Atlas of Past and Present Railways of South Africa

Front cover:

On 28 August 1982, the Eastern Cape Branch of the RSSA ran an excursion from Port Elizabeth to Lootsberg and back. The locomotive used was class 15AR 1798, photographed north of Graaff-Reinet.

This may be the only time a 15AR worked north of Graaff-Reinet.

© Charlie Lewis.

DEDICATION

THIS CHAPTER OF SOUL OF A RAILWAY

IS DEDICATED

TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF

WILLIAM ALAN MARTIN

1985 - 2001

Inscription on the locomotive 'Blackie' at Cape Town station:

The first railway locomotive in South Africa.

Built in 1859 by Hawthorns of

Leeds and used on the construction

of the original broad-gauge line

(4’ 8½”) between Cape Town and

Wellington, during the years

1859 and 1863. Hauled the inaugural

train of the Cape Town Railway

and Dock Company to Wellington

in 1863. Taken over later by

The Cape Government Railways,

shipped to Kowie in 1874

and used on construction.

Returned to Cape Town for

Exhibition in 1916 and proclaimed

as a historical monument in 1936.

Inscription on the locomotive ‘Natal’ at Durban Station:

The first train in South Africa

operated between the Point and Durban

On 26th June 1860.

This locomotive is a reconstruction

on the original chassis and wheels

which were recovered in the Umzimvubu River

near Port St Johns.

Unveiled by his Worship the Mayor of Durban

Senator the Honourable S J Smith

9th September 1946.

MAIN ATLAS SECTION: MAPS 1 TO 46

SUPPLEMENTARY MAPS SECTION

METRO MAPS 1 - 5

SECTIONAL MAPS

ELECTRIC TRAM SYSTEMS

ADDITIONAL MAPS

SAR RAILWAY SYSTEMS

Since Union in 1910, South Africa’s railways and harbours expanded rapidly, prompting a review of the system of control. The railways were therefore reorganised into nine systems on 1 April 1928, each led by a System Manager who reports directly to the General Manager.

System Managers exercise the same powers formerly held by Assistant General Managers under the previous structure, and their areas of responsibility largely correspond to the former divisions. The nine systems are as follows:—

System                             Headquarters            Railway Mileage                                                  

Cape Western                   Cape Town                   1,678

Cape Midland                    Port Elizabeth              1,252

Cape Eastern                    East London                 1,124

Cape Northern                  Kimberley                    1,458

(including Bechuanaland)

Orange Free State            Bloemfontein               1,540

Natal                               Durban                        1,686

Western Transvaal            Johannesburg                994

Eastern Transvaal             Pretoria                       1,601

South-West Africa             Windhoek                    1,770

Controlled on 1 April 1928                     TOTAL          13,103

The area of the country served by the railway mileage shown above is 795,000 square miles, approximately equal to the united areas of France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Holland, Norway and Sweden.

1975 TRACTION MAP

SOME  STATISTICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Railway lines in the Republic and South-West Africa (31 March 1974)

Route distance: 22 243 km

Single track distance: 32 349 km

Distance double track: 2 305 km

Distance electrified (route): 4 502 km

Distance electrified (single track): 9 855 km

Three longest bridges:

Orange River Bridge at Bethulie: 1 152 m

Orange River Bridge at Upington: 1 067 m

Olifants River Bridge, OREX Line: 1 035 m

Total number of railway tunnels: 151

Length of the three longest tunnels:   

Cedara near Pietermaritzburg (twin, single track) 6 023 m

Hidcote near Estcourt (twin, single track) 'up' 3 235 m, 'down' 4 032 m

Groenheuwels, Cape Midlands Line (single track) 1 338 m

Total number of railway stations (excluding sidings and halts)     1 072

Rolling stock in service:

Steam locomotives: 2 103

Electric locomotives:1 422

Diesel-electric locomotives: 702

Goods wagons: 166 327

Passenger coaches: 8 958

A test train of 14 225 tons,  comprising 200 wagons of manganese ore hauled by 19 diesel-electric locomotives, 2.24km long, ran between Kimberley and Beaconsfield.

21 January: The inaugural 'Drakensberg' runs from Johannesburg to Durban, Durban to Cape Town and returns via Durban to Johannesburg.

4  May: The Coal Line from Vryheid East Yard to Richards Bay Coal Terminal opened to traffic under diesel-electric traction.

AN OVERVIEW OF NAMED

LONG-DISTANCE PASSENGER TRAINS IN SOUTH AFRICA

1946 - 2001

The map above was intended for publication by SA Rail in 2021 as an A1-sized poster, but it was never printed because Nerina Skuy, the editor at the time, sadly passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although it is not ideally suited for viewing on this site, unless you have a large monitor, I decided to share it anyway rather than leave it filed on my laptop.

SETTING THE SCENE

The tradition of naming long-distance train services started in 1902 with the luxury and semi-luxury trains ('train de luxe', 1st class only and 1st & 2nd Class) operated by the Cape Government Railways (CGR), Rhodesia Railways (RR), the Natal Government Railways (NGR) and the Central South African Railways (CSAR)¹. From the start, most of the named trains plying the rail corridors linking Cape Town with the Witwatersrand and north to Rhodesia were timed to coincide with the arrival of sailing day of the Union-Castle Mail steamships from and to England.

Following the merging in 1910 of the CGR, NGR and CSAR into a state-owned organisation, the South African Railways & Harbours (SAR & H) continued to run named long-distance passenger trains in the years before the start of the 1914-1918 World War². During the war years, luxury train services were curtailed, if not suspended altogether, due to restricted passenger travel by sea. In the early 1920s, the once-weekly 'Boat Express'³ and the 'European Mail'⁴ were the fastest trains operating between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

It was not until 1923 that a new era of luxury named trains dawned with the introduction of the bi-weekly luxury express service between Pretoria and Cape Town. The first 'Union Limited' left Pretoria for Table Bay Docks on 26 November, and its counterpart, the first 'Union Express', departed on 30 November for Pretoria⁵. These trains took pride in establishing themselves as world-renowned expresses that were the forerunners of the famous Blue Train. Standard 1st class passenger coaches were used on these trains until 1929, when a new type of coaching stock, the 'articulated de luxe saloons', the latest style of twin dining car and baggage van, as well as a new design observation car, was coupled to the rear of the consist. Passengers travelling on the new 'de luxe trains' were required to pay a 10 per cent surcharge on top of the 1st class fare.

On 3 June 1929, two 'Train de Luxe' sets, each composed of 1st class articulated saloons, twin diner and an observation car trailing, were inaugurated on the Johannesburg – Durban route. This exclusively 1st class service, with a 20 per cent surcharge, operated three days a week in both directions, but due to the growing economic depression, it was poorly patronised and consequently discontinued as of 1 December 1929.

It can be said that the story of SAR's world-famous 'Blue Train' began on 22 November 1933, when a new-design, wooden-bodied dining car, named 'Protea', built in the Railway Administration's Mechanical Workshops in Pretoria, entered service on the premier 'Union Express/Union Limited' passenger trains. Departing from the standard Imperial Brown colour scheme, this dining car and its associated kitchen car sported a vivid blue and cream livery with yellow lining, lettering, and a silver roof. The favourable reaction from the passengers soon had both train sets of the 'Union Express/Union Limited' adopting a similar distinctive colour scheme. Before the start of the Second World War, luxury all-steel coaching stock was delivered in colours described as 'Oxford Blue' and 'Dove Grey' with gold leaf lining and lettering - a right regal livery. After a short period in service, the two prestigious train sets were placed in storage in 1942 for the duration of hostilities. When the train sets re-entered service in 1946, they were officially named 'Blue Train'.

NAMED TRAINS FROM 1946 TO 2001

Starting with the SAR in 1946 with the 'Blue Train', the list of named long-distance passenger trains grew steadily with the 'Orange Express/Oranje-Snel'⁶ launched in 1947, followed by the 'Trans-Natal' in 1960, the 'Suidwester' and the 'Trans-Karoo Express/-Sneltrein' in 1964. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the 'Algoa', 'Amatola', 'Bosvelder', 'Bulawayo', 'Daylight Sitter', 'Diamond Express', 'Drakensberg', 'Komati', 'Marula', 'Trans-Limpopo', 'Trans-Lubombo' and 'Southern Cross' were added to the list in the public timetables.

In October 1981, after operating under the banner of the SAR for seventy-one years, the transport organisation was renamed South African Transport Services (SATS). Passenger services were severely curtailed from 2 November 1987, when 24 intercity and 52 regional passenger services were discontinued to curb mounting financial losses. The only regular long-distance passenger trains left in service were the 'Amatola', 'Algoa', 'Bosvelder', 'Komati', 'Trans-Karoo', 'Trans-Natal', 'Orange Express/Oranje Snel' and 'Suidwester'.

The next restructuring phase took effect on 1 April 1990 when South African Transport Services (SATS) was incorporated as a profit-centred company, TRANSNET Limited, with the state as the sole shareholder. The railways formed the largest division within Transnet Ltd, which traded under the name SPOORNET. A new orange, blue stripe and white colour scheme for long-distance passenger coaching stock was introduced to replace the traditional Red Oxide and French Grey in use since the late 1970s.

On 19 September 1991, Spoornet announced the naming and new identity of the intercity passenger services as InterPAX, and rolling stock sported a new blue and grey/white livery. The traditional 1st, 2nd and 3rd Class became SUPERPAX, LUXPAX and ECONPAX, respectively. Each of the named trains was to be identified with dedicated coaching stock, the name of which was stencilled on the sides of the coaches.

The early 1990s saw a brief resurgence of intercity passenger train services, which included new trans-border named trains operating to Zimbabwe (Bulawayo and Harare) and to Moçambique, with the 'Komati' attaining international status by operating to Maputo three times a week. The 'Trans-Lubombo' was a short-lived direct trans-border service operating from Durban to Maputo via Swaziland, and the Blue Train's operating range was extended through Botswana to Victoria Falls once a month.

In 1996, long-distance passenger train services were rebadged Main Line Passenger Services (MLPS), an autonomous business unit within Spoornet, except for the Blue Train, managed as a separate unit named Luxrail.

Yet another name change took effect on 8 June 2001 when MLPS became Shosholoza Meyl, and a change of livery - yellow, turquoise and purple - was unveiled. The 'Trans-Natal', 'Trans-Karoo', 'Trans-Oranje' et al. – household names for many decades - were no longer recognised. At the time, the 13 'Shosholoza Meyl' services covered 6 400 route kilometres.

The 'Blue Train' (not affiliated with 'Shosholoza Meyl') operated mainly on Mondays, selected Wednesdays and Fridays from Pretoria to Cape Town. It was also occasionally seen in Durban.

A summary of previously named trains that operated on the following routes from 1946 to 2001:

ALGOA (Johannesburg - Bloemfontein – Port Elizabeth / return) Distance: 1081 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 73011 Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays: Dep. Johannesburg 14:30, Arr. Port Elizabeth 09:25

Train 37012 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Dep. Port Elizabeth 14:45, Arr. Johannesburg 09:00

AMATOLA (Johannesburg – Bloemfontein – East London / return) Distance: 1026 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 74013 Daily Dep. Johannesburg 14:00, Arr. East London 10:45

Train 47014 Daily Dep. East London 14:00, Arr. Johannesburg 11:00

The first 'Amatola' hauled by 25kV AC electric traction from Springfontein arrived in East London on 10 October 1988.

BOSVELDER (Johannesburg – Louis Trichardt - Messina / return) Distance: 632 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 78089 Daily Dep. Johannesburg 18:50, Arr. Messina 09:20

Train 87090 Daily Dep. Messina 15:00, Arr. Johannesburg 05:30

BULAWAYO (Johannesburg – Beit Bridge – Bulawayo / return) Distance: 999 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 78043 Tuesdays Dep. Johannesburg 15:25, Arr. Bulawayo 16:20 Wednesday

Train 87044 Thursdays Dep. Bulawayo 09:00, Arr. 09:01 Johannesburg Friday

When first introduced in 1990, the 'Bulawayo' operated through Botswana, but as of 2 November 1993, the service was rerouted via Beit Bridge, Rutenga, and Somabula to Bulawayo.

In 1998, this train resumed operating via Botswana (distance: 1085 km).

Tuesdays Dep. Pretoria 09:00, Arr. Bulawayo 11:00 Wednesdays

Thursdays Dep. Bulawayo 09:00, Arr. Pretoria 13:24 Fridays

DAYLIGHT SITTER (DLS) TranSit AND SOUTHERN SUN FUN TRAIN/PRETTREIN

Train 76177 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays: Dep. Johannesburg 08:00, Arr. Durban 21:06

Train 67176 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays: Dep. Durban 06:30, Arr.Johannesburg  19:26

A bold initiative was the introduction, on 5 September 1983, of the 'Daylight Sitter' ('DLS'), departing from Durban on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 06:30 and arriving in Johannesburg at 19:26. The return journey operated on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, leaving Johannesburg at 08:00 and arriving in Durban at 21:06. The initial composition of the 'DLS' was four reclining-seat coaches and nine 3rd class coaches, a catering car and a luggage van. The single journey fare of R27 on the reclining-seat coaches – less than the second class sleeper fare – included a pillow and a blanket, and was a bargain in anyone's language.

A train set charted by the Southern Suns Hotels Group at weekends, marketed as the SOUTHERN SUN FUN TRAIN/PRETTREIN, was made up of four reclining-seat coaches, ex-Blue Train lounge car No.697, catering car No.111 'Hartenbos' and the former dining car 'Umzimkulu' serving as a children's play coach. The exterior of the coaches sported their standard red and grey livery, but with the addition of yellow stripes and the wording 'TranSit' centred in the lower panel in white, with 'Southern Sun Fun Train – Southern Sun Prettrein' on either side. This train had its inaugural trip on 9 July 1983, operating as a 12½ hour-long daylight service, departing from Johannesburg at 08:00 on Saturdays and arriving in Durban at 20:30, thereby cutting 1¼ hours off the timing of the 'Trans-Natal'. The return service on Sundays was similarly timed. To qualify for a return fare of R25, an eight-day booking at one of the group's hotels was the catch.

Revised train services took effect on 3 March 1986, when the 'DLS' service was curtailed from 4 trips a week in both directions to only one service operating on Fridays and Sundays. Soon thereafter, both the DLS and the Southern Sun train services faltered.

DIAMOND EXPRESS (Bloemfontein – Kimberley – Johannesburg – Pretoria / return) Distance: 733 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, economy

Train 58035 Daily ex Saturdays. Dep. Bloemfontein 17:00, Dep. Kimberley 20:20, Dep. Johannesburg 06:25, Arr. Pretoria 07:45

Train 85036 Daily ex Saturdays. Dep. Pretoria 18:35, Dep. Johannesburg 20:40, Dep. Kimberley 06:20, Arr. Bloemfontein 09:10

When introduced in 1991, this overnight service operated from Pretoria to Kimberley via Johannesburg and Klerksdorp -  its range was extended to Bloemfontein in 1993.

KOMATI (Johannesburg – Pretoria – Komatipoort – Maputo / return) Distance: 636 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, economy

Train 78091 Daily to Komatipoort – Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays only to Maputo

Dep. Johannesburg 17:45, Arr./Dep. Komatipoort 06:00/06:30, Arr. Maputo 10:16

Train 87092 Daily from Komatipoort, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only from Maputo

Dep. Maputo 13:00, Arr./Dep. Komatipoort 16:05/18:07, Arr. Johannesburg 06:16

The predecessor of the 'Komati', unofficially known as the 'L M Mail', this overnight service operated from Johannesburg to Lourenço Marques via Pretoria with a mix of CFM and old 'balcony' coaches of the SAR.

MARULA (Johannesburg – Pietersburg – Louis Trichardt / return) Distance: 502 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 78071 Daily Dep. Johannesburg 07:55, Arr. Louis Trichardt 17:20

Train 87072 Daily Dep. Louis Trichardt 08:00, Arr. Johannesburg 17:30

This daily daylight service was introduced in September 1991.

RHODESIAN MAIL (ZIMBABWE MAIL) Johannesburg – Bulawayo / return (1085 km)

Classes: 1st, 2nd

Train 72398 Thursdays Dep. Johannesburg 13:30, Arr. Bulawayo Fridays 14:10

Train 27399 Tuesdays Dep. Bulawayo 11:45, Arr. Johannesburg Wednesdays 12:35

Although not listed as the 'Rhodesian Mail' in the public timetable, this limited-stops service, made up of the iconic brown and cream coaching stock of Rhodesia Railways, operated a once-a-week return service from Johannesburg to Bulawayo. The last 'Zimbabwe Mail' with National Railways of Zimbabwe coaching stock ran on 28 December 1989.

SOUTHERN CROSS (Cape Town – George – Port Elizabeth / return) Distance: 1068 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, economy

Train 13051 Fridays Dep. Cape Town 18:15, Arr. Port Elizabeth 17:50 Saturdays

Train 31052 Sundays Dep. Port Elizabeth 08:45, Arr. Cape Town 08:40 Mondays

This train was a weekly return service from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth via George, which conveyed 1st, 2nd, and economy-class passengers. From early 1999, the Southern Cross service terminated at Oudtshoorn and was discontinued in June 2002.

SUIDWESTER (De Aar – Windhoek / return) Distance: 1415 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd

Train 29966 Tuesdays Dep. De Aar 22:30, Arr. Windhoek 07:00 Thursdays

Train 92965 Mondays Dep. Windhoek 11:30, Arr. De Aar 18:45 Tuesdays

This return service was introduced in 1964, conveying 1st and 2nd class passengers from De Aar to Windhoek. The weekly passenger service between South Africa and Namibia was axed on 1 November 1994, after which TransNamib terminated its passenger service at the border station Ariamsvlei. In December 1998, TransNamib's 'Starline' restored a twice-weekly passenger service from Windhoek to Upington. The cross-border service stopped in 2006 when "no other means of making it profitable could be found".

TRANS-KAROO EXPRESS / -SNELTREIN (Pretoria – Johannesburg – Kimberley – Cape Town/return) Distance: 1608 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, economy

Train 81008 Daily Dep. Pretoria 10:10, Arr./Dep. Johannesburg 11: 19/12:30, Arr. Cape Town 14:15

Train 18007 Daily Dep. Cape Town 09:20, Arr./Dep. Johannesburg 10:15/10:30, Arr. Pretoria 11:40

In December 1964, the first scheduled 1st and 2nd class 'Trans-Karoo Express / -Sneltrein' between Cape Town and Pretoria entered service. The last unofficial 'Trans-Karoo' left Pretoria station's Platform 4 for Cape Town on 4 April 2006.

TRANS-LIMPOPO (Johannesburg – Beit Bridge – Harare / return) Distance: 1366 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 78093 Fridays Dep. Johannesburg 08:30, Arr. Harare 09:55 Saturday

Train 87094 Sundays Dep. Harare 07:00, Arr. Johannesburg 09:00 Monday

The TRANS-LIMPOPO across-the-border passenger train service to Zimbabwe was introduced on 4 October 1991 and discontinued on 29 March 1998.

TRANS-LUBOMBO (Durban – Maputo via Swaziland) Distance: 643 km

Class:  2nd

Train 69033 Tuesdays, Fridays Dep. Durban 19:35, Arr. Maputo 18:15 Wednesdays, Fridays

Train 96044 Thursdays, Sundays Dep. Maputo 09:30, Arr. Durban 07:35 Fridays, Mondays

The TRANS-LUBOMBO offered a new cross-border passenger service from Durban to Maputo via Swaziland - its inaugural run was on 12 May 1998 but only lasted 18 months before the service was withdrawn.

TRANS-ORANJE (Durban – Bloemfontein – Kimberley - Cape Town/return) Distance: 2091 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 61006 Thursdays Dep. Durban 17:30, Arr. Cape Town 06:05 Saturdays

Train 16003 Mondays Dep. Cape Town 18:50, Arr. Durban 07:15 Wednesdays

This train was introduced on 2 June 1947 to provide a fast service between Durban and Cape Town, from 'the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean'. The name 'Orange Express/Oranje Snel' was changed to 'Trans-Oranje' on 7 November 1983.

TRANS-NATAL (Johannesburg – Durban / return) Distance: 730 km

Classes: 1st, 2nd, Economy

Train 76009 Daily Dep. Johannesburg 18:30, Arr. Durban 8:00

Train 67010 Daily Dep. Durban 18:30, Arr. Johannesburg 07:44

Up to 1960, the fast passenger train service between Durban and Johannesburg was unofficially known as the 'Durban Fast' or the 'Joburg Mail' – railway staff referred to the trains by their respective numbers in the working time book as 'train 199' and 'train 192', respectively.

In 1960, the SAR Centenary Year, these trains were given an official name: 'Trans-Natal' and a headboard bearing this name was affixed to the front of the locomotives. The 'Trans-Natal' earned the distinction in 1964 of being the first named long-distance train in South Africa to be hauled by electric traction for the entire journey, and was the most patronised main line passenger service in South Africa.

A new concept of rail travel was introduced on 11 July 1983 to the 'Trans-Natal' service with reclining aircraft-type seats in coaches rebuilt from surplus air-conditioned lounge cars. Each coach was equipped with 50 reclining seats arranged in pairs, a baggage rack on either side of the aisle in the centre of the coach and toilets at both ends. The single journey fare of R27 – less than the second-class sleeper fare –  included a pillow and a blanket. The initial schedule had the 'Transit' coaches attached to the 'Trans-Natal' on three overnight services a week – Mondays to Wednesdays ex Johannesburg, Tuesdays to Thursdays ex Durban. This trial run opened the way to introducing a daylight service, the 'Daylight Sitter' ('DLS'), on 5 September 1983.

LUXURY TRAINS

ROVOS RAIL (privately owned) - operates 'The Pride of Africa', advertised as the most luxurious train in the world, to various destinations in southern Africa.

BLUE TRAIN (Pretoria – Cape Town/return) Distance: 1608 km

Train 81002 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (does not operate every week)

Dep. Pretoria 08:50, Arr./Dep. Johannesburg 09:55/10:10, Arr. Cape Town 12:00

Train 18001 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (does not operate every week)

Dep. Cape Town 11:00, Arr./Dep. Johannesburg 11:40/11:50, Arr. Pretoria 12:55

BLUE TRAIN LOWVELD (Pretoria – Nelspruit / return) Distance: 362 km

Operated on selected dates in the year (during 1991/1992).

Dep. Pretoria 09:00, Arr. Nelspruit 15:30

Dep. Nelspruit 12:30, Arr. Pretoria 18:20

BLUE TRAIN ZIMBABWE (Johannesburg – Victoria Falls/return) Distance: 1469 km

Operated on selected dates in the year (1994).

Dep. Johannesburg Wednesdays 08:00, Arr. Victoria Falls 09:00 Fridays

Dep. Victoria Falls Sundays 11:00, Arr. Johannesburg 09:00 Tuesdays

The Blue Train also operated to Durban on selected dates of the year.

The luxury service previously provided by the 'Union Limited/ Union Express' trains from 1923 until 1942 resumed operating on 4 February 1946 with new rolling stock obtained in 1939/40 under the name 'Blue Train'. Each train comprised eight sleeping cars, four sleepers cascading from the 1947 Royal Train, a lounge car, a dining car, a kitchen car and a baggage van. By the mid-1960s, the original 'Blue Train', which had unquestionably provided facilities that set the standards for 20 years and was still in excellent condition, was nevertheless 'getting on' in age. The Railway Administration decided that the time had come to have two completely new train sets built to the most modern technological standards.

BLUE TRAIN '72: On 4 September 1972, the first new super-luxurious 'Blue Train' entered revenue-earning service in Pretoria bound for Cape Town. The new 'Blue Train', an all-South African construction, was built as two sets, comprising 16 vehicles each, at Union Carriage & Wagon Co. (Pty) Ltd, Nigel, for a daunting cost (at the time) R4,5 million. During 1996-98, both 'Blue Train' sets were completely refurbished 'to a level of luxury never been seen in motion' at Transwerk's Koedoespoort Mechanical Workshop for R70 million. The first set was officially launched on 26 September 1997, while the second set was returned to revenue-earning service on 5 October 1998. On 11 March 2003, six coaches of one of the 'Blue Train' sets were damaged by fire at Pretoria station and were withdrawn from service. Both train sets were back in traffic by late 2004, but disaster struck again on 26 October 2005 when a 'Blue Train' set was severely damaged in a head-on collision with a 'Shosholoza Meyl' train at Deelfontein. Fifteen coaches were damaged, and three were subsequently written off.

In response to the growing demand of international tourists, the prestigious Blue Train's operational range was extended in 1991 to include the scenic Lowveld of the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), running between Pretoria and Nelspruit (now Bombela), later extended to Hoedspruit (Marulaneng), in the winter months, and also occasionally to Durban. On 2 June 1994, the 'Blue Train' made its inaugural journey to Victoria Falls (via Botswana), and later, the Garden Route (Cape Town-Port Elizabeth via George) was added to the itinerary.

DRAKENSBERG (Johannesburg – Durban – Cape Town – Durban – Johannesburg)

Train 76101 Fridays Dep. Johannesburg 17:45, Arr. Durban 07:45 Saturdays

Train 67104 Sundays Dep. Durban 17:45, Arr. Johannesburg 7:35 Mondays

Train 61102 Saturdays Dep. Durban 16:00, Arr. Cape Town 08:50 Mondays

Train 16103 Mondays Dep. Cape Town 18:00, Arr. Durban 10:30 Wednesdays

After withdrawal from the Cape Town–Pretoria run, the original 'Blue Train' coaches underwent a complete overhaul at the Koedoespoort  Mechanical Workshop. On 22 December 1972, sporting a dark green livery with black and white stripes, the first of the refurbished old 'Blue Train' sets, renamed 'Drakensberg', entered a new service period between Johannesburg and Durban. The second set appeared in a lighter shade of green, which was given the official name 'Drakensberg Green' and returned to revenue-earning service on 15 February 1974. By October 1974, the first train set's dark green livery was replaced with the lighter 'Drakensberg Green'. Starting on 21 January 1975, the route of the 'Drakensberg' was extended to include the leg from Durban to Cape Town and return via Durban to Johannesburg. With effect on 1 June 1977, the 'Drakensberg' service from Durban to Cape Town was discontinued, and the service from Durban to Johannesburg was reduced to one run from Johannesburg on Fridays and return from Durban on Sundays. This service also had 2 DZ wagons for motor cars trailing at the rear – a new feature on the SAR. By the 1980s, however, patronage of the 'Drakensberg' had declined to such an extent that it had become uneconomical to operate, and consequently, the stately train was withdrawn from service. The last departure from Durban to Johannesburg was on 3 February 1985.

OTHER PREVIOUSLY UNOFFICIALY 'NAMED' LONG-DISTANCE PASSENGER SERVICES

In addition to the named trains listed in the public timetables, many more long-distance passenger and regional passenger services were given names – unofficially - except for Kei Rail.

Some of the previously 'named' trains are summarised below (all return Workings):

'Bombela': carrying mine workers from Booysens, Welgedag and Mothusi to Mthatha (Umtata), Queenstown and Zastron.

'Doily': daily overnight service from Beit Bridge in Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, 2nd and Economy Class.

'Kei Rail': a passenger service from AmaBhele (Amabele) to Mthatha (Umtata), operated from 2008 to 2012.

'Klawer Mail': a weekend service from Cape Town to Klawer. Initially, the service went to Bitterfontein, stopping at all stations, including the 1st, 2nd, and Economy Class.

'LM Mail': The predecessor of the 'Komati', unofficially known as the 'L M Mail', this overnight service operated from Johannesburg to Lourenço Marques (Maputo) via Pretoria with a mix of old SAR 'balcony' coaches and a dining car, and the luxury CFM steel air-conditioned saloons for 1st class passengers.

'Mosselbay': a trial weekly return passenger service from Johannesburg to Mossel Bay that appeared in the 1991/1992 InterPAX timetable.

'Rhodesia Mail' April 1982 marked the end of the weekly trains from Cape Town to Bulawayo (Mondays, Train 12105 & 105) and Bulawayo to Cape Town (Thursdays, Train 66 & 21066), a service that started in December 1902 by the 'Train de Luxe' operated by Rhodesia Railways.

'Spoedniek': a Friday evening service departing Johannesburg at 18:10 that reached Welkom in just under 5 hours with limited stops to set down passengers where required only. Return service left Welkom half an hour before midnight and arrived in Johannesburg at 09:54 on Saturday morning.

'Taxi': a daily service, stopping at all stations, from Mahikeng (Mafeking) to Kimberley, 1st, 2nd and economy class. In 1994, there was also a weekly overnight service from Johannesburg to Kimberley via Mahikeng (Mafeking), stopping at all stations, 1st, 2nd and Economy Class, with a catering car.

'The Shadow': the unofficial name for the duplicate of the 'Trans-Natal'. 

'Zastron Train': once a month from Johannesburg to Zastron (on Friday closest to the end of the month, returning the following Sunday), 1st, 2nd and Economy Class.

FOOTNOTES

¹ Cape Government Railways (CGR) in 1897 operated the first 1st Class only 'Limited Express' service between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria via Naauwpoort.

In December 1902, the first 'Train de Luxe' of Rhodesia Railways took to the rails to operate the through service from Cape Town to Bulawayo. By 1911, the RR's 'Train de Luxe' operated only between Kimberley and Bulawayo.

The Natal Government Railways (NGR) launched their luxury 'Corridor Dining & Sleeping Express Train' between Durban and Johannesburg in June 1903.

The Central South African Railways (CSAR) introduced in early 1904 two 'Train de Luxe' sets operating as the 'Imperial Mail' from Pretoria to Table Bay Docks and as the 'Royal Mail' for the inland journey.

In 1906, the Cape Town to Bulawayo service (1st and 2nd class) was advertised as the 'Zambesi Express'. There were many more named trains during this period.

² In 1910, the 'Imperial Mail' had the fastest train schedule between Cape Town and the Rand, 43 hours and 50 minutes.

³ The running time for the journey via Kimberley was 40 hours and 8 minutes, and in the reverse direction, 40 hours and 15 minutes

⁴ 36 hours and 7 minutes from Johannesburg to Cape Town and 35 hours and 55 minutes for the northbound journey.

⁵ The scheduled time for the 956 miles (1538 km) from Cape Town to Johannesburg was 30 hours and 29 minutes, and 21 hours in the reverse direction.

⁶ This was not the first 'Orange Express' – the 1910 public timetable shows an all-classes daily train operating from Cape Town to the Transvaal via Naauwpoort (Noupoort).

REFERENCES:

Annon, 'Named Trains', Newsletter of the S A Railway & Photographic Society, Vol. 4/5, pp.9, 10.

Annon, 'The First 75 Years', South African Transport Services, Public Relations Section, 1985.

Annon, 'Passenger train timetable – Main Line 'Named' Passenger Trains', SA Rail, Vol. 35, No.4, 1995, p. 136.

Armer, E, 'The Orange Express, A peep into the past', SA Rail, Issue 24 No.1, 1984, pp. 1-3.

Ash, P, 'Southern Africa by Rail', Brandt Publications, UK, 1998.

Croxton, A, ‘Down Memory Lane’, SA Rail, Vol.17, No.2, 1977, p.12.

Orange Express/Oranje-Snel, brochure downloaded from Yahoo Groups SAR List, Message #53101 (posted by Stuart Grossert, 17 August 2017).

Pivnic, H L, 'Railway Dining Cars in South Africa', South African Transport Services Museum, 1985

SA Rail, 'Round and about' column, various editions.

The Blue Train/Die Bloutrein brochure issued by South African Railways, undated

Trans-Karoo Express/Trans-Karoo Sneltrein, brochure issued by South African Railways, undated

Wepener, J & J, email correspondence regarding named trains.

1995 INTER-CITY PASSENGER SERVICES MAP

The above map presents a snapshot of South Africa's extensive long-distance passenger services operating in 1995.

Some background information:

On 1 April 1981, after seventy years operating under the banner of South African Railways and Harbours (SAR&H), the administration's name was changed to South African Transport Services (SATS).

Following the incorporation of South African Transport Services as Transnet Limited on 1 April 1990, with the state as the company's sole shareholder, the railway division was named Spoornet.

Spoornet was divided into strategic business units: COALlink (export coal), Orex (export iron ore), General Freight Business (domestic and general cargo), Luxrail (Blue Train).

Under Spoornet, long-distance intercity passenger train services were branded InterPax. Coaches sported a blue and grey/white livery, and the various named trains had their identities stencilled on the sides of each coach. The traditional First, Second and Third classes were designated as SuperPax, LuxPax and EconPax.

In 1994, Spoornet's passenger train services were revamped again under the banner 'Main Line Passenger Services' (MLPS). A new orange, blue and white livery for intercity passenger stock was introduced.

1995 MLPS INTER-CITY PASSENGER SERVICES

ALGOA: Johannesburg - Bloemfontein - Port Elizabeth / return

Train 73011 Su, Tu, Th. Dep Johannesburg 14h30, Arr Port Elizabeth 0925 Mo, We, Fr.

Train 37012 Mo, We, Fr. Dep Port Elizabeth 14h45, Arr Johannesburg 0900 Tu, Th, Sa.

AMATOLA: Johannesburg - Bloemfontein - East London / return

Train 74013 Daily/overnight. Dep Johannesburg 1400, Arr East London 1045 the next day

Train 47014 Daily/overnight. Dep East London 1400, Arr Johannesburg 1100 the next day

BLUE TRAIN: Pretoria - Cape Town / return

Mo, We, Fri (This train does not run every week)

Dep Pretoria 0850, Arr/Dep Johannesburg 09h55 / 10h10, Arr Cape Town 12h00Tu, Th, Sa.

Mo, We, Fr (This train does not run every week)

Dep Cape Town 11h00, Arr/Dep Johannesburg 11h40 /11h50, Arr Pretoria 12h55Tu, Th, Sa.

BLUE TRAIN LOWVELD: Pretoria - Nelspruit / return

(Runs only on specific dates in the year)

Dep Pretoria 09h00, Arr Nelspruit 15h30

Dep Nelspruit 12h30, Am Pretoria 18h20

BLUE TRAIN ZIMBABWE: Johannesburg - Victoria Falls / return

(Usually runs monthly, twice in October)

Dep Johannesburg 08h00 Wednesdays, Arr Victoria Falls 09h00 Fridays

Dep Victoria Falls 11h00 Sundays, Arr Johannesburg 09h00 Tuesdays

BOSVELDER: Johannesburg - Louis Trichardt - Messina / return

Train 78089 Daily/overnight Dep Johannesburg 18h50, Arr Messina 09h20 the next day.

Train 87090 Daily/overnight Dep Messina 15h00, Arr Johannesburg 05h30 the next day.

BULAWAYO: Johannesburg - Beit Bridge - Bulawayo / return

Train 78043 Dep Johannesburg 15h25 Tuesdays, Arr Bulawayo 16h20 Wednesdays

Train 87044 Dep Bulawayo 09h00 Thursdays, Arr Johannesburg 09h01 Fridays

DIAMOND EXPRESS: Bloemfontein - Kimberley - Johannesburg - Pretoria / return

Train 58035 Daily/overnight except Saturdays.

Dep Bloemfontein 17h00, Dep Kimberley 20h20, Dep Johannesburg 06h25, Arr Pretoria 07h45 the next day.

Train 85036 Daily/overnight except Saturdays.

Dep Pretoria 18h35, Dep Johannesburg 20h40, Dep Kimberley 06h20, Arr Bloemfontein 09h10 the next day.

KOMATI: Johannesburg - Pretoria - Komatipoort - Maputo / return

Train 78091 Daily to Komatipoort. Su, Tu & Th only to Maputo

Dep Johannesburg 17h45, Arr / Dep Komatipoort 06h00 / 06h30, Arr Maputo 10h16 next day

Train 87092 Daily from Komatipoort. Mo, We & Fr only from Maputo

Dep Maputo 13h00, Arr / Dep Komatipoort 16h05 / 18h07, Arr Johannesburg 06h16 the next day.

LIMPOPO: Johannesburg - Beit Bridge - Harare / return

Train 78093 Dep Johannesburg 08h30 Fridays, Arr Harare 09h55 Saturdays

Train 87094 Dep Harare 07h00 Sundays, Arr Johannesburg 09h00 Mondays

SOUTHERN CROSS: Cape Town - George - Port Elizabeth / return

Train 13051 Dep Cape Town 1815 Fridays, Arr Port Elizabeth 17h50 Saturdays

Train 31052 Dep Port Elizabeth 0845 Sundays, Arr Cape Town 0840 Mondays

TRANS-KAROO: Pretoria - Johannesburg - Kimberley - Cape Town / return

Train 81008 Daily/overnight. Dep Pretoria 10h10, Arr/Dep Joburg 11h19 /12h30, Arr Cape Town 14h15 the next day.

Train 18007 Daily/overnight Dep Cape Town 09h20, Arr/Dep Joburg 10h15/10h30, Arr Pretoria 11h40 the next day.

TRANS-NATAL: Johannesburg - Durban / return

Train 76009 Daily/overnight. Dep Johannesburg 18h30, Arr Durban 08h00 the next day.

Train 67010 Daily/overnight. Dep Durban 18h30, Arr Johannesburg 07h44 the next day.

TRANS-ORANJE: Durban - Bloemfontein - Kimberley - Cape Town / return

Train 61006 Dep Durban 17h30 Thursdays, Arr Cape Town 06h05 Saturdays

Train 16003 Dep Cape Town 18h50 Mondays, Arr Durban 07h15 Wednesdays

2006 and 2009/2010 PASSENGER SERVICES

The preceding two maps present a snapshot of South Africa's extensive long-distance passenger services in 2006 and 2009/2010.

Some history:

On 8 June 2001, sporting a new new afro-centric colour scheme of yellow, turquoise and purple, 13 Shosholoza Meyl ('move forward') main line passenger services were introduced to cater for long-distance passenger travel, covering some 6 400 route kilometres. The long tradition of named trains was consigned to history.

On 4 May 2006, the first 'Premier Classe' train set was launched, and the inaugural revenue-earning journey was made on 11 May from Johannesburg to Cape Town. This train, painted in its distinctive purple livery, offers deluxe accommodation targeted at the 'middle to upper income' traveller market.

On 1 July 2006, the Shosholoza Meyl trains were separated into 'Tourist Class' consisting of comfortable four- and six-berth sleeper coaches, and 'Economy Class' (the former 3rd class), which offered only sitting accommodation. In addition, 3rd class coaches were put on eight routes as a Public Obligation Service to provide affordable transport to the poorer section of the community.

6 July 2006: PRETORIA NEWS reported that the railway authorities have quietly scrapped the running of more than half the country's long-distance 'sleeper' trains. Most first-class and second-class accommodation on major routes has given way from this week to third-class 'sitter' trains. Pretoria, the capital, is left with no main-line sleeper trains at all after the last unofficial 'Trans-Karoo' departed on 30 April. There are just three other main-line sleeper trains left in South Africa: Johannesburg – Durban (weekends only), Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth (twice weekly), Cape Town – Durban (once weekly).

1 April 2007: Proposed transfer of Shosholoza Meyl services from Transnet to the Department of Transport. This transfer only took effect on 26 June 2009.

5 August 2007: New Corporate Identity and Brand Positioning launched for the Transnet Group. Divisions of Transnet: Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) (formerly Spoornet); Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE) (formerly Transwerk); National Ports Authority (NPA) (Formerly Portnet); Port Terminals (PT) (formerly Pipelines).

Since October 2008, the 'Premier Classe's' range was extended to operate a twice-weekly return service between Johannesburg and Durban, while an additional service was inaugurated last December on what ranks as one of the most scenic train rides in South Africa. The once-weekly run from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth via George (and return) takes in the spectacular Montagu Pass and the magical Toorwaterpoort.

20 March 2009: Launch of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) at Johannesburg's Park Station.

26 June 2009: South Africa's long-distance rail passenger service Shosholoza Meyl was sold to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) for reputedly R100, effective 31 March 2009.

26 February 2010: First Gautrain test train operated from the Midrand Depot to Sandton.

March 2010: Gautrain test trains start to operate on Sandton – Olivier Tambo International Airport Branch.

26 March 2010: 'Premier Classe' services curtailed; mid-week service from Johannesburg to Durban withdrawn.

8 June 2010: The first scheduled Gautrain set left Sandton Station at 05:24 carrying the first fare-paying customers.

12 August 2010: Thousands of Shosholoza Meyl passengers were left stranded as long-distance train services were suspended due to a financial dispute between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and Transnet.

16 November 2010: PRASA announces the resumption of passenger train services at the end of November.

22 November 2010: 'KEI RAIL' services cancelled - after the provincial Transport Department failed to pay a debt of more than R80 million owed to Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE).

PASSENGER RAIL AGENCY OF SOUTH AFRICA (PRASA) SHOSHOLOZA MEYL SERVICES

PREMIER CLASSE

(Luxury accommodation)

• Johannesburg - Cape Town (Sundays & Thursdays)

• Cape Town – Johannesburg (Tuesdays & Saturdays)

• Cape Town - Port Elizabeth (Fridays)

• Port Elizabeth - Cape Town (Sundays)

• Johannesburg – Durban (Fridays)

• Durban-Johannesburg (Sundays)

• Johannesburg - Hoedspruit (Thursdays)

• Hoedspruit – Johannesburg (Sundays)

TOURIST CLASS

(Sleeper accommodation)

• Johannesburg - Cape Town (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)

• Cape Town – Johannesburg (Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)

• Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth (Tuesdays & Fridays)

• Port Elizabeth - Johannesburg (Sundays & Wednesdays)

• Johannesburg – Durban (Thursdays)

• Durban – Johannesburg (Saturdays)

• Cape Town – Durban (Wednesdays)

• Durban - Cape Town (Fridays)

• Johannesburg - East London (Fridays)

• East London-Johannesburg (Sundays)

ECONOMY CLASS

(Sitter accommodation)

Johannesburg - Durban – Johannesburg (Daily except Tuesdays)

Johannesburg - Komatipoort – Johannesburg (Daily except Saturdays)

Cape Town - Durban - Cape Town (via Kimberley)

(Mondays from Cape Town; Wednesdays from Durban)

Cape Town - East London - Cape Town (via Springfontein) (Sundays from Cape Town; Tuesdays from East London); Johannesburg - East London – Johannesburg (Daily, except Saturdays)

Johannesburg - Musina – Johannesburg (Daily, except Saturdays)

Johannesburg - Port Elizabeth – Johannesburg (Daily, except Saturdays)

Johannesburg - Cape Town – Johannesburg (Daily)

Johannesburg - Kimberley – Bloemfontein (Sundays & Fridays)

Kimberley - Bloemfontein – Johannesburg (Sundays & Fridays)

ROVOS RAIL

• Pretoria - Cape Town - Pretoria

• Various routes

BLUE TRAIN

• Pretoria - Cape Town - Pretoria

Selected Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

BLUE TRAIN CHARTER SERVICES

• Pretoria - Shakaskraal (Zimbali Lodge) - Pretoria

• Mpumalanga Route (Kapama River Lodge)

• North West Route (Bakubung Bush Lodge)

GAUTRAIN

• Johannesburg - Pretoria - Hatfield *

• Sandton - O R Tambo International Airport+

(expected completion 2011) (+ opened 8 June 2010)

KEI RAIL

(Bus connection from/to East London)

(Daily & overnight Fridays)

LONG-DISTANCE INTER-CITY PASSENGER SERVICES

● Rovos Rail (privately owned) operates 'The Pride of Africa', advertised as the most luxurious train in the world.

● The Blue Train – legendary among the world's luxury trains - caters for the very wealthy at the top end of the tourist market. Operates return services between Pretoria and Cape Town on selected weekdays and occasionally on three charter routes.

● Shosholoza Meyl's Premier Classe – targeted at the 'middle to upper income' traveller market, offers luxury accommodation and elegant dining on three routes.

● Shosholoza Meyl's Tourist Class – consisting of comfortable four- and six-berth sleeper coaches and a dining car operating on five routes.

● Shosholoza Meyl's Economy Class – basic accommodation in open-seater coaches offered on nine routes.

● Shosholoza Meyl's public service obligation economy trains – open-seater coaches (3rd class). No information was available on whether the services were still operating in 2009/2010 according to the schedule released in July 2006.

● Kei Rail – an initiative funded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Administration (Roads and Transport), operates passenger services on the rehabilitated AmaBhele-Mthatha branch with air-conditioned main line coaches, including a business class coach. A bus service operates to and from East London to connect with the train schedules.

SUBURBAN SERVICES

SOUTH AFRICAN RAIL COMMUTER CORPORATION (SARCC)

1 April 1997,  Metro Rail was created as a division of Transnet for operating rail commuter services. Metro Rail operates some 370 trains daily, carrying approximately 2 million passengers through 460 stations and over 2 400 km of track.

● Metro Rail – operates suburban train services in the major metropolitan areas, comprising:

   Metro Plus: (1st class) and 3rd class were reputed to have serious passenger safety issues on many routes, and some rolling stock in use was heavily vandalised.

   Business Class Expresses: limited-stop morning and evening peak hour service on weekdays using refurbished 10M5 EMU suburban stock (Gauteng and Cape Town only).

1 May 2006:  Transfer of commuter rail service Metro Rail from Transnet to the SARCC.

3 July 2007: The 'Soweto Business Express' was launched as a peak-hour service between Naledi in Soweto and Johannesburg Park Station, completing the journey in under 45 minutes. Finished in white, gold and black livery, the train seated 530 passengers and was staffed by 23 cabin crew, who served beverages and newspapers. It also provided laptop connections and carried about 10 security guards.

31 October 2007: The 300-seat 'Khayelitsha Business Express' was launched, stopping at Mandalay, Heideveld and Mutual, where passengers could connect with main-line trains. The journey to the city took 38 minutes. Service, technical and security staff were on board, and amenities included complimentary coffee, newspapers and laptop connections.

8 May 2008: The South African Rail Commuter Corporation officially unveiled its 530-seat commuter train called the 'Tshwane Business Express', to operate between Pretoria and Johannesburg. Monthly ticket costs R750, weekly R300. Day returns are priced at R60.

18 November 2008: the new 'Strand Business Express' operating from Cape Town to Strand was inaugurated.

1 June 2009: MetroRail launched the second 'Tshwane Business Express', a non-stop return service between Johannesburg and Pretoria. Travelling at up to 120 km/h, it connected the two main stations in under 60 minutes, with a dedicated bus linking Pretoria station and the CBD. The 520-seat intercity service operated at least six trips in each direction daily, complementing the existing Tshwane Business Express.

April 2010: 'Boland Business Express' launched, operating between Cape Town and Paarl-Huguenot, Monday to Friday. Comprising 6 carriages accommodating 294 commuters.

PAST HERITAGE RAIL PRESERVATION AND TOUR OPERATORS

FORGOTTEN RAILWAYS

Cape Collieries Railway

Very little information and no photographs can be found about this railway.

No opening date is given other than the year 1898, starting from Bamboo Junction (on the line from Stormberg Junction to Rosmead) to Cape Collieries, 16 miles long.

Report of the General Manager of Cape Government Railways 1901.

Mr Clark, Traffic Manager of the Midlands Section reports :

"On 5 September 1901, this line was taken over by the CGR, and is now in the course of being put into running order. Extensions to Deep Kloof, Hind's, and Romansfontein Mines should result in a considerable increase of mineral traffic over the branch. A special tariff of fares and rates has been introduced. Apart from the mineral traffic, I do not anticipate any large revenue from this source."

Mr McEwan, Assistant General Manager, reports :

"The Cape Collieries Line was taken over by the Department on 5 September, 1901. It would be premature to offer any remarks upon the working at the present date, but I hope the line will be the means of developing the Colonial Coal Fields to a considerable extent."

Mr T R Price, General Manager, reports :

"Bamboo Junction to Cape Collieries*, 16 miles, acquired by purchase, opened 5 September 1901".

*Zeekoeigat.

Bridgend to Cape Collieries, 8 miles 18 chains, closed in 1912.

Bridgend to Bamboo Junction, 7 miles 62 chains, lifted in 1917.

APPENDICES

Index to stations, sidings and halts 

(working on it ...)

METRO MAPS M1 to M5

Index to stations 

(working on it ...)

1953 Station name changes 

(working on it ...)

HISTORICAL AND TECHNICAL NOTES

THE 3-FOOT 6-INCH GAUGE

Its origins and worldwide distribution

Introduction

Although the term Cape Gauge is synonymous with Southern African railways built to the 3ft 6in gauge, the former Cape Colony was not its birthplace: Norway opened the first passenger and freight railway of this gauge in 1862. Whereas Norway's 3ft 6in lines were mostly short branches, connecting to a main line, railways adopting this gauge later formed extensive networks in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Java, and Southern Africa. It became the standard for main-line railways across Southern and Central Africa, parts of West Africa, and Sudan, representing about 60 per cent of Africa's railway track and about 9 per cent worldwide. It could therefore be named 'Africa's standard gauge'.

The origin and first use of the term Cape Gauge' for the 3ft 6in gauge remain uncertain. German-language sources commonly use 'Kapspur'; French publications sometimes name it 'la voie métrique anglaise' or 'la voie du Cap'; and US publications refer to the '42-inch British Colonial Gauge' or 'British Imperial Gauge'. In Dutch, the gauge is called 'Kaaps Spoor', and in Afrikaans, 'Kaap-spoorwydte'. Roar Stenersen, Curator of the Norwegian Railway Museum at Hamar, argues that the correct term is 'CAP-Gauge', derived from the initials of Carl Abraham Pihl, the engineer who introduced the gauge for Norwegian railways with limited traffic potential through difficult terrain.

The Nordic origin of the 3ft 6in gauge

Railway enthusiasts are familiar with George and Robert Stephenson, but few would have heard of Norwegian civil engineer Carl Abraham Pihl (1825–1897). Pihl graduated from the Technical School in Göteborg in 1844, aged 19, then trained in Britain under Robert Stephenson for two years before joining Peter Bruff, resident engineer of the Eastern Union Railways. During six years in Britain, he absorbed British railway practice. He befriended prominent figures including civil engineer and contractor Douglas Charles Fox, John Fowler, engineer of the London Metropolitan Railway and the Forth Bridge, and locomotive engineer and manufacturer Charles Frederick Beyer. When Pihl returned to Norway in 1850, he was the only Norwegian with practical railway-construction experience. He was therefore appointed section engineer for the Norwegian Trunk Railway, the country's first railway. The 67.5km line between Christiania (later Oslo) and Eidsvold (later Eidsvoll), on Lake Mjosa, opened on 1 September 1854. It was largely a British enterprise: financed mainly with British capital, built to the 4ft 8½in standard gauge by British contractors under consulting engineer Robert Stephenson, and equipped with British locomotives and rolling stock. Even its rule book appeared in parallel Norwegian and English. Norwegian opposition to foreign ownership and control of rail transport led the state to undertake subsequent construction. After completing the Trunk Railway in 1854, Carl Pihl returned to Britain, where he was employed on various railway construction projects, but his stay was cut short because of the Crimean War, and he returned to Norway. In 1858, Pihl was appointed Chief Engineer, which put him in charge of all railway construction until 1883, when he became Director of the newly formed Norwegian State Railways. By all accounts, he was an eager proponent of narrow gauge railways: whether he was influenced by the early narrow gauge railways in Belgium, Sweden and Austria of around 1100 mm gauge is not known, but Pihl decided to set the gauge at 3 feet 6 inches in English units of measurement. Of three lines that were surveyed in 1856-57, one adopted the 4ft 8½in gauge, as it would join to railways of this gauge at either end, while for the other two lines, which were unconnected, Pihl advocated the use of the 3ft 6in gauge to save on construction costs. The first 3ft 6in gauge line, from Hamar, about 100 km north of Oslo, to Grundset (38 km long on level ground by Norwegian standards), was opened on 23 June 1862. The second line, from Trondheim, on the West Coast, to Støren (about 50 km long through mountainous terrain), opened on 5 August 1864. Both lines were ultimately connected in 1877.

The worldwide spread of the 3ft 6in gauge

Carl Pihl's successful use of a narrower-than-standard gauge for a substantial passenger and freight railway attracted the attention of British civil engineer and contractor Charles Fox (1810-1874). With his sons Douglas and Francis, Fox established the consulting firm Sir Charles Fox & Sons, later Freeman, Fox & Partners, which promoted 3ft 6in 'CAP-gauge' railway technology in India, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. 

In 1865, Charles Fox designed India's first and only 3ft 6in gauge branch line for the Indian Tramway Company. It ran 30km from Arcanum (Arakkonam Junction), on the Madras Railway, to Conjeveram and was converted to metre gauge in 1878.

In 1863, Irish engineer Abraham Fitzgibbon recommended the 3ft 6in gauge for a lightly built railway in Queensland, Australia. Having constructed railways in Ireland, North America, India and New Zealand and previously worked with Sir Charles Fox. Fitzgibbon was appointed Chief Engineer; Fox was then appointed consulting engineer and agent for the Queensland Government. In 1864, Fox sent his son Douglas to Norway to study 'the Pihl system' and obtain station layouts and gradient profiles. Queensland's first railway, from Ipswich, a shallow port at the head of navigation on the Brisbane River, to Bigge's Camp (later Grandchester), at the foot of the Little Liverpool Range, opened on 31 July 1865. It was the first main-line railway built to the 3ft 6in gauge and was state-owned and operated from the outset. Queensland Rail now operates just over 9000km, Australia's largest individual railway network, and claims to have the world's longest-surviving 3ft 6in gauge system. Queensland's example was followed in Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia, while the Northern Territory built only one line.

In 1868, Sir Charles Fox addressed a Toronto meeting and recommended the 3ft 6in gauge to promoters of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway and the Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway. They sought information from Carl Pihl and appointed Fox consulting engineer for both lines. Edmund Wragge, a former pupil of Fox and assistant engineer with the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company, became Chief Engineer of both railways. When the Toronto–Uxbridge section opened on 12 July 1871, the Toronto and Nipissing became North America's first public 3ft 6in gauge railway; the Toronto, Grey & Bruce followed six months later. Financial difficulties led to both being acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada and converted to 4ft 8½in gauge by the end of 1884. The Prince Edward Island Railway operated as a 3ft 6in gauge system from 1874 to 1930 before conversion to 4ft 8½in. Newfoundland's 3ft 6in gauge system began operating in 1884 but, after persistent financial difficulties, closed in 1988.

New Zealand's first railways used several gauges, ranging from 5ft 3in, 4ft 8½in and 3ft before the Government moved towards uniformity in the late 1860s. Largely on Sir Charles Fox's advice, it selected the 3ft 6in gauge for a national network. Construction then accelerated, and the first line of this gauge, built by the Dunedin & Port Chalmers Railway Co. Ltd on the South Island, opened in 1873. The network reached its maximum extent of 5700 km in 1952. Much of it is distinguished by major engineering works, including long tunnels, high viaducts and extensive earthworks.

Japan's Imperial Government Railways, established with British capital in 1870, used British locomotives and rolling stock. The Japanese Government appointed British engineer Edmund Morel, who had gained railway-construction experience in Australia and New Zealand, as Engineer-in-Chief to plan and build the first lines. He selected the 3ft 6in gauge, which became the standard for Japan's main lines. The first railway, the 29 km Shimbashi (now Shiodome)–Yokohama line, opened on 14 October 1872. Limited funds initially slowed expansion, prompting the Government to encourage private construction. By 1906, 37 companies operated more than 5000 km of track; the six largest controlled nearly 4000km, alongside 2500 km of government-owned track. Japan now has the world's most modern and extensive concentration of 3ft 6in gauge railways, supplemented by a separate electrified, high-speed Shinkansen network built to the 4ft 8½in gauge.

The 3ft 6in gauge in South Africa

Ironically, Sir Charles Fox's involvement in South Africa was as a consulting engineer for the Cape Town Railway & Dock Company, which adopted the 4ft 8½in gauge for the Cape Town to Wellington Railway. William George Brounger served as an apprentice under Charles Fox in the 1830s and, on his recommendation, was appointed resident engineer in charge of the CTR & D Co. construction in 1857. In June 1860, a short length of 4ft 8½in gauge was opened in Durban, while the railway from Cape Town to Wellington was taken into use in 1863. When the need arose to push the railway further inland, a select committee was appointed in 1868 by the Cape Parliament to consider a suitable gauge. After carefully considering cost estimates submitted for proposals using either 2ft 6in, 3ft 6in or 4ft 8½in gauge for future railways, a compromise conveniently settled the issue on 3ft 6ins.

The memorandum by C. Abercrombie Smith to the Governor, dated 29 April 1873, read: On the 4 August 1871, the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, moved in the Committee of the whole House of Assembly that the width of the gauge of that (viz on the line from Port Elizabeth to the Zwartkops River) and all new main lines be fixed at 3ft 6in; but in consequence of strong doubts having been expressed as to the expediency of constructing main lines in this Colony on so narrow a gauge, it was finally carried that the width of the gauge for all new main lines should not be less than 3ft 6in. It is thus left to the Government, subject to the above limitation, to decide upon the gauge to be adopted.

The committee's evidence indicates that it knew of successful 3ft 6in gauge railways in Norway, Queensland and Canada. South Africa therefore adopted a uniform gauge before regional network construction began; only the Cape Town–Wellington and Wynberg lines briefly operated as mixed gauge. The country's first 3ft 6in gauge section, linking Cape Town Docks with the main line, opened on 11 May 1875. Although no evidence directly links Sir Charles Fox to the construction of South Africa's 3ft 6in gauge railways, the association continued through his son, Sir Douglas Fox, an acquaintance of Cecil John Rhodes. C D Fox served as consulting engineer for the Vryburg–Bulawayo line and helped design Rhodes' luxury train carriages. With few exceptions, Southern African railway development was standardised on the 3ft 6in gauge, which spread across 12 countries and totalled about 33 000 route kilometres at their greatest extent. South Africa's network remains by far the largest (25 103 km from 1991-1994), despite the closure of around 8 000 km of unprofitable lines.

Notable achievements

Each 3ft 6in gauge network developed distinctive equipment and operating practices. Steam locomotive design was especially notable, producing exceptionally large engines in Southern Africa, Indonesia and New Zealand.

The 3ft 6in gauge achieved its greatest capacity in Queensland and South Africa, particularly in rolling-stock size and haulage volumes. Large-scale open-cut coal mining began in Central Queensland in the late 1960s, with three diesel-electric locomotives hauling 4 000-tonne trains, the heaviest then operating on Australia's eastern seaboard. By 1971, more powerful locomotives and gondola wagons had increased loads beyond 5 000 tonnes. Locotrol equipment raised capacity to 10 000 tonnes in 1980, using three leading locomotives and three remotely controlled units distributed through the train. Electrification of Queensland's coal lines in the mid-1980s increased loads to 12 000 tonnes, carried in 120 wagons by three leading locomotives and two mid-train units. Queensland's export coal haulage reached 135 million tonnes in 2001–02.

South Africa's heavy-mineral haulage achievements were equally impressive. In 1970, seven diesel-electric locomotives hauled a 1.2km ore train weighing 9 000 tonnes. Despite the limitations of 3 kV DC electrification, three Class 6E1 locomotives routinely hauled 2 900-tonne block loads over the steep Natal Main Line in the late 1970s. The introduction of 25kV and 50kV AC systems later that decade brought increasingly powerful locomotives, culminating in the giant Class 9E units on the 50kV Sishen–Saldanha iron-ore line. Contrary to claims that the 3ft 6in gauge was poorly suited to heavy mineral traffic, a world record for the heaviest train was set on this gauge in 1989. The train comprised 660 wagons, each weighing 105 tonnes gross, hauled by nine 50kV Class 9E electric and seven diesel-electric locomotives distributed throughout the consist. It was 7 302 metres long and weighed 69 933 tonnes, excluding locomotives. Typical Coal Line trains from Ermelo to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal are 2.5km long, comprise 200 wagons, representing 20 800 tonnes gross and are hauled by three 25kV AC electric locomotives. In 1999, OREX loads rose to 22 464 tonnes after successful tests of an innovative cable system that allowed a diesel-electric locomotive to assist three Class 9E units in hauling 216 wagons uphill on the Sishen–Saldanha line; loads have since increased further. On 18 December 2007, 342-wagon Radio Distributed Power (RDP) trains were phased in. 100th mega-train arrived at Salkor Yard on 20 July 2008 with a payload of 34 200 tonnes. A new record was set on 13 October 2020 when an Iron Ore Train comprising 348 wagons hauled by 7 locomotives, 3 654 metres long, hauled a payload of 41 760 tonnes. A Manganese Ore Train comprising 375 wagons hauled by 4 locomotives, 3 775 metres long, hauled a payload of 30 000 tonnes.

Although the 3ft 6in gauge limits 'high-speed' operation, some notable results have been achieved. On 31 October 1978, a modified 3kV electric locomotive reached a world record speed of 245km/h between Midway and Bank. The 1984 'Metroblitz' commuter service between Johannesburg and Pretoria operated at 160km/h using lightweight coaches fitted with South African-developed cross-anchor bogies and specially modified locomotives. Japan Railways has operated tilting trains at up to 160km/h on 3ft 6in gauge lines since the Shikoku 8000-series EMUs entered service between Takamatsu and Matsuyama in 1992. Queensland Rail's electric Tilt Train set the Australian rail speed record of 210 km/h in 1998, although regular services between Brisbane and Rockhampton operate at 160 km/h on some sections of the track.

Users of 3ft 6in gauge railways

Note: This edited version of the feature 'The 3-foot 6-inch Gauge' was published in Railways Africa, Issue 6, 2004, and some of the information has not been revised.

Train services do not necessarily operate over the entire route distance or have been closed down.

AFRICA:

Angola (2648km); Botswana (888km); Congo-Brazzaville (797km); Congo-Kinshasa (3881km); Ghana (953km); Liberia (145km); Malawi (797km); Moçambique (2983km); Namibia (2382km); Nigeria (3505km); Sierra Leone (84km); South Africa (19756km); Sudan (4595km); Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) (301km); Tanzania (960km); Zambia (1266km); Zimbabwe (3077km).

SOUTH AMERICA:

Chile (117km)

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

Australia (15054km); New Zealand (3912km)

ASIA

Taiwan (1108km); Philippines (897km); Indonesia (5961km); Japan (25315km); Russia [Sakhalin] (957km)

EUROPE

Great Britain [Isle of Man; Wales]; Norway [Setesdal Museum Line];

CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

Honduras (279km); Costa Rica (950km)

Other 3ft 6in gauge applications:

Trams: San Francisco & Oakland cable cars (USA); Surabaya electric tramway system (Java, Indonesia), Hong Kong Tramways.

Countries where 3ft 6in gauge railways/tramways were previously in use:

Barbados, Brazil, Canada (Grand Falls Central Railway; Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island; Toronto), China (Manchuria), Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia (Tallinn Tramway), Jamaica, Guyana (former British Guiana), Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Malaysia [Penang streetcar]; Netherlands; Northern Territory (Australia), Norway, Peru, Portugal; Spain, Sri Lanka [Colombo Tram Car]; Sweden, USA (logging railways: Arkansas, Mississippi, California, Maine, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York & Virginia), Venezuela.

Note: throughout the text, the 3ft 6in gauge has been referred to in its original British units of measurement. The metric conversion is 1067 mm, although in South Africa, 1065 mm is the official gauge width. According to the 1973 SAR Permanent Way Instructions, the gauge is only 1065 mm on a straight track section and can be widened to a maximum permissible gauge of 1105 mm on a curve with a radius of less than 135 m. The gauge for a straight track section must be correct within 3 mm, and the track must not deviate from the straight by more than 2 mm in a 5 m straight section.

Sources & Bibliography

Barnett, M., Tramlines. The story of the Hong Kong tramway system

Churchman, B.C. & T Hurst. The Railways of New Zealand

Leitch, D.B. Railways of New Zealand

Kerr, J., Triumph of Narrow Gauge

Cooper, C.,  Narrow Gauge for Us

Ransome, P.J.G. Narrow Gauge Steam

Owen, R.,  Norwegian Railways

Nock, O.S. Encyclopedia of Railways

Rowe, T.D. The Railways of South America

Durrant, A.E. Lokomotip UAP

Rozendaal, J.,  Steam and Rail in Indonesia

Herring, P.,  Ultimate Train

Rollinson,  D.,  Railways of the Caribbean

Hughes, H.,  Indian Locomotives, part 2, Metre Gauge 1872-1940

Fawcett, B.,  Railways of the Andes

Stenersen, R.,  Development of Norwegian Railways, 1854-2002

Hilton, G.W.  American Narrow Gauge Railroads

Westwood, J.,  World Railways

Burman, J.,  Early Railways at the Cape

Croxton, A.H.,  Railways of Zimbabwe

Jane's World Railways, various editions starting from 1950/51.

Railway Directory, Railway Gazette International, 2003 Edition

Act authorising construction and dates of opening 

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Reference notes 

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Significant dates in South Africa’s Railway History

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Electrification – dates of opening

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Tunnels index 

Significant bridges and viaducts 

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Index of line closures and abandonments

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