Cape Midland Branches (2): Knysna to George and the Calitzdorp Branch ©

Another important announcement!

"THE RAILWAY TO ADVENTURE"

will be published during September by the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. The book is derived mainly from our chapters in Soul of A Railway, with the addition of an epilogue which we felt was necessary to end on a more optimistic note. There has been no skimping. As you see, the book is in large format; there are 264 pages and upwards of 350 large illlustrations (many in colour) plus historical data compiled by the best team of railway authors available anywhere. There was an unusually big response to the announcement last month, with several of you asking what it will cost. We have not compromised on quality so it is not going to be cheap, but we don't have a price yet I'm afraid. As soon as we have it I shall send out a circular to all on SoAR's mailing list.

We trust our readers will avail themselves of this once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire the first volume of what is to be a series based upon the SoAR website. These will be neither picture books nor potboilers but illustrated histories of what was once one of the world's great systems: the South African Railways & Harbours.

Please note: All photographs, maps and text in Soul of A Railway are protected by copyright and may not be copied or reproduced in any way for further use without prior permission in writing from the authors.

1. Alan's introductory photograph is exemplary of what could be regained by re-opening the George Knysna railway (but one would have to work hard to achieve such a result).

No, Briggs. There is less pollution coming out of that 24's chimney than come out of the vehicles passing through Knysna every few minutes of every day. What you see is mostly condensed steam from the exhaust.

2. After 1939 (we don't know exactly when but it wasn't exact in any case), the various class 8s began to take over from the ever reliable 7s. This one has been converted from slide to piston valves but because the conversion was done in the Collins era it still has short-travel valves (the much more efficient long-travel conversion by A G Watson is depicted in photo 58). The train is the daily passenger to George and there is no main-line saloon in the consist which dates the photo either pre 1948 (i.e. before through coaches were introduced) or on a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday when no through coaches were scheduled.

Of interest might be the loads for the steepest sections, i.e. Knysna-Ruigtevlei and Wilderness-George. Mixed and goods loads were the same:

• 7th class: 170 tons

• 8th class: 230 tons

• 24 class: 255 tons

Interestingly, the 7th and 8th class loads are the same in both directions over the respective steepest sections but the 24 class loads were 15 tons more eastbound.

3. An unknown 24 is leaving Knysna with the three museum coaches and two decidedly un-museum goods vehicles, taken about a furlong out from the station. February/March 1994.

4. The RSSA's 'Cape Venturer' railtour setting out across Knysna lagoon in April 1986. The locomotives were class 24s Nos 3669 & 3652.

5. Quite an authentic-looking train: a 'Steam Safari' organised by the Transnet Museum for oversease visitors, crossing the Knysna lagoon just after sunrise.

6. Class 24 No 3632 crossing the first viaduct over the Knysna lagoon shortly after sunrise on a crystal clear winter morning with a special mixed train in July 1995.

7. In winter 500-up's departure from Knysna at 06:45 was before dawn so such atmospheric silhouettes were possible. Those five DZs of Thesen's sawn timber represent a full load for a class 24 - i.e. c 255 tons

8. Class 24 3622 heading an early morning freight, silhouetted against the Heads as it crosses the Knysna lagoon in July 1978.

9. As late as the mid-eighties not much had changed. The 24s were still in charge (no museum engines yet!), the waterfront and station development still only in the pipeline and the mansions on the eastern hills were only beginning to encroach on the natural beauty of Knysna's surroundings. However, the T&P (they still didn't want to call it a 'mixed') had had its number changed to 960-up and departure time was now 12:00 noon. On this day the load consisted of four DZs of Thesen's sawn timber, one DZ with used wooden sleepers, a mail-and-parcels van and a Tri-compo passenger/guard's van. Soon after, the mail van was discontinued with the cessation of the railway's involvement in the parcels and postal businesses.

10. A steam freight sets off for George with the Thesens Company's sawmills and timber-loading jetty in the background.

11. In May 1980 the afternoon freight from Knysna needed a banking loco. The combination is seen crossing the Knysna lagoon with the entrance to the Heads prominent in the distance.

12. The RSSA's "Cape Venturer" railtour sets out across the lagoon with class 24 No's 3669+3652 in April 1986

13. The early morning goods, 500-up crossing Knysna lagoon, Easter 1978. Note the row upon row of racks for the oyster baskets. There was a time when cultivated oysters from here were highly sought after and Knysna had an annual Oyster Festival. But, inevitably, demand for housing outstripped the capacity of the town's sewer system so increasingly raw sewage seeped into the lagoon; which may have improved the flavour but did not improve the quality of the oysters. The farms were shut down in 2010.

14. The Knysna branch was justifiably popular, particularly among overseas visitors. This was one of numerous Steam Safaris that visited Knysna during the last two decades of the 20th century. Double headed class 24’s climb towards Belvedere in the early morning with the return working of a Steam Safari – picture taken from the Belvedere waterfront.

15. As you can see, we have covered the Cape Venturer of April 1986 well......

16. The RSSA's 'Cape Venturer' performing a run-past for photographers, between Brenton and Belvedere with class 24 No's 3669+3652 in April 1986.

17. The redoubtable #3669, with 39 years of service to the Knysna branch, on a trainload of sawn timber and poles banked by an unknown member of the same class in March 1986.

18. A goods train forging through Belvedere halt on its way up the bank to Keytersnek summit.

19. Another Steam Safari laid on by the Transnet Museum for overseas tourists blasting uphill through Belvedere halt.

20. The daily mixed drawing away from Belvedere halt.

21. A Steam Safari thrashing through Keytersnek siding on its way to the summit at Keytersnek

22. This was the Historic Transport Association's countrywide tour in October 1970. Note the three engines working the train, the rear class 24 is only just visible on the left-hand edge. For a full description of this train and how the unusual distribution of the locomotives came about please see Les Pivnic's description to photo 64 below.

23. A Union Limited 'Golden Thread' tour train about to cross the daily mixed at Goukamma. We are told the car just made it across..... September 1989. As photographer Peter tells us this was effectively a "Round in Five" tour, contrasting effectively with the "Round in Fourteen" tour depicted below.

24. For convenience we have repeated this wonderful photo of the 'Round in Fourteen' tour here. For a full description please see the same photo in the previous part of this chapter. It is one of many classic photos housed in the TRANSNET HERITAGE LIBRARY and you can find an orderly index on the "DIGITAL RAIL IMAGES SOUTH AFRICA website: https://drisa.co.za/

25. Early in 1983 Bruce Brinkman, RSSA (Port Elizabeth) Chairman and contributor to Soul of A Railway, set in motion the planning and preparations for a steam excursion from PE to Knysna. In previous chapters we have shown you many photographs from that unforgettable trip. It was well organised, and I was delegated to determine some photographic locations.

This picture by son Justin shows the one at Goukamma. A fortnight before the excursion I went to check whether there was a clear view here, only to find that the dreaded Expurgandian invader, black wattle, had grown up over the years, thereby effectively screening the line. The tallest were just outside the railway fence.

26. I went to the nearest dwelling, a wood & iron cottage with a brick & mortar stoep that had obviously been added later, to ask who owned the ground between the railway fence and the river. A spare old man with skin like long-hung biltong opened the door. 'Barnard' says he, proffering his hand (there are a lot of Barnards in this neck of the woods). Turns out he owns the field; I must enter and tell him more. The door led directly into the voorkamer; no sooner inside than I was heading uphill at 1/40 towards a table on the other side of the room. He said to sit while he brewed some coffee, which gave me time to observe a peculiarity: all the furniture had two short legs and two long ones. When the coffee came I was unable to contain my curiosity and my host willingly obliged with this fantastic story (translated):

"My late father built this house just after the English war [the Boer War] down there (pointing towards the railway). Along with all his children I was born in it and we lived there content until one day in the early twenties a surveyor arrived with a gang to drive pegs into the ground, which he told us marked the centre-line of the proposed new railway to Knysna. We were told our house was on the centre-line but my father set great store by the word "proposed". He said there were proposed new lines all over the country, hardly any got built and promptly forgot about it. Two years went by without any disturbance until one day a heavy knock on the door brought the ominous news that Parliament had approved the line and compensation for those in the way of its construction, of whom there weren't many in those days. The man who brought the news was large - very large. His name was Mr Prettejohn. He politely told my father we had just twelve months until the construction gangs arrived. A month before the deadline my father still had done nothing and was berated in somewhat agitated terms by Mr Prettejohn. A fortnight later with the construction crews barely two miles away there was still no sign of activity, which gave the Resident Engineer apoplexy. "Never fear Mr Prettejohn", said my father, "we'll be out of your way in time". With barely a week to go my father went to Knysna and hired twelve labourers, twelve oxen, six gumpoles and four jacks.

"The labourers carved out that level area you can see behind us" (he pointed through the window up the hill behind the house). "We took out our furniture and crockery and Pa inserted a jack under each corner of this house. Soon it was lifted enough to slide in the long gumpoles (to act as rollers), and leather rieme [straps] were tied to each corner. The oxen were inspanned and set off up the hill towards the flattened area. We were soon clear of the railway reserve but from there the ground quickly got steeper, eventually even pulling with all their might those oxen could go no further. Father rushed off to Knysna again hire more oxen. The next day he arrived with another six. The nine pairs of oxen managed to get us another ten yards up the hill but the flattened area proved too far.

27. The same afternoon freight to George headed by 3622 and seen in photo 11 above, departing Goukamma with the banking loco hidden in trees. The cows don't look impressed but probably saw this stirring sight most afternoons.

28. Class 24 #3622 "Rosie" rounding the curve out of Goukamma with the daily mixed in July 1980.

29. The triple-headed 'Sunset Limited' climbing away from the Goukamma River bridge in April 1979. Note Mr Barnard's cottage prominent in the background.

30. In the early 1980s the N2 was widened where it passes through the deep cutting depicted in photo 59 of the previous part of this chapter. This required a short deviation of the railway thus enabling photos such as this to be made.

31. One of the staple traffics of the line during the last two decades of the 20th century were gumpoles for electricity power lines and telegraph wires.

32. A very rare visit of the Drakensberg Express to the Knysna Branch in November 1980.

33. Another of the gumpole workings......

34. This is the same train depicted in photo 5 above.

35. Class 24 #3627 climbing out of the Goukama valley towards Mielierug with the daily mixed from Knysna to George.

36. Temporary siding installed between Goukama and Milierug for timber loading by Wilson Bayley Holmes Construction Pty Ltd. The siding was worked by trains from Knysna to George.

37. Immaculate 24 3622 ‘Rosie’ heading an early morning freight from Knysna, on the short rise before Ruigtevlei having climbed out of the Goukamma valley and dropped down alongside Rondevlei in July 1978.

38. Our old friend #3669 'Noeline' about to pick up some wagons at Mielierug siding with the westbound mixed.

39. It's that #3669 again, departing from Ruigtevlei with 502-up T&P in mid 1976.

40. We haven't been too successful at dodging #3669, this was in April 1979, also at Ruigtevlei.

41. Ruigtevlei: crossing of 3669 (facing camera) on 502-up T&P with 3693 down goods, December 1971

42. She stands by the little station building wearing a big black jacket, dark glasses and a wide-brimmed straw hat. She is the 71-year old Miss Agnes Hart of Sedgefield and the only 'Station Mistress' in South Africa. It is May 1968. "Don't be surprised if you hear I've been done in" says she above the noise of a train while pointing to scattered bullet holes in one of the walls of the station building. Formerly a teacher, Miss Hart informs us that she is the last stumbling block for someone who wants a bottlestore in Sedgefield dorp.

"It has been decided [by the council] that a bottlestore can only be erected on one erf in the dorp. That particular erf belongs to me and I'm not prepared to part with it. Drink is a curse.

Now there's someone who wants me dead. It's not only these bullet holes that are proof of this. Shots are regularly fired at my house but even though they're trying to intimidate me I'm not scared yet". It has been said that she walks around with a lantern and a gun at night looking for her enemy but she denies this.

After being disappointed in love, Miss Hart started teaching in Sedgefield in 1933. In 1950 she accepted an appointment as caretaker of the Station. [At that time] there was only a forlorn corrugated-iron building - nothing more. Later in the fifties Sedgefield began to prosper and the small brick station building was erected in its place. "Now I'm a sort of Stationmaster and I don't mind starting at six in the morning and going home after dark. In this building Miss Hart keeps an accurate record of everything that SAR handles at Sedgefield: "you might as well say that I'm on duty day and night because if anybody must collect or despatch goods they phone me at home and I immediately go to the station."

She maintains that she is a hindrance to no one and only wants to carry out her duties. "I get no acknowledgement that my life is being threatened. Don't be surprised to hear that I've been murdered" she says as she leans back on her chair against the front wall of the station building. [Extracted and translated from "Dagbreek en Landstem", 19 May 1968].

43. This might be a rare photograph! On the other hand it might not. During the 1980s the Cape Provincial Roads Department decided to widen the N2 between George and Knysna (the MP for the constituency was none other than the 'Groot Krokodil'). Of course this meant the bridge over the Swartvlei had to be widened too. This involved deep piling (the railway piers, resting as they do on top of the sand bed of the vlei, were ever-subsiding - and not equally either). For several months a monstrous piling rig stood alongside the bridge. Its tower was some 100 feet above the road and, if no one was looking, you could climb it via a precarious steel-tube ladder. So far I have never seen another photo taken from it......

44. This was from a more sensible altitude - the top of my Kombi's ladder. The train was 500-up goods 06:45 away from George and the date: July 1971.

45. Les preferred to keep his feet on the ground. A trainload of pulpwood logs on their way to further emasculation. As you can tell by the out-of-plumb piers, Swartvlei bridge was on its last legs.

46. Class 24 and GO Garratt on a Steam Safari crossing the Swartvlei between Sedgefield and Bleshoender. The use of Garratts on the branch was rare indeed, and the preserved GO, #2575 needed special clearance at first, although later she was used on regular trains occasionally during the 1990s.

47. The Outeniquas look down benignly on the lakes. Completely at home in the landscape, a steam train adds animation to the scene.

48. Banked freight approaching Bleshoender with the waterfowl after which the siding is named swimming past the photographer.

49. Rondevlei: facing the camera is 506-up mixed which only ran on Mondays and Thursdays. On Thursdays it brought the through Knysna-Johannesburg coach up to George. When this photo was made in May 1962 the service only had a month to go before it was discontinued, having been introduced in 1950. The train it was crossing was 509-down T&P.

50. Rondevlei, class 24 No 3627 with 504-up crossing 501-down goods, May 62. Why is 501-down's engine running tender-first? I don't know.

51. Rondevlei on a Thursday. That gent with the suitcase had arrived earlier in a 1939 Plymouth (see next picture). He said he was on his way to Joburg but it must have been a Monday because there was no through coach on the train. Note the logs being loaded at the goods shed siding. Good ole days.

52. The 1939 Plymouth is visible above the fruit van behind the tender (trust me). Driver Stephens with a glistening #3669 accelerating away from Rondevlei.

53. A few years later (20 in fact), son Justin found JP van Rensburg's 3622 about to round the curve into Duiwerivier.

54. A bit of a mystery. Clearly the same stretch of line as in the previous photo but it seems there once was a siding there. Name unknown but given the 7th class it could be pre-WWII.

55. The tank at the western end of Duiwerivier providing a drink for sparkling #3670 in December 1978.

56. 24 3693 and 19D 2753 returning to George from Knysna double-heading a special Mixed train past Island Lake in June 1993.

57. In the good old days lorries had to wait for trains. #3669 stirring up the dust with the same train as in photos 51 & 52, crossing the bridge at Ebb & Flow when it still could only be accessed along a dirt road.

58. Not much business for #3622 and the mixed on this day in 1978.

59. Very nice SAR official photo of a long-travel 8 rounding the curve into Wilderness, some time after 1938 and before 1948.

60. A Watson converted long-lap, long-travel-valved class 8W brings 506-up, the 2:40 pm Knysna-George into Wilderness on a Thursday in January 1955. The first vehicle behind the engine is the through coach from Knysna to Johannesburg, in which you would have reserved a compartment before going on holiday. Behind it are two dedicated Knysna line day coaches the first one looks like a Type M36 as described by Peter Stow in the caption for photo 32 in the previous chapter. The last vehicle is a mail and parcels van. This looks like a short train, and it is, but those Watson conversions were incredibly noisy; long-travel valves with Stephenson's valve gear had variable lead which made the engine disproportionately louder as the cut-off got longer, as it would on the eight miles mostly at 1/40 after Victoria Bay. So much so that even with this short load those through passenger's ears would be ringing by the time they reached George.

Time was when you could safely visit the Publicity & Travel Department on posh Eloff Street in the City of Gold and reserve your compartment from Johannesburg to Knysna (if you wanted to come back you could do that too). Departing at 2:30 pm on Saturday you would arrive in Knysna at 11:29 on the Monday morning by which time you would need a bath or a shower. SAR was pedantic; they could have rounded off the arrival time to 11:30 but even with all the making up time allowances the point-to-point timings added up to 11:29 am, so that's what it had to be. It came to 44 hours 59 minutes for 898 miles - an average of all but 20 miles/hr. WHAT? you might ask. It must have been awfully boring? Believe me dear reader, there wasn't a boring minute in the entire journey:

• Atmosphere only an ultra-long steam journey could generate: in 1955 when this photo was made you had steam all the way - both ways

• There were three meals/day on board in a mahogany and walnut-panelled dining saloon, plus coffee when you woke up in the morning

• The beds were comfortable and warm (in winter the compartments were heated)

• There was some fast running - as far as Naauwpoort (as it was spelt in those days) whereafter the terrain got increasingly rugged; by the time you reached Knysna you had scaled four mountain ranges in the comfort of your compartment

• Did I mention the scenery Briggs? No? Well it was to die for (seriously)

61. The 'Outeniqua Choo Tjoe' was invariably heavily booked in the December holidays. Here is a typical holiday formation leaving Wilderness c 1990.

62. Complete with headboard, the Choo Tjoe emerges from tunnel 3 almost straight out onto the Kaaimansrivier bridge in April 1979.

63. Right from the start, timber in general and gumpoles in particular were the staple traffic on the branch.

64. The caption comes from Les, one of the chief organisers and instigators of the Historic Transport Association's countrywide tour in October 1970.

"The HTA, in conjunction with the SAR’s Publicity & Travel Department, organized a steam-hauled rail tour from Johannesburg via Bloemfontein to Graaff-Reinet – Port Elizabeth – NG to Loerie – back to Klipplaat – Oudtshoorn – George – Knysna – George – Mossel Bay and return to Johannesburg via George – Oudtshoorn – Klipplaat – Graaff-Reinet – Rosmead – Bloemfontein – JHB. It was known as the “Jubilee Special”.

On the section Knysna – George we witnessed what is possibly a one-off operational situation ever, in terms of engine-working on this leg of the Tour. We had three class 24 locomotives booked to work the train but due to weight considerations, the three engines had to be split up along the length of the train. One class 24 leading, another one banking the rear and the third engine cut into the consist between the lounge car and the dining car! The Train Manager – Kallie Visser – gathered all the passengers together on the platform at Knysna just before departure and said:

“Please note, that tea or coffee-drinkers need to ensure that they join the second-half of the train where the dining car PROTEA is available for a cup of tea or coffee before departure from Knysna and those wanting something a bit stronger, join the first half of the train so that they can slake their thirst in the lounge car immediately ahead of the locomotive in the middle of the train.”

Driver Phelan of the class 24 marshalled between PROTEA and the lounge car was a bearded Irishman who thoroughly enjoyed all the attention from the passengers who were not used to a steam loco being cut into the middle of their train.

Once we were on our way, the inevitable happened – someone in the rear half wanted a beer but couldn’t reach the lounge car and others wanting tea or coffee in the leading half had to wait until we reached the home signal at George where the train was split to allow the middle class 24 to uncouple and leave the consist [to go off for servicing]."

65. The daily mixed crossing the Kaaimansrivier bridge in 1972.

66. Another take by John at low tide so he didn't even need gumboots for this one.

67. Dick says: "this is possibly the best shot I took of a regular train at Kaaimans River features 3669 on the 12.00 Knysna – George freight in June 1979." Well Dick, considering the weather, the lighting, the wind direction and all, and that the sea looks good enough to drown in, we have to say it goes with the very best that anybody took.

68. The return working of the six-coach Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, crossing the Kaaimans River at high tide on a bright blue mid-summer day, with 19D 3324 doing the honours on 14 December 2000.

69. Those who object to all these pictures of SAR's most photogenic bridge can blame it on your editor's low resistance and feeble will power. Please agree with me: none of these photos could have been omitted without diminishing your enjoyment?

70. A classic showing the up mixed approaching tunnel 2 by the late and very much missed Dave Rodgers.

71. Also very much missed is globetrotter/photographer Harald Navé, whose entire and priceless collection is now in the care of his lifelong friend and fellow photographer Alfred Luft.

72. Class 7 on brand-new as yet unballasted track, emerging from the western portal of tunnel 2 at the Kaaimansrivier. Note that even though the Knysna branch was comparatively unimportant, it was deemed worthy of sole plates and coach screws - very expensive items even in those days. The sleepers would be creosoted yellowwood which by the 1980s were becoming increasingly sought after by furniture makers, leading to wide-scale theft, even on open lines, with disastrous results.

When writing the caption to photo 71 I remembered this extract from the Eastern Province Herald, published more than ten years ago. It describes a situation that already had been in full swing since Transnet came into being. The national railway system had already become a source of income for the jobless. The fury with which such theft and destruction is carried out today is now unstoppable and nobody seems to care, from the highest levels of government to the ordinary citizen. A sophisticated and modern railway system that took > 150 years to build is disappearing at a rate that is difficult to believe but the above story could equally have been written today about the multi-track main line from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

73. As mentioned in the caption to photo 46 above, GO 2575 was occasionally called in to help move the traffic, on this occasion seen approaching the halt at Victoria Bay.

74. The daily mixed, by this time (1990s) known as the 'Outeniqua Choo Tjoe' restarting from the halt at Victoria Bay.

75. Favourite holiday spot, Victoria Bay was invariably crowded in the December holidays. Some, but not all, of the crowd have noticed the doubleheader on the shelf above the beach.

76. Bill denies outright (!) that he asked for a bit of smoke coming out of tunnel 1......

77. It seems Paul may have done the same although, as the train has paused for passengers at Victoria Bay halt, this might just have been fortuitous.

78. Yet another excursion train tackles the 9 miles of 1/40 from Victoria Bay to George. The train is crossing the deck span used to bridge the washaway in 2005 - see the next photos. The locomotive is a 19D and why it is running in reverse is not known.

79. In late 2005 there was a landslip above Victoria Bay. A bridge section was sourced from the De Aar bridge yard. In this way the slip was bridged. Materials were brought in by train.

80. This was quite an expensive operation, and done very thoroughly. Only a year later there were much more severe washaways, including damage to the Kaaimansrivier bridge.

81. Allen, Soul of A Railway's resident historian, who lives in George, made a trip to the site on foot to record progress with the repairs.

82. Inserting the cross members. Note the beautifully pointed brickwork.

83. The line was reopened with a short ceremony which inter alia involved one Allen Duff smashing a small bottle of champagne against the structure. A coach of invited guests travelled down from George by train.

84. Without fail, master craftsman Harald had an eye for an unusual photograph. Station Foreman's view of the arriving Knysna train in December 1971.

85. Just in from Knysna. #3669 and driver Stephens at George in January 1959.

86. Fireman Carter at the end of his shift.

87. Lately George Station has received a little TLC. BUT not for trains. It has been hired by a bus company!

88. So nice to see a little respect shown for our priceless heritage.

THE CALITZDORP BRANCH

89. We asked Les for the background to his photo of Mr Pivnic senior at Oudtshoorn, the junction for Calitzdorp. Here is what he sent:

"In January 1960, I undertook a major railway photographic tour – setting off from Johannesburg, I visited the stations and some Loco Depots at Bloemfontein, Aliwal North, Queenstown, East London, Cambridge, Chiselhurst, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Sydenham, North End, Humewood Yard, Humansdorp, Oudtshoorn, Bellville, Strand, Cape Town, Paarden Eiland, Eerste Rivier, Van der Stel, Somerset West, Malmesbury, Kalbaskraal and Ysterplaat.

I then returned home via the N1. My mom and dad decided to join me on this extensive rail photography tour by road. At Oudtshoorn my old man accompanied me to the station and that is how I photographed him on the platform. I ran off multiple rolls of B&W film on this tour using a Zeiss Super Ikonta 6x6 camera with a 2.8 lens that produced absolutely needle-sharp images. BTW: So much for colour – all those B&W negs are still in pristine condition – all filed and catalogued in special ring binders to ensure their safety.

There is not much that I can add to this info except to say that tour produced some of my best B&W shots – like the 10B coming under the signal gantry as it approached PE with a local from Uitenhage and that greyhound – 5R 781 with a local from the Strand at Eerste Rivier. My dad had a passing interest in trains but he was first and foremost a sports fanatic – football, rugby and cricket. I regularly accompanied him to matches in all those sports as a young schoolboy after WW2."

90. On a family trip to Port Alfred in July 1956 the train paused at Oudtshoorn to change engines. There was just enough time for a quick visit to the loco and to snap this tidy 7th class, still with CGR cowcatcher, coming off shed to work the Calitzdorp train. The 7s were the sole motive power based at Oudtshoorn until mid 1961 when a solitary 24 arrived. It follows that they were the only engines used to Calitzdorp until then. After that their use on the line continued sporadically until 1966 depending on traffic surges or if the 24 was indisposed.

91. By 1981 the advertised Oudtshoorn – Calitzdorp service was down to an 06.30 MWFO Mixed which is shown here shortly after departing Oudtshoorn. The very early departure probably accounts for the dearth of photographs of the regular trains.

92. An unknown class 24 on the returning mixed, eastbound at Kerkrand

93. The regular mixed train stops at Dongas possibly to drop off track workers.

94. David Rodgers re-enacting a scene that lasted into the 1960s, westbound near Remhoogte with 7BS 1056 in April 1994

95. Coming back in the afternoon, 1056 eastbound approaching Remhoogte with the fertile valley of the Gamka River in the background.

96. Also on the Rodgers' trip, Paul's #1056 is closer to Remhoogte, also eastbound on the return journey, this time with the Swartberg looming in the background.

97. The daily mixed has joined the Gamka River valley with its miles and miles of orchards and vineyards and the 24's fire has been allowed to die down as there are only a couple of hundred yards to go to Calitzdorp

98. Opened in November 1924, the Calitzdorp branch led a fairly peaceful life until it expired at the turn of the millenium, so we've literally and figuratively reached the end of the line....

And that concludes the first part of the Cape Midland branch lines. The next (and final) part will include the remaining branches: Somerset East, Kirkwood, Port Alfred (the Kowie Railway) and Alexandria. These will also complete our coverage of the entire Cape Midland System, including the story of the Langkloof narrow gauge that is the subject of our first book based on the material submitted to Soul of A Railway (for further information please see our separate circular letter that announces the above chapter).

It only remains to say that the first section of Les and Bruno's chapter on the Natal South Coast is complete and will follow hot on the heels of this one. After all this frenetic (!) activity there will be a comparatively brief hiatus while Les and Bruno carry on with the South Coast and I head off to Cape Town to finish our Cape Western chapter.