SOUL OF A RAILWAY PART (3) PRIVATE RAIL PRESERVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
My last chapter – Krugersdorp – Zeerust – Mafeking (Home Signal) (2) ended with the following statement:
“We will pick up next time with the tragic episode that developed at Krugersdorp Loco with regard to the Museum development there. It would be more appropriate to refer to the LACK of development there!”
I had prepared a chapter that portrays the carnage that occurred at Krugersdorp Loco when I was posted out there to oversee the early stages of the planned major museum at that site. The fact that the whole scheme collapsed is common knowledge in the railway fraternity. What is not generally known are the reasons for that collapse and how it unfolded. As an individual directly involved, it was extremely painful to literally stand at the coal-face of that scheme and find oneself powerless to stop the carnage. However, the overall policy of Soul of a Railway has been to showcase the glorious positive side of railways in South Africa as it was in times past and I have taken a decision (not without a considerable measure of regret) to place Part 3 in its original form which graphically shows the negative side of official rail preservation “ON ICE” for now. So Part 3 as now presented, will place the spotlight exclusively on private preservation - a much happier scene!