THE ULOLWE SOUTH AFRICA – SUID-AFRIKA A monthly railway research / historical publication ‘n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie “Everything to do with the former South African Railways & Transnet; i.e. Railway Stations, Harbours, Airways, Road Motor Transport, SAR Police, Lighthouses, Pipelines, Catering, SAR Models & Diagrams of Locomotives and Rolling Stock”
Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, South Africa - heymanshb@gmail.com October 2010
Welcome to Vol 1 No 2
It was a lovely evening and the sun was setting behind my back at Rovos Rail in Pretoria. The sunset was reflected in the clouds above the two steam engines. We were happy – Dana Kruger, Hansie Sturgeon and myself to have two locomotives in steam because it was not an everyday sight. It was the year 2010. The next day disaster struck, Rovos had the awful tragedy at the Pretoria station near the Fountains circle – Hennie Heymans.
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Contents Welcome to Vol 1 No 2 ....................................................................................................................... 1 The “Water Police” in Durban Harbour ......................................................................................... 3 Water Police...................................................................................................................................... 3 1947 Royal Visit – SAR & H Police .......................................................................................... 5 Railway Police heraldry ............................................................................................................. 5 The E1 in Natal – The Beginning – Continued.............................................................................. 6 View of Roof ................................................................................................................................ 7 Arrival of 1st regular service ...................................................................................................... 7 “Through the proper Channels” ...................................................................................................... 7 Second World War: Humour: Troops and trains........................................................................... 9 A Redcap Station Master ................................................................................................................. 11 Off to the Front .............................................................................................................................. 12 Coach 4578 .................................................................................................................................. 12 1914: Boer Commando’s and the SA Railways – Major Tudor G Trevor ............................... 13 The Making of a ‘new’ 5E1 at Rovos ............................................................................................. 14 Diagram’s of the 5E1 ................................................................................................................ 15 5E1 Taken from my Scrapbook .............................................................................................. 17 Spoornet Baluleka ............................................................................................................................ 18 My favourite Watering Hole – The Brass Bell ............................................................................. 20 Boon Boonzaaier................................................................................................................................ 23 Confession .................................................................................................................................. 23 Matjiesfontein ........................................................................................................................... 24 Above: We were early at Matjiesfontein .............................................................................. 24 15F - Elsa – Dave Panagos ................................................................................................................ 24 President SJP Kruger’s Funeral Train ........................................................................................... 26 2
Hilton Layout – Greg Hart............................................................................................................... 28 An Accident ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Atlantic Rail – Cape Town .............................................................................................................. 30 Next Issue ........................................................................................................................................... 33
The “Water Police” in Durban Harbour
Constable Adam Hurter in Durban harbour sent in by Gerhard van Eeden.
Water Police The History of the Water Police goes back to the founding of Port Natal – D’Urban to be precise. The Water Police was first part of the Durban Borough Police. It was taken over by the Natal Police 1894 and it was quite an elite unit. When the South African Police was established during 1913 the Policing in Natal had a curious arrangement: The Durban Borough Police had their jurisdiction within the borough limits and their own detective for petty crimes, the South African Police was responsible for policing the harbour, court orderly duties and the detective 3
service whilst the Union Defence Force policed Natal by means of the 2nd and 3rd Regiments of the SA Mounted Rifles. So Durban was policed by the Borough, the SA Police and the SA Mounted Rifles. When War broke out the Harbour Police were transferred to Defence and a special constabulary was set up to guard the Harbour. When the SAR Police was established they took over the duties of the Water Police from the SA Police and the more things change the stay the same! The SA Railways Police was absorbed into the SA Police. Once again the SA Police took over the water police from the SAR Police – I think it is now called the Water Wing. During the revolutionary onslaught the SAR Police was responsible for the landward defence of the harbour and the SA Defence force for the Seaward defence of the harbour. Below: SAR Police on Harbour Defence in Durban – Note no Jackets
Durban Harbour was – and still is – one of South Africa’s National Key Points and the SAR Police did much to safeguard the harbour from attack and to promote safety regulations. The SAR Police were also responsible for the physical security at the harbour. With all the oil storage tanks and gas tanks a fire or sabotage was a real threat. To comply 4
with safety regulations all oil tankers that were in Durban Harbour fell under the control of the Railway Police – they mounted a guard at each oil tanker. We worked closely with the SAR Police and the Water Police and they were a fine group!
1947 Royal Visit – SAR & H Police
Railway Police heraldry SAR Police Flag
SAR Police IMR Police
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The E1 in Natal – The Beginning – Continued
Note the 1E on the cover of the 1924 issue of the SAR & H Magazine
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View of Roof Arrival of 1st regular service Train no 131 (1430 tons) at Estcourt
“Through the proper Channels” 7
There was time for small things! 8
Second World War: Humour: Troops and trains Humour in Uniform on the Rails
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The Nongqai Oct 1942: 1069 - 1070
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A Redcap Station Master The censor has deleted the destination – wartime security! However it is Corporal JJ Pienaar of the MP’s on duty during Christmas in the Apennines – directing soldiers to their trains
Photo - Robert Wilson
“You tap for a change and I listen”
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Off to the Front
Coach 4578
The Nongqai October 1914:1350
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1914: Boer Commando’s and the SA Railways – Major Tudor G Trevor Next day I was again called in to use the oil can. Rebellion had broken out once more in Upington, and one commando had been ordered to go back by train and reinforce the other loyal troops there. The commando refused to go back. They had come to go to German West and to German West they would go! They did not care for their officers. They would not go in the train again. They would stay just where they were till they were embarked. The officers were helpless. They telephoned to General Botha to come and talk to the men. The General could not go, so he sent me with orders to get the men to go if I could. If not, to keep them talking indefinitely till they went to sleep. When I got to the camp, I found the men all holding meetings of protest and the officers all sulking in their tents. Their men had insulted them. Now, it is no use talking to a Boer or a crowd of Boers as an officer or as any other sort of superior being. They resent it at once. But, if you speak to them as an elder to a younger man, they will always give you a respectful hearing, especially if you have good manners. I called them together. At first they would have nothing to do with me. Then I told them that I came direct from Botha, not as an officer but as a friend of his and theirs, to talk to them. Then they listened. At last, about eight o'clock at night, they agreed to go if I went with them. This was not in my contract at all, but I had tacitly to conform to it. At all events, I did not refuse. It was blowing a howling south-easter, and the camp was filthily uncomfortable. I told them that the train was ready and we would entrain at once. In an hour or two we had the horses and baggage entrained, and the passenger coaches were brought up to the ramp for the men. They were third class coaches. Not a man would get into them. They demanded "white man's coaches." I rushed round the railway yard, and by two o'clock in the morning had got sufficient second and first class coaches together, and the men entrained. When I gave the signal to start, someone noticed that I was remaining behind. There was a shout, and a dozen men jumped out and stopped the train, and the whole argument began again. Then I got into the train with the men. The officers were in disgrace, sulking away somewhere by themselves, and we started. It was then three a.m. Once started, all the men went to sleep where they sat or lay. I had the utmost difficulty in keeping awake. By and by, when all were asleep, I got 13
out on the platform and, at some siding near Paarl, I slipped off the train unnoticed and jumped on a locomotive going back to Cape Town. I know that the commando reached its destination eventually; but I never met it again, so I don't know when it missed me. General Botha was immensely pleased when I reported my success, and laughed heartily at my description of the performance. We had no more trouble in Cape Town, and early in February, 1915, we all embarked for Swakopmund to commence the campaign against German South-West Africa.1 • Somewhere I read somebody tried to drill them. No they said we are here to fight, not to drill!
The Making of a ‘new’ 5E1 at Rovos
TLC and elbow-grease being applied to the electric locomotives!
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Trevor, TG Major: Forty Years in Africa, Hurst & Blackett, London, 1932: 227 – 228.
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The Pride of Africa - indeed
Diagram’s of the 5E1
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5E1 Taken from my Scrapbook As a young schoolboy I had a friend called William Muller, his father worked on the Railways. In their garage there was a heap of SAR & Harbours Magazines, later the SAS-SAR. William’s father fought in the Second World War and they had a souvenir, a German Helmet, in their house that belonged to a German soldier who also Muller. Being interested in South African history I got hold of these magazines and cut out the pictures for my various scrapbooks. As one progresses the scrapbooks were cut up and the photographs and cuttings were pasted onto special forms I designed which I placed in neat plastic folders. Now the computer age has arrived and I have transferred most of my files into [.jpeg] scans. Files are opened for each subject and it makes research so much easier. The cutting below, taken from the SAR & H Magazine tells us that 75 of the 135, 5E1’s have arrived - Sept 1960 page 985:
The picture below is taken from the SAR magazine dated July 1961 page 720:
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“At the end of May the last 135 Class 5E1 mainline electric locomotives ordered from Associated Electrical Industries was swung ashore at Durban from the ss Clan MacIntyre after she had completed the voyage from Birkenhead Docks in England. This was the biggest order for electric locomotives ever placed in Britain, and AEI have now supplied 345 electric locomotives to the South African Railways�.
Spoornet Baluleka On the 1st of October 2004 I had reason to visit Bosveld Train Safaris at Salvokop and the following train was staged there:
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Left the Blue Train, then Baluleka and finally Boon’s Bosveld Train Safari’s photographed in illustrious company at Salvokop – Time Ball Hill. Boon preferred the old coaches with the old windows.
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• Does anyone know what has happened to The Baluleka? • The new windows make it virtually impossible to take photographs from inside the train.
My favourite Watering Hole – The Brass Bell As far as Cape Town was concerned, apart from Table Mountain, I loved to take the train to Simon’s Town. I used to have Bacon & Eggs, read The Burger and drink ersatz railway coffee while enjoying the fabulous view from the train! I always felt very rich while doing the trip and enjoying the late breakfast on the rails. Later Oom Gert and Alex Faria introduced me to the Brass Bell. Here I would down a good beer or two and enjoy the trains and the sea before proceeding to Simon’s Town. In Simonstown I would walk around and eat Fish & Chips and also visit the Model and Toy Museum and other interesting places. I later discovered Vishoek has the best Fish & Chips on that line! The picture below was taken from inside the bar at the Brass Bell on a windy, grey, typical “Cape- day.” There is nothing nicer to sit in a rough sea and watch the trains go by. Sometimes the waves splash on the moving train making for dramatic photography:
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At Muisenberg station Boon Boonzaaier’s Bosveld Train Safari’s once stopped there for the night. [It is such a pity that the Railways stopped Old Boon from operating his highly successful tourist train for those who cannot afford the Blue Train or Rovos.] When the sun came up over False Bay the next morning I could see the whales and other sea creatures from my compartment window. After a bath and breakfast on the train I took a picture of the restaurant coach which plies between Cape Town and Simon’s Town. Sadly this restaurant service is no longer in operation.
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Boon Boonzaaier Boon Boonzaaier is a former school teacher who became ill and was boarded by the Transvaal Education Department. He has always been a lover of trains. He has painted the trains, he has helped to design postage stamps with railways as motif and not a man to sit still - he is the former owner of Bosveld Train Safari’s (BTS). His turnover was very good and he alone paid Spoornet a couple of big ones annually. It is such a pity that the railways have stopped this highly popular venture. Boon is also the author of the lovely book: Tracks across the Veld (or in Afrikaans: Spore oor die Veld! I had done a trip with Boon and one day he phoned me and asked what I was doing and one thing led to another and I was barman and sometimes photographer on some of his trips. Boon tackled many problems and impediments that were placed in his way – very late trains when passengers had to fly back or missing people, no engines etc. I only know of one accident – my father was a passenger on that trip and once where a new driver – who had to take some courage during the rush hour – slightly pushed the guards van over the stop block at Muizenberg.
Confession In the very beginning of BTS there was an amusing incident – we were on the Bosveldrondomtalie – which went from Pretoria to Waterval Boven, the next day along the fence of the KNP and spend the night at Tzaneen and then in daylight off to Pietersburg for Sunday lunch and then back to Pretoria. We had a lovely breakfast at a local institution and a braai was on the cards for the afternoon! When we stopped for the braai it was raining cats and dogs! The cold potato salad, the rolls etc were prepared and I was the un-official braaier or cook – I won’t call myself a chef. The paying passengers were hungry! It is strange how hungry when gets when sightseeing. “Boer maak ‘n plan!” Against all regulations etc etc. I carefully braaied the meat on a gas braai – plan B - at the end of the train. Soon the train was filled with a lovely aroma and the guests were hungry by the time they got their braaivleis served to them in their compartments.
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Matjiesfontein Below: Boon on his way to a sumptuous breakfast at the Lord Milner, the famous Jimmy Logan hotel, at Matjiesfontein:
Above: We were early at Matjiesfontein
15F - Elsa – Dave Panagos I had met Dave Panagos a number of times during visits to forts in and around Pretoria. Regretfully he passed away some time ago and Stan Kantor came and 24
visited me – he brought me a few military pictures that Dave had took. Here is a short and small tribute to a great historian. I never knew he was interested in trains. Elsa is 15CA 2059. Here is a pictorial of Elsa’s visit dated 27 December 1988 to Cullinan:
Some of Dave’s notes of the Steam trip from Pretoria to Cullinan.
Elsa at Pretoria
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Elsa the 15F backing up to the train at Pretoria Station.
Elsa at Cullinan
President SJP Kruger’s Funeral Train One of the problems of doing research is to have all the information on a certain subject in a file and to cross-index photographs and subjects. Some photographs just have the knack to disappear when they are needed. Here are some photographs of former President SJP Paul Kruger’s funeral train and the State Funeral Coach. Funeral trains have been used in the case of CJ Rhodes, pres Kruger and Field Marshall JC Smuts.
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Somewhere I had a beautiful photograph of the late President’s body arriving at Cape Town Docks. Can’t find it.
The late President’s funeral train crossing the Vaal River – photo Vereeniging Museum.
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Photo: Vereeniging Museum
Hilton Layout – Greg Hart
An Accident Jacque Wepener and Dries van der Merwe sent in the following photographs of the derailment at Kromkloof near Lydenburg on 10 November 2010.
Regretfully a
driver lost his life. The two Class 37 locomotives no. 37-076 and no 37-094 were also badly damaged on their sides. The loco’s derailed in a cutting that is why the sides are damaged.
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Atlantic Rail – Cape Town We received the following report from Stef in Cape Town Hi All Well at last we have been given the green light to run our train on Transnet/Metro Rail lines. It was more red tape than electing a new President. Our work is underway and our operational Locomotive Class 24 no 3655 is ready to go. We still have to clean our carriages as standing there they collect dust. We will be running on the 11 and 12 December. The 11th will be two , hour trips around Cape Town, and on the 12th we are steaming to Fish Hoek. We only have five coaches and are limited to about 200 passengers. In these photos you can see 3655 and me at the platform head. We now share our Monument station with Shosholoza Meyl 6E1s who park on our line. There are two other lines where they can store plenty 6E1’s. Our office coach has been pushed right back in the darkness, making it vulnerable to break-ins. There is security there but as usual they are half asleep. When I arrived with all my stuff this morning the security guard cam running up to me to ask who I was. I answered Tom Cruise. He duly wrote it in a book and slouched off. I would have loved to have seen the spelling.
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We even have two flower pots of Geraniums on the Platform. I watered them with the fire house this morning. So the next couple of weeks will be hard work with final preparations for 11 December. Regards to all of you. Stef
Class 24 no 3655
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Class 24 no 3655
Class 26
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Stef’s so-called ‘unwanted’ neighbours at Cape Town.
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Please furnish us with a report and please send some photographs.
Next Issue Our next issue is due in the middle of December 2010. Kindly send in your comments and letters.
Until next month!
Hennie Heymans
© 2010
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