Pinetown

(PIN)796
Pinetown Station, a busy place right up to 2007. This station had its layout re-modeled many times over the years. This 1980's layout had a 2 Loops, a big Goods Yard with Goods Sheds, a Bay Siding & Parcels Siding.. One interesting fact about Pinetown is that it had a rare "Inner-home" Signal (27 26 30). In the 1980's, a daily Parcels train No. 5502 would shunt a parcels van (KP1) in the Parcels Siding. There were three Goods Trains calling at Pinetown daily, No. 2108/2125, No. 2110 Up to Cato Ridge, No. 2115 Down from Cato Ridge, and a late morning Goods No. 2114/2121. The Bay Siding was exclusively used for 4M2 & 5M2A sets for the Cato Ridge Suburban service, (which sadly came to an end in 1988), with Pinetown then being the terminus of the Suburban service from Durban. With the withdrawal of the Suburban Service to Cato Ridge and the diminishing Wayside Goods Traffic on the O.M.L., Kloof Station was closed in early 1991, and the Van Schoor section was extended to Hillcrest. By the end of 1992, the Pinetown Daily Goods (2108/2125) was extended to Botha's Hill for shunts and pick ups, and Hillcrest was closed along with Botha's Hill, and all Van Schoor instruments removed. Telegraph Orders were then in use up to Cato Ridge. By the late 1990's, when the commuter division (Metrorail) of Spoornet parted ways, Metrorail was responsible for maintenance of the equipment from No.1. to No.20., and Spoornet from No.21. to No.40. Goods traffic came to an end at Pinetown and beyond in 2007, and the Goods Yard was removed. By then, Wooden Train Staffs were introduced up to Cato Ridge. By 2010 the line to Kloof was closed. In December 2017, C.T.C. was introduced to Pinetown.

Pinetown Distant & Outerhome Signals No.1 & No.2.Photo © G. Hart.

Pinetown Dwarf Signals No.11 & No.13.Photo © G. Hart.

Pinetown Ground Indicator No.12.Photo © G. Hart.

Pinetown Outerhome & Distant Signals No.39 & No.40.Photo © G. Hart.

Pinetown Home Signals No. 35.36.37.38.Photo © Allen Duff 1983

The is the late 1950's to early 1960's of Pinetown Station when the signal cabin was in the station building. The triangle would of been removed in the early 1960's. Later by the end of the 1960's to early 70's, the layout was changed slightly with the extension of the west end of the station, and with that a new separate signal cabin that would house 40 Levers. By late 1970's / early 80's the station would grow further with new yard and Goods sheds being built. sadly by that time Railway goods traffic was losing out to the road trucks, and all that infrastructure was only in use for a max of 10-15 years before becoming a storage yard for excess railway vehicles that would eventually find the cutting torch.