The Ulolwe Vol 2 No 6 by Hennie Heymans, Nongqai Publications

THE ULOLWE SOUTH AFRICA – SUID-AFRIKA A monthly railway research / historical publication ‘n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie Vol 2 No 6 - June 2011 Un-official / Nie Amptelik Everything to do with the former South African Railways: i.e. Railway Stations, Harbours, Airways, RMT, SAR Police, Armoured Trains, Lighthouses, Pipelines, Catering, SAR Models, Diagrams of Locomotives etc and books on the Railways in Southern Africa

Patron - Les Pivnic – Beskermheer

The Blue Train at Fountains, Pretoria Photo: Hennie 13 Dec 2011

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, South Africa heymanshb@gmail.com June 2011

Contents - Inhoud Welcome - Welkom .............................................................................................................................. 6 Gautrain ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Shosaloza Meyl ................................................................................................................................. 6 Revised editions of The Ulolwe ..................................................................................................... 6 Project ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Main Story: Dr Raimund Loubser ..................................................................................................... 7 Die Halwe Haarbreedte - Raimund Loubser ............................................................................... 7 Andre Kritzinger – Locomotive series No 3 – SAR Class 2E ......................................................... 9 South African Class 2E .............................................................................................................. 10 Power type .................................................................................................................................. 10 Electric ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Career ........................................................................................................................................... 11 South African Railways ............................................................................................................. 11 Manufacturer .............................................................................................................................. 11 Orientation .................................................................................................................................. 12 Service .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Images .......................................................................................................................................... 12 A Class 2E locomotive (left side), circa 1947 .......................................................................... 12 See also......................................................................................................................................... 12 References ................................................................................................................................... 13 IMR Grave Standerton – AE Frees ........................................................................................... 13 SAR & Harbours Brigades – Roll of Honour - Request ................................................................ 13 My “stamp collection” - A present from Oom Les ........................................................................ 14 The Wepeners’ perambulations ....................................................................................................... 15 Theunissen .................................................................................................................................. 15 2

Theunissen .................................................................................................................................. 15 Tierfontein ................................................................................................................................... 16 Wesselsbron ................................................................................................................................ 18 Welkom Show Train: “To be or not to be ... a passenger” - Hennie Heymans ................ 21 Railway History: Table Bay Harbour Board .................................................................................. 21 Cape Town: the “Dolly” and the “Bombela" – Hennie Heymans ........................................... 21 First Bus Service to displace a Train ............................................................................................ 25 The Bombella .................................................................................................................................. 25 Comments ....................................................................................................................................... 25 The Sea Point Train ........................................................................................................................ 26 Sources ............................................................................................................................................. 26 South African Railways – No 1 Armoured Train – Carl Hoehler ............................................... 27 Carl Hoehler sent in the following pictures: .................................................................................. 27 Photograph of Capt De Meilions Grave – Hennie Heymans................................................... 29 Transnet Statuettes – Hennie Heymans ......................................................................................... 30 Three SAR Accidents in the OFS – Hennie Heymans ................................................................... 31 Railway Police Constable SF du Plessis – Fanie du Plessis ...................................................... 31 1952-02-07 Death Staff Sgt NAC Kruger - Ladysmith .............................................................. 33 c1933-00-00 Accident at Glen– Fanie du Plessis ........................................................................ 34 1933-09-02 Accident Shannon– Fanie du Plessis ....................................................................... 35 1933-12-15 Accident at Sepane – Fanie du Plessis ..................................................................... 37 Railway Police – Armoured Vehicle – Windhoek – Terry Rowe ................................................ 39 Sepane Today – Jacque Wepener ..................................................................................................... 40 Sepane – Andre Kritzinger ............................................................................................................... 44 SAR Class 16E 857 (4-6-2) - Malcolm Best at Sepane ............................................................ 44 Various Comments on Sepane ......................................................................................................... 45 3

SAR Padlocks – Brett Radloff ........................................................................................................... 45 A little bit of background on SAR Locks .................................................................................... 45 Padlock – Jacque Wepener................................................................................................................ 61 What is This?....................................................................................................................................... 61 Glencairn - Simon’s Town-line – Les Pivnic................................................................................... 62 1. Hennie’s response ..................................................................................................................... 62 2. Pierre de Wet’s response ........................................................................................................... 65 3. Les Pivnic’ response................................................................................................................... 66 Welkom Railway Station (Free State) – J Wepener ....................................................................... 67 Brandfort – J Wepener ....................................................................................................................... 68 Houtenbeck – J Wepener................................................................................................................... 69 Vetrivier – J Wepener ........................................................................................................................ 70 Industrial railways – J Wepener – Free State Goldfields .............................................................. 71 Harmony Depot.......................................................................................................................... 71 RRL Welkom ............................................................................................................................... 71 Sheltam - Virginia ...................................................................................................................... 72 Sheltam - Virginia ...................................................................................................................... 74 Sheltam - Virginia ...................................................................................................................... 74 Railway photographs ........................................................................................................................ 75 Dwarsvlei – Louis Lubbe .......................................................................................................... 75 Rack Loco nr Watervalboven ................................................................................................... 76 NGR – Anglo-Boer War – WSL Churchill & HMAT..................................................................... 76 SOUTH AFRICAN RAILWAYS AND HARBOURS MAGAZINE October 1921 - 687................................................................................................................................. 76 After 40 years’ service – Retirement at 65 ..................................................................... 76 People interested our railway heritage ........................................................................................... 78

The mail bag........................................................................................................................................ 80 Nick Twynham ........................................................................................................................... 80 Les Bray ....................................................................................................................................... 80 Irvine Short ................................................................................................................................. 81 Rod Currin .................................................................................................................................. 81 Carlos Vieira ............................................................................................................................... 81 Ashley Peter ................................................................................................................................ 81 Dave Fortune .............................................................................................................................. 82 Stewart Currie............................................................................................................................. 82 Sue Lawrence .............................................................................................................................. 82 Lindsay Rickard ......................................................................................................................... 82 Robert GMAM ............................................................................................................................ 83 Les Pivnic .................................................................................................................................... 83 Ian ................................................................................................................................................. 83 Greg Smorenburg ....................................................................................................................... 83 Adrian .......................................................................................................................................... 83 Bill................................................................................................................................................. 84 Les Pivnic .................................................................................................................................... 84 Andre Kritzinger ........................................................................................................................ 84 Pierre de Wet .............................................................................................................................. 84 Michael Mc Carthy .................................................................................................................... 85 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 85 Next issue ............................................................................................................................................ 85

Welcome - Welkom Welcome to the Winter Edition of The Ulolwe, its cold here in Pretoria and it has snowed in Namibia!

Gautrain A new welcome sight in Pretoria is the Gautrain moving ever so silently like a silver snake through the Pretoria suburbs. I for one, welcome this new service. The roads are very congested and we have no rules on the road. Fast cars on the left and on the right! Slow cars on the left and on the right! Big trucks all over the road while motorists are weaving through the traffic, dangerously changing lanes. Police parked on the sides of the road. We still have the odd idiot TYPING on his cell phone while concentrating on his phone instead of on the traffic - oblivious of cars behind him! The road between the airport and Pretoria will soon be a toll road. We are still taxed everyday with new forms of tax. Petrol is cheaper in both Mozambique and in Botswana – in spite of SASOL. I for one would take the Gautrain to the airport.

Shosaloza Meyl I wish one could take the train from Pretoria to Durban or Cape Town. Can’t they have a “Pretoria”-carriage like in the old days hooked on the Metro?

Revised editions of The Ulolwe The revised editions of The Ulolwe have now all been placed back on ISSUU except volume 1 number 3 which refuses to be placed on the website! As we have placed a number of editions in quick succession on the website, this edition will be a rather shorter, than the normal edition – because of the large amount of reading to do. However we plan to bring out a few special editions each concentrating on a single subject. As an example we quote volume 1 number 6A dedicated to the former South African Railways Police.

Project Many of our railwaymen in Southern Africa paid with their lives in order that we may enjoy the fruits of their labour. Other railwaymen died as soldiers. We have the privilege to enjoy the freedom they bought with their lives and paid for so dearly! Sometimes the cost was enormous. We had the Anglo-Boer War, WW1, the Rebellion and the Revolt on the Rand during 1922, WW2 and the Bush War! Coming to mind are the soldiers that died in German South West Africa when they overruled the local station master, the soldiers who died in various train accidents and plaques erected to the memory of members of the SAR & H Brigade. There are many surprises waiting to be discovered in some of our nearby grave yards! 6

Main Story: Dr Raimund Loubser

Dr & Mrs Loubser One of our readers, Stan Kantor, has introduced me to Dr Raimund Loubser, the son of Dr MM Loubser and younger brother of Dr Kobus Loubser, a former General Manager of the South African Railways. It was quite an experience to meet this eminent engineer. He has graciously consented to hand over some of his papers on the locomotives of the South African Railways and special paper prepared by his father Dr MM Loubser, who was the first Afrikaans engineer on the South African Railways. Dr Loubser spent the first few years of his professional life, first as a pupil engineer and then as a qualified engineer on the South African Railways. He simply loves steam trains and he still has in his possession many notes and books on our South African steam locomotives. Here follows a short story in Afrikaans:

Die Halwe Haarbreedte - Raimund Loubser Dis die jaar 1949, die laaste jaar van my Pa se diens as Werktuigkundige Hoofingenieur van die S A SpoorweĂŤ voordat hy in Desember afgetree het, en die eerste jaar van my diens in 7

die SAS. Ek was natuurlik aan die onderent van die range, 'n Leerlingingenieur, beter bekend as "Pupil Engineer". Laasgenoemde het in Afrikaans 'P--p--l' Ingenieur geword miskien 'n meer realistiese benaming. Ietwat benoud het ek in die Pretoria Werkplaas begin - nog die ou donker ZASM geboue agter Pretoria stasie, wat gesloop is toe Koedoespoort 'n paar jaar later aan die gang gekom het. Teen die tweede maand is ek uitgeplaas na die GROOT Kearns boorbank onder die wakende oog van vakman (sê maar) Joe. 'n Enorme stoomlokomotief silinder van omtrent 3 ton massa word deur die kraan op die masjien se tafel geplaas. Die growwe gietyster gietstuk was al klaar afgemerk met senterlyne en dit moes nou mooi haaks en plat opgestel word, voordat die binnekant na 24" (610 mm) uitgeboor kon word. Joe wys my hoe die instellings gedoen word, en verdwyn vir 'n ruk met die aanmaning: "Loubser, get her lined up, will you?". Ek dink maar wat ek kan onthou van ons Vyl en Boor klasse en na 'n gesukkel het ek hom reg, soos ek meen. Joe kom terug en stap 'n slag om die gietstuk. He was telling us about the SAR Mechanical Foreman working in the old NZASM workshop, before Koedoespoort, near Pretoria Station: "Loubser, get her lined up, will you?" I did the job and then: "Loubser, come here - have a look at the left centreline - it is out by half a hair's breadth. This is how it should be!" He does some fine tuning and pulls me to the right: "Now have a look at the right centreline - it is out by a full 1/64" (0,4mm)! That's not good enough; in the SAR we do our job thoroughly and correctly". Silence from my side.” Stilte vir 'n ruk. Toe kom dit: "Loubser, come here - have a look at the left centreline - it is out by half a hair's breadth. This is how it should be!" Hy maak blitsvinnig 'n fyn verstelling, en sleep my na die regterkant. "Now have a look at the right centreline - it is out by a full 1/64" (0,4mm)! That's not good enough; in the SAR we do our job thoroughly and correctly". Stilte van my kant. Maar dit is nie die end van die verhaal nie. 'n Paar dae later, nadat Joe my geleer het hoe om die uitboor te doen, sê hy vir my hy sal die volgende dag, 'n Vrydag, nie daar wees nie. "Loubser, will you take the first roughing cut - but leave the finishing cut for me on Monday". So gesê, so gedoen - met minder as 'n halwe haarbreedte fout. Ek het begin wonder wat gaan aan, en vra toe een van Joe se kollegas waarheen hy is. Die antwoord was

"Na Lydenburg, soos gewoonlik" - "Hoe so?" - "Hy is mos 'n ekspert op die teel van forelle hulle het seker weer probleme by die Staatsnavorsingstasie gehad en hom laat kom!" Joe se geval was nie uniek nie. Ek het begin rondvra en agtergekom dat baie van die bekwame vakmanne besonders presteer buite hulle ambag. Ek noem net 'n paar: Bob Plunkett was 'n Raadslid van die Arbeidersparty, een van die passers was voorsitter van die Pretoriase Filatelievereniging, en gereedskapmaker Mitchell is deur die medici ingeroep om pynverligting deur hipnose toe te pas bv by moeilike kraamgevalle waar narkose onwenslik is. Wat gebeur het is dat promosie na by. Voorman vir bulle onaantreklik was omdat hulle hul prouksiebonusse sou verloor, en daar was nie ander maniere waardeur hulle binne die SAS aan skeppende spanwerk kon deelneem nie. Hulle was op 'n doodloopstraat. Daardie vermoëns is dus vir die SAS verloor. Dit is gelukkig net hierna reggestel toe die Produksie Beplanningskantoor gestig is wat van hulle betrek het en deur spanwerk van vakmanne, tegnici en ingenieurs, besonders presteer het. Die verbetering was so opvallend dat dit steeds by my bly vassteek het. As ek terugdink, was die "halwe haarbreedte" gekoppel aan die forelleteelt die sneller wat my in twee opsigte laat ontwikkel het: eerstens om van my 'n perfeksionis en tweedens 'n voorstander van spanwerk in sy verskeie vorms te maak. By Valindaba het hierdie benaderings besonders goed ingepas, trouens ek twyfel of ons met die projekte kon geslaag het sonder hulle suksesvolle toepassing. Die spanwerk gedagte was ook sentraal in die uitbou van die Ingenieurswese Professie, waar die tegnici, tegnoloë en ingenieurs onder een Raad kan saamwerk, en daar op grond van bewese bekwaamheid gevorder kan word van een garde tot die volgende. Fluit - fluit, my storie is uit! •

The moral of the story the moral of the story is everything on our railways was done correctly and you could not be out, even by the breadth of a hair!

Andre Kritzinger – Locomotive series No 3 – SAR Class 2E From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SAR_Class_2E.jpg

South African Class 2E

SAR Class 2E, running consisted to a Class 1E Power type

Electric Designer Builder Serial number Model Build date

Siemens-Schuckert Henschel 23132-23134 2E 1937

Total production

UIC classification

Bo+Bo

Gauge

3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge

Bogies

9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) wheelbase

Wheel diameter

48 in (1,200 mm)

Wheelbase

30 ft 11 in (9.42 m)

Length

43 ft 8 in (13.31 m)

Width

9 ft 2.2 in (2.799 m)

Height

13 ft (4.0 m) 10

pantographs down Axle load Locomotive weight Current collection method Traction motors Transmission Multiple working Top speed Power output Tractive effort Train brakes Career

18.55 long tons (18.85 t) 66.6 long tons (67.7 t) Pantographs Four 17/75 Gear ratio 3 maximum 45 mph (72 km/h) 402 hp (300 kW) per motor 1,608 hp (1,199 kW) 1h total 21,200 lbf (94 kN) 1 hour[1] Air & Vacuum South African Railways

Class Power class Number in class Number Official name

2E 3kV DC 3 E134 to E136 Class 2E

Delivered

1937

First run

1937

Retired

1973

Disposition

Scrapped

In 1937 the South African Railways (SAR), later renamed Spoornet and then Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), placed three Class 2E 3kV DC electric locomotives in service.[1]

Manufacturer South Africa's second electric locomotives, the South African Class 2E, entered service in Natal in 1937. The electrical equipment was designed by Siemens-Schuckert and the three locomotives were built by Henschel & Son in Germany. They were the only German electric locomotives ever supplied to South Africa and intended for mixed-traffic haulage.[2] The Class 2E was similar in external appearance to the Class 1E, the main visual distinction being the difference in window and grille layout on the locomotive sides. The internal

arrangement of their electrical components differed from that of the Class 1E and their four 300 kW traction motors made them more powerful.[2] Orientation These dual cab locomotives had three windows with a grille between each pair of windows on one side, and a line of five grilles and two windows on the other side. The number 1 end would be at the front when the side with five grilles was to the left.[1] Like the Class 1E, 3E and 4E, the Class 2E had bogie mounted draft gear and an articulated inter-bogie joint, therefore no train forces were transmitted to the locomotive body.[1] Service The three Class 2E locomotives served between the Transvaal and Natal, as well as briefly in the Western Cape shortly before being withdrawn from service in 1973.[2] Images Main picture: SAR Class 2E (right side), running consisted to a Class 1E

A Class 2E locomotive (left side), circa 1947 See also â&#x20AC;˘

South African Class 1E 12

• • •

Electric locomotive numbering and classification Electric locomotive List of South African locomotive classes References

1. ^ a b c d South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 2’0” & 3’6” Gauge, circa 1940, as amended 2. ^ a b c Locomotives of the South African Railways (Leith Paxton & David Bourne, 1985), p126, ISBN 0 86977 211 2 Categories: Electric Locomotives of South

Wikimedia Commons has media related to (category): South African Class 2E

Africa | Henschel locomotives | Siemens locomotives | Bo+Bo locomotives

IMR Grave Standerton – AE Frees

I found this grave in the Standerton Grave Yard of a Fireman attached to the Imperial Military Railways, Arthur E Frees who died on 2nd of September 1900 nr Heidelberg Tvl. How did he die? - Photo by Hennie Heymans

SAR & Harbours Brigades – Roll of Honour - Request Photographs of memorial plaques of members of the SAR & H Brigade that died during war service would be welcome. I remember for instance that there is such a plaque at Kimberley 13

- and outside Johannesburg Station is also a memorial to these men. In Old Durban Railway Station there was also a plaque. I read in that our SAR & H Brigade also served in East Africa, North Africa, Palestine and Italy. Hi Hennie, I have a book "We Fought The Miles" about the S.A.R. during World War 2 published by authority of the General Manager of the South African Railways. At the back of the book is a Roll of Honour that lists Name, Civil Grade, Military Unit, Rank, How Deceased and Date Deceased. It is 9 pages. If I scanned each page and e-mailed them to you would that be of help? Kind Regards, Richard G.

•

Thank you Richard I forgot about that book – I have it and will refer to it, however I need plaques with their names to illustrate a planned special edition.

•

Let’s give Honour where Honour is due!

•

Is anybody interested in our troops using the railways in German East Africa during WW1? I have scanned many pictures of the Railways in this former German Colony – Hennie H.

My “stamp collection” - A present from Oom Les

For many years I have been searching for a “green” liveried Vapour-Clarkson steam heating car – I have most liveries except the blue & grey version. Thanks Oom Les!

The Wepenersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perambulations

Theunissen

Tierfontein

Wesselsbron

Hi to all. We've been thinking of some memorable footplating we've done through the years (mostly Jacque, to me it is the magical place where everything happens â&#x20AC;&#x201C; John doesn't really like the footplating rather preferring the comfort of the train) anyway - here is our list of some of our favourites in no particular order, these will stick in our memories for ever. Through the years the rules and regulations have somewhat relaxed and surprisingly there are a lot of drivers that jump at the chance for some company and conversation on the footplate nowadays - unfortunately these guys are getting scarce as the "new generation" takes over. As you all remember in the old SAR days footplating was almost unheard of without the necessary permits and indemnity forms and so on. Way back in the late seventies (my first ever footplate experience) - footplating on those huge 4E's in Worcester station, the rocking and swaying feeling over the points and the very loud sound of the brakes being applied, also the sheer size of those beasts, only a small "laaitjie" holding tightly onto his father... Worcester loco, also in the late seventies, on the footplate of a GMAM Garratt with the safety valves lifting and slowly moving forward on this giant, with the double exhaust beat, need we say more... The only Narrow Gauge footplate ride in 1985, from Renken to Izingolweni on the regular 18

SAR train to Harding with a class NG/G16, returning with the Harding to Port Shepstone working - the miniature effect of everything hugging the country side, the plenty of whistle blowing for all the level-crossings and especially the incredible heat on the footplate everytime the firebox doors were opened to stoke coal onto the fire... From Virginia to Glen Harmony in 1989 with a very badly priming 15F, no. 2996 on a frozen, crisp Free State morning with the sun on the horizon, the long trail of steam and smoke and the continuous, violent slipping on iced rails, sending shudders through the whole locomotive, hardly keeping moving and the sweet smell of the steam and smoke in our nostrils... Back in 1990, a trip on class 23 "Mandy" no. 3300, with the Welkom Show train. Doing in excess of 100 km/h between Mooiveld and Whites-West. As many of you would be able to confirm, travelling on a steam loco at such a speed is incredible. The whole motion, smell and heat, everything sort of just comes together in a continuous blur of rods, noise, smoke and steam. Later that evening we had a quick dash to Hennenman for water, fire cleaning and coal trimming... During the late eighties on the footplate of a 34 class diesel on the Local Welkom passenger train - going over all the points and cross-overs, coming from the branchline onto the mainline at Whites and being routed to platform 3 through the Hennenman yards, the lurching and jerking, bouncing and swaying whilst enjoying coffee from a spotlessly clean, shiny stainless steel mug... Many footplate rides on the Lorraine Gold mines system, during the nineties, with the 10CR, 19B and 19D's and the two blue "kerkies" (sitters), into violent afternoon African thunder storms with soaking warm rain showering us, with little protection from the cab... On the St Helena system, many days and nights were spent on the footplate of the 16CR's learning to fire and drive. Many beautiful sunsets and sunrises were viewed from the footplate. Rain, wind, heat and icy cold were endured. The food prepared on the shovel and the firebox coffee and travelling 90 km/h on the mine tracks... Later when the diesels came I was still there and had many a driving turn on the ore haulages all under the watchful eye of a driver now at Sandstone... In 1989 on the footplate of the leading 35 class on the Zastron to Bloemfontein passenger train - the first night time footplate ride. The way in which the diesel's sealed beam pierced into the night sweeping away the darkness on the tight curves and lighting up the veld like daylight on a chillywindswept Southern Free State night... Doing 150 km/h, yes that's not a typo, with a crazy driver on the Vierfontein to Viljoenskroon section with a 34 class and a guardsvan during the eighties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the fastest we've ever been on the rails - a nervous kind of enjoyment... A footplate ride on the trailing 33 class from Mariental to Keetmanshoop. With Stan "the diesel man" from England, on Boon's train in 2003 - with not a drop to drink between us in the sweltering desert heat and no stopping for three and a half hours... Also, same tour, 19

doing nearly 100 km/h on the footplate of the trailing 34 between Putsonderwater and Prieska returning from Namibia... Again with Boon in 2004, from Bellville to Worcester, doing in excess of 120km/h on the footplate of the leading 35 class, going through Brackenfell, the crowd on the platform waiting for Metros, literally ran for cover when they saw us coming. Later that night going through Tulbagh Kloof the diesel's headlight illuminated the ravines and the mountainside, when the driver switched the sealed beam off with just the stars to guide us on a silent, moonless night, through the pass, a feeling of awe came over us, also watching the passenger train's lights following so peacefully behind us through the pitch black dark cuttings... Between Tierfontein and Bultfontein in the late eighties on the pick-up with a single 34 class - notch 8 roaring through the cutting and over the Vet River girder bridge, the roar of the diesel was deafening blasting out of the cutting onto the bridge, sending the baboons scattering all over the rocks and dashing for cover... Back with Bosveld in 2005 - from Modderriver to Ronaldsvlei with a 7E through the Great Karoo on "Steel Kyalami"... Same tour, through Bushmanspoort, through many tunnels, with a 7E, again the rocking, swaying motion of those big electrics through the mountains ... All the way from Alicedale to Grahamstown in 2004 on the footplate of the leading 35 class, the continuous climbing and the tunnels and the hard and bumpy ride on the lightly laid branchline... Matjiesfontein to Almeria on the footplate of the leading 6E1in 2004 through the Hexriver tunnel system, with the "regular" driver of the Trans Karoo, the first and only passenger to disembark at Almeria - through the 12.9km Hexton tunnel, incredible... Mothusi diesel depot (back when we still had plenty of traffic) - on weekends, when the guys were having a beer and a braai, taking the strings of 34's / 35's and turning them on the triangle, then for servicing and re-fuelling and positioning them for their next turn of duty, with the shedman changing the points for me, having millions of Rand worth of locomotives under my control... Recently, shunting Gunhill yard, Kroonstad, in the early hours of a Freezing winter's night / morning with a 34 class, the cab heater and hotplate on fully and lastly, the last rays of a setting sun, making the goods trucks glow golden orange, on the late afternoon shunt in the Welkom goods shed also with a 34 class... We can carry on and on - these are some of the most memorable one's we've had, counting ourselves extremely privileged to have been able to have done these things. Surely many readers can tell many such tales. Once the Railway "Gogga" has bitten - it's for life... Dodging the loco-inspector. John & Jacque. 20

Welkom Show Train: “To be or not to be ... a passenger” - Hennie Heymans

Dear J & J: This really brings back a flood memories! This is how I remember the steam trip during the Welkom Show. We were only to meet much later on one of Boon’s Trains. I was the District Commissioner of the SA Police stationed at Welkom during 1990 and 1991. As DC I was asked to officially open the Welkom Show. However there was a very serious armed robbery and could not see myself on the train while the other police officers and policemen were trying to apprehend the criminals! I had also told the Police had brought crime down in the whole district and the only way to enhance the image of the Police was through the rendering of effective service to our public! We did catch them that day – I first borrowed the helicopter from a mine – mine security was very helpful - while waiting for our SAP Chopper to arrive from Bloemfontein. I spent the next three days and three nights on the paper case! Spent many hours of those three days in special court sessions and answering interdicts and facing learned legal personages. One suspect, big hefty chap died soon after arrest due to a heart attack! Then came the applications for bail and, and, and, ... while Brixton Murder & Robbery took over our suspects after our arrest - as they were also looking for them. An interdict was served on me personally and after many hours of telephone calls, paperwork the criminals were back in Welkom 3pm and late that Saturday-night we were finished with all the legalities. We – police, prosecutor, lawyers etc were all dog tired but, by virtue of the powers vested in me, we all went to the Police Officers Club, had it opened for a well earned drink! (It was the only place where anybody could get a drink in the Free State at that ungodly hour!) A considerate policeman from the Local Criminal Bureau took a beautiful picture – in black & white - of the “23” when he went to Thabong and he gave the photograph to me on my transfer to Soweto! The case finally ended one day after spending a full day in the Supreme Court in Bloemfontein to answer to an administrative charge of “contempt of court” – I had to explain to the Judge why the prisoners were not immediately released on bail! Fortunately I had kept my notes of everything I did and what happened. Chaps, I was so glad I did not go on the train trip but fought both crime and legal red tape that day! Thanks J & J!

Railway History: Table Bay Harbour Board Cape Town: the “Dolly” and the “Bombela" – Hennie Heymans The Table Bay Harbour Board and subsequently the SAR’s Dock Train ran from the old Monument Station (at the foot of Adderley Street) in Cape Town to the East Pier in Table 21

Bay. The distance was two miles and the fare for the journey was three-pence and later under the ambit of the SAR the fare was four-pence. The Dolly with No’s 62 and 641.

Note the bi-lingual board (English and Dutch) along the roof of the coach. These boards were fitted to all coaches. These boards left the stranger stepping off a ship no doubt as to the destination of the little train, or the amount of the fare due. The Dock Train was affectionately known as “The Dolly”. It was instituted during 1904. When the SAR was formed the Dock Train had five coaches, viz no’s 60, 61, 62, 63 and 642. Route: Monument Station, Imperial Cold Storage (ICS), Ebenezer Road just inside the Customs Gate, North Gates station, No. 2 Jetty, and finally East Pier.

1 2

The same photo also appears as a Post Card in Post Card Journeys in South Africa p 252. Classification of SAR Coaching Stock.

Time Table taken from the Argus dated 29-06-1904 when the train was operated under the ambit of the Table Bay Harbour Board 3 The Dock Train had an easy run. It had no gradients to negotiate. 10 minutes was allowed in the timetable and was sufficient for the trip to the East Pier. Weekdays (Monday to Friday) there were 22 trips in each direction. The first train left Monument Station at 06:36. A smart turn-round at the East Pier enabled it to proceed inwards at 06:49. The last train from Monument Station was at 19:30, and from

Furnished by Dave Rhind â&#x20AC;&#x201C; letter dated 23-11-2000.

the East Pier at 19.50. After that hour, and on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, passenger and commuters had to use taxis and hansom cabs. Normally, “The Dolly” consisted of two coaches of a very light construction. They had slatted wooden seats. The tare weight would not exceed fifty tons, and the motive power was generally a 6th class engine, or an obsolete 5th Class. An obsolete 4th Class took a turn sometimes, not to speak of other locomotives which were not obliged to exert great tractive effort, or to run at a high speed. The numbers on the photograph are SAR no’s 62 and 64. According to Dave Rhind4 they were former CGR coaches no’s 62 – 64. Mail days were different. Then “The Dolly” would be made up to five or six coaches, to cope with the crowds, which used to go down to the East Pier to see the mail ship off to England. •

The first stop on the way to the docks was outside the Imperial Cold Storasge, at the bottom of Bree Street, that is, if there were passengers to pick up.

•

The second stop was at the bottom of Ebenezer Road, just inside the Customs gate.

•

After this halt the speediest part of the journey began, in a gigantic half circle round the old quarry, past the oil and petrol tanks, past the then Robinson dry dock and round a sharp curve into old North Gates station. This was the third stop. This station then had a large wooden platform, a corrugated iron roof, and was perhaps the most used station on the line.

• The next halt was at No. 2 Jetty.

Not far beyond No 2 Jetty was the old East Pier station. This station also had a wooden platform. Here the engine ran round the train, and the return trip started. East Pier Station unsafe during Stormy Weather There were many times though when the terminus was unusable. When a north-west gale was blowing at high tide, with water washing dangerously over the top of the breakwater (which was immediately alongside the track) and the line itself was underwater, the train had to stop short of the terminus! The Dock Train enjoyed an expensive luxury which in the end was to prove its own undoing: It had the exclusive use of what was then known as “The Dolly Road”, and with the growth of freight traffic to and from the harbour, the authorities decided that this valuable track was needed for goods traffic. 4

Letter dated 16 April 2000.

First Bus Service to displace a Train To compensate for its withdrawal it was decided to introduce a bus service. Incidentally this bus service was the first to displace a train service anywhere in South Africa. From the end of October 1926, “The Dolly" ran no more, except for special trips on mail-days, when the bus service was inadequate!

The Bombella5 The Dock train was supplemented by "The Bombella"6 which made one trip in the morning, and one in the afternoon, to transport African labourers to and from Ndabeni, later a busy industrial area, but at the time of running a huddle of huts dignified by the name of a ‘location’ or ‘township’. “The Bombella” had a rake of dingy, ill-lit carriages, with wooden seats arranged lengthwise. “The Bombella” was hauled by any shunting engine that was available. Sometimes, though, it was headed by a class 1 SAR engine, which, leaving more mundane duties, revived the glories of the past. Early in the former century, the Class 1, was then known as the Hendrie ’B’ after its famous designer, Mr. DA Hendrie. It hauled the Main Line Corridor Expresses of the Natal Government Railways. The original name of the locomotive, Hendrie ’B’, has stuck even to this day. This train, on its afternoon journey, often carried office workers, who, putting their pride in their pockets, thought it worthwhile to board “The Bombella”, so that they could get to Adderley Street seven minutes sooner than if they waited for “The Dolly".

Comments I went and did some research on the name: “I wrote Bombella when I was 16. The name goes back to a train that transported the mine workers from all of South Africa to the gold and diamond mines. But the train had 4 classes. I always travelled fourth class with the foreign workers. The fourth class was always at the front of the train, because there you swallowed all of the dense smoke and embers, which was very unpleasant in the heat of South Africa. The meaning of this train was immense, since it was a symbol for all classes of South Africa.” 7 Bombela Gautrain Contract - The long-awaited bid winner of the Gautrain was finally made. The Bombela Consortium has been chosen to build the high-speed train over the next four-and-a-half years, in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

I presume Bombela was a local name for the local train, however I came across this name elsewhere in South Africa for similar trains. 6 Some spell it with one “l” while others spell it with two “ll’s” 7 Bombella: Abdullah Ibrahim see http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_music_info&products_id=6980 5

The project consists of financing, design-build, and operations and maintenance of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. The Bombela consortium consists of the following members: Bombardier; French civil contractor Bouygues Travaux Publics; RATP Développement, a major French rail and bus operating company; South African civil contractor Murray & Roberts; and Loliwe8 Rail Contractors and Loliwe Rail Express the consortium's black economic empowerment component, which are partnerships of South African companies who own 50 percent of Bombela.9

The Sea Point Train Monument Station was also the starting point for the Sea Point Train. It had a more difficult line. Unlike ‘The Dolly’ it had to make a smart get-away and had to accelerate past the old Power Station with a brave show of steam and smoke to clear the Bree Street crossing and get up and over the bank to Alfred Street - before the force of gravity proved too much for it! See the map in the centrespread of the route taken by the Sea Point Line. The map was kindly sent in by Ron Conyngham

Sources Anon: SA Railways & Harbours Magazine, October 1921, p 701. Argus, Cape Town: Advertisement dated 29 June 1904. Bell WA: The Old Days of the ‘Dolly’ and the “Bombela’: The Railway Society of Southern Africa, Vol III, No 1, January 1963. CME Pretoria: Classification of SAR Coaching Stock, Renumbering Lists, Government Printer, Pretoria, 1912. Conyngham, R: Map of Sea Point Line. Rhind, D & Walker, M: Historical Railway Postcard Journeys in Southern Africa, ISBN 0 9584156 6 8. [Published by M Walker, his contact tel. is 021- 788-1927.] Rhind, D: Private letters to the Author.

8 9

Meaning railway http://www.projectpro.co.za/e-Zine/Gautrain/Bombela/bombela.html (2011-06-10)

South African Railways – No 1 Armoured Train – Carl Hoehler Carl Hoehler sent in the following pictures:

No 1 A.T, Trafalgar OC Capt Wallis. (No initials) When in GSWA we see the “new” (?) OC of No 1 AT, is Capt Kent. (No initials)

Photograph of Capt De Meillon’s Grave – Hennie Heymans

Met this old Dame in Windhoek – I don’t know her name or her number – Hennie.

Transnet Statuettes – Hennie Heymans

A man came to my house one day and he brought me the following little statuettes that he bought in a pawn shop. I placed them on the scanner and made the following copies. These statuettes are made out of brass while some are made out of fibre glass. They were obviously made for Transnet as they have a stamp below inscribed: “The copyright is vested in Transnet Ltd.” •

Any

further

comments

will

appreciated.

Three SAR Accidents in the OFS – Hennie Heymans In response to William Marshall’s program “Op die Plek Rus” for the Armed Forces of South Africa, pre 1994, with a once a week slot for the old SA Police in which we take part Mr Fanie du Plessis (74) phoned me. I visited him at his home in Kempton Park. He told me his father was a Railway Policeman who was born during 1888. To me history and dates are important to reconstruct past events. Personal particulars are also important to me, for e.g. for later genealogical research by others. When I perused the Baptism Certificate I noticed that Const Du Plessis was baptised at Somerset East during 1888. Many of our Boers and Afrikaners come from that part of the country. This is the world of the Slagtersnek Rebellion and where Boer and Scot (e.g. the Pringle’s) met at the church at nearby Glen Lynden.

Railway Police Constable SF du Plessis – Fanie du Plessis Railway Police Constable SF du Plessis was born on 3 June 1888:

Mr Du Plessis (SA Airways – Ret) with a photo of his father, SAR Constable SF du Plessis.

After the Anglo-Boer War many Boers emigrated. One Boer became Sgt Geyer – he was a long, tall, man, who did point duty in New York for many years. At first I thought that Const du Plessis was a member of the NYPD. However on close inspection I found that he was sporting the coat of arms of the Union of South Africa on his cap.

Mr Du Plessis is also showing a walking stick that belonged to Pres SJP Kruger. (On thinking about the matter, it made sense – Pres Kruger married into the Du Plessis-family.)

I borrowed from Mr du Plessis photographs of a soldier’s coffin arriving at the station and three sets of photographs of three different railway accidents that happened in the Orange Free State. Taking Const Du Plessis’ date of birth into account and then when he would have gone on pension I placed the date of the accidents during c1933. Const Du Plessis only got married when he was 50 years old – his son could give me the places, but not the dates, of the accidents. Here are the photographs Const Du Plessis had to foresight to take. However once I removed the photographs from the album I could determine two specific dates of two accidents and I ascertained that an Ms Johanna van den Berg died in the accident at Sepane.

1952-02-07 Death Staff Sgt NAC Kruger - Ladysmith

A family member died – the purpose of this picture is to show that the SAR also conveyed corpses and played a great part in our social life!

It is not clear where the picture was taken – in Bloemfontein or in Ladysmith, or if the coffin arrived or departed.

[When researching the murder of several policemwn in Cato Manor I found that the corpses of the policemen were also sent by train to their home towns. (In order to convey a corpse 33

there was a lot of red tape to comply with i.e. the District Surgeonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death certificate, permission from the SA Police, Dept of Health etc.]

c1933-00-00 Accident at Glenâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fanie du Plessis

A poor horse! I hope it was not a Troop Horse!

Note the Lady’s dress is torn – body language shows the shock of all!

1933-09-02 Accident Shannon– Fanie du Plessis Coach No 2417 (?)

1933-12-15 Accident at Sepane â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fanie du Plessis

The Hero of our Story is the 3rd policeman on the right in the photograph. Photo left by Jacque Wepener â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sepane today.

Real picture

Flipped a 180o

The note at back of photos says Johanna van

den Berg was killed in the above coach

Railway Police – Armoured Vehicle – Windhoek – Terry Rowe

Hi Hennie While going through some old photos I came across the attached and thought of you, I'm sure you have seen this. I took it at Windhoek Station about 10 years ago. If it is of interest and use please feel free to use and add to your collection of SAR Railway Police stuff (I will not hold copy-right over it.) All the best, Terry. Terry, Thanks for the contribution – Hennie. 39

Sepane Today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jacque Wepener

Sepane – Andre Kritzinger Hennie, Sepane:In the OFS. On the Thaba Nchu line, I think. See http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SAR_Class_16E_857_(4-6-2)_b.jpg Regards, André, Cape Town

SAR Class 16E 857 (4-6-2) - Malcolm Best at Sepane Description English: SAR Class 16E 857 (4-6-2) Location: Sepane, Free State Date 4 July 1999 Source Own work Author User: Malcolm Best Permission You are free: To share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work To remix – to adapt the work Under the following conditions: Attribution – You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Share alike – If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

Various Comments on Sepane •

Ashley wrote: There is/was a Sepane halt or siding near Thaba 'Nchu on the Bloem Bethlehem line. Regards, Ashley Peter.

•

RobertGMAM: Between Sannaspos and Thaba Nchu.

•

Hello Henie, I grew up at Bloemspruit, two stops before Shannon. After Bloemspruit it was Nassau, then Shannon. Bloemspruit and Nassau were single lines and had one platform each. Bloemspruit had a blikplaat10 waiting room and ticket office. Just before Shannon there was a semaphore signal. My parents spoke of an accident at Shannon and my dad who was a fireman then spoke of a head-on there but it was a long, long, time ago and I am not sure if I am remembering correctly. I would like to know more of the Shannon accident. It was in the early 50's to early 60's I lived there. Hennie. one more question did I not meet you, with Theo Kruger on Boon's special Cherry festival train in Ficksburg?11 Your rail-tales are excellent and thank you for sticking up for me when I made my dreadful mistake by sending the wrong email to sar-l cheers, from a minus 4 Ficksburg. Dave.

SAR Padlocks – Brett Radloff Hi Hennie Sorry this has taken so long to get to you! Please find attached some pictures, and a Word document which includes picture captions. I’m afraid I have no factual knowledge on them, all that I know has been gained from my own observations and assumptions. I am keen to see what other knowledge can be gained from readers of your gazette! Regards, Brett

A little bit of background on SAR Locks Generally known as the ‘Chubb lock’, these solid brass padlocks have been found all over the SAR for many years, and are still in use today. Their primary use is to lock hand operated points levers, but they are also used to secure hand operated de-railers and line side telephone boxes. Today they can also be found locking security gates at some unmanned stations. They are all unlocked with the same key, the famous ‘Chubb key’, which cannot be removed whilst the lock in open. The lock needs to be locked before the key can be removed. The locks are made entirely of solid brass, have two-lever locking mechanism. They are all made with a small loop at the bottom, to which a chain was secured. This chain was secured to a sleeper of the like, and prevented the lock from going

10 11

Corrugated iron waiting room - HBH Yes we did meet.

missing or being stolen. The front of the lock’s shackle is always marked with the railway markings, ie SAR/SAS; SAT/SAV; Spoornet etc. The older locks were also all stamped with their date of manufacture on the rear of the shackle. They get their name from one of the manufacturers, Chubb, although Chubb was not the first company to make them. Many different companies have manufactured these locks over the years. The earliest lock of this type in my collection, dated 1927, was made by ‘Cotterill Birmingham’. Interestingly, this lock is stamped with its patent number and date of patent on the rear, the date of which is 1923. This could suggest that this type of lock was first introduced in 1923. Going by the dates on the locks in my collection, the next company to produce these locks would appear to have been Chubb London, which made them right up to the 1950’s. ‘L&F’ seem to have made them during the late 50’s and early 60’s, whilst Chubb London still continued to make them. During the 1960’s and 70’s, various manufacturers were making them, including Chubb, (no longer Chubb London), Edden SA, Yale and Widney RSA. When the SAR became the South African Transport Services, all locks were produced by ‘Lock & Comp’. Lock & Comp continues to make them to this day and what amazes me the most is that a brand new key from ‘Lock & Comp’ still works the original 1927 variant! Although the standard brass ‘Chubb lock’ appears to have first been made in 1923, a lock of a similar type goes back to pre-SAR days, as the railway museums in both George and Uitenhage have examples of the ‘Chubb key’ marked CGR12. The museum in George also has an example of an iron padlock, marked SAR, which would also appear to work with the ‘Chubb’ key, and also has the chain attached to the bottom of the lock. Another type of lock used on points levers is the ‘Patrick type’ lock. This is in the form a steel box, secured to the sleeper, into which a chain attached to the lever is locked. A standard ‘Chubb key’ is inserted into the front of the box to release the chain. Unfortunately all the examples which I have seen in use are all painted up or very rusted, and no markings can be found on them. Thus I do not know who makes them, or how old they are. The standard ‘Chubb locks’ all have a unique key, with the key bit being slanted to the righthand side as opposed to straight down as on normal locks. A variety of this was the ‘left face’ key, in which the bit was slanted to the left. The key is identical in every other way, but seeing as the bit is slanted in the opposite direction, a standard key would not fit into the key hole. The uses of this type of lock are unclear to me, but I have heard that they were (are?) used on special sidings, such as sidings holding dynamite wagons or oil tankers. Although I have a key of this variety, I have never seen a padlock of this type. I have seen an

Cape Government Railways – HBH.

example of a ‘Patrick-type’ lock with this key, so perhaps only this type of lock was fitted with a left face key. There are also other types of locks used by the railways, used on applications other than point’s levers etc. These are generally of the more modern ‘pin-tumbler’ type. Yale made various varieties of brass padlocks, which were used on Van Schoor token-machines and other such equipment, as well as on telephone and relay boxes. Although not all operated with the same key, master keying or key-alike systems were used, so locks used for the same applications often had the same key. Today, ‘Master’ locks are commonly used on relay boxes, and are also found locking the boxes of points motors. Viro also makes their ‘Mod-Lok’ for Spoornet. These nylon-bodied padlocks can also be found on various relay boxes etc, and are marked with the Spoornet logo.

01 – Padlocks in my collection, manufacturers include Chubb, Chubb London, Edden SA, L&F, Cotterill Birmingham, Widney RSA and Lock & Comp.

02 – Keys in my collection, manufacturers include Chubb, Chubb London, Lock & Comp, Edden SA and L&F. Bottom row shows a ‘Herkules’ key, which although not an SAR key, is very similar and does open some locks. Middle key is a Rhodesian Railways variant, and on the right in a ‘left-face’ key.

03 – Points lever locked with a standard ‘Chubb lock’ 04 – Points lever locked with a ‘Patrick type’ lock:

05 – ‘Patrick type’ lock with a ‘left-face’ keyway:

06 – ‘Chubb lock’ used to secure a station gate:

07 – Viro ‘Mod-Lok’, marked with the Spoornet logo

08 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Old Cape Government Railways padlock, made by V&R Blakemore:

09 – Cotterill Birmingham padlock, my earliest example of the ‘Chubb lock, dated 1927.

10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; L&F padlock still in use at Langvlei siding, on the Worcester â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mossel Bay line:

11 – Yale ‘RKA 24’ padlock, made for SAR/SAS

12 – Inside of a ‘Chubb lock’, in the locked position

13 – Inside of a ‘Chubb lock’, with key turned ready to open:

14 – Inside of a ‘Chubb lock’, in the open position

15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Old iron SAR padlock, in the George Museum:

Padlock – Jacque Wepener Hi all, someone brought this old “Said to be 1930’s BR“padlock and asked if we could shed some light on its use. The key has been lost, padlock open. Not as SAR “Chubb” Points/Petrol Tank Wagon” pad locks, which require padlock to be closed, before the key can be removed. Painted with grey paint. Marker CHUBB LONDON. Keyhole cover also marked Chubb London, with small fish embossed on cover. On back 699 stamped on bottom of pad lock. Local Locksmiths are unable to duplicate a key. Key of the thin-type, nor thick as with SAR “Chubb” padlocks. Padlock Greetings, John and Jacque.

What is This?

Glencairn - Simon’s Town-line – Les Pivnic

Les Pivnic’s above photo elected the following response:

1. Hennie’s

response

Dear Les & Readers On visits to the Cape I used to travel on each visit on the sub-urban line to Simon's Town. I bought "Die Burger" which was the best Afrikaans newspaper in the world - mind you - got into Bigsy's13 - ordered Bacon & Eggs & Coffee - the best breakfast in the world (after pap and kaaiings - or grits as the Americans in Atlanta call it) then on the rails to see one of the best views in the world! Muizenberg to Simons Town. At least that's my opinion. I have seen the whales frolicking and blowing in False Bay from the train window. Say, for a mere R50-00 I felt like a king! "Die Burger" - with its perfect Afrikaans - I saw the Burger as the English version of the London Times - the breakfast and the train ride! Past the rugby fields and the cricket fields - somewhere along the line were/was/is some blue former SAR coaches with clerestory roofs! I love False Bay and the mountains. As a policeman I was sent to Simon's Town SA Naval Base for a course - it was there that I fell in love with the SAR line and False Bay with its

The second coach in the consist – Hennie.

majestic mountains. We stayed in a hotel that the SA Navy took over; it was called "Rhodesia-by-the-Sea". In the afternoon, after the course, I would rush down to the SAR line and watch the trains go by! Walk to the sea and watch the mountains in the distance! I thought of the Dutch Vryburgers who wanted to cross the mountains over "Sir Louwry's Pass" - I thought of the travels of Lady Anne Barnard and how she (they) visited my forbearers in the hinterland. I had by then also read most of Lawrence Green's books! (I visited the local grave yard - and saw the graves of the "Kroomen". The grave docks were also historical.) I still have to research the Royal Navy's own good trucks - they stored all the RN ammunition at Jan Kempdorp (Andalusia) - why? It was safe then from bombers. The ammo could be sent from there to Simon’s Town, Durban or Walfish Bay - or so was I informed once.) Well today we still have the trains - now in a different livery - covered with graffiti - small windows which are very dirty! Can't see outside. I seem to remember that trains had a different smell to them! That I remember from the days my Father, a Police Sergeant, made use of the annual railway concession for civil servants. We visited Matatiele & Cedarville by train where one side of the family lived and we visited Oupa & Ouma Heymans at Van Reenen. Many trains those days at Van Reenen. I could hear the 1E’s making their special sounds! As small boys my Dad would put us on the train, after a severe warning to behave - and we travelled as kids alone - Oupa met us on the station the next morning. In those days it was as if the SAR had a personalised service to the public - but what I remember is the smell of the compartments! And the sepia pictures? Wonder whose brilliant idea it was? (I think - if I remember correctly it was started by the CGR.) I am digressing - getting old - but coming to the dirty trains - I once put my feet on the green seats and my schoolteacher mother whacked me! There I learnt to respect the interior of a train - never forgot that whack! Later in life I met Oom Gert - he was a steward on the SAR during university holidays. Rose to become a professor and a colonel in our ACF. He also loves trains. We did many trips on Boon's Bosveld Train Safari's together. We went to Cape Town once and he introduced me to the "Brass Bell" - here I could sit with my camera - the Brass Bell is build in the sea and one looks from the sea to the line. At high tide the waves would splash over the trains passing by! One thing of these suburban trains is, when one takes a photo, one has to look carefully at the photo to see whether it’s coming or going!

At one stage there was pride in the police and the railways - it was national symbols of our nation! Our police horses even had their hooves painted black, the trains were clean, the locomotives were clean and the SAR uniformed staff were neat – Ja Swaer, sometimes their caps were a bit "skeef" but at least they were neat and presentable. Stan Kantor and I had a long chat to Dr Loubser - son of Dr MM - and he told me as a university graduate he had to work as a pupil engineer - they were then known in the SAR colloquial as po&phol engineers. His foreman severely chocked him off for being out 1/46 of an inch - he says that is like a hair breath! Now if the SAR was worried about 1/46 inch how much more on the rest? I still say - start at the bottom & work your way up! Take pride in your organisation! As a chief phone your own organisation and try to make a booking on a train these days! Get the senior people back on trains - forget the SAA - travel by train as part of your senior function. Inspection - daily inspection is part of training and good "command and control"! Anyway “Oom Les” - thanks for bringing up all these memories - I just love your photographs! To see the activity on the photographs is wonderful - all the activity is on the roads these days. Last point - I see they are lifting up many sidings and other lines near stations - this is capital investment - the steel is sold (?) and then it gives a false picture of the income. I shudder to think what will happen if we have a WAR one day? Greetings – Hennie Heymans

Muizenberg - a whale from the train window – Hennie Heymans

2. Pierre de Wet’s response Hennie, Nathan & all, I enjoy your stories Hennie – they have a lot of life to them and your anecdotes make the old railway come alive. Your Dad putting you youngsters on the train to travel alone with dire warnings to behave for instance brings back memories as well as your travels along the False Bay coast which I too did as a boy – and you’re right, the old familiar train smell is gone. No more leather, no more teak, no more Jeye’s fluid and no more train smoke. It’s only the Jeye’s I don’t miss! And there was always that consciousness of the Interior – far away over the Hex River pass. We learnt about the Cape mountain barrier at school and in those days it still seemed like a barrier, or was it merely youth that made it seem so? I knew many lads at school who rarely – if ever, travelled over the Hex. They just stayed put on the Peninsula in insular and happy isolation with their parents. Now and then they’d take the mail boat overseas and some would bravely venture as far as the Garden Route but that was it. They never got to know the interior and all it offered. I remember being able to book a train from Cape Town through to the Congo at any SAR booking office when Africa was a lot wilder than it is today with still huge concentrations of game and relatively small human populations, with railways that worked. It was in 1960 wasn’t it, when the Congo imploded? And from then onwards it became more difficult to travel far north as Uhuru drifted southwards. It is remarkable that recently a 52 class Garratt was still able to haul a special train up in Kenya and that Geoff Cooke’s tours still operate successfully into Zimbabwe – with better co-operation than he receives here in SA. Seeing a Garratt operated train leaving Vic Falls station is to my mind still one of railways’ great pleasures and then to step off the platform and into the Vic Falls Hotel for a cold beer afterwards, another of life’s pleasures. I so agree with you when you say that officials must make a point of travelling by train. Do they or don’t they? Probably not, but perhaps they may have, were they to have kept some of those lovely privates that used to grace our rail network. But that would also not guarantee any real work being done. Today there is a different approach to discipline and because of the doing away with promotion from the bottom, very little railway culture left. It seems to be all about business, which is fine – up to a point. Kobus Loubser who you knew, had that railwayman’s pride – and he had the knowledge to go with it but today, men like Kobus Loubser are thin on the ground. Nathan, your latest report is heart breaking. I must say that Richard’s words of encouragement are good to read but railway preservation is a back breaking and difficult job in South Africa today. Even just running a railway seems to get more impossible by the day with these thugs stealing and damaging railway property incessantly. Anything is free game today – not just our poor rhinos. I really don’t know what more one can say to encourage you guys at FOTR & other preservation schemes. Right now I can only sympathise; but faint hearts never won much, nor a preserved railway, so you mustn’t give up. Things can surely only improve. (We hope) 65

Pierre

3. Les Pivnicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response Dear Hennie and List, Thanks for that very interesting read triggered by my photo of Biggsy's Buffet on an EMU at Glencairn. My uncle Lou Tromp - a born and bred Capetonian - always told me that if you want to learn to speak Afrikaans properly - then read Die Burger!!! Suiwer Afrikaans meneer! It is indeed the Afrikaans equivalent of the London Times. Breakfast in Biggsy's must have been most enjoyable - I never had the opportunity but going on Hennie's account, it was very good! The old SAR Apprentice Schools invariably had strict task-masters and that produced fitters and millwrights etc, who knew what they were doing when they qualified. The SAR trains DID have a unique smell about them - it was the real leather seats, the varnished timber, and of course - a good dollop of soot over the years! Many years ago, I bought a folding compartment table from the Stores Office in Bloemfontein Mechanical Shops. If one smelt the table - it reeked of the old SAR smells. I only lightly cleaned the table when I took it home and it retained that wonderful smell for several years. Alas! It has finally gone - the smell that is - I still have that table in my household effects. Pierre - Getting back to my Capetonian uncle Lou Tromp, he used to say to us Vaalies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nee wat - the world ends at Hexrivier!!! Don't bother going further! Back in those days (1950s) living in a very prosperous and pleasant and CLEAN Johannesburg, I didn't agree with him but now with my dear old Johannesburg in a sorry state, he would be right! Regards, Les Pivnic.

Welkom Railway Station (Free State) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Wepener

Brandfort â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Wepener [A friend in the old SADF, Vernon Visser,

once

told me that the SAR used Dulux paint. It

does

not

matter which paint

they

used!

But

look

the

old livery â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the paint was made to last! These Cabooses are one of my favourite pieces of rolling stock!]

Houtenbeck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Wepener

Vetrivier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Wepener

Industrial railways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J Wepener â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Free State Goldfields

Harmony Depot

RRL Welkom

Sheltam - Virginia

Sheltam - Virginia 74

Railway photographs Dwarsvlei – Louis Lubbe

“A return journey to Dwarsvlei, please? “

Rack Loco nr Watervalboven

Rack Loco nr Watervalboven – Andre Grove

NGR – Anglo-Boer War – WSL Churchill & HMAT SOUTH AFRICAN RAILWAYS AND HARBOURS MAGAZINE October 1921 - 687 After 40 years’ service – Retirement at 65 Among the many retirements from the Railway Service which have recently taken place, not the least interesting is that of Mr. J. W. Thompson (photo), who for the past five years has been gateman at Newtown, Johannesburg, and who went on pension at the end of August last. Altogether he has had 41 years' service on the railways in South Africa, nearly 10 years of this lengthy period being on the C.G.R., 14 years on the N.G.R. and the remainder on the C.S.A.R. and the S.A.R. Born in Annan, Dumfrieshire, in March, 1856, his first experience of railway work was with the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company, in 1874; he served with that company until 1879 and then came out to South Africa under contract to the Cape Government Railways. One of the interesting experiences in connection with Mr. Thompson's railway service occurred during the Anglo-Boer war when he was one of thirteen plate-layers travelling on an armoured train between Chieveley and Frere stations, Natal. The military force on the train consisted of 100 men of the Dublin Fusiliers and a few of 76

the Durban Light Infantry, while a passenger on the train was Mr. Winston Churchill, then a war correspondent for two London papers. The train ran daily between Estcourt and Colenso and was frequently sniped by Boer marksmen, but during its trip on the 15th November, 1899, it was fired on heavily by a Boer commando and as a result one of the trucks was overturned and the others derailed. A number of those on board the train were wounded and others injured by the over-turning of the trucks, among the latter being Foreman Thompson. After being under fire for about an hour and a half, 20 men, headed by Mr. Winston Churchill, succeeded in getting the train righted and the wounded and injured were conveyed to Estcourt. Shortly after this incident Mr. Churchill was captured by the Boer forces and was imprisoned in Pretoria. The following letter was shortly afterwards addressed to the railwaymen concerned by Lady Randolph Churchill: Engineer in Chief's Office, Maritzburg, December 29th, 1899.

For your information I have to forward you a copy

letter received from

Lady Randolph Churchill, which is as follows: â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " Sir, â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I wish to thank you on behalf of my son, Winston Spencer Churchill, now a prisoner at Pretoria, and the employees of the Armoured Train, who so generously recorded in the letter which you forwarded to the General Manager of Railways, their opinion of him and what he did for them. I need hardly say how grateful I am, as his mother, to have this tribute of brave men to a brave man, nor how much I appreciate their thoughtfulness in expressing it. Please convey my sympathy to the wounded among them. Trusting they are doing well, Believe me, Yours faithfully, (Signed) Jeannie Randolph Churchill." Foreman Thompson, c/o Inspector Snow, Pinetown.

People interested our railway heritage

Jan Molekoa, Edwin Gillham and Sue Laurence at Bellville (Hennie). Sue lives in Australia Jan is still assisting Boon Boonzaaier

2003-01-31 Boon Boonzaaier at Matjesfontein â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jimmy Loganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old Watering hole!

2003-10-21: Oom Trevor Atwell, Celebrating 50 trips on BTS 21-10-2003 (Photo – Hennie) In the background, former school teacher, Boon Boonzaaier then the “BOSS” of Bosveld Train Safaris – handing over a plaque to Oom Trevor to commemorate his 50 trips on BTS.

2003-10-24 CP “Charlie” Lewis, on the Port Shepstone NG

The mail bag Nick Twynham Hi Hennie, I have received via a friend issues no’s 1 and 2 from last year have you published anything since then and if so, would it be possible to email them to me? I have a number of railway friends who really enjoyed the first two, I send them to friends in England and Canada. Thanks and kindest regards. Les Bray Hi Hennie Long time no speak!

Well done with the rxxxxxx gaxxxxx but I have not seen one for ages. I am sure that I had subscribed but have not received e mails. Help me please! Irvine Short Hennie, I would say sleep on it. I do not see that it is very likely anyone would confuse your two publications. At any rate, rebrand the new ones and leave the old ones if they get uppity.

Rod Currin Darn, I haven't had a chance to download them yet. But please remember, it's only the name that needs to change. Perhaps replace Gazette with Journal, Magazine or any other suitable word. Since I haven't seen any of the issues yet, I don't know if changing it is easy for the existing issues, but it surely can't be too much effort for future issues? Is there any way I could get the previous issues (old or new name!)? Please keep doing it. I say again, it's only a name change. Cheers

Carlos Vieira Hennie Don't give it up. You have and still are doing great work with the Gazette. Even I had the pleasure to contribute to it and will continue to do so. Change the name of it for starters of those you have already done so far and give the new name to those yet to be published. You called my column "Carlos's Junction" why not call the whole Gazette "Hennies' Junction" for example. A boere maak a plan moenie dit vergeet Oom Hennie. Mooi bly, Carlos Ashley Peter Hennie I too only even managed to get hold of your first two journals, which were most interesting. Please let us know how we can access these publications? Many thanks Ashley 81

Dave Fortune Go for the gap my china. Stewart Currie

Don’t give up Change the name and reissue What you have done is very valuable for recording the history of SA Railways

Sue Lawrence Dear Hennie and others, Don't for heaven’s sake give up. Remember that we are humans. Lawyers, like politicians, accountants and economists belong to a different, sort of sub-human species known as homo wreckedus (incidentally, to my great regret, my daughter elected to become a lawyer, married to a politician). However, being in publishing, I am afraid that i did worry right from the start, but the answer is simple as has been suggested - simply change the title. And, being electronic, you can quite easily change the title even of the earliest issue. But don't forget to let the world know how the mighty Railway Gazette is so terrified of a new upstart in South Africa that it even threatened legal action lest it be upstaged. To be honest, Gazette is not actually an appropriate title anyway as it implies a current news magazine, whereas you are providing a historical background. Might I be so bold as to suggest something quite simple like e-Rails Southern Africa, which leaves you open to cover tramways. And congratulations on a fantastic effort. With very best wishes Sue Lindsay Rickard Hennie, Thanks for your e-mag, it is a good read. I also like the links to similar past articles for background reading. There are obviously others on the List with far greater experience than I with regard to this matter of naming rights. As mentioned by others, perhaps a name change would resolve the issue. I am not an Afrikaans speaker but perhaps a name that includes a commonly used Afrikaans word like “Spoor” somewhere in that title would still 82

carry the meaning to all those with an interest in African railways, even though your coverage extends to Egypt and West Africa. You are doing a great job and I cannot begin to imagine the time and effort you put into recording this part of history. Thank you. All the best, Lindsay Rickard Robert GMAM Here, here. I suppose the lawyer thinks you are some multi-national publishing company, making millions from your sales! Keep up the good work, Hennie! Best wishes, Robert. Les Pivnic Hello Hennie I agree totally with the views expressed on the List regarding your eRailway Gazette. Change the title and continue with your excellent work! Regards, Les P Ian

(Thanks!) Greg Smorenburg Hi Hennie Please don't give up on this! It is pretty awesome what you are doing, especially the military aspect to our railways. Besides being a railway enthusiast and model railroader, I'm also a wargamer and sometimes try to incorporate a railway perspective to our games. I'm especially interested in World War II railways both here and in Europe. If you need to go with the Afrikaans name, no problem by me. Cheers Adrian Hennie, I agree with the guys, just change the name and carry on with your great work. Adrian

Bill Hi Hennie How about some history of the Railway Police at Esselenpark also the Non-White training facilities. Cheers, Bill Les Pivnic Hi Hennie Your revised title and approach looks fine to me - take your break and then continue with your excellent work! As Pierre says - Sterkte Hennie! I would Police.

also

second

Bill's

request

for

article

the

Railway

During my time in the SA Railway Museum, I assisted a Warrant Officer of the SAR Police with documentation from the Museum's files - I still proudly have a framed certificate of appreciation from the Brigadier of the Railway Police. Regards

Andre Kritzinger Vasbyt, Hennie. Ons ou troepe verstaan mos nie so lekker van opgee nie.... Regards, André, Cape Town. • Thanks Andre, We in the ‘Old Police’ could always recon on support from the SAAF & the SAR! Pierre de Wet Hi all, Firstly Les – good to see you back on the list so soon Meneer! Welcome. Irvine & Hennie – I take your points. I don’t think we should be too fearful reproducing photographs on this list but we must acknowledge the photographer where known. Hennie’s info which is just what we needed, says that after 50 years, copyright lapses on photographs so that clears that up. I also agree that for List purposes, if the photographer is unknown, the source can perhaps be named, such as SASSAR magazine or Cape Archives. If it is for commercial purposes that is another matter. Hennie – let me say too that your Railway gazette is terrific – please don’t stop or even slow down. 84

Irvine – I’ll have to re-invest in a scanner – our old one was for Apple Mac and that was thrown out with the old computer so the railway circle pics will have to wait for a while yet. Pierre Michael Mc Carthy More Hennie ek sal graag die e-Spoorweg Nuusblad wil ontvang vorige uitgawes sal ook welkom wees. By voorbaat dankie

Conclusion Well that’s it for this month! Spread “The Ulolwe” around to your “railway-friends” and do enjoy some of the pictures of days gone by when somebody had the foresight to capture little time capsules of our past! Also thanks to all for their photographs “old and new”! I have made the pictures larger – however what I would like to know is, must I place all pictures in a large format, even the old photographs of these old accidents? Would you prefer that?

Next issue Look out for the special editions that will follow this issue, Vol 2 No 6, very soon on locomotives etc by Dr Raimund Loubser, son of Dr MM Loubser! I will post them on ISSUU. SO do keep a sharp look out for them! Greetings from Hennie Heymans Pretoria Date: 13th June 2011 and please respect the copyright of this e-Magazine and the photographs and contributions of our correspondents! Please send articles and photographs to: heymanshb@gmail.com I use word.doc (Palatino Linotype (11) and .jpeg for photographs.)