SAS-SAR Vol 8 No 5 by Hennie Heymans, Nongqai Publications

Contents PUBLISHER / UITGEWER .............................................................................................................. 5 PREVIOUS EDITIONS / VORIGE UITGAWES................................................................................ 5 AIM / DOEL ...................................................................................................................................... 5 COPYRIGHT.................................................................................................................................... 5 ONGOING PROJECTS ................................................................................................................... 5 WELKOM / WELCOME ................................................................................................................... 6 Gautrain .................................................................................................................................... 6 SOUL OF A RAILWAY ..................................................................................................................... 6 Gautrain ticket........................................................................................................................... 7 1859: CAPE WELLINGTON RAILWAY ........................................................................................... 7 1897: ORANJE VRIJSTAATSCHE SPOORWEGEN (OVGS) ......................................................... 8 Archive: Nico Moolman ............................................................................................................. 8 1899 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1902: ANGLO BOER WAR .................................................................................................. 9 Armoured train at Viljoensdrift................................................................................................... 9 Bridge destroyed at Kaapmuiden .............................................................................................. 9 Archive Nico Moolman ............................................................................................................ 10 Daspoort, Pretoria ................................................................................................................... 12 Filler: Railway line in the centre of main road in Fauresmith: ..................................................... 12 Class 8B No 1153: Fauresmith (26-4-2007) ........................................................................... 13 ROYAL TRAINS GENERAL INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 15 Why Royal and Presidential Trains? ....................................................................................... 15 1901: ROYAL TOUR...................................................................................................................... 18 Diagram: NGR No 215/ SAR Class G ..................................................................................... 21 Diagram Class 1B No 2144 .................................................................................................... 22 1910 ROYAL TRAIN ...................................................................................................................... 22 Balmoral Castle ...................................................................................................................... 23 Locomotive No 12: SAR Class 2C .......................................................................................... 24 Royal Train with Locomotive No 671 ...................................................................................... 24 Diagram of No 617 SAR Class 10B ........................................................................................ 25 Diagram of No 669 SAR Class 10A ........................................................................................ 25 Stamp issued to commemorate the opening of Parliament..................................................... 26 1990: Anniversary of 1910 Royal Tour: Albert Borgstein ....................................................... 27 CSAR Class 10B No 671 + Class 10A No 669 ....................................................................... 29 1910: ROYAL TRAIN VISIT TO THE RHODESIAS ....................................................................... 31 RR 8 Class.............................................................................................................................. 31 2

The visit to the Rhodesias....................................................................................................... 32 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 33 1914: SAR STRIKE: BLOEMFONTEIN ......................................................................................... 34 Covert Action: SAR Assisting the SAP.................................................................................... 35 Lt.-Col. Trew’s record of events .............................................................................................. 35 1925 ROYAL TOUR: PRINCE ....................................................................................................... 43 Movie of Royal Train ............................................................................................................... 43 Royal Coaches 3 and 5........................................................................................................... 44 Royal Coach No 5 ................................................................................................................... 45 1934: ROYAL TOUR...................................................................................................................... 46 1954: BLUE TRAIN / BLOUTREIN ................................................................................................ 51 BLUE TRAIN: LOCOMOTIVE: SAR 15F 3101: “PRINCESS ELIZABETH”: L PIVNIC................... 60 1964: STATION BOMB: JOHANNESBURG RAILWAY STATION................................................. 63 Sunday Times 24 July 1964.................................................................................................... 63 Die Transvaler 27 Julie 1964 .................................................................................................. 64 Filler: 1927: SAR Class HF No 1368: Modified Fairlie ................................................................ 66 1968: CLERESTORY ROOF: BLUE TRAIN .................................................................................. 67 1990: LAST 15F AT VIRGINIA: OFS ............................................................................................. 69 ELECTRIFICATION OF SA RAILWAY & PRIVATE LINES: J & J WEPENER .............................. 70 System 1 ................................................................................................................................. 70 System 2 ................................................................................................................................. 70 System 3 ................................................................................................................................. 71 System 4 ................................................................................................................................. 71 System 5 ................................................................................................................................. 71 System 6 ................................................................................................................................. 71 System 7 ................................................................................................................................. 72 System 8 ................................................................................................................................. 73 System 9 ................................................................................................................................. 73 System 10 ............................................................................................................................... 73 System 11 ............................................................................................................................... 73 Proposed new electrified lines .................................................................................................... 73 System 5 ................................................................................................................................. 73 Reply: HL Pivnic (Late Assistant-Curator: Johannesburg Railway Museum) .......................... 74 LINES ABANDONED, CLOSED, TRACK STOLEN AND UPLIFTED: J & J WEPENER ............... 75 Cape Western ......................................................................................................................... 75 3

Cape Northern ........................................................................................................................ 75 Cape Midlands ........................................................................................................................ 75 Cape Eastern .......................................................................................................................... 75 Orange Free State .................................................................................................................. 76 Natal ....................................................................................................................................... 76 Western Transvaal .................................................................................................................. 77 Eastern Transvaal ................................................................................................................... 77 South West Africa ................................................................................................................... 77 RAILWAY POLICE AT WAR: J & J WEPENER ............................................................................. 77 SAS EN HAWE-POLISIE BY OSHIVELO ...................................................................................... 79 26. Agtergrond ........................................................................................................................ 79 27. Flip Genis van die Infanterie ............................................................................................. 79 28. Hennie Heymans van die ZARPe ..................................................................................... 80 SAR Police APC: Windhoek ................................................................................................... 80 On Active Duty ........................................................................................................................ 81 SA SPOORWEGPOLISIE GEDENKALBUM / SA RAILWAYS POLICE MEMORIAL ALBUM ....... 82 SA SPOORWEGPOLISIE: SAKE, VERHALE EN STAALTJIES: BRIG R BEYL ........................... 86 IDENTIFYING LOCOMOTIVES: LEITH PAXTON ......................................................................... 89 Class 14 Diagrams ................................................................................................................. 90 Class 14, 14A & 14B: Leith Paxton ......................................................................................... 91 RAILWAY SECURITY DURING THE BUSH WAR ........................................................................ 92 The Rhodesian Soldier ...................................................................................................................... 92 FROM THE MEDIA ........................................................................................................................ 97 Union approaches court to force PRASA to beef up security ..................................................... 97 Heart-stopping moment oblivious woman crossing tracks leaps out of the way with just a SECOND to spare as a train hurtles toward her ......................................................................... 98 First 'Silk Road' train sets off on 18-day 7,500-mile journey from Britain to China laden with vitamins, soft drinks and WHISKY ............................................................................................ 101 SLOT / END ................................................................................................................................. 110

PUBLISHER / UITGEWER This electronic magazine is compiled and published on ISSUU by Hennie Heymans. Hennie is a retired brigadier of the former South African Police. He is passionate about the history of South Africa’s National Security and holds a MA degree in National Strategic Studies. He is most interested in the strategic use of railways in Southern Africa but he loves trains generally no matter where they are!

Hierdie elektroniese tydskrif word saamgestel en uitgegee op die platform ISSUU deur Hennie Heymans. Hennie is ŉ afgetrede brigadier van die voormalige SA Polisie. Hy is passievol oor ons nasionale veiligheidsgeskiedenis en het ŉ MA-graad in nasionale strategiese studies verwerf. Hy stel belang in die strategiese aanwending van die spoorweë tydens oorloë in Suider-Afrika. Hy is baie lief vir treine waar ook al op die aardbol. Niks kom mos naby treinry en kondensmelk?

Contact address: heymanshb@gmail.com Telephone number: 012-329-4229.

PREVIOUS EDITIONS / VORIGE UITGAWES Vir vorige uitgawes klik op: https://issuu.com/hennieheymans/docs For previous issues click on https://issuu.com/hennieheymans/docs

AIM / DOEL Our goal is to collect and record our South African railway history for publication in the SAS-SAR for the use of future generations.

Ons doel is om die spoorweggeskiedenis van suidelike Afrika in die SAS-SAR aan te teken en so vir die nageslagte se gebruik te bewaar.

COPYRIGHT Great care is taken to make sure that we do not transgress the Copyright Act. Please make sure that when you use somebody else’s photographs or material to first obtain the necessary permission before sending it to SAS-SAR for publication. Permission to reprint any article or photograph may be obtained from SAS-SAR.

ONGOING PROJECTS Please help us with: • •

Researching royal and presidential visits to southern Africa. Compiling information about the use of armoured- and hospital trains in southern Africa. 5

•

Trains in time of war, rebellion and unrest.

WELKOM / WELCOME Welcome to this very special edition of the SAS-SAR. We would like to share all the railway news with you! May you enjoy it and derive as much pleasure from it, as we who compiled this edition. Gautrain I took the Gautrain from Hatfield to Johannesburg (and back) and visited Yolanda Meyer at the Transnet Centre for knowledge. For the first time in my life I ‘went to town’ dressed in shorts and sandals and suddenly I became aware that I was not the only one to be dressed casually. I thoroughly enjoyed the expedition. The Gautrain was packed on both directions, time: between nine a.m. and three p.m. I sat and thought about what I had seen. The passengers on the Gautrain were mainly African. Very few whites detrained at Johannesburg – most got off at Rosebank. Most Africans were young and appeared to be affluent considering their dress and technical equipment. It was “thumbs” working on little screens and many had earphones. The Gautrain is a first class enterprise, quick and reliable. Do commuters really want to travel on the Metro from Pretoria to Johannesburg? If not, why not? Forget race, why do so many people take the Gautrain in Pretoria and Johannesburg in spite of the Metro being cheaper and available? Walking through the concourse I observed the western side had many bus termini taking passengers into countries to the north of South Africa. Some of these bus passengers (or commuters) had to sit on the floor. It looked so out of place! Can’t seats be provided for the passengers? These termini are not on international standards. Why does Transnet allow this? Looking at everything at the “Park Station” and considering the realities I mulled over my intended train trip between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Do I want to stand in a waiting crowd before being allowed to entrain? No. Why can’t I have a drink like an officer and a gentleman in the first class lounge, while waiting to entrain? Beg your pardon? First class lounge and waiting area? There must be a first class lounge and waiting area, if PRASA wants me to travel by train. They must accommodate me and other “first class” passengers. (I don’t know what the political correct term is for first class.) I have been watching a couple of WW2 films lately and our stations look like the country has been in a war with the exception of Krugersdorp station which is an alternative to entrain and detrain to and from Cape Town. I have been thinking why can’t the Gautrain’s people not take over PRASA’s Metro service and run the show in Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Vereeniging? They certainly have the knowhow. The two lines; one from Magaliesburg to Johannesburg and the other from Magaliesburg via Hercules to Hatfield could be the beginning of such a step. •

One has to compliment the staff of the Gautrain for five star service and good security.

SOUL OF A RAILWAY Don’t forget to visit: https://sites.google.com/site/soulorailway/home

Gautrain ticket For our friends not acquainted with the Gautrain. Below is an enlarged scan of a ticked that is used on the Gautrain. One buys the ticket, mine cost R10-00. Then one ads money and swipe the card before and after each journey. It is as big as a credit card or driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licence.

1859: CAPE WELLINGTON RAILWAY

Above: Last month in SAS-SAR ... and below De Kock page 137.

Note 256 (p. 239): On the 31st of March 1859 Governor George Grey used this barrow and the sliver-blades spade when he turned the first sod of the railway from Cape Town to Wellington. The items are preserved in the South African Museum, Cape Town. Above photo by Alice Mertens. Nota 256 (p. 223/4): Op 31 Maart 1859 het goewerneur sir George Grey hierdie kruiwa en die graaf met Ĺ&#x2030; silwerlem gebruik toe hy die eerste sooi omgekeer het vir die spoorweg van Kaapstad na Wellington. Hulle word bewaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse museum, Kaapstad. Foto: Alice Mertens. Bibliography / Bibliografie De Kock, V: ONS ERFNIS / OUR HERITAGE, Nasionale Boekhandel, Kaapstad, 1960. 7

1897: ORANJE VRIJSTAATSCHE SPOORWEGEN (OVGS) Archive: Nico Moolman

Our attention to the correct name, Oranje Vrijstaat Staats Spoorwegen (OVSS); in English Orange Free State Government Railways (OVGS) is drawn by Paxton & Bourne on p. 7 (See: Paxton & Bourne: Locomotives of the South African Railways, A concise Guide, Struik, 1985.)

1899 – 1902: ANGLO BOER WAR Armoured train at Viljoensdrift

Armoured Train Viljoensdrift [P3387] – courtesy Yolanda Meyer, Transnet Archive. Note the gun on the first truck. Bridge destroyed at Kaapmuiden

Kaapmuiden [P3387_340] – courtesy Yolanda Meyer, Transnet Archive. 9

Archive Nico Moolman

ZASM lokomotief No. 149

Boere ambulanstrein te Newcastle, Natal kolonie.

A close up of Pres SJP Krugerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s train on the way to Bloemfontein. 10

Bloemfontein Conference (before war broke out) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pres. Krugerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s train at Viljoensdrift.

British Armoured Train 11

Daspoort, Pretoria

Pretoria Pietersburg Spoorweg [PPS/PPR]: Ontspoorde trein te Daspoort 5 Mei 1902.

Filler: Railway line in the centre of main road in Fauresmith:

I sent the photo provided by Nico Moolman to Messers Les Pivnic and Leith Paxton. Oom Les comments as follows: “I would say that it is a class 8 – which used to work that branch line in the old days.” Leith Paxton and I discussed telephonically various railway historical matters and we feel that it could have been a CSAR locomotive; later SAR Class 8. Note the “planked up” tender. [I remember photographing Class 8B no 1153 plinthed in Fauresmith.] 12

Class 8B No 1153: Fauresmith (26-4-2007)

ROYAL TRAINS GENERAL INTRODUCTION Why Royal and Presidential Trains?

Generally speaking South Africa, India and China were the real last outpost of steam, real steam, in the world. In South Africa and out there, in some other parts of the world, are real train fanatics. We know them as “ferro-equine-nologists”1. They know the “pedigree” of every Southern Africa steam locomotive. As a relative latecomer to the hobby of railways (and especially locomotive recognition) I decided to specialise in royal- and presidential trains used by dignitaries in Southern Africa; the role of railways in war, rebellion and unrest including armoured-, hospital- and ambulance trains, not forgetting the War Train, used in Southern Africa. I also decided to collect a photo of each type of rolling stock and match it’s with its official SAR diagram. It is very much like a stamp collection. I find researching the old Agricultural Demonstration Train also very interesting as well as the “Phelophepa Train of Hope” – however I do not find any suitable material on the Phelophepa i.e. coach diagrams, photographs of both sides of each coach and the makeup of the train. Thus back to the old archives... Our world in South Africa is much an English world! We know that Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to make use of a Royal Train. We don’t even know or care what happen in Europe, Russia or in the Far East in respect to Royal Trains. I have visited the British Railway Museum at York and I know that even the coal in the tender of Queen Victoria’s train was painted white. I have visited the Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht and can’t remember if the Dutch had Royal Trains. I certainly remember WW2 War Department locomotives. The railway museum in Nairobi, Kenya has an interesting exhibit: An old coach. A lion jumped through the open compartment window and into the coach. The lion then snatched the man responsible for culling the lions along the line. (Left) This is a famous Uganda Railways coach from where a sleeping man in June 1900 was snatched from by a “maneating” lion. The poor unfortunate fellow was a superintendent of the railway police. His duty was to shoot lions who were regularly snatching workers at night sleeping along the line. Ref: http://nathstevens.blogspot.co.za/2008/11/ nairobi-railway-museum.html (Accessed 9 April 2017.)

Iron horse specialists

In Kancharaburi in Thailand at the bridge over the River Kwai I saw interesting railway relics from WW2 – so I thought it would be interesting to research our railways and compare the SAR to other railways internationally. I have decided that I will concentrate on my chosen railway field but being very much interested in trains and railways generally I will as a sideline also continue with ordinary railway history. In Southern Africa as one cannot study the field I am interested in, with eye shields on. [Today I bought a few second hand books. On reading one of the books INSIDE INFORMATION by Piet Meiring I am surprised to find that he, as a journalist attached to Die Burger, was a passenger on the 1934 Royal Train. More to follow about this “find” which cost me R50 at the local Hospice.] History is a fascinating subject and one never knows where one will obtain the information one is looking for. Last month I published the photo of a spade and a barrow from a 1924 SA Railways & Harbours Magazine which stated that the first sod was turned with this spade heralding the beginning of railways in South Africa. Great was my surprise when I found a similar photo in one of the books I bought at the Hospice giving a better description of the spade and barrow. This little bit of useless information cost me R60:00. (Money well spent - but don’t tell the wife!) I have been searching high and low for information on Royal Trains in South Africa especially on the 1910 Royal Train used by the Duke of Connaught. Thanks to Albert Borgstein’s book on railway philately I found most of the detailed information I was looking for. Once one has all the information available on Royal Trains in South Africa one may consider the publication of an internet booklet on the subject like the one below:

1901: ROYAL TOUR Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of York and the Duchess of Cornwall and York (future King George V) visited South Africa during 1901.

Royal Tour 1901 Natal 1901; Original: Local History Museum; Collection Leith Paxton. This locomotive is a Natal Government Railways locomotive. No 215 and her mates later became SAR Class G. They entered service during 1904. I think that this is the 1904 Royal Tour by Princess Christian. I might be wrong.

This photo has the same “circle” frame as the photo in the “1901 Royal Tour”. [Unknown Royals presumably Princess Christian.] Same coach below. Photos: Heymans-collection.

My note says “Princess Christian” – my original information might be wrong. I presume we are dealing with the 1904 Royal Tour. 20

Diagram: NGR No 215/ SAR Class G

Diagram DF Holland - Heymans-Archive NGR No 215 SAR No 000 Class G (NGR No’s 197 - 221) These NGR locomotives came into service in 1904

Royal Tour 1901 Class 1B NGR 323 Greyville Loco, Collection: Leith Paxton NGR 323 SAR 2144 Class 1B: NGR 319 – 324 became SAR 1440 - 1445 These class locomotives came into service in 1904. I think we are dealing with the 1904 Royal Tour.

Diagram Class 1B No 2144

Diagram DF Holland - Heymans-Archive

1910 ROYAL TRAIN During 1910 – it was still in the days of ships and trains - the Duke of Connaught came to South Africa to open the first parliament of the Union of South Africa (Luxury Travel, Reader’s Digest: South Africa’s Yesterdays Year, 1981: 164.) The SAR, just formed, provided a train of eleven carriages including special saloons for the royal guests. (Croxton: 111) His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, full names: Arthur William Patrick Albert; 1 May 1850 – 16 January 1942 was a member of the British Royal Family. In 1910, Arthur travelled aboard the Balmoral Castle of the Union-Castle Line to South Africa, to open the first parliament of the Union of South Africa. He also went to Johannesburg by train. On 30 November 1901 he laid a commemorative stone at the Rand Regiments Memorial, dedicated to the British soldiers that died during the Second Boer War. Sourced from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Arthur,_Duke_of_Connaught_ and_Strathearn (8 April 2017). He was a grandson of Queen Victoria. Comment: I cannot at this stage find his tour program but he must have travelled extensively in the Union of South Africa as the Royal Train was also Natal. I later established that the Royal Party also visited Southern Rhodesia and Lusaka in Northern Rhodesia.

Balmoral Castle

Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Balmoral_Castle_(ship,_1910)

Above the engines which worked the Royal Train from Charlestown to Estcourt, November 30th, 1910 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Collection Leith Paxton.

According to Albert Borgstein NGR locomotives numbers 12 + 11 were employed on the Royal Train from Charlestown to Estcourt. (p 194) Locomotive No 12: SAR Class 2C

Diagram DF Holland - Heymans-Archive Royal Train with Locomotive No 671

The caption reads: “The Royal Train used by the Duke of Connaught on his trip to Cape Town to open parliament in 1910.” (Luxury Travel, Reader’s Digest: South Africa’s Yesterdays Year, 1981 p 164.) [I have the same photo in my collection. Photo taken at Pretoria.] 24

According to Albert Borgstein NGR locomotives numbers 671 + 669 were employed on the Royal Train from Charlestown to Estcourt. ( p 194) Diagram of No 617 SAR Class 10B CSAR No 671

SAR

No 753

SAR

Diagram DF Holland - Heymans-Archive Diagram of No 669 SAR Class 10A CSAR No 669

Stamp issued to commemorate the opening of Parliament On the 4th of November 1910, HRH the Duke of Connaught, representing HM King George V, opened the first Union Parliament. To commemorate the inauguration, a single stamp to the value of 2 1/2 d was placed on sale. The denomination represented the Universal Postal Union unit of postage at the time. In the centre of the stamp is a portrait of King George V and not of the Duke of Connaught. The design of the stamp is the work of HS Wilkinson. (Kaplan A Dr, Legator S & Sheffield WN (Eds): Handbook / Catalogue: Union of South Africa Stamps, Van Riebeeck Tercentenary Edition, 1952 pages 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7)

Filler: by John Wepener

1990: Anniversary of 1910 Royal Tour: Albert Borgstein

We have quoted with permission. CSAR Class 10B No 671 + Class 10A No 669

Heymans-Collection. (Officials unknown.) 29

Lt.-Col. Godley - from Heymans-Archive

Scribble notes:

1911 should read 1910. I am not sure of the coach number. Another view of the same carriage:

1910: ROYAL TRAIN VISIT TO THE RHODESIAS (From 11 November 1910 to 24 November 1910)2 RR 8 Class From Albert Borgstein we learn that the following steam engines were employed in the Rhodesias, viz RR 8 Class No’s 61 and 54

Hamer p 46 – 47. 2

See Albert Borgstein’s article – HBH.

Hamer p 46 – 47. No 54: After accident near Umtali in 1929 withdrawn. No 61: Sold in 1940 to Union Lime Co, South Africa for £275-00-00 (R550-00). The visit to the Rhodesias The Duke and Duchess of Connaught accompanied by Princess Patricia visited the Victoria Falls towards during November 1910. They travelled in the first SAR Royal Train. They did not stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel. The Royal Party instead spent four nights at Livingstone on their train. The Royal Train was also used to make the short trip to the falls for sightseeing. They also visited Salisbury and Bulawayo. The Royal Visit over BMR lines to Rhodesia lasted 12 days. (Croxton, 111). The Duchess of Connaught smiles as her female companion, probably her daughter Princess Patricia, leans over the edge of the Zambezi above the Victoria Falls.

A pilot train ran ahead of the Royal Train followed by an emergency train 30 minutes behind the Royal Train. (I don’t know if this was the case in the Union of South Africa.) This Royal Train hauled a bogie truck carrying four cows to supply fresh milk each day. The cows survived the three weeks' tour and clocked up considerable mileage. Croxton (1967) records: It was in November, 1910, that Rhodesia welcomed its first royal train when the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia included the Victoria Falls and Livingstone in their tour of the new Union of South Africa. 32

It is recorded that the train stopped in the centre of the bridge for quite some time to give the royal party a good view and then proceeded to Livingstone for a four-day stay during which it was used on several occasions for short trips back to the Falls. An interesting feature of this tour was that the pilot train included a bogie cattle truck carrying four cows which supplied the fresh milk throughout the journey. The animals safely survived the whole tour which lasted over three weeks. Was this a record rail journey for cows? Wright, in his History of the Northern Rhodesian Police (year of publication unknown) records: On 14 November 1910, 168 men of the [Barotse Native] Force were on parade at Livingstone for inspection by Field Marshall His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught. ... The Duke complimented the men on their steadiness on parade and the manner in which they went through their drill movements. A brass band had been formed in 1909 and was, of course, on parade. The Duke, as Colonel of the Corps of Royal Engineers, gave the Barotse Native Police permission to adopt as their own the quick march Wings, the march of the Royal Engineers.

March-past for Duke of Connaught http://www.tothevictoriafalls.com/vfpages/tourism/earlyroyals.html (retrieved 27 January 2017) Bibliography Borgstein, AJC: South African Railway Thematic Covers: 1910 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2003, (Private Published 351 pp). Croxton, AH: Railways of Rhodesia, David and Charles, ISBN 0 7153 6025 6, UK, 1973. Croxton, AH: Railways of Zimbabwe, David and Charles, ISBN 0-7153-8130-X, UK, 1973. Godley, RS Lt.-Col (OBE): Khaki and Blue, Lovat Dickson & Thompson, London, 1935. Hamer, ED: Steam Locomotives of Rhodesian Railways: The story of steam 1897 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1979, Books of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 1981. 33

Heymans, Hennie: Heymans Photo-collection and Railway Archive. Holland, DF: South African Railways. Locomotive Diagrams. 3’ 6” Gauge. Joyce, P: South Africa’s Yesterdays, Reader’s Digest, Cape Town, ISBN 0 620 05019 5, 1981. Kaplan, A Dr, Legator, S and Sheffield, WN (Eds): Handbook / Catalogue: Union of South Africa Stamps, Van Riebeeck Tercentenary Edition, 1952. Paxton, Leith: Paxton Photo-collection. Wright, TB: History of the Northern Rhodesian Police, ISBN: 9780953017447. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Balmoral_Castle_(ship,_1910) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Arthur,_Duke_of_Connaught_and_Strathearn http://www.tothevictoriafalls.com/vfpages/tourism/earlyroyals.html

1914: SAR STRIKE: BLOEMFONTEIN

The 1914 Industrial Strikes: During January 1914 a strike was called by (white) mine workers, (white) railwaymen and (white) industrial workers. This led to the greatest strike South Africa up to then had experienced. Martial Law was declared. Ring leaders were arrested and all their documents confiscated. The illegal deportation of the leaders was carried out on the instructions of Minister NJ de Wet (Justice) and General JC Smuts. It was, as far as I could ascertain, the “first 34

covert action” carried out by the SA Police, ably assisted by the SA Railways & Harbours. The men: • • • • • • • • •

Bain, Mr. James Thompson; Crawford, Mr. Archibald; Livingstone, Mr. William; Mason, Mr. George William; M'Kerrell, Mr. David; Morgan, Mr. William H.; Poutsma, Mr. Hessel Jakob; Waterson, Mr. Robert Burns; and Watson, Mr. Andrew3, were secretly moved by special train to the docks in Durban and place on the steamer “Umgeni” for London.

Covert Action: SAR Assisting the SAP Lt.-Col. Trew’s record of events Here is Col HF “Harry” Trew’s record of events4: Colonel Truter sent for me and told me that a Cabinet Council was being held at Union Buildings, and that the Secretary to the Police, Colonel Bredell (formerly President Kruger's secretary) and I had been sent for. As we motored up to Union Buildings we wondered what sins of omission or commission we had been guilty of that the "Brass hats" should require our humble presence. We were shown into the office of the Secretary for Justice, and he told us that our Minister was still in Cabinet. After a short wait Mr. de Wet, the Minister of Justice, came into the room and said: "Gentlemen, the Cabinet have just decided to deport to England the nine labour leaders now imprisoned at the Fort, Johannesburg." This took our breath away for the moment, because we realized that it was an absolutely illegal proceeding. He went on to tell me that I was to go to Durban, ostensibly to give evidence before the Indian Commission, but secretly to make preparations for, and carry out, the deportation. He impressed on me that secrecy was imperative, and that to preserve it nothing was to be put on paper, telegraphed or telephoned. On arrival in Durban I was to see the agent for the Bullard King Line of steamships, who had already been approached by the senior customs officer at Durban, with regard to chartering the steamer Umgeni; but he had not been told why the Government required the ship. The 3 4

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-herbert-asquith/ (accessed 9 April 2017). Trew, HF Lt.-Col.: African Manhunts, Blackie & Son, London, 1936 pp 260 – 274.

agent was to be taken into our confidence, and I was to make all arrangements with him. On no account was I to try and communicate with the Government, and if anything unforeseen cropped up I had full authority to act on my own discretion. On a sheet of paper, torn from his pocket book, he wrote in pencil: 1. See Agent Bullard King Line make all arrangements. 2. Provide complete set warm clothing for each deportee. 3. If wireless on ship have it dismantled. 4. Give Captain ÂŁ27 in cash for him to hand deportees on arrival in London. 5. Arrange to have Government Solicitor on board to draw up powers of attorney for representatives nominated by deportees. 6. Wire Minister of Justice c/o Station Master, Matjesfontein, Wednesday morning, before 8 a.m. if deportations successfully carried out. He then handed me in addition a small slip of paper on which was written:

Union Buildings, Pretoria. Major Trew, S.A.P., is in full charge of operations for deportation of labour leaders. Government officials are to render him every assistance he may ask for. (Sig.) J. C. Smuts, Minister Administering Martial Law. The plan as explained to me was, that on a fixed night the deportees were to be taken from their cells in the Fort Prison, Johannesburg, and placed in a closed motor-van. They were to be driven to a lonely siding outside Johannesburg and there put on board a special train under close guard. The train would run through to Durban without stop. If everything went according to plan it would draw up on the wharf beside the Umgeni at twelve midnight. They were then to be hurried on board and locked in their cabins, with a guard. The ship was immediately to cast off, go out through the Heads and cruise outside territorial waters. Whenever we had passed outside the three-mile limit, I was to collect the deportees into the saloon and announce their fate to them. I was to arrange for the Port Captain's tug to follow the Umgeni out to sea to take my party off the ship after the deportees had been given time to write to their friends and sign their powers of attorney. The Minister finally impressed on me that nothing was to be allowed to stop the deportations. If a writ of habeas corpus was served on me I was to ignore it. If anything unforeseen occurred at the last moment I was to act accordingto my judgment; the Government would support any action of mine.

One question I raised was the sizes of the men for whom I had to purchase clothing. Mr. de Villiers Roos (the Secretary for Justice) guaranteed to let me have the approximate sizes by the following morning. This he duly did, and the measurements were so accurate that everything fitted perfectly. Years later I learnt that Mr. Roos had personally gone over to the Fort that afternoon on the pretence of seeing if they had any complaints. He had then measured each man with his eye, not daring to write down the figures until he had left their respective cells. As soon as I returned home I looked out an old money-belt, in which I concealed my two slips of paper, and buckled it round my waist under my clothes. That night I went out to a dinner party given by a judge of the Supreme Court. During the whole of dinner the guests discussed the probable fate of the labour leaders. I could not help looking at my host, and wondering what he would say if he knew that I was party to a plot to steal nine prisoners out of the jurisdiction of his honourable court and send them overseas. Some months later I said to the judge: " I f you had served a court order on me to hand over the prisoners to your messenger and I had disobeyed it, I suppose you would have given me six months for contempt of court?" â&#x20AC;&#x153;Six months," he said, " I would have given you ten years!" The following morning my train pulled out of Pretoria Station for Durban. On board were a number of S.A.M.R. and police officers, going down to give evidence before the Indian Commission, and a number of Imperial Army officers on leave. I had a reserved compartment and a number of them gathered in it. Of course they immediately began to discuss what the Government was going to do with the labour leaders. I tried to lead the conversation away from this dangerous subject but without success.

Within nine months all but two of the nine young officers who sat in that compartment had died on the battlefield. The following morning I called on Mr. Siedle, the agent for the Bullard King Line, and found him most charming and helpful. He, however, was rather astonished when I explained why the Government required to charter the Umgeni. He talked of cabling to his directors in London, but I explained that this course was impossible. He finally agreed to accept the responsibility, but brought up a question I had never discussed with the Minister, namely, the signing of an indemnity bond in case the deportees took action against the company before the English court and obtained damages. As this might involve the Union Government in an expenditure of thousands of pounds I was rather loath to sign. However, Siedle pointed out how unfair it would be to expect the company to run this grave risk, and that unless I signed the bond they would wash their hands of the whole affair. Finally, I signed the bond, feeling very much as though I had signed my own death warrant. The other question to be settled was the amount of compensation the Government was to pay the company for the cargo missed by the cancellation of the Umgeni's call at Port Elizabeth and East London. Mr. Siedle put in what I thought was a reasonable claim, and I signed it on behalf of the Union. The agent, I discovered, was rather an expert at deportation, as he had previously deported the rebellious Zulu chief, Dinizulu, and also the officers of Jameson's ill-starred raid. I informed him that I wished to go down to the ship and inspect the accommodation and meet the captain, but that it was essential that none of the ship's people should guess who I was, or my business. We finally arranged that he was to take me on board and introduce me as the manager of the London Gaiety Company, who was then playing in Johannesburg. The story was to be that my company was to arrive on Wednesday, at midnight, by special train and go straight on board, when the ship, whose sailing had been delayed for them, should put straight out to sea. Having purchased a soft black hat, and assuming as theatrical an air as possible, I left with the agent by car for the ship. There I was introduced to the skipper, who proved to be a bluff old British tar of the old and bold type. On my requesting to see the cabins which were to house the members of my company, the ship's purser was sent for. He proved to be a good-looking young man, who, as he took me down to inspect the cabins, confided to me that he loved carrying theatrical folk, as they were always so matey. He asked me if the girls in the party were good-looking. I told him that the only word that could describe them was "peaches". He said that he hoped they would occasionally give a show in the saloon. My reply was that I knew my troupe would oblige very often. He rather stumped me when he asked how many girls there were amongst the nine. On the spur of the moment I replied five, which later on fitted in very well as they were two-berth cabins, and I required a single cabin for one of the deportees, who was a phthisis sufferer. Later that morning I was called to give evidence before the Indian Commission, so had to give up my theatrical rig-out and get into uniform. After I had given evidence the Indian Commissioner, Sir Benjamin Robertson, asked me to dine with him that night, so I knew that he must have approved of my actions during the strike. The next day I went to Harvey Greenacre's draper's shop to buy the nine sets of warm

clothing. The assistant who served me saved me the trouble of thinking out a new lie by saying suddenly: "I suppose, Major Trew, this clothing is for the police shooting team going to Bisley?" "Of course," I assented, "but how did you know me?" His reply was: " Oh, I am not a crook, but I lived in Pretoria for years, and know you well by sight." The clothing was made up in nine parcels, all numbered and addressed to my hotel. That night I went with a party of friends to the theatre, and in the interval, while I was having a drink a man came up and introduced himself as a newspaper reporter. He said: "Major, I saw you giving evidence before the Indian Commission. I would be glad if you can tell me about what date the labour leaders will be brought up for trial?" My reply was: "I am sick to death of the labour leaders, and I neither know nor care what happens to them."

ss Umgeni When I woke the following morning I knew that if all had gone well the special train with the deportees on board must be well on its way. After breakfast I called on the port captain, showed him my authority from General Smuts, and asked him to have a tug with steam up at the wharf to follow the Umgeni out to sea shortly after midnight. The next step was to interview the O.C. troops administering martial law in Durban. It was arranged with him that at 11.45 pm that night he would occupy the wharf with an armed force, turn all civilians out of the dock area and allow no one through a cordon to be thrown round the special train on its arrival. The Water Police were also directed to have a party detailed for special duty on the Umgeni at midnight. By this time I was getting rather nervous, and was afraid that some whisper of the proceedings might leak out, and I be served with an order from a judge of the Supreme Court requiring me to hand over the prisoners to a court official. Of course I realized that the whole of our action was illegal, but I was determined to carry out my orders and ignore any court order which might be served on me. The day seemed as though it would never end, and during the afternoon I got the impression that I was being shadowed. To test it I walked up West Street, and went into a shop which I knew had a back exit. I asked to see some socks, and whilst examining them had a careful look through the shop window. There on the opposite pavement stood the reporter who had spoken to me the previous evening. I hurriedly purchased a couple of pairs of socks and walked out through the back exit. My intention had been to visit the Umgeni before dinner, but this incident decided me to remain in the hotel until the last possible moment.

As I was, however, afraid of the reporter, I called on the press censor under martial law, and after showing him my authority requested him to refuse to pass all telegrams or newspaper articles referring to the s.s. Umgeni, or to anything that might occur on the wharf that night. General Lukin's A.D.C. was dining with me that night, and during dinner it struck me that it would be a good idea to take him on board the ship with me so that I might have an independent witness in case it was later alleged that I had behaved with undue harshness towards the deportees. He was a noted ladies' man, so I asked him if he would come down to a ship with me to see some theatrical girls off. He jumped at the idea, but said that first he must return to his hotel and have a second shave and get on his newer dinner jacket. This I assented to, and he turned up later looking the acme of smartness. At last, accompanied by Mr. Siedle, we left by car for the ship. On arrival there we were conducted to the captain's cabin and I explained to the latter who his prospective passengers were to be. Who was the more astonished at this statement I do not know, but both he and the A.D.C. at first refused to believe me. The captain then said: "Look here, I've got to take these men to England. Won't they put me in gaol for kidnapping them?" It was explained to him that the deportations were being carried out under martial law by order of the Union Government, and that he would be free of all blame in the matter. He replied: "All right, Major, I'll do it. But the log book is my Bible â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you write in it all my orders and sign it for the Government." I was not aware if the British Government had been advised of the deportations, so I warned the captain that he was not to stop on the high seas, or hand his deportees over to anyone except a British warship. His reply was: "You bet I'll stop if a damned man-o'-war signals me to do so. Those perishers would think nothing of putting a shell in my boilers." I thought of that sentence when some years later the Umgeni fell a victim to a German submarine. He cheered up later and said: "Ah, well, you'll see the picture papers full of the old Umgeni and her gallant skipper when we reach old London Town." There were some other passengers on board who had come from east coast ports, and they had been warned to be on board by eleven o'clock. Most of them had gone to their cabins. Walking past them to see the warm clothing deposited in each cabin I suddenly saw a man dodge behind a wind-cowl. I sent a detective to round him up, and when he was marched up there was the enterprising reporter. How he got on board I never learnt. He was warned that under martial law he was liable to arrest for being in a forbidden area. He was escorted off the ship, and pushed out through the dock gates, being warned that if caught there again he would be arrested and locked up for the night. At 11.45 p.m. a body of troops marched on to the wharf and picketed the whole area. At 12, midnight, to the minute, in steamed the special train and drew up on the wharf opposite the Umgeni. It was immediately surrounded by troops with fixed bayonets. Off the train wearily climbed Inspector Hill of the C.I.D., Johannesburg, who had come down in charge of the prisoners. He had remained awake and on the alert for twenty-four hours, and looked a very tired man. He informed me that he had taken over the prisoners the previous night and put them in a closed motor-van. While motoring through the streets they had sung the "Red Flag", hoping that some of their comrades would hear them and trace their movements. He had put them into the special train at a lonely siding; the train had steamed out and never stopped again until that moment. The blinds on the windows had been kept down, and the prisoners had no idea of where their journey was to end. The prisoners were now all fast asleep, each man in a separate compartment with two detectives to guard him. At that moment the driver of the train got off his engine, came up to me and asked what all the fuss was about. When I told him he was struck dumb for a moment. Then he said: "Well, can you beat it? I thought I was hauling police and C.I.D. who had been on the Reef on strike duty."

Inspector Hill and I arranged that each deportee should be awakened in turn, escorted on board, and locked in his cabin, with two of the Water Police as guards. At that moment an orderly, whom I had left at the hotel, dashed up to me and said: "A telegram for you, Major." I at once thought it was a court order, and tore it open with shaking fingers. It read: "Hearty congratulations; wife gave birth to daughter to-day. Both very fit." The first prisoner climbed off the train yawning and rubbing his eyes; on each side of him a detective affectionately held his arm. Suddenly he saw the ship and started back, saying: "I'm not going on any damned ship. Are you trying to shanghai me?" The detective, placing a hand the size of a leg of mutton on his back, said: "Climb that ladder, George, and argue the point afterwards." The man looked at the ranks of soldiers, with the moonlight glistening on their bayonets, and then shaking his head moved forward to the gangway. And so, one by one, the nine were taken on board, and I gave Hill a receipt for his captives. Turning to the captain I asked him to put to sea as soon as possible, and to report to me when he was outside the territorial waters. We then went down to the saloon to see if the arrangements were complete for our interview with the deportees. There was a seat for me at the head of the table, and nine seats round it. Opposite each of the nine seats was a pen and ink, paper and a blank power of attorney form. The Government attorney was there waiting to take the instructions of the nine men as to the disposal of their property in South Africa. I think he thought we were all mad, and had said to me: " I hope you realize what a serious step you are about to take?" I could not speak American in those days, or I would have replied: "You're telling me!" The captain had not been absent long when he returned and reported: "I am sorry Major, but the chief engineer refuses to start the ship's engines. It seems that he and one of the ship's officers have had a few drinks, and the chief claims that the officer insulted him. He will not allow the engines to be started until the officer is punished." It was urgent that we should start at once, for I was haunted by fear of an order of court. I asked the captain if we could not arrest the chief and let the second engineer take the ship to sea. The captain replied that he dare not do it, as the old Scots engineer had been with the company for forty years, and the directors thought the world of him. He advised me to humour the old man and pretend to punish the offender. I sent two of the Water Police to arrest the officer and march him in to me. The captain then brought in the dour old Scottish chief engineer. The officer was marched in, the drink was dying in him, and he looked very frightened. I asked the chief to state his case against the accused, while I made play at writing down the evidence. The chief said: "This damned slip of a boy had the impudence to say, during an argument, that I was no' fit to grease ma own engines. I will no' start ma engines till he's been severely punished." I said: "Chief, will you accept an apology from him and call the matter square?" He replied: "I'll do no sich thing. He must be punished. Why, under your martial law I understand you can shoot a man." I said: "All right, I sentence him to be shot at dawn. March him to his cabin." The old Scot shook me warmly by the hand, saying: "I doot but what your sentence is a wee bitty severe, but he was terribly insulting to a chief engineer. Noo I'll gang awa and start ma engines." I sent the captain to tell the young officer that the trial was all a bluff, but that he was to remain in his cabin for the rest of the night. At last the ship moved off, and passed out through Durban Heads into the open sea, followed by the port captain's tug. We sat in the saloon, and by the motion could tell there was a fairly heavy sea running. It was very fortunate that we were both good sailors; it would have been a terrible anticlimax if we had been prostrate with seasickness. The captain came down and told us that we were clear of the territorial waters, and that it was raining and blowing up for bad weather. The deportees were then brought into the saloon, and I requested them to sit down. When they were seated I said: "Men, I have been ordered by the Government of the Union of South Africa to inform you that you are being deported from South Africa, as you are considered to be a danger to the state. You are to be landed in England. You have one hour in which to write to your relatives and to prepare powers of

attorney dealing with your affairs in South Africa. It is now 2 a.m.; at 3 a.m. this ship sails direct for England." Immediately an angry storm of protest broke out, and they demanded to see my warrant. I said: "There is no warrant." Then they said: "Show us your written authority for this outrage." The reply was: "There is no written authority." Then they all jumped to their feet with cries of: "This is the twentieth century â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you can't kidnap us like this!" and "What do you think you are, buccaneers on the Spanish Main?" One man said: "I demand to see a lawyer. I refuse to sail in this ship." The two most responsible men amongst them, Bain, the miners' leader, and Poutsma, the secretary of the Railwaymen's Union, tried to calm them down. To one man who threatened me with his clenched fist they said: "It's not the Major's fault; he has to do what he is ordered. It's Botha and Smuts we want to get at." Bain then said to Poutsma: "I wonder if there is a wireless on this ship?" So Poutsma answered: "You know Jannie Smuts; if there was one I'll bet it has been dismantled." I explained to the angry men that they had no appeal to any power or person. That as long as they behaved themselves they would be treated as ordinary first-class passengers. After that they calmed down and began their letters to their wives and other relatives. The attorney moved amongst them and took their wishes as to the disposal of their property. The captain came down at 3 a.m. and told me there was a big sea getting up and that unless we got off at once we would have to go to London with them. I introduced each one of the deportees to the captain. One of them as he shook hands said: "You will find that we are not very dangerous anarchists. We have no bombs or revolvers." The tough old sea dog replied: "If you behave, you will be treated the same as any other passenger. If you make trouble, into irons you go." I then requested the captain to signal the tug to send a boat for us. We rang for a steward and ordered drinks all round. We drank to them and wished them a pleasant voyage, and they in return drank to us. The letters and powers of attorney were sealed in a bag to go to the censor under martial law, and we went on deck. It was a cheerless scene which met our gaze. The early morning was cold and dark, and the deck was slippery with the driving rain. In the distance we could see the lights of the tug, which was pitching and tossing in the heavy sea. Two sailors held flares burning over the rope ladder, which was the only means of leaving the ship. Underneath the ladder was the boat from the tug. At one moment it was twenty feet below us, at the next not more than ten. We sent off the Water Police and the attorney in the first load and the A.D.C. and I followed in the next. It was a nasty experience going down that rope ladder in the dark; the rungs were wet and slippery and as the vessel rolled it kept banging on the side. We arrived on board the tug, wet through with spray, but a big mug full of coffee, which the skipper had kindly prepared for us, soon warmed us up. Arriving at the wharf we found a Defence Force car waiting for us and at once drove to the telegraph office to notify the Minister of the successful accomplishment of the mission. I had an order from him to get the wire through to Matjesfontein on the Cape railway by 9 a.m. as the Cabinet were on their way to Cape Town for the Parliamentary Session. Having forgotten to notify the postmaster at Durban I found the telegraph office shut. However, I consulted a friendly policeman and he directed me to the Eastern Cable Company's office. They were most obliging and agreed to cable the message round to Cape Town, where it could be relayed to Matjesfontein. The message read:

Duty completed in accordance with orders. Two days later I left Durban by the R.M.S. Edinburgh Castle for Cape Town to report personally to General Smuts. As soon as the interview started I informed him of the indemnity bond I had been compelled to sign, and he made no remark. I then told him that I had overheard one deportee remark that they would walk off the ship at Madeira, where she was compelled to call for coal. He at once sent for the Spanish Consul and informed him what had happened, and of the remark which had been overheard. The result of this appeared in a letter I received from the captain of the Umgeni. It ran as follows: "What did you people tell the Spanish about my ship? When we got to Madeira they treated us as though we had plague on board. The ship was surrounded by armed picket boats, and not a soul was allowed to leave her."

On arrival in Cape Town I learnt that Colonel Creswell, the leader of the Labour Party in Parliament, had in some way learnt that the deportees were on the Umgeni. He had hired a tug and tried to intercept the ship off Cape Town. He, however, could not find her. It appeared that my part in the deportations had made me rather unpopular amongst a certain section of the Transvaal, so the Government granted me three months' leave in Cape Town. For a month I spent nearly every day in the House of Parliament listening to the very heated debate on the deportations. As I heard members comparing the actions of the Government with that of the Tsar of Russia in sending his subjects to Siberia, I began to feel as though I was an inhuman monster. I received an official letter from the Cabinet thanking me for the efficient manner in which I had performed my duty. Then I sustained a nasty shock. The papers announced that the deportees were taking action against the Bullard King Steamship Company for thousands of pounds worth of damages. At the Civil Service Club, Cape Town, one day I met Mr. Siedle, the agent from Durban. To my astonishment I learnt from him that the Minister for Finance had repudiated the indemnity bond I had signed, on the ground that I had no authority to pledge the credit of the Government to an unlimited amount. Fortunately, the permanent Head of the Treasury, Mr. James Leisk, was a friend of mine. Calling at his office I explained the whole position to him, and pointed out that if my signature was repudiated no Government servant would ever accept any responsibility in future. He promised to take the matter up, and shortly after informed me that the Government had agreed to honour the bond. However, I was warned that I would have to go to England to give evidence on behalf of the Company. Fortunately a very clever agent of the latter in London got hold of one of the deportees and persuaded him to accept ÂŁ100 in full settlement of his claim. This spoilt the big claims of the other men, and finally they agreed to accept ÂŁ100 each. The next time I met any of the men I had seen off on the Umgeni at Durban, was when I met Poutsma one day, years afterwards, in a club in Cape Town. He had returned to South Africa, and was now transformed by the whirligig of time into organizing secretary for the South African Party led by General Smuts. As soon as he saw me he said: " Come on, Colonel, I can now stand you a drink in return for the one you stood me on the Umgeni" The deportations were quite illegal, although subsequently made legal by Act of Parliament, but I think they were amply justified by the results. For eight years subsequently South Africa, and Johannesburg in particular, industrial peace. During the difficult War years I heard a labour leader addressing a very excited meeting on the Rand, and this is how he finished his speech: "If there is a strike we must have no violence or attempts at violence. We don't want any more deportations."

Artwork: Bernard Heymans 42

1925 ROYAL TOUR: PRINCE Movie of Royal Train

Photo circa 1925 by H Starkey – Heymans Collection

Class 14 – Heymans Collection. 43

SAR Class 14 near Congella c1925 – Heymans Collection Royal Coaches 3 and 5

Diagram Royal Coach 3

Photo Royal Coach 3 4 Wolsely c1925 – Heymans Collection 44

Royal Coach No 5

Diagram Royal Coach 5

Filler: FSLJ-Beer trucks for SAB

1934: ROYAL TOUR Information from Mr. Albert Borgsteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book and is quoted with his permission:

1954: BLUE TRAIN / BLOUTREIN [I was forced to change the layout of the brochure but the contents stayed the same – HBH.]

The world has certainly changed from 1954! The locomotive is named “PRINCESS ELIZABETH”. 51

999 miles in 27 hours and 30 minutes averages at about 36.33 miles per hour.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A bit of trash now and then is good for the severest reader. It provides the necessary roughage in the literary diet.â&#x20AC;? Phyllis McGinley in Daily Maverick 22 March 2017

BLUE TRAIN: LOCOMOTIVE: SAR 15F 3101: “PRINCESS ELIZABETH”: L PIVNIC

SAS-SAR contacted Oom Les Pivnic now relocated in Australia about the above locomotive which also appeared on the front page of the Blue Train brochure. (We wrongly thought it was a Class 23.) Dear Hennie, I know that official SAR photo very well. I also knew the locomotive and its driver very well. The photo was taken in Johannesburg just as the Blue Train was steaming out of the City. The background to the photo has been cleared for the purpose of using it on a Blue Train brochure. Here are the details: The locomotive is not a class 23 – it is in fact, a 15F no.3101 named “Princess Elizabeth” by her Driver Special Grade – Joe White. His regular fireman was P.H. van Rooyen who ended his service as a Locomotive Inspector. 3101 was their regular engine in the Blue Train link at Braamfontein in the late 1940s/early 1950s. I am the proud owner of one of 3101’s number plates. I used to cycle down to Johannesburg Station on a Sunday morning and see train 202Up (forerunner of the Trans Karoo) depart with a 15F for Klerksdorp. Quite often, Joe and his mate would be on duty with 3101 and Joe would ask me to go and buy the Sunday Times for him from the railway bookstall. When I returned with the paper, he would allow me to sit in the driver’s seat and this made my day! Wonderful memories of a wonderful times in the good old days! Regards Oom Les

Dear Hennie, I don't have a photo of Mr Joe White but I seem to recall seeing a photo of Mr Van Rooyen in later years as a Loco Inspector. When I find it I will send it to you. Driver White died in the 1970s. In the two photos attached above - the first photo shows 3101 with the Blue Train in Johannesburg Station - ready for departure. The second photo is the very one that the Publicity Dept., used to make the cover of the brochure of the Blue Train - you can just see Driver White looking back at his train as 3101 steams out of JHB. Both are SAR photos - now known as "THL" photos. If you want to reproduce them in SAS-SAR, I don't see a problem because they are from my collection. Groetnis Oom Les 60

SAR 15F 3101 with Blue Train Driver Joe White. [For more reading and videoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the F15 locomotive refer to the following lank on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_15F_4-8-2 by Col Andre Kritzinger.]

SAR 15F 3101 with the Blue Train and Driver Joe White leaning out. Same photograph of the one on the cover of the brochure as used for publicity purposes

1964: STATION BOMB: JOHANNESBURG RAILWAY STATION Sunday Times 24 July 1964

(A personal note: I am the son of a policeman. I grew up with “police stories” and “national security history.” At the age of 17 I joined the South African Police. I completed the first semester of 1964 and was send back to Durban and immediately I took a keen interest in functional police work. I remember how we had to perform eight hours of beat with a .38 Smith and Wesson and a .303 rifle dating from the Anglo Boer War, the bayonet was a 1907 model. I remember when this incident took place, I had to patrol around the Mobil Oil Refinery in Wentworth, Durban – then a kid and if I was in a contact I would have been outgunned. (The FN later the R1 only came later.) Later in my career I served in the Security Branch. It was a friend of mine, Lt.-Gen. JJ Viktor (then a lieutenant) of the Witwatersrand Security Branch who solved this particular case. Here is the short history: He and a colleague were busy interrogating a suspect. After the bomb went off at the station he and his colleague took the suspect to the railway station. All three were shocked when they saw the carnage. The suspect said: “You have all the suspects but I know XXX has explosives. They phoned the police at Roodepoort and John Harris was arrested.) 63

Die Transvaler 27 Julie 1964

Filler: 1927: SAR Class HF No 1368: Modified Fairlie

The “HF” Class (Henschel Fairlie) articulated locomotives carried numbers 1380 – 1390; and they had a 2-8-2 + 2-8-2 wheel arrangement. Designed by Col Collins for the Natal North Coast. They were built by Henschel und Sohn placed into service during 1927 (See: Paxton & Bourne: Locomotives of the South African Railways, A concise Guide, Struik, 1985 p. 98. Photo courtesy Yolanda Meyer, Transnet Archive.) 66

1968: CLERESTORY ROOF: BLUE TRAIN

By courtesy Yolanda Meyer, Spoornet Archive, Johannesburg.

Clerestory roof: Blue Train: Two models I photographed at the Bot River “Railway Museum” and below two carriges before departure to Johannesburg from Pretoria. (Photo: Boon Boonzaaier.) Filler: “Back to the distant past” [From my Scrapbook (no date available)]

1990: LAST 15F AT VIRGINIA: OFS

Jacque Wepener shared the above photo with some of his friends: Hi guys. Have a look at what one of my friends sent me. Oom Hannes (left) is now retired and still lives in Virginia. On the right is Gert, my old driver I always speak about - almost 27 years ago... He was a fireman back then - now at Sandstone. Cheers. Comments by Hennie Heymans: During 1990 and 1991 I was stationed in Welkom in the OFS. I remember that particular 15F at Virginia very well. During a lull in riots at Virginia I spent a few minutes in solitude with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old Ladyâ&#x20AC;? whilst she was staged at Virginia. She was then a bit slovenly. (Lt.-Col Malherbe formerly railway police accompanied me.) I think the local newspaper The Vista also mentioned the sad fact that it was the end of steam. (The mines however continued with their steam operations.) One day during my tenure at Welkom, I was then the District Commissioner, and in that capacity invited to the Welkom Show. 69

My wife and I were to be guests on a special steam trip from Welkom to somewhere. Just before the trip was due to leave we had a serious bank robbery. I thought it best rather to answer the call of duty. However the Local Police Lab took a photo of the locomotive, they knew I was mad about trains, and presented it to me in a boxed frame. Something I treasured for many years. (My feeling was: Duty calls, here we have a serious robbery and the press might photograph me somewhere on or near the train and mentioning the fact that I could have spent my time better dealing with crime.)

ELECTRIFICATION OF SA RAILWAY & PRIVATE LINES: J & J WEPENER Hi all, Information obtained from, S.A.R. Steam, Diesel and Electric traction diagram and Bruno Martin maps. Electric traction has been in use in SA from 1897 to 2017. See System 8. Pilgrims Rest mine railway. System 1 Woodstock via Monument to Sea Point. 1.5kv DC. 1927 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1929. 1st Electric suburban in SA. Cape Town to Simonstad /SimonsTown. 1.5kv DC, 1928, 3kv DC 1956. Soutrivier/River to Bellville. 1,5kv DC 1933, 3kv DC 1954. Maitland to Dieprivier. 1.5kv DC 1934, 3kv DC 1953. Pinelands to Langa. 1.5kv DC 1939, 3kv DC 1955. Raapenberg to Langa. 1.5kv 1939, 3kv DC 1955. Cape Town to Woltamade (Avoiding Line).3kv DC 1950. Bellville to Worcester. 3kv DC 1953. Bellville to Muldersvlei via Stellenbosch. 3kv DC 1953. Worcester to Touwsrivier. 3kv DC 1954. Hex tunnels route opened 1989, Hex Pass closed catenary removed. Culemborg to Kensington. 3kv DC 1955. Bay Junc. to Table Harbour. 3kv DC 1957. A number of harbours lines and catenary removed, 1982, new line from Windermere Junc. Maitland to Observatory (Link). 3kv DC 1959. Touwsrivier to Beaufort West. 3kv DC 1961. Eersterivier to Strand. 3kv DC 1963. Cape Town to Nyanga via Mutual. 3kv DC 1964. Bonteheuwel to Kasselsvlei via Lavistown. 3kv DC 1964. Belleville to Kensington via Akasiapark. 3kv DC 1980. Nyanga to Kapteinsklip. 3kv DC 1980. Table Bay Harbour to Windermere Junc. 3kv DC 1982. Some catenary since removed plus track. Beaufort West to De Aar. 25kv AC 1984. Beaufort West exchange point 3kv DC/25kv AC. De Aar end of system 2. Phillipi to Khayelitsha. 3kv DC 1988. Khayelitsha to Chris Hani. 3kv DC 2009. System 2 Klerksdorp to Vierteenstrome. 3kv DC 1964. (System 2 starts at Klerksdorp). Kimberley to Fourteen Streams. 3kv DC 1966. Kimberley to Postmasburg. 3kv DC 1967. Postmasburg to Palingspan. 3kv DC 1967. Palingspan to Hotazel. 3kv DC 1968. 70

De Aar to Beaconsfield. 25kv AC 2001. (Ronald’s Vlei exchange point 3kv DC/25kv AC. New dual voltage locomotives, have sensors to detect correct voltage). System 3 Port Elizabeth to De Aar. 25kv AC. 1984. System 4 East London to Springfontein. 25kv AC 1988. System 5 Vereeniging to Kroonstad (Gunhill). 3kv DC 1959. Vereeniging end of System 7. Gunhill to Bethlehem. 3kv DC 1971. Bethlehem to Harrismith 3kv DC. 1972. (Catenary from), Danskraal arrived Harrismith 1935. Harrismith is end of System 6. Kroonstad to Bloemfontein. 3kv DC 1975. Bloemfontein to Hamilton. 3kv DC 1975. Catenary removed 1990’s. Hamilton would have been the exchange point for 3kv DC/25kv AC. Whites to Welkom. 3kv DC 1975. Catenary removed 2001. Whites West to junction on south leg of main line. Line and catenary removed 1985. System 6 Ladysmith (N) Danskraal [Daimana] to Estcourt. 3kv DC 1925. First main line catenary. Estcourt to Mooi River. 3kv DC 1925. Danskraal to Glencoe. 3kv DC 1925. Mooi River to Pietermaritzburg. 3kv DC 1926. Danskraal to Harrismith. 3kv DC 1935. Kroonstad to Harrismith catenary 1972. Congella to Point. 3kv DC 1936. Point to Harbour area. 3kv DC 1936. Cato Ridge to Durban (New line). 3kv DC 1936. Glencoe to Volksrust. 3kv DC 1937. Three stations/sidings before Volksrust is end of System 6. Booth Junc. to Wests. 3kv DC 1938. Congella yard. 3kv DC 1938. Rossburg to Cato Ridge (Old line). 3kv DC 1959. Now only to Pinetown. Durban to Duff’s Rd. Via Effingham. 3kv DC 1962. Umgeni to Duff’s Rd. Via Red Hill. 3kv DC 1962. Duff’s Rd. To kwaMashu. 3kv DC 1962. Duff’s Road to Mt Edgecombe. 3kv DC 1967. Clairwood to Reunion. 3kv DC 1967. Reunion to Isipingo. 3kv DC 1967. Merrivale to Howick. 3kv DC 1967. Closed catenary removed 1997. Reunion to Umlazi. 3kv DC 1968. Isipingo to Amamzimtoti 3kv DC 1968. Kelso to Umzinto. 3kv DC 1968. Closed catenary removed 1985. Glencoe to Hlobane. 3kv DC 1968. Mt Edgecombe to Verulam. 1969. Verulam to Newark. 3kv DC 1969. Kelso to Port Shepstone. 3kv DC 1970. Merebank to Crossmore 3kv DC 1971. Stanger to Gingindlovu to 3kv DC 1972. Gingindlovu to Empangeni. 3kv DC 1974. Vryheid to Vryheid East. 3kv DC 1975. Link to yard. Exchange point in yard 3kv DC/25kv AC. [Umgeni] to Springfield flats. 3kv DC 2010. Duff’s Rd. to Bridge city 3kv DC 2013. 71

System 7 Germiston to Alberton. 3kv DC 1937. Closed catenary removed 2002. Germiston to Wattles. 3kv DC 1937. Johannesburg to Springs. 3kv DC 1937. Apex to Welgedag [Welgedacht]. 3kv DC 1937. Johannesburg to Pimville via Langlaagte. 3kv DC 1937. Closed catenary removed 1974. Langlaagte to Krugersdorp. 3kv DC 1937. Germiston to Kempton Park. 3kv DC 1937. Apex to Welgedacht 3kv DC 1937. Krugersdorp to Randfontein. 3kv DC 1938. Kempton Park to #Irene, onwards Pretoria. 3kv DC 1938. System 8 starts at #Irene. Canada Junc. To Village Main. 3kv DC 1940. Kloofsig Junc. to TEK. 3kv DC 1940â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. SADF siding. Village Main to Faraday[Faraday Str.]. 3kv DC 1945. Canada Junc. To Phomolong. 3kv DC 1947. Phomolong to Phefeni. 3kn DC 1948. Germiston to Elsburg. 3kv DC 1948. Klip Town to Midway. 3kv DC 1948. Crown to Industria. 3kv DC 1948. Driehoek to Booysens East. 3kv DC 1948. Randfontein to Welverdiend. 3kv DC 1951. Midway to Bank 3kv DC 1951. Knights to Knights Halt. 3kv DC 1955. Tri-angle built allowing traffic flow to East Rand lines. Squatters stole line, now shack area. Phefeni to Dube. 3kv DC 1955. Dunswart to Daveyton. 3kv DC 1958. Crown to Westgate. 3kv DC 1958. Welverdiend to Klerksdorp. 3kv DC 1958. Dube to Naledi. 3kv DC 1959 Katulo to Pilot. 3kv DC 1959. Wattles to Vereeniging. 3kv DC 1959. Springs to Welgedag. 3kv Dc 1959. Springs to Natalspruit. 3kv DC 1959. Simpan to Elsberg. 3kv DC 1959. Midway to Vereeniging. 3kv DC 1960. Pilot to Kwesine. 3kv DC 1961. Kaalfontein to Tembisa. 3kv DC 1961. Welgedag to Witbank. 3kv DC 1961. Siding before Witbank end of System 7. Ogies to Broodsnyersplaas. 3kv DC 1961. Broodsnyersplaas end of System 7. Tembisa to Leralla. 3kv DC 1963. Alliance to Welgedag. 3kv DC 1964. Volksrust to Union Junc. 3kv DC 1964. Cachet to Houtheuwel. 3kv DC 1965. Delmas to Hawerklip. 3kv DC 1965. Springs to Kaydale. 3kv DC. 1976. Nigel to Kaydale catenary removed 2001. Welverdiend to Lichtenberg. 3kv DC 1976. City Deep. 3kv DC 1977. Kazerne New yard. 3kv DC 1978. Closed catenary removed. Sentra Rand to Kaalfontein. 3kv DC 1982. Sentra Rand to Welgedag. 3kv DC 1983. George Goch to Kazerne-Wes. 3kv DC 1983. Sentra Rand to Greenville. 3kv DC 1986. Glenroy to Daleside 3kv DC. 1988. 72

Zesfontein to Skansdam. 3kv DC 1988. System 8 Pilgrims Rest. First electric line in SA 1897. Closed 1971. #Irene to Pretoria, from Kempton Park. 3kv DC 1938. #Irene start of System 8. Pretoria to Pretoria-Wes. 3kv DC 1938. Pretoria-Wes to Capital Park. 3kv DC 1955. Pretoria-Wes to Cor Delfos. 3kv DC 1957. Cor Delfos to Saulsville. 3kv DC 1958. Pretoria to Koedoespoort. 3kv DC 1958. Capital Park to Eerste Fabrieke. 3kv DC 1958. Saulsville to Atteridgeville. 3kv DC 1958. Komatipoort to Witbank. 3kv DC 1966. Hercules to Pretoria North 3kv DC 1970. Pretoria North to De Wildt. 3kv DC 1973. Eerste Fabrieke to Witbank.3kv DC 1977. Broodsnyersplaas to Ermelo. 3kv DC 1977. Derwent to Rosenekal. 3kv DC 1977. Section Stoffberg to Rosenekal closed 2016. Mine closed. Broodsnyersplaas to Wonderfontein. 3kv DC 1978. Kaapmuiden to Phalaborwa. 3kv DC 1978. New line. KNP line closed. Winternest to Soshanguwe. 3kv Dc 1980. Soshanguwe to Mabopane. 3kv DC 1983. Hercules to Bell Ombre. 3kv DC 1983. Pretoria North to Pyramid. 3kv DC 1984. Pyramid-Suid to Pietersburg. 25kv Ac. 1984. Pyramid-Suid exchange point for 3kv DC/25kv AC. Brits to Thabazimbi. 25kv AC 1985. Pendoring to Atlanta. 25kv AC 1985. Northam to Middelwit. 25kv AC. 1986. Service line to Schoongezicht approved, temporary catenary erected 1987. Greenville to De Wildt. 3kv Dc 1986. De Wildt exchange point for 3kv DC/25kv AC sections. Pretoria to Moloto. 3kv DC 2017. Under construction. 3kv DC used, to enable present EMU sets to work line. System 9 Oranjemund to diamond diggings. Catenary removed 1940. Bogenfels to Prinzenbucht/Elisabethbucht. Catenary removed 1940.. System 10 Ermelo to Richards Bay. 25kv AC 1978. First AC electrification in SA. System 11 Sishen (Erts) to Saldanha (Orex). 25kv AC 1976.

Proposed new electrified lines System 5 Hamilton to Springfontein. 25kv AC. Numerous 25kv AC lines built 1980’s. Made sense to have electrified lines to Springfontein/Ronald’s Vlei. Hamilton to Ronald’s Vlei. 25kv AC. As above. Could have had a suburban service, hauled by AC locomotives. Noupoort to Springfontein. 25kv AC As above. Siding before Noupoort is end of System 5. Bloemfontein to Thaba Nchu. 3kv DC. If the line to Kimberley was electrified, the Thaba Nchu line could also have had a suburban service. Westleigh to Orkney. 3kv DC. 2000’s. Ore traffic. 73

Les and Hennie thanks for replies. It takes a lot of research and time, but keeps me busy after doing my house and garden chores. I used to take a daily afternoon nap, but then I struggled to sleep at night. Now I stay busy mornings, afternoons and evenings. Sleep well now. But first I lie and think of next article. Battle to find where I placed documents/maps on occasions. The diagram used for this article was on the wall of the coupe. I only saw it after a search. •

Bruno thanks for the great maps you produce.

•

*Oom Les ons word oud. Told recently that it not us getting old, but our hard drive is so full of information. It takes a while to recover information. It regularly happens that I go to a room, on reaching there do not have a clue what it is I am looking for. Retrace my steps and suddenly it strikes me. Soap and toilet paper need in the bath room. (Search complete).

Electrifying greetings, John and Jacque Wepener Reply: HL Pivnic (Late Assistant-Curator: Johannesburg Railway Museum) Hello John, Thanks for your latest offering on electrification and in a spirit of constructive comment, I would like to offer the following: First let me say that I haven’t got the time to go through the document in detail but just casually scanning through it, I found a few items that I would like to offer my comment on. 1. I feel that it might be a bit confusing to mix SAR history with private rail operations. If you want to do this then I would suggest a statement to that effect would be needed in the beginning of the document. I’m referring to the electric tramway at Pilgrims Rest in the Eastern Transvaal. That was operated by the Transvaal Gold Mining Estates and had no connection to the SAR – it was private. 2. System 9: You include reference to early SWA diamond mine railways – these were also private operations – not SAR. 3. My official SAR documentation indicates that the border between the Western Transvaal and Eastern Transvaal Systems was at the Home signal at Pretoria and not Irene as you have stated. It is possible that at a later date when the Systems became Regions, that the border was shifted to Verwoerdburg or Irene. But in the old SAR days, the border was right outside the Pretoria station Home signal gantry. There was actually a sign mounted next to the track indicating the change of System. Your comment on the above would be appreciated. On a personal note, you are not alone when you walk into a room and wonder what you went there for – the same sometimes happens to me! As you say – “ons word oud”. Cheers Oom Les

LINES ABANDONED, CLOSED, TRACK STOLEN AND UPLIFTED: J & J WEPENER Hi all, Cape Western Monument to Sea Point. Due to Tram and Omni bus service, passenger support dwindled. Closed uplifted 1929. Harbour Zero to Monument. Closed uplifted 1953. New line via Bay junc. Milnerton junctions 1st and 2nd to Tygerberg. Again bus services responsible. Race day trains only. Closed uplifted 1957. Line to Opwekker remained for a while. Uitkyk to Vredenburg. Closed uplifted 1976. Latou to Ladismith (K). Floods, closed uplifted 1981. De Doorns to Kleinstraat. Closed uplifted. (De Doorns to Osplaas/Matroosberg to Kleinstraat, up/down lines 1989). Osplaas to Matroosberg now privately run. Kootjieskolk to Sakrivier. Closed uplifted 1995. Hutchison to Calvinia. Closed 2001. Cillie to Franshoek. Closed 2002. Wolseley to Prince Alfred Hamlet. Closed 2002. Re-opened 2016. Private Co. and Transnet. Hermon to Porterville. Closed 2004. Cape Northern Port Nolloth to O’Okiep. Closed uplifted 1944. Except Jetty, Nababeep to O’Okiep smelter and Port Nolloth to 8½ mile poi, for transport of water to town. Taung to Taung Mine. Closed uplifted 1977. Northern Lime Co. mine closed. Palingspan to Manganora. Closed uplifted 1977. Mine closed. Groveput to Copperton. Closed uplifted 1991. Mine closed. Lohatla to SADF. Closed uplifted 1994. Upington to Kakamas. Floods closed 2004. Cape Midlands Bridgend to Cape Collieries. Closed uplifted 1912. Bamboo Junc. To Bridgend. Closed uplifted 1917. Gouritz bridge. Original line 1906, used road bridge built 1892. Railway bridge built 1931. Colesberg to Colesberg Town. Closed uplifted 1931. No longer needed. Valley to Walmer. Closed uplifted 1928. Bus service introduced. Knysna to Templeman. Closed uplifted 1949. Timber traffic by road. Schoombe to Hofmeyer. Closed uplifted 1992. Kliplaat to Noupoort. Floods closed 1993. Re-opened used for test trains 2012. Grahamstown to Port Alfred. Closed 1993. Blaaukrantz bridge in need of repair. Dirko to Somerset East. Closed uplifted 1993. Kinkelbos to Alexandria. Closed 1993. Stormberg to Rosmead. Closed 2001. George to Knysna. Floods closed 2006. Repairs R32mil. Now 3x more. Insurance states house on cliff, built illegally, too near cutting edge, not authorised. Alicedale to Grahamstown. Closed 2009. Addo to Kirkwood. Closed uplifted 2011. Cape Eastern Molteno to Jamestown. Closed uplifted 1984. Fort Beaufort to Seymore. Closed uplifted 1984. Bowkers Park to Tarkastad. Closed and uplifted 1988. Imvani to Qamata. Closed and uplifted 1988. Sterkstroom to Maclear. Closed 2001. 75

Aliwal North to Barkley East. Closed 2001. Dreunberg to Aliwal North. Closed 2009. Amabele to Umtata. Closed 2010. Orange Free State Show Grounds [Tempe Junction] to Tempe. Closed 1932. Uplifted at later stage. Zastron to Aliwal North. Closed 2001. Springfontein to Koffiefontein. Closed 2001. Vierfontein to Orkney. Floods closed and uplifted 2002, without permission. Re-instated 2010. Dover to Vredefort. Closed. Sleepers stolen 2002. Heilbron to Wolwehoek. Floods, closed 2005. Modderpoort to Ladybrand. Closed 2005. Sannaspos to Zastron. Closed 2006. Villiers to Grootvlei. Floods closed 2006. Theunnisen[Smaldeel Junction] to Winburg. Closed 2007. Virginia to Glen Harmony. Closed uplifted 2007. Firham to Vrede. See Western Transvaal. Natal Newleigh to Willowgrange. Closed uplifted 1934. Original line. Mtubatuba to Somekele. Closed uplifted 1928. Point to 1st Durban. Closed uplifted 1937. New line from Dalbridge. 1st Durban to 2nd Durban onwards. Closed uplifted 1937. Stanger to Kearsney. Closed uplifted 1948/49. Willowgrange to Escourt. Closed uplifted 1949. Original line. Canelands to Maidstone. Abandoned, closed uplifted 1964. 2nd Durban to main line, Closed uplifted 1980. 3rd Durban station opened. Escourt to Weenen. Closed uplifted 1983. Donnybrook to Ixopo. Closed, uplifted 1986. Highflats to Umzinto. Floods closed uplifted 1985. Umlaas Road to Mid Illovo. Closed 1985. Ixopo to Madonela. Floods closed and uplifted 1986. Patonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Express. Allwoodburn to Ncalu, planned to Madonela. Umkomaas to Umzinto. Closed uplifted 1986. Merrivale to Howick. Closed uplifted 1988. Umlaas Road to Thornville closed uplifted 1988. Pentrich to Richmond. Closed 1988. Gingindlovu to Eshowe North. Floods closed and uplifted 1987. Pinetown to Cato Ridge. Closed 1997. Rooipunt[Utrecht Junc.] to Utrecht. Closed uplifted 2001. Mine closed. Beach Terminus[Port Shepstone]. Floods closed 2006. Donnybrook to Bergville. Closed 2010. Eshayamoya Express. Pietermaritzburg to Franklin. Closed 2010. Franklin to Matatiele. Closed 2010. Eshayamoya Express. Creighton to Riverside / Franklin / Donnybrook / Underberg. Franklin to Kokstad. Closed 2010. Dalton to Glenside. Closed 2012. Schroder to Bruyns Hill. Closed 2012. Chailey to Mt Alida. Closed 2014. Greytown to Kranskop. Closed 2015.

Western Transvaal Grootvlei to Redan. Closed uplifted 1966. No more coal traffic. Nancefield to Pimville. Closed and uplifted 1974. Alliance to Geduld. Closed and uplifted 1978. Opening of Sentra Rand avoiding lines. Dunswart to Geduld. Closed uplifted 1978. Sentra Rand. Apex to Dunswart. Closed uplifted 1978. Sentra Rand. Nigel to Kaydale. Closed uplifted. Sentra Rand. 2002 Braamfontein to Milner Park/Cotsloe. Closed 2002. Opening of Nasrec exhibition centre. Volksrust to Bethal. Closed uplifted 2002. Makawassie to Vermaas. Closed 2004. Alliance to Dunswart. Closed uplifted 2005. Firham to Vrede. Closed 2011. Elsburg to Simpan. Closed 2014. Eastern Transvaal Lyttelton Junc. to Roberts Heights. Closed uplifted 1914. Elandshoek to Mt Carmel. Closed uplifted 1931. Madombidzha to Schoemansdal. Closed uplifted 1932. New line built to Louis Trichardt town. Komatipoort to Newington. Closed uplifted 1963. Too many ore trains KNP. Staff unable to cross, due to wild animals at points. New line to Phalaborwa. Tzaneen to Soekmekaar. Closed uplifted 1966. New line Groenbult to Tzaneen. Davel to Breyten. Closed uplifted 1975. Drummondlea to Grass Valley. Closed uplifted 1989. Chrome mine closed. Hercules to Magaliesburg. Closed 1983. All most entire line stolen. Using surplus SADF thick canvas tents, over sections being cut by gas torches, at night. Kaapmuiden to Barberton. Closed 1999. Cor Delfos to Voortrekkerhoogte. Closed 1999. Nylstroom to Vaalwater. Closed 2003. Naboomspruit to Zebediela. Closed 2003. Pienaarsrivier to Marble Hall. Closed 2003. Buhrmannskop to Lothair. Closed 2008. Nelspruit to Graskop. Closed 2016. Citrus to Plaston. Closed 2016. South West Africa Karibib to Ounguati. Closed uplifted 1924. Third rail used Usakos to Kranzberg. Kolmanskop to Bogenfels. Closed uplifted 1940. Diamond diggings abandoned. Usakos to Tsumeb. Closed uplifted 1961. 1065mm line opened. Otavi to Grootfontein. Closed uplifted 1961. Do. Otjiwarongo to Outjo. Closed uplifted 1961. Do. Please note some of the 2000 onwards dates may not be too accurate. It is difficult to get information. Most lines closed in 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s were due to Transnet no longer accepting truck loads. Only block loads were hauled. Massive station closures also took place during this period.

RAILWAY POLICE AT WAR: J & J WEPENER Attached photographs refer. A bit of information about the S.A.R. Police at war. 77

The S.A.R. Police were stationed at Oshevillo* during the Bush War from 1977 to 1986. The photos show their Regional colours, metal - cloth beret badges and cloth wings. The other photograph is the camouflage battle dress of a Warrant Officer. Few members of the general public knew that the S.A.R. Police undertook active duty during this period, in the bush war. Unfortunately the original printed documents got wet, due to a leak in the Museum. We have a CD “The Recces” by Lourens Fourie and has cut 7 “Oshikati Ovamboland”. Oshikati die mooiste plek in Ovamboland. Ruacana die plek met die meeste water. Oshivello* die plek met die meeste vlieë. Okatopi die plek met die meeste perde. Enhana die plek met die minste water. Ondangwa die plek waar die Flossies land. Ongwediva die teelplek van terroriste. *Arme Stasieblompotte, swaar gekry met die meeste vlieë. Jy kan miskien hierdie brokkie gebruik? Die S.A.R. Polisie het in 1985 ŉ pragtige gedenkboek gedruk vir 75 Jaar bestaan van SARP. Ons het nie een gekoop nie. Dit sal vol artikels wees. Derde foto, van een van twee gepanserde pad- en spoorvoertuie. Hulle was te swaar vir pad gebruik. Gebruik slegs op spoor patrollies. Een by TransNamib Museum, Windhoek. Die ander laas in Bellville. Geel geverf vir Metro, om gevaar gebiede te patrolleer. SARP groete, John en Jacque.

Comments by Hennie Heymans We used to speak of “steenkool” camoflage when refering to the camoflage of the SAR Police. Make no mistake the SAR Police was highly trained and they had a super Special Task Force comparable to best in the world. They received training from the German GSG 9 and from the Iralei’s. The APC of the SAR Police was a “Bospadda” only two were built. The one was called “Kobus” and the othe “Chris”. Herewith an extract from the Nongqai (another police history and national security history magazine I publish) on the SAR Police and the Border War:

SAS EN HAWE-POLISIE BY OSHIVELO Wel en Weë van die Militêre Veterane : Berig 03/2017. 26. Agtergrond. Verlede week het Paul Els genoem dat hy steeds probeer uitvind wat die funksie was van die SAS & Hawe- Polisie wat by Oshivelo teenwoordig was.

27. Flip Genis van die Infanterie “In 1980/81was ek die 2iB van 53 Bn. Hierdie Spoorwegpolisie het die spoorwegtrokke begelei wat voorrade na Owamboland vervoer het. Hierdie trokke het altyd teen eerstelig by Oshivelo opgestel en dan het die polisie die konvooi met een seksie voor en een seksie agter begelei. Toe daar nog 79

hinderlae tussen Oshivelo en Ondangwa was, het ek en my gesin eenmaal deel van die konvooi gevorm, maar die rookdampe was so erg dat ons maar op ons eie vooruit koers gekies het”. 28. Hennie Heymans van die ZARPe “Die Spoorwegpolisie het die SAS se Padmotordiens se konvooie begelei. Die SAS padmotordiens het nog in daardie dae goedere vervoer wat by die stasies in Tsumeb en Grootfontein afgelewer is. Genl Constand Viljoen het hulle by geleentheid vir die werk aangeprys wat hulle gedoen het”.

This just proves the point that people, even soldiers, forget the sterling work performed nationally and internationally by the SAR Police – they served at all air ports and harbours and they acted as “Sky Marshalls” on all SAA-flights. (Internationally they operated in Maseru, Maputo and elsewhere where there was SAR rolling stock as well as on all overseas SAA flights where they protected the assets of the SAR & H. They were also the “Water Police” in the harbours. SAR Police APC: Windhoek

Kobus being shown to the press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; photo: Heymans-collection. On Active Duty

Photo: Johannes Botha. 81

SA SPOORWEGPOLISIE GEDENKALBUM / SA RAILWAYS POLICE MEMORIAL ALBUM

Mr. HL Pivnic, as Assistant-Curator, was also involved in the production of this book.

SA SPOORWEGPOLISIE: SAKE, VERHALE EN STAALTJIES: BRIG R BEYL

Ronnie Beyl presented me with the very first copy from the printers on 21 April 2011. The book was privately published and has no ISBN-number or any details of the printer or publisher. Filler: A static exhibit at SANRASM: Class 7

IDENTIFYING LOCOMOTIVES: LEITH PAXTON

Hello Hennie, Let me walk you through this process of loco identification! You asked what loco was hauling that Royal Train. Since the photos were taken in Natal, it must have been a class 14, but there were four orders, 2 orders for the class 14, one for the 14A and one the class 14B. Firstly look at the sandboxes. Your loco has sandboxes, but if you at the attached photos, the class 14B did not have, so we can rule that one out. Next look at the casting around the firebox (under the running board). Yours has only a washout plug but no ribs, so that ruled out the class 14 No.1701-1720. That leaves us with the second order class 14 as well as 14B. However, your photo shows a device on the smokebox which was a super heater damper. If you read Holland (Page 25 (Vol 11)), he says the class 14B was not superheated. There your loco is a class 14 from the batch 1721 - 45. If we had a photo of the LH side of the class 14B we would have seen the absence of that damper. Hope this helps. Regards, Leith. Dear Leith Thanks very much for your kind permission to publish your letter and photographs. I am sure our readers will also find this interesting. I grew up in Durban and we had mainly the E1’s on the mainline. Steam was used on the North and South Coast. In my younger days I did not have the opportunity, nor the time, nor the money to purchase a good camera – in any event my colleagues would have thought that I have gone “nuts” takings photo’s of steam trains. Locomotive identification remains a mystery to me; it will certainly take a long time for me to become a “mister”. I have mistakes with the Class 23 and the Class 15F. I however know the difference between a pre- and post-war 15F! Once again thank you very much! Hennie

Class 14 Diagrams

South African Railways, Locomotive Diagrams, 3’ 6’’ by DF Holland. (It is as thick as a telephone directory and difficult to scan.Below is a better scan from the official SAR Locomotive diagram book:

Class 14, 14A & 14B: Leith Paxton

Class 14 No.1701-1720

Class 14 No.1721-1745

Class 14A No.1576-1595 91

Class 14B No.1746-1760

RAILWAY SECURITY DURING THE BUSH WAR

The Rhodesian Soldier Railway Security during the Bush War War: Gerry van Tonder Upon leaving the BSAP in 1972, Boet du Plessis joined the Rhodesian Railways Security Branch in Bulawayo. From then until 1975 when he was exempted, in addition to his Railways job, Boet was called-up up with the RHU, Intaf and finally 2RR, when it was felt that his responsibilities on line security was vital to the war effort. Boet, who now lives in South Africa, has very kindly allowed me to use parts of his very interesting memoirs to tell the story of just how profoundly important the smooth operating of the railways was to the country’s prosecution of the Bush War. This is Boet’s very matter-of-fact no frills story y of the how he and his team struggled with on-going on determined efforts by the terrorists to blow up the rail tracks so essential for the transport of fuel and war materiel: “At a derailment incident which is on flat ground, Old Mr "G" with 80 workers would wo normally lay a rough diversion track within 24 hours of non non-stop stop working. Taking this incident as an example the old man would have this track repaired within 24 hours that includes bringing in all the new stone, cut rails out and relaying the track. H He e was unbelievable. He would jump on the bull dozer and pull all those trucks away from the scene. He would then get his welders to cut out the damaged rail. In the meantime his maintenance train crew would stop at the site where they would off load the concrete ncrete sleepers, replace them, replace the rail and then open the track. Once the trains have 92

moved through, he then throws the ballast in between the concrete blocks and resets everything. Under normal circumstances, the Engineers would have first thrown down a large mat (Cortex) which covered the track and ballast either side - a couple of meters wide and about 25 metres in length. Setting it off would trigger any funnies off in the area where mines may have been placed. We were having so many of these derailments and acts of sabotage to the line, that we started taking short cuts because any delays meant trains were not moving the vital goods.

Above: Diesel and steam locomotives of the Rhodesia Railways "After re-opening the line to normal traffic, the clearing up would commence. The cargo contained in the derailed wagons would be dumped from the bogies so that the bogies can be ready for work 93

again. At this stage any wheels and springs would be replaced on site very quickly. On many occasions, especially from Triangle, tons of sugar would be set alight or the old man would dig a hole with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dozer and push the sugar into the ground. I can assure you; within hours of the Sugar Train being stomped the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weevilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; came out of the woodwork and carried tons away to the villages. On many occasions we took the necessary action. In the beginning the Terrs tried to blow the rail bridges, but their actions were very amateurish - we then built bunkers at the rail and road bridges. But you can now imagine the Terrs were also sharp as they knew that if they could cut the CTC (Centralised Traffic Control) cables or interfere with the cables in a section, it would mean the red lights appeared on the central control console, and the train is then halted until the track is cleared. More delays. This is when you are called in. "During the day, to save time you would travel by vehicle on the dirt road or fire path and check for the problem. If it is a very hilly area and information received that the roads are now mined and not cleared, you would shoot off on the rail line in your Security Trolley. There are times when they blast the tracks in two separate spots a hundred metres apart, in which case you may end up falling into one of the craters with your trolley or you could get a squirt or two. The trolley had a spot light protruding out the top, so when I patrolled I turned my head lights off and only left the spot light on. In their ambushes the bullets normally went over the top as they aimed at that light. When information was received that big groups were in the area and we were moving fuel tankers, we placed a number of trucks in front of the engines and we would sit in the open sandbagged bogie at the back of the train with either a 12,7mm or 20mm canon. When we go through areas which appear to be ideal ambush places, you could give it a squirt with this weaponry, and those tracers and explosive heads was unbelievable. What a noise! You can also imagine every time you let off a few rounds what that did to the poor old engine driver not knowing what is going on. Being out in the open bogie there were no comms, so on many occasions we would have to use a flash light to indicate everything was OK. "For me personally, the most nerve racking times were when I sat in front at night with the driver in the cab of his diesel engine, more as a morale booster for both of us. You observed that track come flying towards you, then you go across cuttings, culverts and bridges as you shoot around the corners. You know if you hit something you have no chance as all those loaded trucks are right behind you and will keep following you. You know they cannot be stopped. That part I did not like, and there was very little protection come to think about it. A number of the engines were hit in the centre by rockets and the driver who sat in the nose part was generally not affected. It was very different however when he hit the land mine, and in every case that I attended, the driver had burst ear drums with blood running down from his ears. As a result of the explosion most of them were in total shock, shaking and talking incoherently - not nice. The collapse of the Portuguese Government in Mozambique and Frelimo taking over, assisted the terrorist incursions into the South East corner of Rhodesia. These intensified and large groups of terrorists anything from 20 to 80 kept entering the country, and with this most of our security roads along the rail tracks were now being mined. I recall a section of road just north of Rutenga which had five mines within two kilometres. "One particular morning we received a call from Rutenga ComOps informing us that an Army stick, which had been patrolling between Garare and Ngungubane, had located an explosive device near a small bridge in a deep cutting between two large mountains. The Army informed me that they had arranged for a Sapper to be recalled from the border mine field, and that this chap would have to be escorted to the scene and could we supply motorised transport. I then informed JOC Headquarters that I would arrange for a security trolley to take the soldier to the scene. At 09h00 I called for my security trolley driver to do the pre-shift checks on the armoured trolley before departure. On the arrival of the black Engineer Sapper we set off from Rutenga to Ngungubane where the explosive device had been found. While we were travelling, I looked at the Engineer 94

Sapper and noted that he was perspiring profusely; the sweat just ran from his body. I asked him if he was nervous and he said he was indeed. I then asked him why and he stated that he was not familiar with electrically detonated mines. Working in the mine fields was apparently much easier. Well, I then decided to keep an eye on him for the whole trip to see what he would do.

A Kudu protected vehicle adapted to go on rails (Photo Boet du Plessis) "We travelled at 50 kph on the rail tracks, arriving about an hour and half later at the scene which had been clearly marked by the Army patrol. The trolley driver parked the armoured security trolley about 30 metres away from the scene. I then took up a covering position from within the trolley while we watched the young army engineer walk along the top of the rail line to where the device had been located. After 15 minutes, with this man just lying on top of the railway line staring at the electrical wires protruding from the ballast, I called out and asked him what the problem was. He got up and walked back to the armoured trolley where he informed me that he did not know how to defuse the electrical device. At this stage all the trains which were north and south bound were standing idle in sidings waiting for us to clear the line. I informed the Engineer that I had never been trained to lift land mines or to remove electrically detonated mines; however I would go back to the scene just to have a look. We then tiptoed like cats along the top of the railway line until we got to the scene. On our arrival, I noticed that the ballast between four railway sleepers had been disturbed and I also noticed two wires protruding from the ballast with one wire attached to the railway line with beeswax and the other wire on the inside of the track. This meant, when the 95

trainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheel flange touched the second wire, the electric circuit would be complete and the mine would explode. It was now midday and extremely hot, with the temperature in the mid-forties and the railway line was burning through our clothing where we lay on it. While we were lying there I informed the Engineer firstly to remove any wire touching metal and then to bind it up so that it could not make a circuit. The bare wire, which was protruding from the ballast and folded towards the inside of the track, was the first one that we moved away from the track and taped up. Then we removed the second wire which was attached by beeswax and taped this one. We started to remove the ballasts, one by one, following the electrical wires. "As we had taken such a long time to clear the tracks, a military aircraft circled the area above us to see what was causing the delay. We were immediately instructed by radio from the aircraft to lie low and not to make any hasty movements, as the hill on our West had about 60 CT (communist terrorists) and locals watching to see how the blast would go off and how we would be killed. The pilot said that he would turn and attack this group, which he promptly did, strafing the hill. Terrorists and locals scattered with some firing back at the plane taking place. The pilot then circled and strafed the area a second time, reporting that he had hit a number of this group. Boy, did we feel exposed. Here we were lying on top of the rail tracks in the open, with sixty pairs of eyes staring down on us hoping we would make a mistake and kill ourselves. We removed all the ballast until we came to the mine, successfully removing the detonator. We traced the cable through to the next section, where we found explosives with detonators which we removed, and then followed the cable further to a 9v Kariba Battery. We continued with this process to the next area where, between two sleepers, we found half a bag of ammonia fertilizer with diesel and explosives. As we removed the detonators we cut the electrical cords and taped them. We were concerned that an AP mine may have been placed under the fertilizer bag, so we used a grappling hook with a long line and gently pulled it up and away from where it had been lying. Having removed all the explosive devices from the scene we quickly scraped the ballast back with our bare hands. With our trophies in the back of our trolley, we set off back to Rutenga. It was a job well done and my first induction and education to lifting land mines. I would also like to say we wore no protective equipment as there just was none available.

Rhino Security Trolley with portable turntable (Photo Boet du Plessis) 96

"As for the security trolley drivers, many were elderly men who, with the train drivers/ guards and their Security Branch crews faced enormous dangers. Can you imagine, travelling every night, up and down the same route, with nowhere to hide, on the rail tracks with lights on at night (cannon fodder) just waiting to be taken out; challenging the insurgents to shoot at you in the open areas. You felt naked, and every minute of the hour you waited for the RPG-7 rocket to hit the side of the trolley. You sacrificed yourself and crew just to ensure safe passage for the trains carrying valuable fuel and goods inland. On many occasions when we travelled as escort for the fuel trains, we travelled on the same CTC section, normally only a kilometre or two ahead of the train. Bearing in mind, if you detonated a landmine, the weight of the train following you, which had metal wheels on metal tracks, could not stop immediately. It could take a kilometre or two depending on the gradient, weight and speed of the train â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by that time the train would be upon you and you would be crushed. Until today these brave men have not even been thanked or mentioned in dispatches. There were no individual Heroes. They were all HEROES. It was through their bravery that the Rhodesia Armed Forces and Government could continue to operate successfully and ensure their success.â&#x20AC;? I can only fully endorse what Boet has written in this minute expose of the work of the forgotten warriors, the men of the Rhodesian Railways. They placed their lives at great risk to ensure that vital supplies, and fuel and ammunition for the war kept coming in.

Please visit the links on the website: http://www.rhodesiansoldier.com/home.html Link for the article: http://www.rhodesiansoldier.com/hist-bush-war-railway-security.html Many thanks to Col Terry Schwartz (late BSAP & SAP) for bringing the article to our attention. Thank you to Gerry van Tonder for permission to quote the article. Boet du Plessis sadly passed away very recently. We honour his memory!

FROM THE MEDIA Union approaches court to force PRASA to beef up security A Metrorail employee was robbed at gunpoint at the Koeberg train depot this week.

FILE: A Metrorail train. Picture: EWN. 97

Shamiela Fisher | about an hour ago CAPE TOWN - The United National Transport Union plans to approach the Western Cape High Court next week in a bid to force Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa to beef up security around the country's rail network. A Metrorail employee was robbed at gunpoint at the Koeberg train depot this week. It's the second time the worker has been robbed while on duty in the space of 18 months. The union's also raised general safety and security concerns. The union’s Sonja Carstens says they condemn all attacks on their members. “Our members are robbed constantly and assaulted by commuters as well.” There have been numerous attacks on Prasa staff across Cape Town over the past year, including the murder of train driver Piet Botha at Netreg station in July last year. Carstens says they'll now approach the courts to put pressure on Prasa to ensure a safe working environment for employees. The union and its employers are also currently embroiled in a wage dispute. They're demanding a 12% wage hike. (Edited by Shimoney Regter) http://ewn.co.za/2017/03/31/union-approaches-court-to-force-prasa-to-beef-up-security

Heart-stopping moment oblivious woman crossing tracks leaps out of the way with just a SECOND to spare as a train hurtles toward her • • • •

A woman was almost hit by a speeding train as she crossed tracks at last second The train zoomed past an Auckland station as she made her lucky escape A disturbing number of people crossed the tracks as the warning bells flashed The NZ woman narrowly avoids death by seconds as she jumps out of the way

By April Glover for Daily Mail Australia Published: 10:40 BST, 7 April 2017 | Updated: 10:51 BST, 7 April 2017 A woman has made a narrow escape after she jumped out of the way of a speeding train as she crossed the tracks with only milliseconds to spare The train was passing through Mount Eden station in Auckland, New Zealand, on Friday and the driver was forced to apply emergency brakes as he spotted the woman brazenly crossing at the last minute. Heart-stopping footage shows the unknown woman - who is wearing a pink, hooded jacket - look right as the stepped over the tracks despite warning bells lighting up, and then leap out of the way in a blind panic.

The woman wearing a pink hooded jacket (pictured) only looks to her right as she crosses the train tracks The footage shows a man and two women hastily jogging over the tracks as the warning lights start to flash. The woman in the pink jumper then attempts to cross, ignoring the flashing lights. She appears to only look to her right, despite the train travelling from the left, and dashes across before noticing the bright yellow carriage was inches away from her. The train driver was forced to slam on the emergency brakes and misses the woman by seconds. After footage of the near miss emerged, Auckland Transport Rail Services Manager Craig Inger said all pedestrians need to take care around the rail network because of the high number of trains in Auckland. 'We've checked the footage of this morning's incident and we can see the woman checked to her right before crossing but not to her left and that's where the train was coming from,' Mr Inger said. 'It's really important that that you check both directions before crossing, a train can come from either direction.' Mr Inger also pointed out the 'disturbing' number of other people that crossed before the woman, even though the lights were on and the bells were sounding.

As the train hurtles past, the woman can be seen jumping out of the way at the last minute

The video shows the train coming to slow stop after the driver was forced to slam on the emergency brakes 'The lights and bells mean don't cross,' he added. Electric trains are also much quieter than the old diesels, making it easier for pedestrians to not notice a speeding carriage approaching. 100

Mr Inger said: 'You can't be using your phone or have earphones on because you might miss the warning lights or bells.' More than 100 people have died in New Zealand in the past ten years on railway tracks, tunnels and bridges, according to Megan Drayton from TrackSAFE. 'Most railway deaths are preventable if people follow basic safety rules around tracks and trains – only ever cross railway tracks at formed level crossings and obey the signs and signals that are there to protect you,' she said. 'Trains are extremely fast and quiet, they can't swerve to avoid a person or object on the tracks. The best the train driver can do is put on the emergency brakes and hope for the best.' Auckland Transport did not comment on the woman's well-being but she appears to be unharmed after the terrifying ordeal.

The warning lights were flashing as the woman crossed the tracks and is almost hit in a terrifying narrow escape Share or comment on this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4389542/NZ-woman-narrowly-avoids-hit-speedingtrain.html (Retrieved 8 April 2017).

First 'Silk Road' train sets off on 18-day 7,500-mile journey from Britain to China laden with vitamins, soft drinks and WHISKY • • • •

30 containers filled with UK-produced goods left Stanford-le-Hope in Essex Pharmaceuticals are among the items being exported on DB Cargo locomotive Train will go through France, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazahkstan Three months ago first freight service from China to UK arrived in East London

By Mark Duell for Mailonline Published: 10:02 BST, 10 April 2017 | Updated: 14:42 BST, 10 April 2017 101

The first rail freight service from Britain to China departed today - laden with whisky, soft drinks, vitamins and baby products. Thirty containers filled with UK-produced goods have set off on the 7,500-mile journey from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex which will take 18 days. Pharmaceuticals are also among the items being exported on the DB Cargo locomotive which left the DP World London Gateway rail terminal this morning.

Officials unveil the first UK to China export train today during the official ceremony to mark its departure from the DP World London Gateway in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex

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A ceremony was held to mark the departure from the DP World London Gateway in Essex

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Pharmaceuticals are among the items being exported on the DB Cargo locomotive

Reporters and officials listen to speeches made during the official ceremony this morning After passing through the Channel Tunnel into France and on to Belgium, the train will call in Duisburg, Germany. InterRail will then pull the cargo through Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazahkstan and arrive at Yiwu in eastern China on April 27. Three months ago the first freight service from China to the UK arrived in Barking, East London. The journey is cheaper than air freight and faster than sea freight. The service is part of China's One Belt, One Road programme of reviving the ancient Silk Road trading routes with the West, initially created more than 2,000 years ago.

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A container is loaded onto the first UK to China export train which is laden with UK goods

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Thirty containers filled with UK-produced goods are setting off on the 7,500-mile journey

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After passing through the Channel Tunnel into France and on to Belgium, the train will call in Duisburg, Germany

InterRail will pull the cargo through Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazahkstan and arrive at Yiwu in eastern China on April 27 DP World chief executive Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said the first freight service from the UK to China is a 'significant trade occasion'. The 2,000-year-old Silk Road trade network The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that ran through central Asia connecting China to the Mediterranean Sea. It was initially named after the lucrative trade in Chinese silk under the Han Dynasty in around 202BC. But quickly other precious items such as jade, gold, silver, bronze and spice were also transported initially between China and Egypt, then later to ancient Greece and Rome and eventually to Medieval Europe. While many sea route were opened up by sailors to transport goods, merchants crossing overland were thought to have travelled by northern and southern routes that bypassed the Takliamakan Desert in north west China. The northern route took several paths through Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The southern route ran through the Karakoram mountains that sit on the border of Pakistan, India and China. They merged again near Merv in Turkmenistan before continuing west to the south of the Caspian Sea. He went on: 'DP World London Gateway, one of the UK's largest logistics hubs, is designed and developed to ensure products can be both imported and exported from the UK via ship or train in a faster, safer and more reliable way than ever before. 'We look forward to enabling and facilitating more trade between the UK, China and the whole world.' International trade minister Greg Hands said: 'This new rail link with China is another boost for global Britain, following the ancient Silk Road trade route to carry British products around the world. 107

'It shows the huge global demand for quality UK goods and is a great step for DP World's ÂŁ1.5billion London Gateway port as it also welcomes its first regular container ships from Asia.' Run by Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment, the Yiwu-London freight service makes London the 15th European city to have a direct rail link with China after the 2013 unveiling of the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative by Chinese President Xi Jinping. 'This is the first export train and just the start of a regular direct service between the UK and China,' Xubin Feng, chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment Company, said. 'We have great faith in the UK as an export nation and rail provides an excellent alternative for moving large volumes of goods over long distances faster.'

Chinese women wave flags at the official ceremony to mark the departure of the train today

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The service is part of China's One Belt, One Road programme of reviving the ancient Silk Road trading routes with the West, initially created more than 2,000 years ago

DP World chief executive Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said the first freight service from the UK to China is a 'significant trade occasion'

Run by Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment, the Yiwu-London freight service makes London the 15th European city to have a direct rail link with China

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Three months ago: The first direct freight train from China to Britain arrives in Barking, East London, on January 18 Share or comment on this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4397112/Silk-Road-train-sets-18-day-7-500-milejourney.html (Retrieved 10 April 2017). 7,456 miles in 18 days = an average of 414.22 miles per day

SLOT / END Geagte leser vir hierdie kwasiehistoriese dokument ons maak van verskeie bronne gebruik en bevat die dokument uiteraard uiteenlopende en diverse persoonlike menings van verskillende persone en die opsteller van die SAS-SAR kan nie in sy persoonlike hoedanigheid daarvoor verantwoordelik of aanspreeklik gehou word nie. Dear reader of this quasi-historical document: please note we make use of various sources and consequently it is obvious that the document contains various diverse and personal opinions of different people and the author of the SAS-SAR cannot be held responsible or be liable in his personal capacity. Thanks to Bernard Heymans for the SAS-SAR logos in colour. Hennie Heymans

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