Compiled by Peter Micenko ©

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 compilers of this series, Les Pivnic, Charlie Lewis, Bruno Martin, Michael Carter, Peter Stow and Peter Micenko.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKYOUS 

A special THANK YOU is extended to:

● Yolanda Meyer of the Transnet Heritage Library (and now retired), who generously assisted in retrieving and providing me with background information under trying environmental circumstances, from the THF collection, most notably the Natal Government Railways Magazines, the South African Railways Magazines, and the DRISA and Haarhoff collections.

● Transnet Heritage Library

● William Goosen, a colleague and a longstanding Professional Railway Engineer, whose family had farmed in the Eastern Free State for generations, was able to assist with references and background information on the early history of the area, notably the “Conquered Territory” through which the railways described in this chapter later ran.

● Jamie Hart and Michael Carter for their courage in attempting to create a Bethlehem Steam Railway, and some of the business case history of their early efforts in this direction. An endeavour that had the potential to create one of the world's leaders in railway and African tourism, which is briefly described later in this chapter. 

    ●  Les Pivnic, for various documents in his collection.

●  Bruno Martin, for going the extra mile with technical and computing assistance in preparing this chapter of Soul of a Railway and particularly for his cartographic skills.

●  Peter Stow and Douglas Capewell for their very detailed photo captions on operations, allocations, and rolling stock.

Photographic credits:  Nathan Berelowitz; William Botkin; Douglas Capewell; A.E. (Dusty) Durrant via Jean due Lez collection; Warwick Falconer; Dave Fleming; Allen Jorgensen via Dick Manton collection; Dick Manton; Bertram Lewis via Charlie Lewis; Charlie Lewis; Justin Lewis; Bruno Martin; Paul McDonald; Peter Micenko; Glen Mills; Dennis Mitchell; Harold Nave and Alfred Luft via C.P.Lewis collection; Thomas R. Schultz, Donald Taggart, Martin Smith; Peter Stow; Andy Sturt; Graham Watkins.

One observation this author made during the compilation of this chapter is the loss of personal historical knowledge, which, with the passage of time, continues to accelerate. Many references to the more common public Wikipedia references have been made as initiators of further research.

Great help was found in various documents in the Transnet Heritage Library, notably:-

●    The Haarhoff Collection and

 ●    The DRISA collection of SAR &H and NGR magazines of the time,

Hansard, particularly those of the 1860s, with reference to the Orange River de-annexation by the United Kingdom.

Several personal extracts from individuals relating to their experiences as train staff working the lines.

A paper by Walter Peters and J.L. DuPreez entitled “The 'Wall of flesh' of the Conquered Territory: farmhouses and towns established in defence of the eastern boundary of the Orange Free State”. Department of Architecture of the University of Free State, Bloemfontein, 2014. ISSN 0258-3542

Apologies to anyone I should have thanked for their assistance, but whom I have overlooked.

Overview of this Chapter

The railways through the Eastern Free State have interesting histories. This is not only from a purely railway engineering and operational aspect, but also their part in the region’s history, geography, economy, and social picture as this region developed through the decades and centuries to become part of one of the world's leaders in Class 1 railways.

For this reason, this chapter has been subdivided as follows into smaller “mouthfuls” to eat the “elephant”.

1.   Introduction to the railway and beginning of a network, and a Broad historical overview of the eastern Free State area

2.   Bloemfontein eastwards to Thaba Nchu-The inner and outer suburban train service

3.   The branches to Maseru and Ladybrand

4.   Bloemfontein to Modderpoort as a through route to Natal.

5.   Bloemfontein to Aliwal North 

6.   “Die Bittereindes” (The bitter-enders). The ones from the line that survived the end of steam. (1993) into a form of preservation and an early “Where are they now? “

1. Introduction and setting the scene

It is relevant to provide some historical context regarding the significant events leading up to the construction of the Bloemfontein to Modderpoort railway. Railways, like all businesses, only exist where an economic need exists for the movement of significant quantities of goods and people.

The Orange Free State is a tableland of approximately 50 000 square miles (125 000 square kilometres), which is broken only by low ranges of hills. It is typically located at an elevation of 4 500 feet (1 350 m) above sea level and is bordered in the north by the Vaal River and in the south by the Caledon and Orange Rivers. These rivers rise in the eastern escarpment of Southern Africa (typically 10 000 feet or 3 000 metres) and flow westwards to the Atlantic Ocean. This forms the main drainage of the region, with watercourses draining westwards from the Drakensberg Mountains, also known as the ‘Barrier of Spears’, resulting in the ‘Free State’ having approximately 30 per cent of the agriculturally productive land in South Africa.

This Chapter of ‘Soul of a Railway’ could well be titled ‘Rails through the Conquered Territory’ or ‘The start of a National Railway Network’. Both would be appropriate! The reasons are that the 19th century established commercial needs based on the geography and history of the former, and as such, developed into the initiator of railway development in the latter. Until the late 1880s, railways in Southern Africa had essentially followed the ‘Penetration’ model as a commercial resource to tap the previous three centuries of exploratory, cultural, migratory, agricultural, and industrial development.

Although South Africa is currently quite populated, with approximately 65 million people, it was not always so. Certainly, when railways were becoming a necessity in Europe and North America, the population in Southern Africa, particularly in the ‘Free State’ area, was several orders of magnitude lower.

At the time the Portuguese navigators rounded the ‘Cape’ and later European settlement occurred in the Cape Town area, the population of the interior was very sparse, consisting mainly of nomadic ‘Koi’ and ‘Bushmen’ peoples. These ‘Koi’ and ‘Bushmen’ peoples were the original and main population at the time. The ‘Bantu’ migration from the north had only just reached the region south of the Zambesi, and as these various peoples from the north grew in numbers and consolidated in some areas, the more aggressive groups launched attacks known as the ‘Mfecane’ and associated ‘Difaqane’. This resulted in a large depopulation of the area west of the Drakensberg. Additionally, some groups fled and managed to repel these marauders in the mountains, taking a defensive position at Thaba Bosin under their leader, Moeshoeshoe, to form a global rarity: a kingdom completely surrounded by another country yet independent of it. This was Basutoland, later named Lesotho. Later, this would trigger one of the many reasons for the railway in the eastern Free State.

In parallel and independent of these events, exploration from the south by Europeans, mainly of Dutch origin, resulted in the northward migration of Europeans from the Cape.   First, they settled and farmed, and then the British annexed the region north of the Orange River without having settled there.  This created a period of ‘stability’ and farming in a largely ‘depopulated’ region, but not without conflicts.

The British government, after several disastrous wars against the Basuto people in 1851, 1852, and 1853, sought to extricate itself from the responsibility of the ‘Orange River Sovereignty’. On 23 February 1854, the area became known as the Orange Free State. Independence was achieved for the Boer Republic without solicitation. In addition, by default, the Republic also inherited the border problem.

Subsequently, the OFS government engaged in a series of battles over the disputed territory between 1858 and 1866 between the Basuto people and the Republic’s General Fick in the north and Commandant Wepener in the south. This resulted in the ceding of territory east of the ‘Warden Line’ by Moeshoeshoe in terms of a treaty of Thaba Bosiu on 3 April 1866. This ‘settled’ the border between OFS and Basutoland as the Caledon River and created the ‘Conquered Territory’ despite the vanquished Basuto refusing to vacate the area. 

After winning the last of three wars in the 1860s against the Basuto, the OFS Government passed the Occupation Act (Occupasiewet) of 1866, which required, as a prerequisite for peace and order in the area, the settlement of the ‘Conquered Territory’. The ‘wall of flesh’ of the ‘Conquered Territory’ resulted in farmhouses and towns being established in defence of the eastern boundary of the Orange Free State. Three such towns were established, notably Ficksburg, Ladybrand, and Wepener. In addition to three parallel rows of farms. Included was a need to provide improved transport links to Bloemfontein. The establishment of the three defensive towns of Ficksburg in the north, Ladybrand in the centre, and Wepener in the south led to increased farming activity and trade with Basutoland (now Lesotho). These, in turn, created the driver for rail-based transportation to move people and products to and from the farms and towns.

The OFS and its culturally close neighbour, north of the Vaal River, had an alliance of sorts, but transport connections were mainly southwards from Bloemfontein. The OFS, despite being a Boer Republic, tended to maintain English as the business ‘lingua franca’, mainly due to its strong associations with the Cape markets for agricultural produce, notably wool.

As the world entered the last decade of the 1800s, and the Cape Government had reached Aliwal North from East London, talks in the OFS were held regarding the need to connect Bloemfontein to Aliwal North, and hence, the sea. The dual triggers of firstly the discovery of diamonds in the Kimberley area and later, gold on the Witwatersrand prompted the Cape Government Railways (CGR) to review this proposal and a shorter link via Springfontein was constructed. This is the cheaper option due to its shorter construction route, and ultimately, the gold fields are accessed by extending from Bloemfontein northwards via Kroonstad to Vereeniging. Good to access the mining activity in Kimberley and Johannesburg, but still not a direct link from Bloemfontein to the sea.

The late 1800s saw continual representation by business interests in Bloemfontein to provide a link to the sea. The CGR was the main railway financier, constructor and operator, with the OFS only building a couple of minor branch lines. In 1896, Engineers indicated that it would be possible to link Bloemfontein with a direct route to the port at Durban via Modderpoort, Bethlehem and Harrismith after the Natal Government constructed a branch line from Ladysmith to Harrismith in 1892.

Planning was well advanced to construct a railway eastwards from Bloemfontein to Thaba Nchu when the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) interrupted the planned development of railways. For strategic reasons, the Imperial Military Railways (IMR) completed this line as far as ‘Waterworks’ in the vicinity of the farm Sannah’s Post (later abbreviated to Sannaspos).

After the cessation of hostilities and to cement the Boer Republics and English Colonies into a new Nation, circa 1904, the Intercolonial Council at Conference (ICC) in Bloemfontein developed a scheme for railway expansion in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. The ICC approved the proposed seven new lines, notably Bethlehem to Kroonstad, Bethlehem to Modderpoort, Aliwal North to Wepener, Modderpoort to Ladybrand, and Bloemfontein to Kimberley, as well as Pretoria to Rustenburg and Krugersdorp to Mafeking. These last two lines are outside the scope of this chapter. The railway organisations of both English Colonies, Natal and Cape, under agreement with the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies, undertook extensions of their services to tap the produce of the ‘Free State’. The Cape and Natal Governments planned to build a program of lines, which included linking Aliwal North, Maseru, and Ladybrand with Bloemfontein.

The Natal Government Railways to construct and operate Bethlehem–Kroonstad and Bethlehem-Modderpoort, and the Cape Government to build and operate Aliwal North to Wepener.

The Central South African Railways (CSAR), being the successor to the IMR, completed the line to Thaba Nchu, which opened on 22 March 1903. It was later extended to Modderpoort, which was opened to traffic on 8 July 1903.  The Modderpoort to Bethlehem extension was completed on 2 July 1907, just after the Bethlehem to Kroonstad and Harrismith links were completed.

With the Inter-Colonial Councils' proposed lines, it is interesting to read a progress report in the November 1905 edition of the Natal Government Railways Magazine. I quote ‘As we have said, a comparison of the railway situation 12 months ago and now reveals but little alteration. The large schemes to which Natal had put her hand, she has, with characteristic promptness, pushed forward towards realisation, and orders for plant and material to a considerable value for the Bethlehem to Kroonstad and Bethlehem to Modderpoort lines have been placed with British manufacturers. The Bloemfontein to Kimberley line is now in a forward position, the Legislative Council of the Orange River Colony having, within the past few weeks, undertaken the responsibility for its construction at a cost of 4 Million Pounds, thereby not only providing Oranje with an important market but bridging one of the worst gaps in the main trunk system. The Cape Government, on the other hand, have been unable to carry out their share of last year’s programme, their Aliwal North to Wepener scheme having been recently rejected by the Legislative Council on the grounds that the Cape Colony’s own districts should be developed before any over-border work.’

1.1 Effect of Population on Railway Development in the Eastern Free State

If one looks at figures available, one sees that the population of the area in the mid-1800s was still quite low, being of the order of roughly 100 000 persons in total.

A census taken in 1880 found Europeans made up approximately 45% of the total population. What is particularly relevant is that the order of magnitude of the total population was very low, both in terms of density and numerically. This has been so for quite many decades in the early to mid-1800s.

Comparable figures for Natal from the Natal Government Railways Magazine of October 1905 put the population of Natal in 1884 as 31 912 Europeans in a total population for Natal of 97 100, and in 1904 as 418 781 Europeans of Natal’s total population of 1 108 754 persons.

Comparable figures for Natal from the Natal Government Railways Magazine of October 1905 put the population of Natal in 1884 as 31 912 Europeans in a total population for Natal of 97 100, and in 1904 as 418 781 Europeans of Natal’s total population of 1 108 754 persons.

With primary and secondary business (Agriculture and ‘Industrialisation’) economies being the main drivers for potential railway development, the above tables illustrate the low population densities and numbers. The region having moved from the original subsistence of the early settlers to that of an agricultural product exporter and an importer of more complex goods, with the balance favouring the former. The last table above shows the main reason for the relatively slow development of railways in Southern Africa compared to more industrialised areas of the world. Basically, the population could be accommodated by other means.

Stability in the ‘Conquered Territory’ led to increased settlement and increased agricultural production, which needed transport to market. When overland volumes and hence cost became noticeably greater from the late 1870s, representation by Bloemfontein and the agricultural interests in the eastern Free State to provide rail transport increased. Populations were still sparse, but the need was driven by the long distances and hence time and cost to transport goods and people from farm to market and consumers, mainly in the Cape, i.e. Wool, but Natal was closer. Plans were drawn up to progress a railway from Bloemfontein to Natal to meet the Natal Government Railways (NGR) line from Ladysmith to Harrismith after the cessation of the Anglo-Boer War hostilities, there were multiple triggers to railway expansion.

1.2. Effect of Topography and Climate on Railway Development of the Eastern Free State.

The topography and climate were very conducive to agriculture. The most fertile lands were along the rivers and streams, and mainly the eastern area of the ‘Free State’. At the time of the ‘Trekboere’, the area was very sparsely populated, and as agricultural migrations from the south continued, the population increased, and the region increased in production in a natural move from subsistence agriculture to marketing of produce from farms to towns and the coastal areas to the south. The steep, fast, but intermittent flowing streams of the area caused by the topography and climate meant that overland transport was impractical by water-based means. 

TABLE OF OPERATING COSTS OF CERTAIN BRANCH LINES

MARCH 1923

This table is included to show the relative impacts of the branch lines in this Chapter and how these fed into the Bloemfontein to Natal railways.

Extracted from the SAR&H Magazine for August 1923.

To visualise the relativity of operational productivity, some figures from the 1922/23 financial year would be of interest. As a benchmark in 1923, despite there being poor economic performances in the first half of the year, the Free State and Transvaal Coal Mines were producing 140 000 tons of coal per week, generating GBP 44 377 of railway transport revenue against GBP 92 171 of total goods and revenue on the entire network per week.  However, modern transport economics has shown that customers want transport from door, farm or workplace to consumers’ doors, ports, or workplace, and trans-shipping cost is one that one tries to avoid.

The important aspect of the above table is that despite their ‘accounting’ loss, they show that branch lines are important feeders to core routes, without which both fail. Bruno’s map shows this in the progressive deterioration of network coverage when branch lines are closed or downsized under the guise of ‘uneconomic’ and the bridge routes lose the branch line tonnage and so start to fail, as transporters avoid trans-ship costs, ‘The Death Spiral’. The chapter on the Maseru branch will show the beneficial impact that one can see from its large number of Private Sidings Maseru has compared to those of Modderpoort and Ladybrand.

1.3 Description of the Route

Small-scale section of the Bloemfontein to Modderpoort Railway

The direct route of any railway from Bloemfontein to the port of Natal, although slightly north of due east ‘as the crow flies’, has not only to negotiate the Drakensberg Mountains but also to circumnavigate the vast and deep Orange River valley. A completely new railway in a direct line would also the need to traverse another country. By keeping to the ‘Conquered Territory’ and junctions into the NGR line from Durban via Ladysmith to Harrismith, the line would serve the development of the farms in the eastern Free State, and the railway would remain in South African territory, which had political as well as construction cost benefits.

The interim goal being the Bloemfontein city’s waterworks on the Modder River and then the farming concerns around Thaba Nchu.  The line commences at Bloemfontein at an elevation of 1392 m and progresses slightly south of due west through easy country to Lynchfield at 1399 m and Melorane at 1410 m. Roughly following the course of the valley of the Modder River’s course, but at a higher elevation to make crossing north-flowing streams closer to their headwaters and hence less onerous and with quite easy gradients, having only gained 28 m of elevation after 19 km. The line then climbs more steeply to Vercoe, gaining 69 m of elevation in 6 km.  Crossing the ridge between the Renosterspruit and the Meiliespruit before losing 85 m of elevation to Waterworks (Sannaspos) after 8 km. The terrain dictated a large horseshoe to the south and back to Waterworks to cross streams more closely to their headwaters. Later, when earthmoving machinery was more readily available, the line was straightened.

Departing Waterworks, the line crosses the Modder River on a three-span through-truss iron Bridge, having climbed a small ridge and then descended a further 45 m to Likathong, after which the line follows a watershed between north-flowing rivers, ultimately part of the Vet and Vaal watershed complex and the south-flowing streams that feed into the Caledon River. This is the pattern of the route further to Modderpoort. Following approximately along a ‘water shed’, the route takes in the towns of Sepane at 1395 m elevation and Thaba Nchu, 102 m higher at 1498 m and 60 km from Bloemfontein, having passed the large lands of Botshabelo. Thaba Nchu was one of the interim goals during the planning stages of Bloemfontein’s route to the port of Natal in the late 19th century.

From Thaba Nchu, the line climbs another 77 m in 15 km to Waghorn and Tweespruit, a further 121 m higher. The line then crosses a small watershed of the Mansvretersberg. (Afrikaans place names can be quite descriptive in themselves, and one wonders about the possible hardships faced by the early ‘Trek Boere’ crossing unsettled areas largely depopulated during the ‘Mfecane’). From the ‘watershed’ at Halkyn, the line rises a further 36 m to Westminster before undulating and gaining only 4 m elevation by Marseilles. One last ridge is crossed before Modderpoort is reached, requiring a climb of 103 m to pass through Hoogfontein at 1712 m, before dropping down to Modderpoort at 1595 m. In their journey, trains have progressively gained elevation from Bloemfontein, running along a minor watershed as they have, while maintaining the most direct route commensurate with minimising earthworks and bridges.

2. Bloemfontein eastwards to Thaba Nchu - The inner and outer suburban services

‘All stations to Thaba Nchu’

2.1 Introduction

This subchapter introduces the Bloemfontein eastwards suburban railways, covering them historically and geographically as they expanded eastwards to serve the ‘Conquered Territory’ and its surrounds.

The initial ideal for the populace of Bloemfontein was to link their city by rail with the agriculturally productive areas to the east, to provide a more efficient transport medium and allow farming to expand and be supported, later encompassing the desire to link Bloemfontein with a more direct route to the sea. The first stage of such a railway would be eastwards from Bloemfontein to Thaba Nchu. Unfortunately, the second Anglo-Boer War intervened. Although approval was given in the 1890s, no construction took place until late in the conflict, when, for strategic reasons, the Imperial Military Railway (IMR), which had taken over the assets and operations of the railways of the Free State and the Transvaal, built a line to Bloemfontein’s Water Works to secure and protect those strategic assets.   Later, this station was renamed Sannaspos. (After a local farm, ‘Sannah’s Post’). Over time, this led to the extension of the rail line to Modderpoort and then to Natal.

Later, passenger traffic became such that a Bloemfontein suburban service was developed, which ultimately led to full-size passenger trains, often double-headed, until they were surpassed by buses.

Meanwhile, the city of Bloemfontein kept expanding, and with time, public transport (railways) was needed for the surrounding population. To the east, there was a relatively busy inner suburban link to Melorane (19 km from Bloemfontein), with 16 return workings to Lynchfield (13 km from Bloemfontein), five of which continued on to Melorane on weekdays and less frequent services on weekends. 

There was also a less frequent but more heavily patronised outer suburban service to Thaba Nchu (60km), which more often than not sported double-headed trains to collect and return Bloemfontein’s work force to their homes in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu.

Extract of the 1952 public timetable as a typical timetable for the Melorane ‘suburban’ service. The included Bloemfontein to De Bloem service appears to be a convenient extension of the Melorane services.

Above is an extract of the Bloemfontein to Ladysmith passenger time table which has been included to show the services to Ladybrand and Thaba Nchu.

Photo 7. The driver of Class 10C No.776 has shut off the steam after passing the home signal and drifts into the station to provide service to local customers in Shannon. Railway modellers in particular could take much inspiration from this picturesque little station in Bloemfontein’s suburbs. The composite brake van is also of interest with tumblehome sides on the passenger section and flat sides on the baggage section, and the older style large ‘duck-out’.

Photo 8. As a lead-in to the Thaba Nchu suburban services, this Charlie Lewis photo of the 00:55 Bloemfontein to Thaba Nchu local in December 1972 shows 16DA’s Nos. 872 and 843 awaiting departure from Bloemfontein. This photo scene has quite a story behind it, as certainly it could not have been achieved a day(or night) later, as it was the last service worked by double-headed 16D, and certainly was obstructed by construction works and signalling cables, until a few hours earlier. How this luck would come about shall remain an urban legend.

Photo 9. In the late 1960s, Charlie Lewis captured 16DA # 870 departing Bloemfontein with a working to Lynchfield. The train has an interesting composite guard's van leading a rake of day sitters. I would like a better quality rendition of this scene and will replace it if and when one arises.

Photo 10. Charlie Lewis captured an unknown 15E with an inbound service from Thaba Nchu to Bloemfontein at Shannon station in June 1975. It is worth noting the large toolbox at the goods shed end.

Photo 11. Charlie Lewis photographed an unknown 15E entering Sannaspos with the 17:25 to Thaba Nchu in October 1974. The fireman has a nicely burning fire with a thin grey smoke trail.

Photo 12. 16DA No.850 with 17:25 to Thaba Nchu arriving at Sannaspos in November 1972.

Photo 13. In November 1972, a double-headed Up Thaba Nchu working entering Sannaspos behind two 16DA’s  (numbers unknown) with the evening sun lighting up the train and also the lovely ‘100 foot’ through span truss bridge in the distance. 

Photo 14. On Saturday, 18 July 1981, Bloemfontein 15F No.3081 departs Sannaspos at 14:47 with the afternoon passenger to Thaba Nchu. The photographer was quite chuffed as this became one of the rare occasions when he captured a 15F both with a short tender and on a passenger train. For interest, the other was in Port Elizabeth about the same time when a suburban train came in with a 15F and subsequently turned on the P.E. turntable to depart later with a working to Uitenhage.

Photo 15. An unknown 15F leads 23 class number 3 (2?) 545 the down Thaba Nchu out of Sannaspos in October 1974, while a second train is brewing up in the yard. With junction stations at Sannaspos, Marseilles and Modderpoort, splitting the signals shots was possible.  More importantly, they showed the Bloemfontein to Modderpoort route as a commercially important trunk route to South Africa’s busiest port at the time.

Photo 16. An inbound Thaba Nchu to Bloemfontein with 15F leading 23 class crossing the Modder River in July 1976. The small-scale section will show that there is still quite a pull for the locomotives from the bridge up into the station.

Photo 17. 16DA No.850 departing Lynchfield in May 1972 with the 17:25 train to Melorane. The composite brake van having a matching roof profile with the rest of the train. 

Photo 18. A 15F first series leading a 23 class on 16:40 to Thaba Nchu in October 1974, seen at Likhatlong with typical afternoon thunderstorms brewing to the west.

Photo 19. 16DA No.873 has been captured with her train glinting well at Likhatlong with Train 3545, the 16:40 Down in February 1973. These well-maintained and crewed locomotives have the drag of 14 coaches well in hand. The ‘Free State’ practice was to only use a single guard's van, despite the main line train length. 

Photo 20. An unknown 15E lays a lovely rooster tail of smoke as it attacks the gradient at Likathlong with the 1725 to Thaba Nchu in December 1974. A recent Union Carriage ‘compo guards van’ disturbing the uniform roof line of the older timber coaching stock making up the remainder of the train.

Photo 22. What better way to start the next subsection, which deals with the two branches, than this delightful shot taken by Bertrand Lewis in April 1968 (?) of an 8th class heading a passenger train at (?). It would appear to be a crew change location. All of the train and station staff, proudly attired in their neat uniforms, even outshining the one civilian in his grey suit, certainly capturing the ‘soul of our railway’. Even the station yard is immaculate.

3. 1. An ‘Historical Introduction’ to the Ladybrand and Maseru branches as part of the through route from the Free State Capital to Natal

The original proposal to provide Bloemfontein with a direct link to the sea via Aliwal North met with reluctance from the CGR. A subsequent proposal to access the Port of Durban via Bethlehem and Harrismith foresaw the need to tap the commercial activity of Basutoland along the route. Ladybrand was a well-established town at the time of the proposal, with traders having their houses and warehousing in the town.  It was also one of the 3 ‘Defensive’ towns established after the battles of the 1860s. Maseru grew naturally at a convenient crossing point on the Caledon River.

The townships of Maseru and Ladybrand developed from bases as springboards for trade between South Africa and the Basuto Nation. Although it might have been considered to route the railway from Bloemfontein to Bethlehem directly via these two commercial centres, the topography and extra length dictated against this for the ‘bridge’ route. Early on, these towns were to be reached by branches from the shorter and easier route to Modderpoort. If one looks at the orientation of the junctions at Marseilles and Modderpoort, then it can be seen that the original train working was direct from Bloemfontein. Basutoland at that time was known for its diamond discoveries, but certainly also maize and cattle farming.

Certainly, by running the railway further west of the Caledon River (the border between the Orange River Colony and Basutoland), inland through more of the ‘Conquered Territory,’ a larger area of the colony’s agricultural land was accessed. The small-scale sections of the two branch lines will show that such a proposal would have incorporated much steeper gradients needed to descend to the Caledon River from the ridge which the line had been following from Sannaspos and then navigating a route out of the Caledon River valley to Ladybrand, as well as longer mileage and hence costs.

The town of Ladybrand was founded in 1867, and perhaps it is relevant now to recap on the preceding decades of events.  Earlier in the early 1800s, during the Zulu raids, and as a result of the Battle of Thaba Bosigo (Mountain of the Night) in 1831, in which the Basuto under Moeshoeshoe withstood the attacks of the Zulu impis under Umzilikazi. These people then settled in the mountainous area, which became Basutoland. Initially, under the British annexation of the Free State by the Cape Governor and subsequent obligations to what is now Lesotho, after conflicts developed, a border was proclaimed by Sir Warden in 1847. However, after further conflicts, the British relinquished their annexation of the Free State and hence their obligations to protect the Boer settlers. This resulted in the need for the Free State Boers to defend themselves.  A subsequent series of battles between the Basutos and the early ‘Trek Boere’ under Commander (Later General) Fick and Commandant Wepener in a series of battles until the final one in 1866 resulted in a strip of land approximately 20-30 miles wide between the Warden line to the west and the Caledon River to the east, named for many decades as the ‘Conquered Territory’ becoming part of the Free State Republic. But Basutoland itself remained a separate entity administered by the British Crown under the Cape Government. As such, although it was completely surrounded by the various Republics and Colonies that, in 1910, united to form South Africa, Basutoland (now Lesotho) remained an independent nation.

The strengthening people who became the Zulu nation embarked on many far-reaching acts of aggression against their neighbours and assimilated or depopulated much of the regions to the west of the Drakensberg Mountains. As a result of the battle of Thaba Bosigo (Mountain of the Night) in 1831 between the Zulu impis under Umzilikazi and the gathered ‘refugee peoples’ of the area, who withstood the attacks and earned the right to that territory and became the Basuto Nation.

The early Voortrekkers settled in the largely depopulated area now known as the Free State. A subsequent series of battles between the early Voortrekkers under Commander (later General) Fick in 1866 resulted in a strip of land approximately 20-30 miles wide to the west along the Caledon River, named for many decades as ‘The Conquered Territory’, becoming part of the Free State Republic. However, Basutoland itself remained a separate entity administered by the British Crown. As such, it was independent of but entirely surrounded by the various Republics and Colonies that at Union in 1910 became South Africa.

The town of Ladybrand was founded as a dormitory and warehousing centre for traders with Basutoland and warranted not only local links to connect with the main line through trains but also quite a prestigious daily working between Bloemfontein and Ladybrand. This working rated heavy mainline locomotives for the major mileage, ultimately culminating in 25NC through to Ladybrand when the branch from Modderpoort to Ladybrand was rerailed with heavier plant.

Above is the small-scale section of the Marseilles to Maseru branch line. The long section includes a track diagram showing curves and indicating the relatively large layout of sidings at Maseru station yard.

Description of the route.

The Maseru branch, descending from the ridge, follows the Bloemfontein to Modderpoort line at Marseilles, 26km to Maseru, but with a 5 km climb leaving Marseilles and another 2 km climb immediately before descending to cross the Caledon River on a multi-span through-lattice girder bridge. One loop was present at Vines. Marseru had a relatively large station yard with several private sidings and a turning triangle. Ruling grade was 1 in 41, but only in a few short pinches.

Photo 23. In earlier times, the Maseru train worked directly from Bloemfontein. Here, class 8D No.1169 is engaged with this duty whilst the Westminster station foreman in his immaculate uniform converses with the footplate crew.

Photo 29. In 1972, Bloemfontein had an allocation of 12 class 24 locomotives for use with class 19D’s on the five branch lines served by that depot, including the branch line to Maseru. Here, a class 24 departs from Marseilles, passing the outer home signal, with Saturday’s Train 487, which departed later at 17:40 to Maseru after having connected with Train 79, the 14:00 from Bloemfontein. By the end of April 1973, all the class 24s had been transferred away from Bloemfontein. The date of this photo is 1972.

Photo 30. This photo, taken by Doug Capewell on Thursday, 24 July 1980, shows 19D No.2734, Bloemfontein loco sub-shedded at Modderpoort, departing Marseilles (5 minutes early at 11:45) with Train 485, the 11:50 Mo-Sa SuX mixed to Maseru. The normal working was for the loco rostered at Modderpoort for this duty to depart Modderpoort tender first to Marseilles, then work chimney first to Maseru, where there was a turning triangle, but it was not used. The loco then worked back to Marseilles, tender first, and then chimney first, on to Modderpoort. On the right is a small brick building, no doubt housing a pump for supplying Marseilles station with water. It must be remembered that the SAR was usually the first large infrastructure organisation in an area and provided many necessities of life, such as water.

Photo 33. The Royal Tour of 1947 took in Maseru, where the Royal family had various Receptions. It was possibly the most elegant train to grace the branch. The train was hauled from Bethlehem to Marseilles by 15AR Nos.1787 and 15A No.2084, where 19Ds Nos.2745 and 2747 worked the train along the branch into Maseru. Here, the Royal Train is seen crossing the Caledon River on the standard 3 x 100-foot through-span lattice-girder spans forming the bridge, and into Maseru station for a 10:55 am arrival on Tuesday, 11 March 1947, watched by a large crowd of Basutos. The Pilot train was worked over the branch by 19Ds Nos.2746 and 2740. The Royal Party spent the next 2 days in Basutoland and departed at 17:30 on Wednesday, 12 March.

Photo 34. The 1947 Royal Tour of Southern Africa resulted in two of the smartest SAR passenger trains visiting Maseru station. The Royal Train consist stands at the passenger platform whilst the ‘Pilot Train’, which was pulled over the branch by 19Ds, stands in the ‘loco’ area of the station. The Royal Train itself consisted of eight of an order for 12 specially constructed carriages by Metro Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd in England, and equipped with Stone-Corrier air conditioning equipment. The other four coaches not used in the consist were luxury private saloons.

Five of the eight coaches were specialised luxury coaches for accommodating the Royal Family and other dignitaries, whilst the remaining three were built to the SAR Standard C31 A/B Blue Train design. The six coaches forming the balance of the 14-coach train set consisted of four coaches drawn from Blue Train stock, and were the A-33/AA-3d twin diner  230/285 ‘Orange’, lounge car B-5 695 and staff and baggage car GC-25 2754, all built by the same company and equipped with the same air conditioning equipment. The other two coaches were the twin diner ‘Protea’, which had worked on the forerunner of the Blue Train, the Union Express. Before running, the six vehicles drawn from SAR stock were shopped at SAR’s Pretoria works and painted matching ivory livery with gold lining.

The Pilot train consisted of 13 coaches in chocolate and cream livery and comprised six standard design C-22 articulated day/night saloons, an observation car, a luxury saloon, a Post Office van, a baggage van, and a refrigerator wagon for supplies. To finalise the train consist, the A-31/AA-32 twin diner 244/299 ‘Kaaiman’ was added to keep the ‘inner man’.

Photo 35. Photographer unknown, but from the C P Lewis collection. In more recent times, a domeless 19D of unknown number shunts the goods wagons off its mixed consist in Maseru station yard.

Part 3.3 Modderpoort to Ladybrand 

Photo 36. The route signal behind the tail of this train shows ‘Mainline to Modderpoort’ and, as an introduction to this sub chapter, as Carlie Lewis has captured train 77-down, which, from 1972 until they had all been withdrawn, c.1979, was worked by 23s to Ladybrand without change. Here, the Ladybrand passenger is seen leaving Sannaspos with #3235 with driver Ludick on Saturday's daily train, except Sunday, Train 77-down.

Like most of us, Charlie only got the one shot as he was a victim of his 'I'll do it next time'. –Ed.

3.3.1 Introduction

The town of Ladybrand was founded in 1867 as one of the three defensive towns on the eastern border of the ‘Conquered Territory’ and developed into a dormitory and warehousing centre for businesses trading with Basutoland. Perhaps a recap on earlier history will help set the scene.

Earlier in the 1830s, during the Zulu raids, and as a result of the battle of Thaba Bosigo (Mountain of the night) in 1831, during which the Basuto under Moeshoeshoe withstood the attacks of the Zulu impis under Umzilikazi, the Basuto settled in the mountainous area, which became Basutoland. Initially, under the British annexation of the Free State by the Cape Governor and subsequent obligations to the what is now Lesotho after conflicts developed a border was proclaimed by Sir Warden in 18xx but after further conflicts the British relinquished their annexation of the Free State and hence obligations to protect the Boer settlers, resulting in the need for the Free State Boers to defend themselves.  A subsequent series of battles between the Basutos and the early Trek Boere under Commander (Later General) Fick and Commandant Wepener in a series of battles until the final one in 1866 resulted in a strip of land approximately 20-30 miles wide between the ‘Warden line’ to the west and the Caledon River to the east, named for many decades as the ‘Conquered Territory’ and becoming part of the Free State Republic. But Basutoland itself remained a separate entity administered by the British Crown under the Cape Government. As such, although it was completely surrounded by the various Republics and Colonies that, on Union in 1910, became South Africa, it remained an independent nation.

The Bethlehem to Bloemfontein line has quite an interesting history, with several building goals being accommodated as the line grew. Certainly, although it formed a secondary mainline and a direct link secondary passenger service between Cape Town and Durban via Bloemfontein, the line did not start out that way. In fact, although alphabetically one describes this line with Bethlehem first, the actual beginnings of the line, time-wise, were in Bloemfontein, when the Free State Republic in Bloemfontein was desirous of a more direct access to the Port of Durban. This, rather than the circuitous route northwards through Vereeniging to Johannesburg, and then, when Paul Kruger permitted a link from the NZASM to Natal through Charlestown (near Volksrust).  The line started from Bloemfontein with the goal of reaching Natal via Bethlehem and Ladysmith. That objective came after the early 1890s, when engineers proposed that it would be possible to construct this direct access in 1896. The line was initially built eastward from Bloemfontein in 1901 by the Imperial Military Railway with the objective of linking the city with its water supply 30 km to the east. This section was part of the original pre-Anglo-Boer War peace-time objective of linking Bloemfontein with the agricultural areas around Thaba Nchu. Later, after the second Anglo-Boer War, there was a need to provide heavier transport than Ox wagons to developments and business interests, using Ladybrand as the gateway to Basutoland, and the extension was carried out with this objective in mind.

From the outset, although the commercial importance of Ladybrand and Maseru was of prime importance, the line was constructed on a direct route (easier to build and less costly) to Modderpoort, with two branches to Ladybrand and Maseru. The line to Modderpoort was completed and opened to traffic on 15 June 1904, and the branches to Ladybrand opened on 16 December 1905; 2 days later, the branch to Maseru opened on 18 December 1905. Definitely, the importance of linking these two termini to Bloemfontein is shown by the orientation of the junction stations, and even when the Maseru branch was worked by locomotives from Modderpoort, the junction layout has never been re-orientated, despite the necessity for much tender-first running over parts of the route.

The Modderpoort to Ladybrand branch line.

Above is a Small Scale Section of the Modderpoort to Ladybrand branch line showing the gradient profile, curve radius and orientation, and a diagram of the station layout.

In essence, the short 11 km branch line was a simple ‘up and over’ with a ruling gradient of 1 in 50, compensated for curvature. These adverse grades are quite long, and although the start and end points of the branch line are within 2 metres of each other at the same elevation, all trains have to summit and descend 60 metres in the process of traversing the line. The station layout is also quite simple, despite Ladybrand's importance as a trading centre and gateway to Lesotho. It is interesting that the station remained quite simply provided with facilities and sidings, reflecting the importance that developed when Maseru became the capital city of the Kingdom of Lesotho. But the line did warrant a full-length passenger service from Bloemfontein, as well as limited passenger accommodation on three goods trains a day. A silo also warranted its own private siding close to Modderpoort and a regular shunt service from Modderpoort.  Until re-laid with heavier rail in early, the branch line was worked by various branch line locomotives, of which the 19D were the most common. It is interesting that after relaying with heavier rails, the Bloemfontein passenger link gained a 25 NC.

Photo 37. One of Bloemfontein shed’s 16DA No. 870 just arrived at Modderpoort with Train 79 Down in November 1973. The sun glints on the motion work of the locomotive, the fireman looks for hand signals from the shunter, whilst a labourer pulls coal forward in the tender. Although No.870 has brought the train in from Bloemfontein, she will shortly depart to take the train onwards up the branch to Ladybrand, whereas in earlier years the train would have been worked onwards by branch-line locomotives.

Photo 40. Sundays were normally quiet at Modderpoort sub-depot, and on Sunday 3 August 1979, Douglas Capewell captured 19Ds Nos.2628 and 3359 ‘dead’ by the coaling facility.

Photo 41. A month after the previous photograph, Douglas Capewell captured 19D No.3349 moving off the shed whilst 25NC No.3406 is in the loop line at Modderpoort taking water with Train 1313.

Photo 42. 19D No.3349 is brewing up on the third road of Modderpoort, ready for a departure to Ladybrand with the afternoon mixed, whilst alongside on the main is Train 1313, a fast goods, which this day, on 02 August 1979, was worked to Bethlehem with 25NC No.3406. Two versions of SAR’s 10-foot containers are visible on Train 1313. This scene also provides a good view of the SAR '10-foot’ containers, with three on a modern ’40-foot’ flat-bed wagon equipped with enough twist locks to attach four such containers. Train 1313, which ran on this line, has quite an operating history as it starts in the Cape connecting at De Doorns with Train 1312 carrying fruit and works onwards to Bloemfontein where it is split with one section going to Bethlehem via Kroonstad and the other containing perishables and livestock continues and re-joins the first portion at Bethlehem as 1312/1313 to continue to Durban. Truly showing Bloemfontein’s link to the port of Natal, which was its 1896 goal.

Photo 43. An interesting scene for railway modellers, showing many details of the SAR railway, with 19D making a steamy departure on Train 55559, the 16:40 from Modderpoort to Ladybrand.

Photo 44. On the 8 July 1981, the afternoon goods to Ladybrand were lightly loaded, consisting only of two guards' vans. No doubt the movement was required to bring forward traffic later that day to Modderpoort for onward connections. These balancing movements occurred from time to time, but weren’t always followed by photographers.

Photo 45. A major traffic generator of the SAR, particularly in the ‘Golden Triangle’ or the breadbasket of the nation, was grain. Modderpoort, like many of the stations on the line, had a reasonable grain handling facility, and Andy Sturt has captured 19D # 3331 shunting the large silos via the simple layout of a short siding loop for the large silos a short distance out of Modderpoort station. Number 3331 is shunting FZ bulk grain wagons under the bowser for loading. The small loop would have precluded leaving long strings of wagons, so several short shunting moves from nearby Modderpoort yard would have been needed. It is evident that two shunters are present, riding separate wagons to facilitate shunting. 

Photo 47. An early winter morning sees a 19D N.3345 taking a short freight working up the grade out of Modderpoort, bound for Ladybrand. In the passage, it has passed some local farm labourers’ cottages, the inhabitants having their own fires stoked to overcome the winter chill.

Photo 48. Many years later, the line had been relaid with heavy rail, and 25NCs Nos.3475 and 3479 were allocated to Bloemfontein specifically to work the passenger link trains. Here, Doug Capewell has captured that train on 02 August 1979, with No.3475 ‘Vrystaat’ taking the branch out of Modderpoort, bound for Ladybrand. The permanent way gangs have kept the cess drains clean, and the works inspectors' staff have painted a station hut, which, judging by the two power poles, appears to be a pump house of some sort. The track in the foreground is the turning triangle.

Photo 49. A young Justin Lewis has accompanied his father on a ‘photo bash’ and captured the 19D with the early morning freight working up the branch. The train still has the ‘farmer-friendly’ 4-wheel wagons in the consist, and the Permanent Way Induna’s gang has vegetation and fire breaks well-maintained. 

Photo 50. On 15 April 1985, Douglas Capewell captured a 19D heading the morning goods to Ladybrand. The DZ wagons in the load display a variety of container traffic, varying from the earlier ‘Pak-wa’ SAR version to a later South African Railways ‘10-foot SAR containers’—the latter two containers riding on modern flat-topped container flats.

Photo 51. On 2 August 1979, the Ladybrand passenger is seen shortly after leaving Modderpoort on its way to Ladybrand, with a train mostly composed of timber-bodied day-sitter coaches with modern, elliptical-roofed baggage/guard's brake bringing up the rear. After re-railing, these heavier mainline locomotives worked right through to Ladybrand from Bloemfontein. Late winter, the track gangs have burnt off the cresses to maintain firebreaks. 

Photo 52. Another similar photo to the preceding, but I have included it as it shows another aspect of the kopjes around Modderpoort. It also shows the FP wagon’s ‘Scheffel radial axle bogies’, which date the photo to the late 1970s.

Photo 53. When the SWA section was dieselised in the late 1950s and early 1960s, many 24 class were released for service in the Republic.  Several Free State branch lines acquired these venerable machines, allowing older 6, 7 and 8 classes to be retired. An unknown 24 stands at the Ladybrand platform, having arrived with a passenger train composed mainly of day-sitter coaches and a TZ wagon for dairy products. Many passenger (mixed?) trains on eastern Free State branch lines carried TZ wagons for dairy products from surrounding farms. Peter Stow commented as follows: “The first two coaches are unknown.   The train is being shunted to get the van and coach for white passengers to the back of the train. The van is a type K-36, of which 51 were built between 1921 and 1930, while the main line coach adjacent to it is a timber vestibuled coach. It should be a 1st - and 2nd-composite of type D-32. The following vehicle is a composite day coach with a suburban profile but with compartments without sleeping facilities, specifically designed for branch lines.”

Photo 54. A lovely portrait of 19D # 3345 posing at the picturesque Ladybrand station yard in the mid to late 1970s.  The track is still steel/timber with T-bolts and clips, so it precedes re-railing.

Photo 55. A grubby 19D prepares to take the afternoon passenger train to Modderpoort, where it will change motive power for something more substantial for the run to Bloemfontein. The Ladybrand station is certainly of interest for railway modellers, being small, compact and sporting substantial passenger consists along with goods workings. On the left, typical of the maintenance activities of the Per Way gangs are neat stacks of steel sleepers. The composition of the train is quite varied, and I think it warrants some commentary from our erstwhile carriage expert, the late Peter Stow. Peter had commented as follows: “Secondary and branch line trains out of Bloemfontein often had interesting consists. This train is no exception. The leading coach is an ex-CSAR flat-sided 1st class of SAR type C-13, converted to third class type H-29. The second and third vehicles are very similar in design and impossible to tell apart, but at least one is a type O-18-C, a second-class coach. The 4th coach is a third-class type S-15 suburban coach, while the 5th coach is a type L-17 1st-class day saloon, initially built for services on the Reef, but 5 of the 16 built in 1912/14 ended up in Bloemfontein. This is followed by a composite day saloon of suburban profile.”

Photo 56. This delightful photograph epitomises the pride station staff take in their charges. The Station staff have some lovely topiaries, platform shrubs, and hedged gardens on an immaculate station track yard. Luggage carts are ready on the platform for parcel traffic to and from the incoming train, with the fireman standing at the platform end to control shunting moves for his driver. Track work ballast is neatly trimmed, and point tumblers are correctly painted. Even the post office ‘ticky box’ is well maintained.

4. The Bloemfontein to Modderpoort mainline

Photo 57. It is a few minutes to 2 o’clock on the station clock in October 1962, as an unknown 19D waits at platform 4 at Bloemfontein station, awaiting the 14:00 departure of Train 79 Down to Modderpoort, with two clerestory coaches at the front of the train.

Perhaps Charlie could offer some comment on this.

Photo 64. An Up Bethlehem freight is ready for the off after having taken the loop to cross 71-Down at Shannon. Shannon station is an eminent modeller's prototype with small but adequate goods facilities, two platforms, and a footbridge to serve suburban traffic.

Photo 65. An unknown 25NC departs from the loop at Shannon with 476 up goods having crossed 71 Down in August 1977. Photo 10 of June 75 shows a large permanent toolbox abutting the end of the goods platform. This toolbox appears to have disappeared by the time of this scene at this idyllic station. 

Photo 66. Something different occurred this day at Shannon: an unknown GEA Garratt, complete with water tanker and caboose (for fitters who had to accompany such movements?), drifted into the loop from Bloemfontein. 

Photo 67. Wearing her jewellery in style, Bethlehem 25NC No.3419 leans into the curve as she dramatically climbs the grades around Lynchfield on 31 May 1985. When 25NC #3419 went into the works for an overhaul, it came back equipped with a ‘worse-hond’ (sausage dog) tender, but the driver, Groenewald, and his stoker still felt proud enough of their steed to adorn her with her jewellery. Here, No.3419 heads the day passenger out of Lynchfield bound for their home depot of Bethlehem.

Photo 68. In the same location as the previous photo, but on 31 May 1985, a 25NC tackles the grade at Lynchfield with the daily train to Bethlehem. The loco is unknown 25NC, probably 3459 or 3475, carrying Bloemfontein Depots name plates on her smoke deflectors, laying on the smoke for the photographer at Lynchfield with Train 1313.

Photo 70. Charlie Lewis captured plenty of activity at Lynchfield in August 1977, as 25NC No.3415 is ready to depart with Train 71 Down goods, while another Bethlehem Star, 25NC No.3422, drifts in with 478 Up. Meanwhile, to the left, a handful of Africans converse whilst others drive their cattle towards the station goods facilities. 

Photo 71. In July 1981, 25NC No.3416 was departing vigorously from Melorane, with 71-Down complete, with timber day-sitter coaches at the front of the train. This locomotive carried the name ‘Queen of Sheba’ and was the regular engine of driver Oompie van Dyk and stoker Michael Carter at the time. Michael Carter is also a SoAR author working on the Modderpoort to Bethlehem chapter at this time.

Photo 74. On 4 April 1985, the drought years were impacting the railway, as an ‘austerity’ version 15F, complete with a water tanker behind its ex-23 class tender, is leaving Sannaspos. Whether the water tanker was for locomotive purposes or domestic use is not known. However, South African railway operations certainly preceded reticulated water systems, and the author’s experiences, even in the mid to late 1980’s, involved finding potable water supplies for station staff and their families in the Witbank coalfields. Although well-watered areas, in the days before widespread reticulated water schemes, domestic water trains ran well into the 1980s. 

Photo 75. An unknown 23 class climbs away from Sannaspos and crosses the ‘100 foot’ through truss bridge before the climb to Vercoe in July 1974 with a freight for Bloemfontein. Bruno’s map show that the track here is on a deviation to replace the large contour-hugging original alignment built when railway route design was based on crossing streams near their headwaters to reduce bridge and earthwork costs.

Photo 76. The overnight freight from Bethlehem heads out across the small through the ‘100 foot span’ truss bridge on the Bloemfontein side of Sannaspos. The train is bound for Bloemfontein with the grass still green and colourful in autumn. The relaying with concrete sleepers in the early 1970s has yielded a good supply of steel sleepers for fence posts.

Photo 77. A brisk Free State winter morning in July 1978 sees a 25NC restarting 476-Up perishables & livestock from the outer home signal at Sannaspos. The home signal indicates to the train driver to enter the station road with the least sharp curvature, which in this case is the platform road. The line from Aliwal North curves in on the right.

Photo 78. And a few moments later, Charlie has managed to change cameras or film (?) and then to catch the train, splitting the two SAR signals and on into Sannaspos. 

Photo 81. A busy scene on the Down end of Sannaspos Station in May 1975 sees 25NC No.3413 in the platform road with the day train to Bethlehem, while 19D No.2734 waits in the passing loop with 177-Down.

Photo 82. An unknown ‘workaday’ clean 25 NC departs with 71-Down passenger to Bethlehem, whilst 19D No.2683 awaits with Train 179 passenger bound down the branch to Zastron, and a youngster standing safely by the water gantry takes in the drama of the steam railway scene. Railway modellers can gain much detail from the dwarf signal-18, the ash pits and the cattle grids at the level crossing. 

Photo 84. Such a lovely shot of a 23 making time out of Sannaspos bound for Ladybrand that I could not resist repeating it. 

Photo 90. A 16DA with a long rake of timber-bodied passenger coaching stock works out of Likhatlong. 

Photo 91. In July 1981, a Bethlehem link engine No.3416 ‘Queen of Sheba’ works 71-Down. The train still has timber coaching stock in the consist. 

Photo 92. On 3 August 1979, Bethlehem passenger link 25NC No.3409 is well into its run near Sepane with train No.56071, the 09:00 ‘daily except Sundays’ passenger train out of Bloemfontein consisting of 11 saloons and a baggage brake van.

Photo 93. On a special request by the Railway Society of Southern Africa (RSSA), this is train 72–Up from Bethlehem, and was worked by double-headed 16DAs. Charlie Lewis has captured the pair working up the grade at Sepane. The lead engine No. 876 is the wide firebox version, and the second engine, No. 848, is the normal firebox version. As is normal with double headers, the lead engine, with the senior driver, takes the load, and the second engine assists as needed.

Photo 94. For a while, Bloemfontein shed was allocated 25NC No.3479 for passenger working when the 23 class was retired. Here is No.3479 working the 07:45 Ladybrand passenger train just after Thaba Nchu with Train 55331, which on this day, 3 August 1979, consisted of 9 saloons, a truck, and two baggage brake vans.

Photo 95. In May 1972, 15F No.3130 with a modified running board works 1313-Down perishables and livestock fast freight. The train consist has at least five ‘LA’ refrigerator wagons.

Photo 96.  ‘Steam in the Landscape’ illustrated by 79-Down, the Ladybrand-bound train in this bucolic scene of the Free State.

Photo 97. The mealie crop is well into its growth cycle, and summer storms are brewing up as 16DA# 872 works 79-Down with the Thaba Nchu Mountain forming a dark backdrop.

Photo 98. Almost a year after a similar shot above the Saturdays Only, 79-Down passenger from Bloemfontein to Modderpoort is worked by a 16DA in November 1972 as the mountain Thaba Nchu looks over the scene, and two cattle graze unconcerned in the proximity of a small spruit. 

Photo 100.  On 2 August 1979, 15F# 2943 waits in the loop at Hoogfontein for an incoming 25NC #3417.

Photo 101. On 2 August 1979, a Bloemfontein 15F No.2943 departs Hoogfontein 10 minutes late at 16:15 with Train 474, the SuX pick-up goods from Modderpoort, mainly comprising, at this early stage of its run, grain wagons.

Photo 102. It is 26 August 1979, and Bethlehem passenger link 25NC No.3419, wearing her jewellery and carrying the name ‘Sonja’, in the days before she lost her normal tender.

Photo 103. July 1969, and the farmers have ploughed their fields, ready for the rains, whilst an unknown class 23 works a train of ‘oil tankers’ westwards at Westminster.

Photo 104. In May 1972, the 15Fs were still heavily in use on essential duties on the line, including 15F No.3130, working the works upgrade with 1313-Down fast freight, conveying perishables and livestock. The 15F with its normal eight-wheel tender, as the 23 class were still heavily used. But this 15F has been kept clean and sports a smoke deflector name plate. The grass has not been burnt off yet by the ‘Induna’ gangs, and the clouds indicate still a lot of moisture around

Photo 105. In February 1973, 16DA No.870 works Train 3533-Down the 14:00 Saturdays-only train to Modderpoort into Marseilles Station. The lovely SAR standard signal post gives the all-clear indication to enter the straightest road, which in this case is the platform road. 

Photo 106. In December 1972, the track-strengthening capital project to increase track operating capacity through heavier rail and concrete sleepers was still in progress as 16DA No.850 climbs with 79-Down the 14:00 Saturdays-only passenger from Bloemfontein to Modderpoort.

Photo 107.  A ‘workaday’ 15F works up to Hoogfontein with 474-Up goods. The loco still carries a South African Transport Services (SATS) style smokebox deflector nameplate. Passenger trains must have passed this location just after meal times, as shown by the railway peach trees thriving at the end of the cutting.

Photo 108. The passenger version of the same location with a ‘Bethlehem link’ 25NC on 72-Up.

Photo 109. Frost lies on the sides of the cutting and heavily on the track ballast as two 15Fs cross with Train 74-Up goods and Train 473-Down goods at Hoogfontein.

Photo 110. After the overhaul, 25 NC No.3419 returned to Bethlehem with a ‘worshond’ tender. Here is a different aspect of the westbound climb to Hoogfontein with Train 1312-Up in July 1984.

Photo 112. An unknown 15F heading 74-Up out of Modderpoort and leaving a lovely long steam trail on its climb near Hoogfontein in July 1981. 

Photo 113. In July 1984, 25NC No.3419 was rostered on 1312-Up, the westbound version of 1313-Down, seen here climbing to Hoogfontein from Modderpoort. 

Photo 114. The early morning sun creates a glint on the train and locomotive as the 15F working 74-Up goods into the loop at Hoogfontein to allow 473-Down goods to take the Main in July 1981.

Photo 116. On 2 August 1979, Douglas Capewell, on one of his almost yearly photographic trips to South Africa, captured a Bloemfontein locomotive 15F No.3056 departing Modderpoort with a special ballast train at 11:45. Over the years Douglas made 11 trips to South Africa which for an individual effort shows the potential that was possible for steam railway tourism and resulted at the time in it being claimed to be the second largest foreign tourism earner in the Nation at the time.

Photo 117. Two of Bloemfontein’s 16DA locomotives, Nos.876 and 848, work 72-Up westwards out of Modderpoort. This train was a return working, arranged at the special request of the Railway Society of Southern Africa (RSSA), which had hired coaches on the train.

Photo 118. An unknown 25NC works westbound out of Modderpoort in July 1983 with 72-Up. This photo shows koppies on either side of the train and extensive soil erosion, which shows how the locality earned its name. 

Photo 119. At a later date than the previous photo, an unknown 15F works through the same location with the daily pick-up from Modderpoort to Bloemfontein. Although the locomotive’s smokebox front is clean, the clacks and the ‘Sellars’ valves display the results of steam leaks and poor water quality. In the rear of the train, there are two styles of SAR containers. One in grey livery of the older ‘Pakwa’ type, and the second, a Standard SAR 10-foot container for very local traffic.

Photo 120. This architectural portrait from Charlie Lewis's collection shows the extensive and interesting ‘wood and iron’ station building at Modderpoort. The elevated structure above the roof and the handrail platform provided good visibility for station staff when receiving, shunting, and dispatching trains.

Photo 121. Modderpoort could house a variety of locomotive rolling stock in its small sub-depot. On 2 August 1979, whilst the driver of 25NC No.3475 is giving some attention to the locomotive clack boxes after bringing in Train 55531/55557, the 07:45 daily, SuX, departure from Bloemfontein, the Ladybrand passenger train. Behind is Bloemfontein locomotive 15F No.2943 and 19D No.3349.

Photo 122. An interesting photograph for railway modellers, as 25NC #3406 sits in the passing loop with Train 1313-Down fast goods, which departed Bloemfontein at 12:18 and arrived at Modderpoort about 35 minutes early. The locomotive water tanks have a non-standard three-bay tower, whilst the 4000-gallon and 6000-gallon tanks were usually carried on four- or six-bay towers. The plinth is also a remnant of the original 3000-gallon swing nozzle tank.