'Steel Kyalami' by Reinhard Gumbert

SOUL OF A RAILWAY: CAPE NORTHERN SYSTEM PART 4

Kimberley to De Aar by

Reinhard Gumbert

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 compiler of this chapter, Les Pivnic and Bruno Martin for maps.

Special Copyright Notice

All photographs in this special chapter are copyright images by

Reinhard Gumbert

A Special Presentation of Photographs by Reinhard Gumbert

INTRODUCTION

I was made aware of a German website that covers railways on an international basis under the title: “Drehscheibe on line” by my good friend Tony Elliott. When I visited the site at: https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/ I discovered the photographic work of Reinhard Gumbert. He was a member of a group of visiting German rail-enthusiasts who visited South Africa in 1973 to see and photograph SAR trains and locomotives.

His photography is so impressive, encumbering the starkness and open spaces of the Northern Cape, that I decided to share my enthusiasm for his work by creating a special chapter for Soul of a Railway.

The captions are mine based on info provided by Reinhard in his series in the German Magazine – “drehscheibe-online.de”.

Without further ado, let us embark on a visit to a well-known stretch of main railway line in South Africa, as seen through the eyes of a German railway enthusiast.

1. Reinhard and his colleagues arrived in Kimberley to begin their coverage of the “Steel Kyalami” down to De Aar but before doing so, they made the essential visit to the “Big Hole” before setting out south to De Aar.

2. Little “Olive” – an 0-4-2 on display in the Big Hole Museum caught their eye while looking around. They would soon be looking at much bigger engines ponding up and down the Steel Kyalami!

3. Reinhard informs us: Our first "victim": The Orange Express from Durban via Bloemfontein, Kimberley and De Aar to Cape Town (thanks for the hint, Martin J. Kranjc)! The landscape in the semi-desert Karoo is mostly flat, but a little south of Kimberley a "photo hill" caught our eye. Waiting on the hill for the long-distance express train, presented an opportunity to introduce our two English passengers: Mike Grieves with a film camera and Pete Mann!

4. Here, the 15-car express train from the direction of Kimberley rushes south with class 25NC-3444, a non-condenser from Henschel 1953, wheel arrangement 4-8-4 and with a six-axle tender.

5. Reinhard remarks: Narrow gauge locomotive? It’s hard to believe! We chase the train. Not too big a problem on the parallel National Road N13 despite the nationwide speed limit of 80 mph.

6. Their next shot of the Orange Express was at Modderrivier.

7. Another chase and another shot of the Orange Express near Klokfontein.

8. This time south of Klokfontein on route to Heuningneskloof.

10. Reinhard remarks: We see the unrestricted level-crossing with a dirt road and cattle grids designed to prevent animals moving onto the railway lines and going on a long-distance hike! 25NC 3417 departs Heuningneskloof with gusto and a goods load behind the tender.

11. In this photo at Heuningneskloof, Reinhard really captured the typical “Steel Kyalami” scene with smoke on the horizon and both signals in the “off” position, indicating that trains both ways, were not far off!

12. 25NC 3430 with a goods train approaches the Home Signal at Heuningneskloof from De Aar.

13. Sister “Ina” 3427 with a goods train was seen near Graspan.

14. Reinhard and colleagues took the opportunity to photograph 3427 at Graspan.

15. Another shot of 3427’s front end illustrated her clean condition!

16. At Graspan, when the crew on 3427 were informed that they were visiting from Germany and that Reinhard was a “student fireman” on German Railways, they were offered a footplate ride!

Reinhard adds: I worked from 1972 - 74 at Lauda shed, near Würzburg, as a "student fireman", during every holiday break at University. So that might have encouraged the crew to invite me onto the footplate. I was proud to have an opportunity to fire a big SAR engine even though it was equipped with a mechanical stoker. The experience was very exciting!

17. 3427 was not only outwardly clean – her cab was spectacular! The driver’s seat and his controls all brightly polished! Reinhard adds: “I never saw an engine that clean and colourful, neither in Germany nor in any other part of the world I visited...” Editor's comment: Reinhard should have seen 3476 when she was stationed at Braamfontein ERS to work the Trans Karoo on Fridays to Klerksdorp in the late 1980s/early 1990s!

18. The signal is off - ready to depart for Belmont, Witput and Orange River, our next stop.

19. Riding on “Ina’s” footplate provided the opportunity for a special shot looking forward down the track!

20. At Orange River, 3427 taking water while sister 3417 alongside is ready to depart for De Aar.

21. In the last rays of sunlight. 3427 is also getting ready to depart for De Aar. I would have one more section to ride on 3427 – to the next station at Kraankuil.

22. Near Kraankuil and trackside again on 27.8.1973, 3407 Louise, races past with her goods load, passing one of the old CGR “Ganger’s Cottages” – a relic of the past when gangers were housed roughly every 10 miles along the main line. Reinhard’s comment: At the end of August, the Winter is ending in South Africa but there is still frost on the prickly-pear plants living in the hard dried ground. So, we three guys, Mike, Pete and I, shivered from one leg to the other while we waited near the abandoned “train station” (ganger’s cottage) for the first “lady” to appear. The sun cast its first long shadows then “Louise” came from the direction of Kimberley in the cool morning air and thrashed past us, heading for De Aar. They were lucky, 3407 had her blowdown cock open just before she passed the three photographers – you can still see the steam obscuring part of the goods load just after the blowdown valve was shut off by the fireman!

23. The next shot also near Kraankuil was another goods load with 25NC 3405 “Topsy” in charge. Reinhard explains how they would take a photo and then charge ahead of the train, far enough to allow the dust from the car to settle before the next picture was taken – sounds familiar – doesn’t it!

24. Another shot of “Topsy” with her safeties blowing off steam as her driver eased the regulator. Note the anthill in the foreground – another characteristic of this arid area.

25. Another shot of “Topsy” with her load, taken from a slightly elevated position. Note the typical flat-topped hills in the background.

26. 25NC 3405 “Topsy” seemed to have captured the imagination of our three visitors – they took several more photos of her as she progressed with her load that included several caravans in DZ wagons. This shot also captures the vastness of the Northern Cape!

27. Another shot – couldn’t resist it!

28. While “Topsy” disappears down the line towards De Aar, a long string of empty iron-ore wagons heads north behind five class 34 diesels with 34-039 leading – an impressive sight even for steam enthusiasts – or maybe not?

29. Wow! Back with “Topsy” again heading for De Aar.

30. The photographers were lucky to shoot a smokeless class 25 working another goods train! Her number was not recorded.

31. These guys couldn’t get enough of “Topsy” - 3405!

32. Two 25NCs passing each other with their respective goods trains and the engine heading towards the cameras – yes, it is “Topsy” again!

33. This was their last shot of “Topsy” complete with a prickly pear! Finally, “Topsy” is left to continue her journey – sans gricers! Reinhard says: It’s time to change trains (agreed!) – Bye “Topsy” – we turn our attention to her sister “Victoria”

34. 25NC 3423 “Victoria” heading north with a goods train. Those prickly pears emphasize the arid nature of the Northern Cape and provided a fascinating foreground for photographer Reinhard Gumbert!

35. Another shot of “Victoria” – time to concentrate on the train and not the prickly pears!

36. A class 23 No.2565 “Willemien” provided the next subject for several photos before we let her go on her way north. We turned around to head for De Aar. This shot was taken at Houtkraal .

37. The guys paced 2565 as she headed north with her goods train.

38. Another shot of this grand class 23 was essential as she headed north.

39. The final shot of 2565. Is that blow-down valve being opened or closed?

40. The visitors turned around and drove into De Aar and looked around town – a very familiar sight for your Editor but sadly no more – the town has almost died after the closure of the Steam Depot and the general decline of rail services in South Africa today.

41. Reinhard’s opening photo for his visit to De Aar Loco Depot brings a lump to my throat! If I may digress for a moment: In 1972, Minister of Transport Ben Schoeman instructed the General Manager of the Railways to commence with the setting aside of historically valuable locomotives and other rolling stock for a proposed major railway museum. This instruction filtered down to the Manager, Publicity & Travel Department who controlled the SA Railway Museum at that time. The Museum housed under the Rissik Street Bridge in Johannesburg had a display of small artifacts that represented all the services controlled by the SAR & H. Your Editor as Assistant Curator of the Museum was duly instructed to start the collection of the locomotives etc. Initially, the relics were stabled in various Mechanical Workshops around the Country but the CME advised me that they could not continue with this arrangement and that I had to find an alternative home for the relics, pending the establishment of the major new Museum. I in turn, had to find a new temporary home for the future exhibits and after looking around, decided to contact the Locomotive Foreman at De Aar, Mr. Alec Gordon Watson for permission to store our relics at his Depot. The dry climate at De Aar was ideal for storing our relics which would not be under cover. Alec being a steam enthusiast, readily accepted my proposal with enthusiasm! I then arranged for all stored relics to be sent to De Aar Loco for storage. This class 6A No.462 with the attached “Missionary Coach” was amongst the first relics to arrive at De Aar. Alec being enthusiastic himself, decided to cosmetically-restore these relics as they arrived in his Loco Depot.

Reinhard in his notes, refers to his visit to De Aar Loco (28.08.1973) in the following terms: While his wife was not impressed by his photo of the town, he wrote in his notes that: The “shed” on the other hand, is an unforgettable highlight! As soon as you enter the “Holy Place” the first relic that you see is the 6A 462 with her little coach attached.

42. Alec’s enthusiasm went beyond our Museum relics – he also organised for the local shunting engines at De Aar to be polished and cleaned to perfection. This was one of his pet engines: class 15AR No.2100 named “Prudence”. Reinhard describes 2100 as the “”living Yard Dog” which shuffled around the extensive Depot.

43. This beautiful CGR greyhound was class 5B No.723 which Alec’s men had restored to a respectable condition after she had deteriorated on a plinth at The Strand in the Cape.

44. Condensing class 25 No.3495 sets back out of the Depot to work a train to Beaufort West. In the background left, is class GDA No.2259 – also looking trim and smart.

45. Reinhard describes this line-up: Four Henschels! From the right: 25NC 3417 “Susanna”, 25NC 3427 “Ina” (in the background), 25NC 3426 “Delise” and the un-named class 23 No.2570. A 12AR has just sneaked into the photo on the left.

46. Another shot of Susanna, Delise and class 23 No.2570 – all looking rather smart for their next turns of duty!

47. Another group presented a good photo opportunity. Reinhard provides the details: “Ina”, “Corry” and “Annerie” – classes from the left: 25NC 3427, 25NC 3434 and class 23 no.3266.

48. Reinhard climbed on top of the condensing tender of Class 25 no.3527 to get this shot that shows the large cooling fans that condense the steam for re-use water in the boiler.

49. A shot from a higher perspective shows class 23 no.3266 “Annerie” and 25NC 3434 “Corry” lined-up for their next duties.

50. 25NC 3428 “Ezette” was next in line to be photographed. Editor’s comment: In case you hadn’t noticed, all the engines under Alec Watson’s care are well-turned-out. What a credit to one of South Africa’s greatest steam enthusiasts – Alec Watson! Even the condensing 25 on the left is clean!

51. In this shot, Reinhard photographed 19AR No.693 fitted with a domeless 19D’s boiler and behind her, the famous Henschel No.23,000 loco built by this German Locomotive Works – SAR class 15E No.2878 and behind her, class 16DA No. 876 – also built in 1930 by Henschel. The last engine in this line-up is a class 8 – not identified.

51A. Out of interest’s sake, I have included a Henschel photo of class 15E No.2878 as celebrated at the Henschel Works in 1936. She was the 23,000^th engine built by Henschel and was garlanded with flowers to celebrate the marriage between a Henschel son and A Siemens daughter at the same time.

52. Can’t blame Reinhard for taking another photo of 15AR No.2100 “Prudence”.

53. Reinhard managed to group several engines of interest in this photo – from the left: 5B 723, GDA 2259, Prudence going about her business in the Depot and 6A 462 with a Wickham trolley just poking her nose into the photo behind 462.

54. A class 25 condenser (unidentified) steams out of the Depot to work a train to Kimberley. The engine on the right, partly obscured by the embankment was not identified either.

55. This shot looks similar to photo 53 and it is, but it shows a slightly different grouping of engines. From the left: class 5B 723, Prudence, way in the background, a class 25 condenser, the Wickham trolley and the class 6A no.462. This shot concluded Reinhard’s visit to the Loco Depot.

56. Reinhard and his friends are back out on the main line to Kimberley and they photographed class 23 No.2570 working a goods load heading for Kimberley at Houtkraal.

57. 25NC 3417 “Suzanna” is back on duty, working a passenger train to Kimberley. Reinhard and his colleagues would make Kraankuil their home base again for more photography.

58. 3417 stopped at Houtkraal: Reinhard noted: A stop for “Susanna” in the blaze of colours of the lovingly cared-for garden by the station staff. Editor: Today, such stations are usually derelict!

59. After Houtkraal, the chase is on – 3417 with a clean stack, heads north.

60. While chasing 3417 and her passenger train, this double-header coal train passed, heading south, north of Potfontein with 25NC 3410 and class 23 2571 in charge.

61. In this shot, Reinhard really captured the vast Northern Cape and another two trains approaching each other: 3417 with her north-bound passenger and two class 34 diesels with a load of iron ore heading south for the iron ore terminal near Port Elizabeth.

62. Coming closer to Reinhard’s vantage point, 3417 with her passenger packet, is near Kalkbult – a halt between Potfontein and Poupan.

63. Another shot of 3417 – why not?

64. The chase of 3417 continues and Reinhard with his colleagues are using up a lot of film!

65. A close-up of 3417 racing north with her passenger train.

66. Another photo and more evidence of Alec Watson’s pride in his fleet of engines stabled at De Aar.

67. This is a scene that will remind many of us of those glorious days when we also chased trains on the “Steel Kyalami” between De Aar and Kimberley.

68. Having got ahead of the train, the car screeches to a halt and we all jump out and line-up for the next photo. 3417 was running with a remarkably clean stack when Reinhard and friends took this photo!

69. Another stop for 3417 and the fireman gets his mechanical stoker working – feeding fresh coal into the firebox – hence the smoke from the previously clean chimney!

70. Moving on to another subject and another train with “Jessie” in charge, Reinhard records in his notes: The photographer searches hard for accessories to the main subject and literally clings to every bush! So, we returned very specifically to this poor little tree that was known from the previous day’s photography.

71. For this lovely shot at Potfontein of 25NC 3418 “Jessie” and her goods train, Reinhard climbed the water tower! It was certainly worth the effort to get this grand view!

72. To describe this passing of two goods trains on the main line, Reinhard describes the following procedure in his own words:

New idea: “constructed train encounter”! It worked like this: Drive far enough ahead of the train to allow all the dust from the car to settle again and keep the same distance from “Jessie” behind us while we keep an eye out for the next train ahead and when its distance ahead roughly corresponded to that of “Jessie” behind, stop the car quickly but with the dust created, jump over the railway fence and rails and hope that it fits!

Well Reinhard, in this case your “constructed train encounter” worked perfectly – getting the two trains just before they passed each other!

73. This is a classic Karoo scene from the 1970s! A 25NC 3418 and her goods train thrashing past a windmill pump and dam near Kraankuil!

74. Back near Potfontein, Reinhard managed another of his “constructed encounters” – 25NC 3437 and 3426 passing each other with their goods loads.

75. 25NC 3437 was photographed again near Potfontein with her load of grain wagons.

76. Another shot of the grain train with 3437 in charge, near Potfontein.

77. This shot at Kraankuil of the Orange Express heading north to Kimberley with 25NC 3402 in charge is very special for your Editor. The engine was named “Alice” after my elder daughter by Alec Watson. It is of even more significance to have this photo now because we lost Alice as a result of a motor accident that she had in 1988.

78. Reinhard describes how class 23 no.2565 “Willemien” darkens the sky at Kraankuil for a short time with her smoke. No doubt due to her shunting a few wagons that needed to be added at this station to her load for Kimberley.

79. An unnamed 25NC passes “Willemien” at Kraankuil. The NC was probably a Beaconsfield engine – not all engines from that Depot carried names.

80. In contrast to the previous photo, two class 23s – sisters 2565 and 2566 make plenty smoke as 2566 heads south with a goods train at Kraankuil.

81. Still at Kraankuil, an unidentified class 25 condenser rolls in to do a spot of shunting before continuing south with her goods train. In the background behind the Kraankuil station nameboard, is the small but comfortable hotel made famous by an Australian railfan – John Eagen. John discovered the magic of spending a couple of days at this hotel where one could watch a 25NCs thrash past with a goods trains only 20 minutes apart! Then to add to that, one could witness the spine-tingling experience at night, seeing the 600-ton Trans Karoo Express rush past the hotel at 60 miles per hour under a star-studded sky!