Ulolwe Vol 3 Issue 2

THE ULOLWE SOUTH AFRICA – SUID-AFRIKA A monthly railway research / historical publication ‘n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie Vol 3 No 2 Un-official / Nie Amptelik - Gratis Everything to do with the former SA Railways: i.e. lighthouses, harbours, staff, photos, books, RMT, stations, tugs, SAR Police, SAA, catering, pipelines, stamps, models, rolling stock, armoured trains, diagrams, etc

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, ZA heymanshb@gmail.com February 2012

Hugo de Wet - Empangeni-sheds “One can feel the foggy heat of Empangeni, smell the sweet steam and hear the dry shriek of the wheel-barrow!”

Patron - Les Pivnic - Beskermheer

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Contents Welcome ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Front Cover - Voorblad ............................................................................................................................. 5 Editorial – Redaksioneel............................................................................................................................ 6 - What’s wrong with a “lekker” bit of nostalgia? .............................................................................. 6 Filler: By virtue of the powers vested in the SAR Station Master ............................................... 7 Main Story: Heidelberg’s Old Coaches – Pierre de Wet ....................................................................... 8 - Some particulars on the Heidelberg coaches – HBH .................................................................... 11 Jacque Wepener’s Perambulations ........................................................................................................ 18 Theunissen, light locos heading north & south ............................................................................... 19 Filler ................................................................................................................................................... 20 Filler ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Premier Classe to Bloemfontein ......................................................................................................... 22 Braamfontein Report: Inter-City & SAPS Coaches – V Mostert ........................................................ 23 - Counter Cars 146 & 147................................................................................................................. 23 Filler: “By virtue of the powers vested in me ....”........................................................................ 26 Railway History ....................................................................................................................................... 27 - CGR: Class 05 ..................................................................................................................................... 27 - CGR: Anglo-Boer War Gen Cronje POW Modder River ......................................................... 28 - NGR

Elandslaagte during the Anglo-Boer War .................................................................... 28

- OVSS President MT Steyn’s Carriage ......................................................................................... 29 NZASM: Article in SAA’s Sawobona: Douglas Anderson ................................................................ 29 - Romantic Railways: Pierre De Wet ................................................................................................. 29 - Anglo Boer War - IMR .......................................................................................................................... 31 2

- 2006 Anglo-Boer War Graves at Rooiwal in the OFS – Johannes Botha ................................... 31 - Pvte’s Hope, Maher & Shimmin of the Railway Pioneer Regt ................................................ 33 -- 2012 Anglo-Boer War Graves at Rooiwal in the OFS – Johannes Botha ............................... 34 - Railway Pionier Regt ..................................................................................................................... 36 - Capt FG Gale Railway Pioneer Regt ........................................................................................... 37 - SA Railways .................................................................................................................................... 38 - - Coach No 14 at George Museum by Cobus Holtzkampf ..................................................... 38 - - Follow up on Coach No 14 by HBH ............................................................................................. 38 - - Head Boards by Bruno Martin ...................................................................................................... 42 Filler: Mid Siding not Kamfersdam Siding................................................................................... 42 - SAR Departmental Fire Brigade by Petrus Botha ..................................................................... 43 - Transnet................................................................................................................................................... 45 18E – First 18E at Bellville - Smittie van Zyl ................................................................................. 45 - - Wire-train Daleside, 14th September 2011, by Vaughn Mostert ................................................ 46 SA Metro Rail............................................................................................................................................ 47 - Metrolid sterf in gyselaarsdrama .................................................................................................... 47 Cop electrocuted in hostage drama ................................................................................................... 49 Photographs .............................................................................................................................................. 50 Station: Bloemfontein Dave Fortune ............................................................................................. 50 - Station Bell ...................................................................................................................................... 50 - “Lest we Forget” SAR & H “Roll of Honour” ........................................................................... 51 Filler ....................................................................................................................................................... 53 - Station: Mapleton by Johannes Botha ............................................................................................. 54 3

- Station Ficksburg: Dave Fortune ..................................................................................................... 55 - Station: Kookrus by Johannes Botha ............................................................................................... 55 Filler – A Free State Train-fan – Dave Fortune ................................................................................ 57 - Station: Ventersdorp – Johan Jacobs ............................................................................................... 57 - Stations – Botrivier: Stefan Andrzejewski ...................................................................................... 58 - Station – Botha’s Hill, Natal – Terry & Andrew Rowe ................................................................. 58 Old Free State mainline alignments – J Wepener & Bruno Martin ................................................... 60 Howick Branch Line – Bruce Jones ........................................................................................................ 61 - Howick Branch Line – Map by Bruno Martin ............................................................................... 62 Railway People – Spoorwegmense ........................................................................................................ 64 Jan Hoffman - Millsite ......................................................................................................................... 64 Eric Samuels - Rovos Rail-stories....................................................................................................... 65 - 1 'n L-a-a-a-ng Trein .......................................................................................................................... 65 - 2. 'n Diesel kan nie vasval nie .......................................................................................................... 66 Book Shelf.................................................................................................................................................. 67 – The Sandstone Steam Railroad – The First Ten Years.................................................................. 67 RMT............................................................................................................................................................ 68 - Elgin & Kokstad ................................................................................................................................. 68 South African Airways ............................................................................................................................ 69 - ZS-SFD photographed by Johan Botha........................................................................................... 69 Harbours.................................................................................................................................................... 69 Catering Division ..................................................................................................................................... 69 South African Models .............................................................................................................................. 70 4

- Dave Fortune ...................................................................................................................................... 70 - My 'little bit of South Africa' in the UK – Terry Rowe ................................................................. 72 - Hopefield Goods Shed – Terry Rowe ............................................................................................. 75 1916 Outside South Africa: NG Zanzibar ............................................................................................. 77 - Zanzibar Loco No 1 (?) & Zanzibar Loco No 3 - HBH ................................................................. 77 Pandora’s Box ........................................................................................................................................... 78 - Canadian Rail inspection cars .......................................................................................................... 78 Mail Bag ..................................................................................................................................................... 83 Riana Dreyer – “The Great Mail Robbery”................................................................................... 83 Wynand Vermeulen......................................................................................................................... 83 Stop Pres .................................................................................................................................................... 84 - Kroonstad Railway Station ............................................................................................................... 84 Indemnity / Vrywaring ........................................................................................................................... 84 Next Issue .................................................................................................................................................. 84

Welcome Front Cover - Voorblad Pierre de Wet posted the following on sar-list: “Here is something which may make the Natal mens' hearts beat a little faster. Empangeni sheds when real trains still lived there.” Photo: Hugo de Wet. (Yes my heartbeat went up! Thanks Pierre - HBH)

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Editorial – Redaksioneel - What’s wrong with a “lekker” bit of nostalgia?

There is nothing wrong with a good bit of nostalgia now and then. Hugo de Wet’s photograph on the front cover elicited the following correspondence: Dear Pierre re Empangeni Loco Two men who were very close to me were my father and my maternal Uncle. From them I inherited my love for our history, the police and the railways!

Oom David Malan was a stoker, shed foreman and driver - he was stationed in Durban (Greyville), Stanger, Empangeni and a few other places! The family could never understand how a man like Oom David could leave a beautiful farm and become an engine-man! He left school at standard 7 - against the wishes of his parents, he exchanged the farm to become a cleaner of "dirty steam engines”, they said!

He worked hard - his arms and face was brown and deeply tanned - the rest of his upper body was snow white, like his brow when we went to swim in the sea. I think he lived for trains, worked hard, drank hard at times and never had the time for romance or to marry!

Romance with steam maybe? I could well believe that!

The picture of Empangeni brings back happy childhood memories - we visited him a few times at the various locos. Today this picture conjures memories of days gone by! Empangeni was always hot! He would tell us many yarns - how stern the "old English Natal drivers were" they were like Captains of battleships he told us. The engine and footplate was clean and neat inside. “Sometimes you speak only when you were spoken to," he said. There was some dress code - some wore white shirts and ties under their overalls. One year Tiger Wright (jockey) won the Durban July and Oom David told my father that he was a stoker for Tiger Wright's brother who was an engine driver!

Les Pivnic has published a photograph of a H2 shunting urban coaches at Durban Station - that picture also reminds me of an incident. As a boy I ventured on the platform and saw my Uncle on the footplate as they trundled past! It is an insignificant incident, which I will never forget!

Dankie Pierre!

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Hennie How rewarding

it

is

when

one

photo

posted

receives

such

a

warm

and

interesting response. Dankie, Hennie, for those good memories which many of us harbour but perhaps are not able to put into words as well as you do.

One memory of seeing your uncle trundling past on the footplate which you describe we

as

want

"insignificant" to

insignificant

hear

where

is

exactly

the

about

from

others.

steam

was

involved.

sort

of

Looking

everyday

back,

not

we

realize

Today

observation very

that

much

WAS

just

how

fully

significant the steam locomotive was. It was an amazing machine. No wonder that

it

where way

is

still

creative -

anyone

stupendous

held people seen

railway

in use the

scenes

such it latest

awe

and

endlessly Sherlock

re-created

to

still

features

evoke

Holmes

there

which

so

often

something blockbuster? most

of

in

special.

There you

movies By

are will

the some

enjoy.

Pierre

“If all else fails – use the rails!” – HBH Sometimes, unfortunately one has to crop a photograph and sometimes one has to squash one and a quarter page into one page in order to make things fit! Sometimes we use a filler. I do everything on the Boere-manier!

Filler: By virtue of the powers vested in the SAR Station Master Herewith a copy of SA Police Standing Order 242 dated 1951. These were part of the “Orders” when I joined the Police during 1964:

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Main Story: Heidelberg’s Old Coaches – Pierre de Wet Pierre de Wet entertained us on sar-list with professional photographs of the coaches that were staged or exhibited at the old Heidelberg Transport Museum. Here are the photographs he placed. When looking at these photographs one can smell the unique smell that the old SAR coaches had! A whiff of disinfectant and Burmese teak oil, lightly mixed with a fluff of steam, SAR-ghries and coal!

1st-class-compartment

1st-class-compartment

1st-class-compartment

2nd-class-compartment

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Coupe-1st-class

dining-car-kitchen

dining-car-staff-quarters

Filler: SA Railway Police in SWA One of our readers, Koos Jp Strydom – fromer SAR Police - wrote of these two staged at Windhoek: “Ek het die voorreg gehad om hulle altwee te ry!” [I had the priviledge to ride on both!]

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Liesbeek - interior

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- Some particulars on the Heidelberg coaches – HBH

Liesbeek - SAR Photo 23041

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During 1999 I visted the Heidelberg Transport Museum and bought two post cards there. I then took some photographs of the rolling stock exhibited there. During the 1890’s the mainline from Natal met the NZASM1 line here at Heidelberg. Heidelberg, on the doorstop of Johannesburg, is a place full of history. There were lovely large prints inside of the Heidelberg Commando entraining for war with Malaboch. During a recent visit to Franschoek I saw that there is a Motor Vehicle or Transport Museum. I dont know what has happened to the locomotive and coaches staged at the old NZASM Heidelberg station.

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Nederlands Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg Maatskappij of the old ZAR (South African Republic of Pres SJP Kruger.)

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Photo by P Robinson, obtained from SAR Heritage Library via Mr Eric Conradie

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15

Photographer – unknown.

I purchased the two post cards at the former Heidelberg Transport Museum – for the trains and for the station depicted on the cards! [Not for the cars!] - HBH

Photographer - unknown

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17

Jacque Wepener’s Perambulations

Blue Train near Harrisburg

“Wobbly lines at Glen”

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Theunissen, light locos heading north & south

Filler

19

Filler

20

Filler

21

Premier Classe to Bloemfontein

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All pictures are by Jacque Wepener and carry his copyright.

Braamfontein Report: Inter-City & SAPS Coaches – V Mostert Hi all,

- Counter Cars 146 & 147 No "new" inter-city coaches have come into service for about two years now, so the arrival of counter cars 146 (ex 23313) and 147 (no previous id) has been a bit of a surprise. Although their chassis are stencilled 2010, they seem to have entered service only a few weeks ago, probably for the Christmas season.

The reason for their construction is not clear, with lower traffic levels than ever and two similar green cars 137? and 138 out of service for some months now on a nearby siding.

- SAPS Coaches Also five police coaches 39100 to 39104 in residence sandwiched between other coaches. I didn't know that there was that many. Three of them are ex 34031, 34051 and 34055. They don't seem to have seen much use.

I'll send pictures to Hennie who may be able to use them in Ulolwe.

Regards, Vaughan Mostert SAPS Coaches no’s 39100 to 39104

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24

26707

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No 147

Filler: “By virtue of the powers vested in me ....”

Conductors and guards on trains are (or were?) officials with quite some authority vested in them. Once on an inspection to a border police station, I found a cancelled foreign passport of a foreign national. This foreign gentleman misbehaved himself on the train operated and ran by the former South African Railways. The Conductor had taken the culprit’s passport and neatly cancelled it by signing and dating it, drawing red lines across each page and writing “CANCELLED” in red capital block letters. No fuss no bother! This is an authority that not even a passport control officer has; only the Minister can do that! – HBH (See the powers of the SAR Station Master.)

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Railway History - CGR: Class 05

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- CGR: Anglo-Boer War Gen Cronje POW Modder River

- NGR Elandslaagte during the Anglo-Boer War

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- OVSS President MT Steyn’s Carriage

More information is sought in regard to President Steyn’s carriage.

NZASM: Article in SAA’s Sawobona: Douglas Anderson I was on an SAA flight and the latest issue Sawobona includes an article on the building of the NZASM line down to Lourenco Marques (as it was then known). Not much detail but it did include an old sepia photograph of the rack-line into the tunnel at Waterval Boven - Douglas Anderson (on sar-list)

- Romantic Railways: Pierre De Wet Douglas and all, The eastern line to Lourenco Marques (LM) was one of South Africa's truly romantic railways.

During the days of steam when trains were steam-hauled all the way from Pretoria to LM, it still reeked of those pioneering days when the Barberton and Pilgrims Rest gold rushes were drawing men from all over the world. We still had after all, locomotives and rolling stock from that period in daily use on our railways and on the mines.

Over many kilometres, the railway lines still followed the original Paul Kruger track bed with the old dressed stone bridges spanning the rivers and gullies and thankfully, the finer NZASM

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stations were still in good nick. So it was relatively easy as well as enjoyable to experience this railway much as it had been in Paul Kruger's time.

The wonderful 15CA's dominated traffic to Witbank and then in the 60's at any rate, you would see GMAM's over the more mountainous stretches down to Nelspruit.

If you liked animals, an uncrowded Kruger Park awaited you after the bustle of Nelspruit station, or perhaps just a leisurely drive to Graskop on the edge of the escarpment to see GF Garratts with their loads of Lowveld timber steaming and twisting their articulated way.

You could do this all in a day from Johannesburg or Pretoria which is what the Pivnics and we did

but

I

must

now

admit

that

it

is

better

to

be

young

when

doing

so!

Pierre de Wet

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- Anglo Boer War - IMR - 2006 Anglo-Boer War Graves at Rooiwal in the OFS – Johannes Botha First contemporary two photographs of Rooiwal Station:

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Gen CR de Wet fought the British at Rooiwal in a famous battle. Here are some of the graves of the British soldiers: Pte Bywater 7 June 1900 – For King & Empire

Railway Pioneer Regt, No 879 Pte W Shimmin + 7 June 1900 32

- Pvte’s Hope, Maher & Shimmin of the Railway Pioneer Regt

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-- 2012 Anglo-Boer War Graves at Rooiwal in the OFS – Johannes Botha Johannes Botha re-visited this graveyard at Rooiwal and found that some of the graves had been vandalised – the metal has been stolen for scrap iron.

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- Railway Pionier Regt 36

- Capt FG Gale Railway Pioneer Regt 37

- SA Railways - - Coach No 14 at George Museum by Cobus Holtzkampf

- - Follow up on Coach No 14 by HBH The following diagrams and photographs are from my Scrapbook when I did my recording “before computers”.

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39

40

41

- - Head Boards by Bruno Martin

NGG13 no 59 with head board at Estcourt by Bruno Martin.

In the background a locomotive can be seen quietly simmering – I wonder if it is Bergville’s loco? A few miles north of Estcourt at Ennersdale there is a 3’ 6” branch line to Mooreleigh, Drycott, Loskop, Winterton and Bergville. In days of old Estcourt was quite a busy little station!

- HBH

Filler: Mid Siding not Kamfersdam Siding!!!!

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- SAR Departmental Fire Brigade by Petrus Botha

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Dear Reader, What I have established is that these railway fire brigade trains were used during fires which took place in coaches during rioting. Note they were steam hauled! HBH

- Transnet 18E – First 18E at Bellville - Smittie van Zyl

Electric locomotives: 18E, 6E en n 14E by Smittie v Zyl. 18E-680 is the first 18E at Bellville.

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- - Wire-train Daleside, 14th September 2011, by Vaughn Mostert Hi Hennie, Thanks for the magazine. Your query about Kookrus reminded me of a few pictures I took of a wire-train just a few kilometres to the north on the Vereeniging- Germiston line, at Daleside a few weeks ago. I have never actually been this close to a working wire crew. I will also send a picture of a tanker train behind 1624 and 1410 passing the wire-train, working "wrong road".

Regards, Vaughan

36-112 and 36-122

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1624 and 1410 passing the wiretrain, working "wrong road" on 14th September 2011.

SA Metro Rail

- Metrolid sterf in gyselaarsdrama Ăœgen Vos - 2012-01-19 22:25

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Beamptes van die Ekurhuleni-metropolisie kyk hoe lede van die nooddienste hul kollega se lyk toemaak. Foto: Lerato Maduna ’n Lid van die Ekurhuleni-metropolisie is gister by die Kempton Park-spoorwegstasie doodgeskok toe hy gyselaars wou gaan help wat in die kajuit van ’n passasierstrein aangehou is. ’n Oorhoofse kragkabel het insp. Mveli Nhlapo vermoedelik in die nek getref toe hy op die trein se dak geklim het.

Die polisie en die metropolisie is na die stasie nadat hulle verneem het drie gewapende mans hou pendelaars in die bewegende trein as gyselaars aan.

Pendelaars wat in die trein was het gesê stakende poskantoorwerkers het by die Kalkfonteinstasie opgeklim en na nie-stakende werkers gesoek.

Misdadiger het die chaos vermoedelik gebruik om mense in die trein te beroof.

Mnr. Maxwell Hlahla (29), ’n pendelaar, het gesê die poskantoorwerkers het omstreeks 09:45 in die trein geklim.

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Volgens mnr. Vusi Mabanga, woordvoerder van die Ekurhuleni-metropolisie, het die stakers probeer weghardloop toe hulle besef die polisie wag hulle op die stasie in.

Mnr. Roggers Maimela, woordvoerder van die Ekurhuleni-nooddienste, het gesê die polisie en die metropolisie is op platform 1 ontplooi om die trein in te wag, maar kon nie by die kajuite inkom nie.

Nhlapo het vermoedelik oor die trein se dak na die ander kant probeer klim toe hy met kragdrade in aanraking gekom het.

“Ek het die metropolisielid bo-op die trein sien brand en ek weet nie wát om te dink nie ... Dit is asof my brein heeltemal afgeskakel het. Dit was verskriklik om dit te sien,” het Hlahla gesê.

Volgens Maimela is van Nhlapo se familielede gister na die stasie laat kom vir berading deur kapelane van die nooddienste.

Kapt. Jethro Mtshali, polisiewoordvoerder, het gesê drie mans is in verband met die gyselaarsdrama in hegtenis geneem.

“Ons was glad nie eens bewus van ’n staking voordat ons gehoor het gyselaars word in die trein aangehou nie.”

Volgens Mtshali is ’n man ook naby die Kalkfontein-stasie van die trein afgegooi. Dié man is in ’n bedenklike toestand in die hospitaal.

Die polisie ondersoek nou die moontlikheid van ’n verband tussen dié voorval en die gyselaarsdrama by die Kempton Park-stasie.

Ref: www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Metrolid-sterf-in-gyselaarsdrama-20120119

Cop electrocuted in hostage drama 2012-01-19 22:43 Johannesburg - An Ekurhuleni metro police officer was electrocuted during a hostage drama in Kempton Park on Thursday, Ekurhuleni metro police said.

Inspector Mveli Nhlapo, in his late 30s, was pursuing striking workers who had taken train passengers hostage, said Superintendent Vusi Mabanga.

He said strikers boarded a train in Tembisa just before noon and held passengers hostage.

Police were alerted and waited for the train as it approached Kempton Park Station.

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Mabanga said the strikers attempted to escape when the carriage doors opened as the train reached the station platform.

While police were in pursuit, Nhlapo was electrocuted.

"The circumstances of the electrocution are unknown at this stage. An investigation has been launched by SAPS and an inquest docket opened," he said.

Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale said three men were arrested and charged with intimidation.

She said no other officers were hurt in the incident.

Ref: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Cop-electrocuted-in-hostage-drama-20120119

Photographs Station: Bloemfontein Dave Fortune - Station Bell

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- “Lest we Forget” SAR & H “Roll of Honour”

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52

Filler: near

Captured

Mapleton

by

Johannes Botha

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- Station: Mapleton by Johannes Botha The former Mapleton Military Camp2

During World War Two Mapleton was “somewhere” in the Union of South Africa where our Railway-Soldiers were trained.

Johannes Botha captured the remains of the camp on film.

For e.g. see Les Pivnic’s South African Railways & Harbours Photo Journal Vol 1 No 6 p 1: “ … Mapleton Military Camp which adjoined the station of the same name …”

2

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- Station Ficksburg: Dave Fortune

- Station: Kookrus by Johannes Botha

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Filler – A Free State Train-fan – Dave Fortune

- Station: Ventersdorp – Johan Jacobs

“A nostalgic photo of Ventersdorp from Ouma’s little tin box”

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- Stations – Botrivier: Stefan Andrzejewski A Police Station on the railway platform at Botrivier:

- Station – Botha’s Hill, Natal – Terry & Andrew Rowe

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Hi Hennie, Here are some photos my brother Andrew Rowe took of a station called Botha' Hill in December on his way to the Phezulu Nature Reserve- Natal Midlands. He always where ever he is, if he comes across a railway, will stop and take the odd photo to send me. He is very well travelled - so what is interesting is his comment about Botha's Hill ,' from what I can see in Natal, all these little 'Midland' stations are designed to look like miniature St Pancras Station' this is quite an a statement as St Pancras is very grand. Keep up the good work with The Ulolwe many thanks. Regards Terry Rowe. •

Terry, as a Natalian I am proud of the buildings of the old Natal Government Railways.

Yes, it’s true most stations had a certain NGR-look about them! An early form of branding, maybe? Thanks for sharing! Hennie.

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Old Free State mainline alignments – J Wepener & Bruno Martin

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Howick Branch Line – Bruce Jones Following on your last Ulolwe (Vol 3 #1) and the article regarding the closure of the Howick Station, I wondered whether I could respond by penning a few words.

The article arose all sorts of nostalgic memories about the station and Howick. My wife and I lived in Howick for 21 years and raised two daughters there.

I had been employed for all of this period at the rubber factory SARMCOL, which was inextricably bound to the Merrivale to Howick spur line.

The factory was very dependent on it for the delivery of both raw materials and finished goods.

The town also benefited from the passenger service, mostly into Pietermaritzburg.

It came as a shock to me to to register how long ago the service had been discontinued, a Service which existed from 1919 to 1992, 73 years!

The aerial photo shows that a spur line existed servicing the Main Store.

When the service was discontinued entirely as a decision by Transnet, the line had to be uplifted to enable motor transport access to the Main Store Of possible interest to the readers is a problem, not generally known, of local cell corrosion when a railway line passes, for example, a factory such as SARMCOL, especially when in the form of a loop.

I quote: “It should be mentioned at this point that corrosion is always a factor to be considered in electric supply systems, particularly DC systems. The tendency of return currents to wander away from the running rails into the ground can set up electrolysis with water pipes and similar metallics. This was well understood in the late 19th Century and was one of the reasons why London’s Underground railways adopted a fully insulated DC system with a separate negative return rail as well as a positive rail - the four-rail system. Nevertheless, some embarrassing incidents in Asia with disintegrating manhole covers near a metro line as recently as the early 1980s means that the problem still exists and isn’t always properly understood. Careful preparation of earthing protection in structures and tunnels is an essential part of the railway design process and is neglected at one’s peril."

The problem of corrosion was a constant one and vigilance had to be constantly maintained, especially whenever any new construction works were undertaken!!!

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A sideline to this story is that the Factory had a very vigilant Security System; however, those of us who could, would circumvent this and take a short cut through the Station to slip into the Village, a practice severely frowned upon!!!!!!

I am reliably told that the old Station Buildings were, up until September 2011, used as a Pub! Regards Bruce Jones

- Howick Branch Line – Map by Bruno Martin

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Railway People – Spoorwegmense Jan Hoffman - Millsite Jan Hoffman says this photograph was taken at Millsite. Do you recognise anybody on the photo? Please let us know, if you do.

Dag Hennie, Soos belowe hier is 'n paar artikels wat jy mag gebruik vir jou nuusbrief. Hennie ek sal nog meer artikels vir jou so gou as moontlik stuur. Wees net geduldig.

Groete.

Eric Samuels

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Eric Samuels - Rovos Rail-stories - 1 'n L-a-a-a-ng Trein Stel u selfvoor dat u sien in u gedagtes 'n passasierstrein wat getrek is deur twee Klas 34 diesellokomotiewe en 'n Klas 19D lokomotief, gevolg deur 12 houtrytuie, gevolg deur 'n Klas 6 en nog 'n Klas 19D lokomotief en nog 'n verdere 22 staal rytuie - alles in een trein Dit is nie verbeelding nie maar wel 'n werklikheid. Dit het met Rovos Rail se treine gebeur een Maandag oggend in die vroeë jare negentigs.

Rovos Rail het besluit om onkostes te bespaar, hul treine na en van die Victoria Watervalle oor die Hercules-Magaliesburg taklyn sal beweeg. Daar was twee treine betrokke. Die een trein het bestaan uit twaalf gerestoureerde houtpassassiersrytuie en die ander een uit twee en twintig staalrytuie.

Op 'n Maandagoggend het die eerste trein naby my huis verby gekom. Ek het my kamera en my kar gegryp en die trein agterna gesit. Nadat ek 'n paar foto’s langs die pad geneem het, het ek gejaag na die ou Schoemansvillestasie [tans Damsig] waar ek die trein ingewag het.

Daar aangekom, vind ek twee Klas 35 diesels en drie waens wat houtstompe dra. Op die tweede lus. Die diesels was afgeskakel. Die drywer het gesê dat hy wag vir twee treine.

Hul vrag moes oor 'n groot afstand vervoer gewees het.

Dit was somer. Die spoorbaan was nie skoon gemaak nie. Die bossies het welig oor die spoor gegroei. Die diesels het dit natuurlik platgetrap en die plantolies het die spoorstawe natuurlik oor 'n groot afstand gesmeer.

Daar was ook 'n spoorwegamptenaar teenwoordig. Ek het vir hom gesê dat hy moet die diesels hou vir hulp want die treine sou vasval. Hy sê toe dat die vrag word dringend benodig en die diesels moet so gou moontlik ry.

Die twee treine het opgedaag. Nadat die vuurkaste skoon gemaak is, en die nodige onderhoud gedoen was, het die treine een-vir-een vertrek.

Die eerste een het slegs 'n baie kort afstand beweeg voordat hy begin gly het. Al sukkelende het hy verder beweeg. Die tweede een het toe ook vertrek. Hy het dieselfde lot gedeel.

Ek weet nie hoever die twee treine gekom het voordat hulle tot 'n algehele stilstand gedwing was nie.

Dit was krisis! Die hulp van diesels moes ingeroep word.

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Op Magaliesburg het daar vier diesels gewag vir die twee treine. Die probleem was egter dat hierdie diesels Klas 34 diesels was en dat hulle te swaar was vir die taklyn.

Toestemming moes van die hoof-siviele-ingenieur verkry word om twee van hierdie diesels na die treine te stuur.

So het dit gekom dat 'n lang passasierstrein met vyf lokomotiewe oor 'n taklyn beweeg het.

Eric Samuels.

- 2. 'n Diesel kan nie vasval nie Op elke tweede Vrydagmiddag het Rovos Rail se treine vanaf die Victoria -Waterval teruggekeer.

Op Magaliesburgstasie het Rovos Rail se eie lokomotiewe die treine oorgeneem - een Klas 19D lokomotief vir elke trein.

Ek het na Magaliesburg toe gery om foto’s te neem. Dit het gereën. Langs die pad het ek die eerste trein gekry. Hy het swaar gekry en het gesukkel.

Op Magaliesburgstasie praat ek met die drywer van die ander trein. Ek het vir hom gesê dat die eerste trein het swaar gekry.

Ek is toe daar weg terug huis toe By 'n haltetjie in die veld kry ek die lokomotief van die eerste trein Hy wag toe vir die tweede een. Hulle sou daarvandaan met 'n dubbele voorspan verder beweeg.

Ek vra vir die drywer wat het van sy trein geword. Hy sê toe dat 'n enkele Klas 35 diesel het die trein verder geneem. Ek sê toe dat die diesel sal vasval. "Nee," sê hy toe, '''n diesel kan nie vasval nie!" .

Intussen het dit sterk skemer geword. 'n Amptenaar van Rovos Rail daag toe op. Hy hou lang gesprekke oor 'n selfoon.

Terwyl ek met die drywer gepraat het, kom iemand aangestap al met die treinspoor vanaf die ooste af. Dit was die assistent-drywer van die diesel. Hy berig dat die diesel het vasgeval en dat die Klas 19D moet kom help.

Die amptenaar van Rovos Rail verwittig toe ook dat die ander trein vasgeval het en dat die Klas 19D moet gaan help. 'n Debat het gevolg. Daar is toe besluit dat die lokomotief eers die ander trein sal gaan help en dan sal hulle gesamentlik die eerste trein uitstoot.

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Ek is toe huis toe. Ek weet nie hoe laat daardie treine die nag naby my huis verby is nie.

Ja,'n diesel kan nie vasval nie...!

Eric Samuels

Book Shelf – The Sandstone Steam Railroad – The First Ten Years A friend sent me this delightful book as a Christmas present! [It was posted in Durban on the 8th of December 2011 and only reached me in Pretoria on 18th of January 2012, giving a new expression to Snail Mail! I am sure the railways in South Africa could deliver mail between Durban and the Witwatersrand within 36 hrs!]

Compiled by: Dave Richardson & Joanna Molyneux-Killik with an introduction by David Sheppard ISBN 0-620-37441-1 November 2006 Produced and printed by: The Sandstone Heritage Trust, PO Box 67805, Bryanston, 2021.

Gift

The 1st Reader to contact me may receive my other copy – as I have two!!! eMail me: heymanshb@gmail.com

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RMT - Elgin & Kokstad RMT – on the way to Elgin!

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South African Airways - ZS-SFD photographed by Johan Botha

Harbours -

Catering Division -

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South African Models - Dave Fortune

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- My 'little bit of South Africa' in the UK – Terry Rowe

Hi Hennie I call this my 'little bit of South Africa', I wanted to test out a few things for my proposed layout and wanted somewhere to photograph my models once I've built them.

The track is the new 16.5mm steel sleepered track by Peco with every second sleeper removed ,this gives what I think is quite effective narrow gauge track (two-foot that is) The telegraph pole are by Ratio 7mm scale kits.

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Where this supposed to be? Well in my mind somewhere cosing the road to Velddrift. Enjoy, Regards, Terry Rowe

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- Hopefield Goods Shed – Terry Rowe Dear Hennie I've attached a model of the Small Goods Shed at Hopefield Station with my SARP (railway policeman) in front of it, by the way the SARP is called 'Hennie Heymans' , I can't remember if I sent this to you or not. This will be on my layout when built.

All the best Terry

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“Railway Constable Hennie Heymans at Hopefield” – Terry Rowe.

Thank you Terry, I am honoured! - HBH

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1916 Outside South Africa: NG Zanzibar - Zanzibar Loco No 1 (?) & Zanzibar Loco No 3 - HBH

A typical East Coast scene with a photo by FJ Henley

Pictured at Bu Bu-bu, about 9 miles north of the town of Zanibar These photos originate from The Nongqai – the SA Forces Magazine 1916 - HBH 77

Pandora’s Box Anything can come out of Pandora’s Box, here are a few random pictures received this month:

- Canadian Rail inspection cars

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Mail Bag Thank you for all the interesting correspondence and comments. Here are some letters:

Riana Dreyer – “The Great Mail Robbery” Goeiedag mnr Heymans, Ek het u epos adres gekry by mnr Piet Conradie.

Ek is opsoek na inligting oor 'n rooftog laat 60's vroeg 70 jare, dit was etlike duisende rande wat geroof is vanaf die trein.

As u enige inligting het of weet van iemand wat my kan help sal ek dit waardeer.

Byvoorbaat dankie Riana Dreyer

Wynand Vermeulen 16 Besembos Avenue, Pellissier, 9301 Bloemfontein, South Africa PO Box 32882, Fichardtpark, 9317 www.dreamtrains.co.za Thursday, 19 January 2012 Boksburg swop-meet We invite you to join us at the Boksburg swop-meet on Saturday, 28 January 2012. The venue is the Trinity Community Church in Cresta road, Sunward park in Boksburg. The swop-meet starts at 14h00. Entrance is free. Contact Mervyn Mark on 083 734 8686 if you need more information.

Polls DREAM TRAINS will be running a few polls this year about model trains. The first one is on the website (front page) now. Please take a few seconds to "cast your vote" and influence the course of South African model trains.

2012 May you be blessed in this new year and may you buy your dream train in 2012!

Wynand Vermeulen 83

Stop Pres - Kroonstad Railway Station We have just seen (and heard) that the historic Kroonstad Railway Station has been burnt down.

Indemnity / Vrywaring The The Ulolwe contains various and sundry personal opinions of different correspondents and the compiler of The Ulolwe cannot be held responsible for any of their comments. To ensure the accuracy of the information herein, every precaution has been taken, however neither the Editor nor a Contributor can be held liable for any inaccuracies or damages that may arise.

Die Ulolwe bevat die uiteenlopende en diverse persoonlike menings van verskillende korrespondente en die opsteller van Die Ulolwe kan nie vir enige deel van die inhoud daarvan in sy persoonlike hoedanigheid verantwoordelik gehou word nie. Enige advertensies of enige sake voortspruitend is tussen u en die ander party.

Good Bye by Jacque Wepener

Next Issue The next issue of “The Ulolwe” (u-lol-wê = railways in Zulu)) will be Vol 3 No 3 and will be published, DV, in March 2012 – Please send in your comments, anecdotes and photographs.

Walk Tall! & Take care!

Stuur solank julle stories, briewe, foto’s en feite – Mooi loop!

Hennie Heymans – Pretoria, ZA. © 2012 heymanshb@gmail.com 84