremony when the young blokes had finished a steward’s training course. Carlos says it could be a class A-22 Dining car Lounge car 587: Oom Les says: Re - the lounge car 587 – please consult my dining car book – pages 342 – 352 – the full story on her and her sisters is recorded there. Lounge car 587: Ditto Lounge car 587: Ditto In the old Nongqai’s circa 1915 – 1918 I have seen similar photographs taken by our chaps in German East Africa. The truck is inscribed in English. This is probably just after the takeover. Locomotive No 43 is a German type locomotive The background is very tropical. It’s not Mombasa. These coaches have double roofs like those we captured in German South West Africa. This is German built locomotive. Photo was taken in Africa. Most probably in GEA or S. This is a British built locomotive and the photo is most probably taken in Kenya. Everything looks very British – look at the lamps on the locomotive. Note the Indian gentleman in front of the locomotive. Many Indians were brought in from India to help build the line from Mombasa over the Rift Valley.
No 15 “Voorspoed” later “Wesvaal”: Diagram & Photograph
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Photo: No 15 at SANRASM by Hennie Heymans
Prime Minister JC Smuts at Windhoek with No 15
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ï‚·
Notes on No 15 from/by SANRASM
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Note received 18 May 2000. 41

Class 23: Photo & Diagram
Photo & diagram: SAR
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HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS / POST CARDS OF RAILWAY STATIONS: ELNE WATSON Barberton
Barberton - 1901 – NZASM Locomotive classified Class “B” on the SAR
Barberton railwayline with Kaapmuiden in the Background – 1939 43
ï‚· Bloemfontein Station
Bloemfontein 1906 44
Bloemfontein: New Railway Schools
Cape Town
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46
De Aar: Railway Square
Durban & Environs
Durban
[Note the old car number plates – “white on black”.] 47
Durban Point: Railway Station & Post Office
East London
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 Johannesburg: Park Station
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Johannesburg, Park Station, Kiosk and Waiting Room
 Kroonstad
[A beautiful sandstone building. I believe the station has burnt down. The locomotive plinthed there has been vandalised – Hennie Heymans] 50
Ladybrand
Middelburg NZASM
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ï‚· Modderpoort
Both photos circa 1913 52
Mowbray
Muizenberg
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Pietermaritzburg Natal Govt Railway Offices
[Remark: The late SA Police took over the NGR building. During the 1970’s I was stationed at SAP Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg in this building and I remember the ornate woodwork and special glass windows of this historic building. Next to us was the Natal Museum and opposite the police station was the Imperial Hotel – named after Prince Imperial who fell in Zululand – Hennie Heymans.]
Port Elizabeth
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Pretoria Railway Station (NZASM)
Standerton: View from Station
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 Van Reenen [Drakensberg], Reversing Station
Note steam locomotive centre left margin
 Vereeniging Railway Station
Vereeniging Railway Station - Early 1900s 56
Vogelfontein
Vogelfontein is the old name for Boksburg – HBH
Unidentified Station
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Railway Accident - Unidentified
1898: HEILBRON RAILWAY STATION We were a trio of friends who visited the Heilbron Museum, local grave yard and the Vegkop battleground. (It’s always a good idea to be a crowd that visit grave yard because sometimes there is safety in numbers. A most interesting grave yard indeed!) Nico Moolman knew Ms Quarta Pretorius the curator of the Heilbron Museum and Quarta is also attached to the Vegkop historical site about 20 kms from Heilbron. When I visit a town on research I also try and visit the museum and have chat to the curator and I make “historical enquiries” regarding the local history, the “railway history” and the “police history’. Quarta furnished me with the following information:
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The local curator of the Heilbron museum furnished the following information:
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 The present Heilbron Station according to the Wepeners
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I simply love the old Free State sandstone buildings. Indeed a sad state of affairs – sadly some South Africans have no sense of preservation. I think, however, they are in the minority but seem to do the most damage. What would the station look like in ten years!?! [Have the railways abandoned their stations and infrastructure?]
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RAIL AROUND THE WORLD If you thought Southern Rail was shocking... Chris Tarrant tries trains that are sure to make you sick, are six days late and cost thousands of lives
Chris Tarrant travelled around the world for his show Extreme Railway Journeys He and his crew filmed in locations as varied as Congo, Zimbabwe and Chile His favourite was Buenos Aires, which he has since returned to with his wife
By CHRIS TARRANT FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY PUBLISHED: 22:01 GMT, 17 December 2016 | UPDATED: 05:27 GMT, 18 December 2016 I like trains, I do – but the problem with filming a TV series called Extreme Railway Journeys is that whenever you find yourself temporarily travelling in comfort, you soon have to change and get on the kind of train many Westerners wouldn’t dream of clambering aboard. In the course of making the show, I travelled more than one complete circumference of the globe on the oldest, slowest and most uncomfortable trains on the planet. So it’s lucky I enjoy the extreme.
Rust relic: An old train – complete with fresh graffiti – Chris’s crew encountered on a journey from Chile to Bolivia
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Where's the platform? Chris gets off a train in Botswana However, it’s not the trains themselves I’m interested in – I’ve never considered myself a trainspotter – but I love the stories behind the railways. Today we take trains for granted, but the tales of how the railways were built is fascinating – and often horrific. For some remote communities, trains are the only way they can stay in touch with other humans. In Bolivia, for example, there’s a train that goes right up over the Andes, to heights of about 15,000ft. It’s the most extraordinary rail journey I’ve ever been on. I’m not that big on engineering, but you can’t help wondering: my God, how did they build a railway right up there? Despite the slow speed, we struggled with altitude sickness while on board – our cameraman was very ill – but for the locals, this service is a lifeline. They just appear out of nowhere alongside the track, stick their hand out and wait for the train to stop. We saw lots of traditionally dressed Bolivian women with weather-beaten faces wearing big black hats and wonderful, colourful clothes, and carrying huge bags. These sacks were intriguing. They were nothing more than folded-up sheets, but they held everything from potatoes and eggs to shoes. We even saw one woman with a baby tucked inside! SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share These locals might go about ten miles before getting off – and then suddenly disappear into nowhere. It really makes you think: without that train, these people couldn’t exist. They’d never be able to reach larger cities and their village alone would be unable to support them.
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It was a similar story in the Congo. The distances between towns are massive in this part of Africa and it’s thick, thick jungle at every turn.
The River Kwai Bridge, which was made famous by the 1957 film Bridge On The River Kwai, starring Alec Guinness Without the railway, villagers couldn’t communicate with anybody else apart from their immediate family. There are no roads and obviously no airports. That said, the train is hardly to be relied upon. It was six days late when we tried to take it. There was no station office or timetable, just a chalk marking simply stating: ‘Not today.’ You do not want to break down in the middle of the night in a tunnel in the Congo, trust me It was the first train in the series we wanted to film and we were standing on the empty platform thinking: ‘We’ve got a series about railways and we haven’t seen a train yet!’ We were filming the station, the bridges, me looking at my watch – everything except the train! Furthermore, when it did eventually arrive nearly a week later, it proceeded to break down in a tunnel in the middle of the night due to an electrical fault – it was terrifying. You do not want to break down in the middle of the night in a tunnel in the Congo, trust me. The Congo-Ocean Railway has always been plagued with difficulty, never more so than during the time of its construction under French colonial administration in the 1920s. More than a quarter of the 127,000 men who were conscripted from all over equatorial Africa to work on the line died from malaria, sleeping sickness, dysentery or sheer exhaustion.
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Epic delays: Villagers scramble aboard as a train arrives in the Congo, where distances between towns are massive Further tragedy ensued during the building of the infamous Bamba Tunnel in the Mayombe jungle, also in West Africa. When the workforce began digging, they were turning over earth that had not been touched for hundreds of years which – unbeknownst to the men – was emitting great jets of carbon monoxide. Worker after worker collapsed owing to the poisonous gas – but because it was colourless and odourless, nobody understood what was happening, with many believing it to be voodoo. About 80 per cent of the men died on the spot. At the Botswana border, we’d been driving in our 4x4 for only six miles or so when we came to a roadblock and these very large policemen approached, waving their AK-47s at us The Death Railway from Thailand to Burma has an equally terrible history, as its name suggests. In 1942, during the Second World War, prisoners of war and slave labourers were used by the Japanese to build this line – intended to transport supplies to troops in Burma – in incredibly unpleasant conditions. Thousands died. It’s estimated that for every sleeper laid, a man lost his life. While exploring the railway, we filmed on the River Kwai Bridge – made famous by the 1957 film Bridge On The River Kwai, starring Alec Guinness. But today the place is like a funfair with blaring pop music. They even sell ‘I crossed over the River Kwai’ T-shirts – it’s truly awful. Zimbabwe, too, was eye-opening. I was seriously apprehensive about going there and my concerns proved not unfounded. At the Botswana border, we’d been driving in our 4x4 for only six miles or so 65
when we came to a roadblock and these very large policemen approached, waving their AK-47s at us. In the middle of the road there was a table piled high with US dollars (the Zimbabwean dollar has completely collapsed) and they were telling us ‘Your lights are not working’ – of course they weren’t on, as it was 2pm and there was bright sunshine.
The Death Railway (above) from Thailand to Burma has a terrible history, as its name suggests But then they spotted our camera and were instantly suspicious. ‘What is this? What are you filming? What is this recorder?’ they asked before holding their hands out for money. I’ve never had that before. We went on to encounter six more roadblocks between the border and Bulawayo (the secondlargest city in Zimbabwe) with ‘policemen’ asking for money each time. You’re not going to argue. You could end up in prison if you crossed the wrong people there. My favourite place we visited on the show has to be Buenos Aires; it’s one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. I liked it so much that I’ve been back already with the missus, and we loved it. Two-thirds of the city is made up of lovely, wide avenues with thousands of trees – plus the Malbec and steaks are incredible. As told to Harriet Mallinson The book of Chris Tarrant’s Extreme Railway Journeys is published by John Blake, priced £20. TRAVEL FACTS 66
Specialist rail holidays are on offer through Great Rail (greatrail.com), Diamond Rail Holidays (diamondrailholidays.co.uk) and Ffestiniog Travel (ffestiniogtravel.com. Read more:
Escorted Rail Holidays | Rail Tours Europe | Diamond Rail Holidays UK Coach Holidays | Short Breaks in the UK | Diamond Holidays Rail Holidays of the World - Ffestiniog Travel greatrail.com Share or comment on this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-4043214/If-thought-Southern-Rail-shocking-Chris-Tarranttries-trains-sure-make-sick-six-days-late-cost-thousands-lives.html (18December 2016)
SOUTH AFRICA: ROYAL TRAINS We are planning a special edition on Royal Trains in South Africa. Do you know that Natal had the first Royal Train? Please send your articles, photographs, anecdotes etc for publication to Hennie Heymans at heymanshb@gmail.com tel 012-329-4229. From the archive of Nico Moolman:
Greetings / Vriendelike groete Hennie Heymans
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