Railways Africa Issue 3 2012

RAILWAYS AFRICA / FOREWORD

Foreword

The copyright on all material in this magazine is expressly reserved and vested in Rail Link Communications cc, unless otherwise stated. No material may be reproduced in any form, in part or in whole, without the permission of the publishers. Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers of Rail Link Communications cc unless otherwise stated. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, neither the Editor, Publisher or Contributor can be held liable for any inaccuracies or damages that may arise.

3Issue 3 // 2012 Railways Africa www.railwaysafrica.com

BARBARA SHEATPublisher / Railways Africa

PUBLISHERBarbara Sheat

EDITOR Rollo Dickson

DESIGN & LAYOUTGrazia Muto

ADVERTISINGKim Bevan

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kim Bevan

CONTRIBUTORSAnton van Schalkwyk

Jacque Wepener

John Batwell

Leon Zaayman

Pierre-Noël Rietsch

Roderick Smith

ISSN 1029 - 2756

Rail Link Communications ccPO Box 4794 Randburg 2125

Tel: +27 87 940 9278

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: railwaysafrica

Website: www.railwaysafrica.com


ISS

UE

3 // 2

01

2


Lease or buy? Depending on the nature

of the undertaking, it’s a fundamental

business decision. The answers are usually

pretty straightforward: like how much

money is available for spending, will it cost

less to borrow than lease, and what will

the end costs be?

One hasn’t heard much about these

options in local railway terms – certainly

as far as national carriers are concerned.

One or two private specialist fi rms lease

out locomotives, certainly – mostly to

other countries on the sub-continent. But

what about wagons? For decades there’ve

been stories of South African rolling stock

visiting neighbouring countries and not

being over-keen, always, about coming

home. This is rolling stock owned by South

Africa’s national railway, which hasn’t been

in the habit of leasing what it needs.

This is in contrast to practice on other

continents. Take the Arkansas and

Oklahoma Railway (AOR) in the United

States for example. It isn’t the biggest

railway in America, not by a long way.

Still, this privately owned operation runs

on a fraction under 200km of route and

wagonloads moved annually run into some

impressive fi gures. AOK itself owns a mere

10 wagons, but a great many more than

that carry the company’s reporting marks,

belonging in fact to a huge leasing entity

called Greenbrier, with many thousands of

wagons on its books. According to AOK, its

relationship with Greenbrier is what helped

it through lean years.

Not infrequently, one hears South African

customers complaining that the railway

can’t supply suffi cient wagons for their

needs. Would leasing make business

sense in this context? Is there scope for

a Greenbrier-like operation in Southern

Africa? Newly established Thelo Rolling

Stock Leasing of Benmore, Johannesburg,

clearly thinks there is. It’s putting its money

where its mouth is. Backed by the Industrial

Development Corporation, its investing in

the concept – in a big way. Good luck to

them.

Oh and by the way, the AOK doesn’t own

any track, either. The line is owned by the

state of Oklahoma – and leased.


Railways Africa is proud to announce, due to popular demand,

we are once again printing our magazine! If you would like

to receive copies of our magazine please fi ll in and return the

Subscription Form on the next page.

Please Fax/Email the completed form to us at:

Fax: +27 86 665 5330

Email: [email protected]




Please complete all the blocks below - Incomplete forms will not be accepted.Once we have received your completed subscription form an invoice with payment details will be sent in return. On confirmation

of payment, your details will be added to the mailing list and the magazines will be posted to the specified postal address.

Please Fax/Email the completed form to us at:

Fax: +27 86 665 5330


Banking Details:

Account Name: Railways Africa, Standard Bank Braamfontein

Account No.: 003349497 Branch Code: 004805

Please select your options: REMAINING 2012 ISSUES (ISSUE 4-6) 2013 ISSUES (ISSUE 1-6)

South Africa (Residents Only) R 150.00 R 300.00

Africa R 200.00 R 400.00

Overseas R 425.00 (incl. Foreign Exchange) R 850.00 (incl. Foreign Exchange)

Quantity per Issue:

Company Name:

Designation:

Fax:Tel:

Email:Mobile:

State/Province:City:

Country:Postal Code/ZIP:

Name:

Surname:

Other:Dr Mr Mrs Miss

Postal Address:

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Railways Africa is proud to announce, due to popular demand, we are once again printing our magazine! If you would like to receive copies of our magazine please fill in and return the Subscription Form below.

Mine Lines in Cameroon 16

Sena Capacity to Quadruple 17

Africa Update

RAILWAYS AFRICA / CONTENTS

ContentsContents

LINE OPTIMISINGEvaluating High Production Mechanised Track Maintenance Machinery in Terms of Line Optimisation Productivity and Effi ciency 6

PLASSER SOUTH AFRICABallast Cleaning 10

Features 6

16

20

TFR Service to Agriculture 20

Plaque at Salt River 22

SA Rail News

Reefsteamers, Germiston 28

Umgeni Steam Railway, KwaZulu Natal 29

Railway Heritage

Ted Hamer 30

Obituary

Locos of Namaqualand 32

Book Review


by introducing shorter or fewer maintenance windows - in order

to complete the required maintenance cycle - by employing high-

production mechanised maintenance machinery.

The focus of this article is to show how the use of high-production

machinery can achieve this objective, at the same time saving

costs and resources.

What is the Real Effect of Maintenance on Train Operations?Any increase in traffi c on a railway line requires an exponential

increase in the preventative track maintenance intervention

frequency; in other words, shorter maintenance cycles or time

between maintenance interventions, to ensure that the line

remains reliable, available, maintainable and safe. However, the

more trains there are in the system the less time will be available

for mechanised machinery to occupy the track for maintenance

purposes.

The Sishen to Saldanha iron ore line is used here as an example

due to its fi nancial importance to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and its

unique characteristics in terms of:

• it being a single line of 861km;

• with high traffi c density;

• heavy axle loads (30 ton);

• 20 crossing loops at approximately 40km intervals;

• high-value trains; and

• 342 wagons per consist.

With the current targeted 90 million gross tons of traffi c on the

ore line, the tamping cycle can be calculated at approximately

fi ve months using empirical formulas. In other words, the 861km

line must be tamped from one end to the other within fi ve months

before the next cycle starts again. With a 650mm sleeper spacing,

1,325,000 sleepers must be tamped over this fi ve-month period.

This of course excludes the loop lines, turnouts and yards which will

be disregarded for purposes of simplicity in this analysis, which will

use time-based maintenance for its linear maintenance cycle (and

not condition-based, for the same reasons).

If for example one tamping machine with a nominal tamping rate

of approximately 19 sleepers per minute is used, working for four

Firstly, during his state-of-the-nation address in parliament on 9

February 2012, President Jacob Zuma confi rmed that Transnet is to

spend R300 billion in its capital-expansion programme.

As a result:

• coal exports will increase from 68 to 97.5mtpa;

• iron ore exports will increase from 53 to 82.5mtpa;

• container volumes handled through the ports will increase from

4.3 million to 7.6 million twenty-foot equivalent unit containers

(TEUs); and

• rail volumes will increase from approximately 200 to 350 million

tons per annum.

There were also various media reports of rail expansions, new lines,

upgrades etc. These reports include:

• consideration of a number of potential high-speed lines across

the country;

• the doubling of the eastern corridor from Pretoria beyond

Mamelodi and the introduction of bi-directional signalling;

• a new 146km line into Swaziland from South Africa;

• plans for upgrading the Eastern Cape’s Kei Rail network to allow

trains to travel between Durban and Cape Town; but

• one of the more detailed publications is the Transnet

Infrastructure Plan (TIP) 2011 which forecasts a growth in the

national total freight for all modes of transport from the current

750 million tons per annum (mtpa) to around 1,800mtpa in

2040. In terms of the Rail Development Plan section of the TIP,

Transnet is putting in place strategies to move commodities

better suited to rail but currently transported by road, back to

the railway.

All these expansion programmes and plans, if implemented, would

make Transnet Freight Rail the world’s fi fth biggest rail-freight

company. However, this would result in an increase in traffi c beyond

the current rail infrastructure traffi c limit, leading to system failure

on a large percentage of South Africa’s main-lines as illustrated

in the TIP. To cope with the increase in traffi c, new infrastructure

would be required by means of doubling lines or building new

railways. Noticeable from the TIP is not only the number of lines

where system failure has already started but the many others that

are expected to fail within the next few years – failures that are

already too late to be prevented, if one considers the time required

for feasibility studies, design and construction.

The only remedy in the short term would be improvements to

optimise the usefulness of such lines, to achieve higher traffi c

volumes. In Zuma’s state-of-the-nation address he actually said

that “signifi cant productivity and effi ciency improvements will

be expected in rail and port operations”. This is a very important

statement for those of us in the railway supply chain and

maintenance environment since we will be playing a very large part

in achieving this objective. As infrastructure maintainers we can

improve optimisation, productivity and effi ciency of a particular line

Figure 1: 08-16 Low-production tamping machine.

6 Railways Africa Issue 3 // 2012 www.railwaysafrica.com

LINE OPTIMISING

Evaluating High Production Mechanised Track Maintenance Machinery in Terms of Line Optimisation Productivity and Effi ciencyA few very important recent announcements and publications are bound to shape the future of the railway.

Therefore, for every window of at least six hours per day required

to carry out maintenance, three slots must be train-free in both

directions as illustrated by the blue diamonds (A, B and C) in

Figure 3. This will allow approximately four hours’ working time per

window per day. From the fi gure it will be seen that the chosen

maintenance window covers an extended distance, basically from

loop 12 to Sishen, but the maximum time available would be in the

middle of the window, diminishing in time in both directions.

As a result of the crossing-train-free slots, default windows (AB, BC

and CD) will appear, though only at night. There is however only

one window per day and one at night and if the tamping machine

described earlier is used, at least three of these windows will be

required - or all three machines will have to work in the one window.

This is possible but has its own set of complications and strategic

disadvantages.

It must be remembered that tamping is not the only maintenance

activity on the line. Other activities that cannot be performed

between trains, for which purpose occupations would also be

required, are rail replacement, ballast offl oading, ballast regulating,

rail de-stressing, overhead track equipment maintenance, etc. In

addition, these may make it diffi cult for maintenance equipment

such as tamping machines to work in the same occupation, even

more so if more than one tamping machine is required to work in

the same window.

That means that at least one more window per day (green diamonds

E, F and G) would be required somewhere else on the line, to

achieve an additional three train slots in both directions per day.

The result is many default windows that appear all over the network

as can be seen from the train grid in Figure 4, more than would be

required for effective maintenance. The effect on train operations

would be severe - to the extent that the targeted traffi c throughput

would be virtually impossible to realise.

Further, the reducing of maintenance would only bring relief for a

short while. Eventually, an accumulated shortfall in maintenance

would have a knock-on effect, reducing the availability and life

of the track to the point where the line would have to be closed

completely, so that extensive rehabilitation work could be carried

out in order to guarantee the safety of traffi c.

This explains why an increase in traffi c will ultimately exceed the

line’s traffi c limit if the infrastructure remains the same; and/or

maintenance methods, machinery and strategies are not adapted

to accommodate the increase.

hours per day - for which an occupation of approximately six hours

would be required during a 20-workingday-month - an average

of 91,200 sleepers per month will be tamped1. One machine will

therefore take 14.5 months to tamp the entire line2. At a required

fi ve- month tamping cycle, three of these machines will be required

with three occupations along the line.

In the case of an 861km line, three machines along its length may

not sound like a problem. However, the train-free slots they require

have a major effect on train operations. This can best be explained

using a typical train grid for the Sishen to Saldanha line (Figure 1).

At the top is the time of day and day of the week and down the side

are the 20 loops on the line where opposing trains are crossed.

The blue lines on the grid represent full trains leaving Sishen for the

harbour in Saldanha. At current traffi c volumes, trains may leave

at intervals of nearly four hours, giving some degree of fl exibility.

However, in a scenario where traffi c is expected to increase

substantially, the intervals may reduce to around two-and-a-half

hours (rounded off to two hours for the sake of simplicity in this

explanation) and arriving in Saldanha approximately seventeen

hours later. The red lines represent the empty trains returning from

Saldanha - also at just over two-hour intervals - but they take twenty

hours to reach Sishen because of the need to enter and wait in

loops so that full consists may cross without stopping.

In practice it is not realistically possible to have so many train slots,

due to ineffi ciencies, unavoidable and unplanned occurrences

(such as the occasional breakdown), and of course maintenance.

As is clear from the grid, there would be very little time available

for maintenance between trains due to the long distances between

loops (the only places where machines can be moved out of the

way) and regulations that permit only one train at a time in any one

section – and maintenance machines are classifi ed as trains.

Figure 2: Typical train grid - iron ore line.

Figure 3: Train grid with train slots occupied for maintenance.

Figure 4: Train grid with two maintenance windows and resultant

default windows.


LINE OPTIMISING

The problem of many maintenance windows can be alleviated

with the use of high-production machines.

To increase the required maintenance cycle to match the increased

traffi c without uneconomically and impractically increasing the

number of maintenance windows and machines working on the

line, the performance, production and durability produced by

mechanised maintenance machines must increase too.

Mechanised machinery is available today for nearly every track

maintenance activity including ballast-cleaning, ballast regulating

and dynamic stabilising machines, rail-carrying trains, turnout

placement, formation rehabilitation and rail-welding machines,

material-conveying wagons, overhead electrifi cation maintenance

machines and many more. Over the years the technology employed

on all this machinery has improved vastly, increasing productivity

and durability, and so keeping up with the demands of ever

increasing traffi c volumes, high speeds and high axle loading.

Lifting, levelling, lining and tamping of the track is the most

frequent of mechanised maintenance activities and it is therefore

not surprising that the advances made in this technology have

been substantial. In 1953, Plasser & Theurer developed the VKR01

tamping machine (Figure 5) which revolutionised mechanised

tamping. It was capable of tamping approximately four to eight

sleepers per minute.

Following a succession of technological advances, Plasser &

Theurer introduced the world’s fi rst continuous action tamping

machine in 1983. This separated the continuous moving mainframe

from a satellite to which the tamping units were mounted, thereby

permitting much higher production rates than was possible

before. In 1996 Plasser & Theurer raised the bar, being the fi rst

to introduce a three-sleeper continuous action tamping machine,

the 09-3X (Figure 6) of which there are two in South Africa, these

achieve a maximum of 60 sleepers per minute. In 2005, the 09-4X

continuous-action four-sleeper tamping machine was introduced.

This is still the fastest machine of its sort in the world, producing in

excess of 70 sleepers per minute.

Table 1 explains why the use of higher production machines will

alleviate the need for many maintenance windows by comparing

three typical machines of three typical production capabilities. The

table continues with the example that was used above in terms of

traffi c and maintenance requirements on the Sishen to Saldanha

iron ore line. Thus, if the tamping cycle is fi ve months, the line must

be tamped 2.4 times per annum which means that the 1,325,000

sleepers must be tamped 2.4 times which is a total of 3,180,000

sleepers that must be tamped per annum (the required production

per annum).

As can be seen from the comparison, and as would be expected,

if higher production machines are used, it will be possible to

complete the annual maintenance cycle with far fewer occupations

since these will be able to tamp so much more in a four-hour

working period. This means that only one machine will be required

as opposed to three lower production machines, if the number

of available working days is considered, and therefore also one

maintenance window per day as opposed to three maintenance

windows. Referring back to Figure 3 and Figure 4 above, the

impact on train operations would be severe if more than one

maintenance window per day were created, reducing the traffi c

limit of the line beyond its traffi c targets.

Undoubtedly, the problem of many maintenance windows can

therefore be alleviated through the use of high-production machines.

On high-capacity lines, high production track maintenance

machines save money in terms of direct and indirect maintenance

costs.

The direct costs of mechanised track maintenance include:

• The contract costs of the machine.

• The cost of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) personnel for every

occupation consisting of:

• A permanent way Inspector

• Trackmaster

• Flagmen

• Overhead track equipment linesmen

• A signalling technician

Figure 5: Plasser & Theurer VKR01, 1953.

Figure 6: 09-3X continuous-action, three-sleeper tamping machine, 1996.

Machine A Machine B Machine C

Production

(Sleepers/Minute)20 40 60

Production in 4 Hours/Day3

(Sleepers)4,800 slp 9,600 slp 14, 400 slp

Production in 230 Days/Year4

(Sleepers)1,104,000 slp 2,208,000 slp 3,312,000 slp

No. of Occupations Required5 663 331 221

No. of Machines Required 2.9 1.5 1

Table 1.


LINE OPTIMISING

• Labour, vehicles and tools for each occupation

• A diesel locomotive, a train driver, his assistant and a shunter:

The combined cost of this can be conservatively estimated at

R30,000 per day. For some types of maintenance activities,

more than one locomotive and other rolling stock may also be

required.

There are also indirect costs that should be considered such as

opportunity costs, ie the loss of revenue due to the occupation for

every train not running. Especially in the future, with higher traffi c

volumes envisaged, lost train slots will never be recovered, due to

the congestion on busy lines. A quick internet search reveals that

the commodity value on the international market of each ore train

can be as high as R40 million (based on fi gures used in http://

www.indexmundi.com/commodities). Conservatively estimating

that the income for the railway is 10% of the commodity value, each

train slot that is used for maintenance therefore has the opportunity

cost of R4 million!

If three train slots are required for every occupation, the loss of

income to the mines and the South African economy would be

approximately R120 million per occupation, and the loss of income

to the railway R12 million. If three maintenance windows are

required for lower production maintenance machines, all of these

fi gures must be multiplied by three - and the cost of maintenance

soars.

Continuing with the above example, Table 2 compares the use of

lower production to high-production machines in monetary terms.

The annual contract price of a low-production tamping machine

with a production rate of around 20 sleepers per minute would be

approximately R11,5 million per annum, whereas a high-production

machine with a rate of around 60 sleepers per minute will cost

approximately R18,5 million.

The higher production machine may be R7 million more expensive

than the lower production model, but if one considers that three

lower production machines would be required to produce the same

result as one high-production unit, it is clear that – in contract

price terms - the high-production model would cost half as much as

the lower production machine.

However, this is insignifi cant compared to the opportunity cost of

maintenance. If one considers that three train slots are required

per day at R4 million potential income per train, one can see that

despite Machine C being R7 million more expensive per year on

the contract cost than Machine A, the high-production machine

would bring about over R5 billion more in income and that even

excludes other direct costs such as TFR personnel costs per

occupation. Even were the number of practical train slots to be

halved, the fi gures would remain signifi cant.

It is therefore clear that on high-capacity lines, high-production

track maintenance machines save money in terms of direct and

indirect maintenance costs.

One recognises that not all lines have a traffi c density where

production might make such a large difference in terms of

opportunity costs and that the doubling of lines might alleviate

the situation to some extent. But even if the fi gure of R4 million

in income per train has been overestimated, the saving brought

about by employing higher production machines will still be

signifi cant if other direct expenses such as TFR staff, equipment

and locomotives are taken into account.

Machine A Machine B Machine C

No. of Machines Required 2.9 1.5 1

Contract Price/Annum R11,5 million R14 million R18,5 million

Machine Contract Costs7 R33,3 million R21 million R18,5 million

No. of Occupations Required 663 331 221

Opportunity Cost

of Maintenance8 R8 billion R4 billion R2,7 billion

Table 2.

FOOTNOTES:1 19 slp/m x 60 min x 4 hrs/day x 20 days = 91,200 sleepers tamped

per month.2 1.325,000 sleepers ÷ 91,200 slp/mth = 14.5 months.3 Production in 4 hours/day per machine = Sleepers/min x 60 x 4 hrs/day.4 Production in 230 days/year = Sleepers/min x 60 x 4 hrs/day x 230 days.5 No of days/occupations req = required production/annum ÷ production

in 4 hours/day.6 No of machines required = no of occupations required ÷ 230 working days7 Total machine contract costs = no of machines required x contract

price/annum.8 Opportunity cost of maintenance = no of occupations required x 3 train

slots x R4mil/train.

FOLLOW US ON@RailwaysAfrica


LINE OPTIMISING

bed and 100% fouling would be approximately 70mm from the

bottom of the sleeper.

For example, the ballast bed in Figure 1 is approximately 20%

fouled and the ballast bed in Figure 2 is approximately 120%

fouled. The ballast bed in Figure 2 will clearly have no resilience

and no drainage ability. It is noteworthy that the ballast looks clean

in the upper levels and in the cribs of Figure 2. If the area below the

sleeper, the load-bearing area, is not inspected, the illusion can be

given that the ballast is clean.

The ballast grading envelope (Figure 3) is a more scientifi c

measurement of ballast fouling. New ballast of which the grading

follows the blue curve would be classifi ed as 0% fouled whereas

the red curve represents ballast which is 100% fouled. Using

this grading envelope in practice is however very diffi cult due to

irregular results that will be obtained in trying to take a

representative sample. Should some of the larger stones in Figure

3 roll down when the sample is taken, a skewed ballast fouling

fi gure will be obtained.

2. REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICSThe ability of the ballast to perform its function (as detailed in

the previous article) is controlled by the stone characteristics.

Good ballast material is considered to consist of stones which are

angular, broadly graded, abrasion and wear-resistant.

The ballast bed should also be free of fi ne material, that is, the

ballast should not be fouled. Ballast fouling is caused by:

• Internal degradation of the ballast bed caused by ballast

fracture and abrasion due to –

– traffi c induced loading, especially dynamic loading caused

by fl at rolling stock wheels with fl at spots and rail surface

defects such as skid marks;

– tamping; and

– chemical weathering.

• External infi ltration of alien fi nes –

– from the surface (wind-blown or washed in during heavy

rain); and

– dropped from trains.

• Infi ltration from underlying granular layers –

– Sub-ballast particle migration from inadequate gradation;

and

– Sub-grade infi ltration.

This fi ner material will start to fi ll the void spaces between the

ballast stones from the bottom of the ballast bed (on top of the

formation) and gradually build up to the bottom of the sleeper. The

height to which the ballast bed is fi lled with fi ne material is a direct

measurement of ballast fouling. As a rule of thumb and the easiest

and very effective method of measuring ballast fouling would be

to create a template as seen in Figure 1. The template can be

marked where 0% fouling would be at the bottom of the ballast

Figure 3 : Ballast grading envelope (general freight lines).

Figure 1: 20% fouling.

Figure 2: 120% fouling.


1. INTRODUCTION

In the previous article the focus was on the ballast bed cross-sectional profi le and the importance and methods of maintaining this. The focus now shifts to the ballast stones themselves in terms of their size, grading and the importance and methods of maintaining the ballast grading.

BALLAST CLEANINGPLASSER SOUTH AFRICA

is mud pumping, also called a mudhole. These mudholes usually

extend 300 to 400mm under the ballast and cover a distance of

maximum 120 metres. If the mud pumping is visible for more than

120 metres, this can be regarded as continuous formation failure

rather than a mudhole.

The pumping mud usually consists of a clayey soil. It is due to the

presence of the clayey soil that maintenance becomes ineffective

on mudholes and total rehabilitation becomes necessary.

In Figure 4 the mud pumping has reached an advanced stage.

Total rehabilitation of the formation now becomes necessary.

Rehabilitation is a very extensive and expensive process. It is

also a great contributor to speed restrictions on the South African

rail network.

3.3 Fouled ballast inhibits the resiliency of the trackFine material in the void spaces reduces the elasticity of the ballast.

In addition, if the fi ne material becomes wet and is allowed to dry

again, the ballast bed can be cemented into a rock-hard layer.

The resultant lack of resiliency will cause refl ected shock waves

which are likely to cause rail corrugations and traffi c noise. These

shock waves will also cause damage to sleepers, fastenings and

rolling stock.

In Figure 5, the effect of centre binding due to the cementing of

the ballast can be clearly seen. The weight of traffi c will force the

sleeper to bend over a hard centre. The concrete will crack in the

middle due to the stress and expose the reinforcing which will

corrode and weaken the steel as well as cause further cracking of

the sleeper. These sleepers will not be able to hold the gauge for

very long and could cause a derailment.

3.4 Fouled ballast reduces resistance against vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces

If the fi ne material in the ballast becomes saturated, it will have a

decreased resistance to shear deformation due to the clayey or silty

particles and water present at the ballast contact points. The fi ne

material will act as a lubricating agent which leads to a decrease in

track support and geometry.

3.5 Poor durability after maintenance inputsThe lack of void spaces due to ballast fouling will restrict the

effective rearrangement of the ballast stones during tamping. The

track will revert to its original geometry in a very short time. This

To ensure that the ballast bed performs in accordance with

requirements, it must be cleaned (screened to remove the fi ne

material) before it loses its functionality. This point is called the

critical fouling point. The critical fouling point (as described by

Esveld) is at the point which the fi nes in the ballast are likely to

cause an unacceptable loss of geometry retention, an inability to

tamp effectively, or, due to water retention by the fi nes, damage to

the ballast and formation.

Very often, fouled ballast goes hand-in-hand with other deviations

from the required design criteria of ballast, such as too little ballast

depth, rounded and smooth stones etc. The result is that damage

will be caused and geometry retention lost long before the ballast

has reached 100% fouling.

The critical fouling point is therefore a unique value for each of the

different track standards:

S1 ==> 70 - 75% (S1 lines are the coal line and the iron ore line)

N1 ==> 75 - 80% (N1 lines are main lines on 57kg rails)

N2 ==> 80 - 85% (N2 lines are lines on 48kg rails)

When ballast fouling has reached these measures for a specifi c

track standard, ballast screening must be a high priority to

guarantee the integrity of the ballast bed and the whole track

structure.

3. THE EFFECTS OF FOULED BALLAST

3.1 Fouled ballast prevents effective drainage and the movement of particles through the ballast

As the void spaces between the ballast stones start to fi ll with fi ne

material, the drainage capacity of the ballast bed decreases. The

fi ne material will retain the moisture which will lead to a wet ballast

bed and ultimately a wet formation.

Research by Professor Selig showed that clean ballast to full depth

can drain rain water at a rate of 150mm per hour, whereas if the

entire ballast bed is uniformly fouled, it would only be able to drain

1.5mm per hour. After a hard spell of rain the ballast bed will

therefore remain wet for a very long time.

3.2 Fouled ballast leads to the formation of mud spotsIf the ballast bed remains wet due to the absorbed moisture by the

fi ne material in the void spaces, the formation will also become

saturated. This will cause failure of the formation. When the

formation fails, slurry from the sub grade, together with the fi ne

material inside the ballast, will start pumping through the ballast

and will be visible on the surface of the ballast bed. The result

Figure 4: Typical example of a mudhole.

Figure 5: Broken sleepers due to centre binding.


PLASSER SOUTH AFRICA

would require the tamping machine or gang to return to the same

spot repeatedly, thus negatively affecting train operations.

Even if the ballast can be suffi ciently rearranged to remove the

track memory, the fi ne material clinging to the ballast surfaces will

still act as a lubricant, thereby reducing the friction between the

stones, resulting in poor durability of tamping input.

Where gangs are used to tamp by hand, using pick-axes and

hand-held vibratory tampers, the repeated tamping will damage

the sleepers as can be seen in Figure 6. These sleepers will have

to be replaced since they will have very little resistance against

displacement. Replacing these sleepers would require a full

occupation, once again negatively affecting train operations.

3.6 Saturated fouled ballast dramatically reduces the production rate of the ballast cleaning machine

Experience with the RM74 ballast cleaning machine has shown

that at low moisture contents (below 18%), the ballast cleaner

achieves high production rates in excess of 350m3/hour. This

relates to approximately 200 to 300 metres per hour or 800 to

1,200 metres per day screened.

However, when the moisture content increases, the production

rate dramatically decreases to as little as 50m3/hour. This relates

to only 36 metres per hour. See Figure 7.

Not only does it become expensive to clean ballast at such low

production rates, but the effectiveness of the process also

decreases dramatically. This would mean that the ballast cleaning

cycle will reduce, resulting in another occupation for the ballast

cleaner to return only a few years later.

3.7 Line speed restrictionsFouled ballast with the results that have been discussed above will

cause line speed restrictions resulting in:

• Late deliveries or arrival of goods or passengers which

damages the image of the railway. Customers lost to the roads

are diffi cult to recover. This is an indirect cost which is very

diffi cult to measure.

• Lower rates – Customers use slow deliveries as a bargaining

tool for lower freight rates, further reducing the income of the

railways.

• Opportunity cost of volumes – Slower moving volumes have

an opportunity cost of higher volumes on busy lines.

4. SCREENING OF BALLAST USING BALLAST CLEANING MACHINES

To avoid the negative effects of fouled ballast, the fi ne material

in the ballast bed must be removed. Ballast screening is one of

the track maintenance activities that cannot be effectively done

by hand.

Mechanised ballast cleaning started in South Africa in 1973

when Plasser South Africa introduced the RM62 ballast cleaning

machine. Ballast cleaning machines are able to clean under

the sleepers (where this is most important) while reinstating

the required formation cross-fall at very high production rates

compared to hand screening and at a quality of production which is

impossible to equal with any other method.

In 1979, Plasser South Africa introduced the more advanced

RM74 ballast cleaning machine (Figure 8), which, due to its

reliability and quality of work is still used today. These machines

were kept up to date with technology and innovative modifi cations

and are capable of high production rates of 350m3 per hour or

more. The production rate refers to the volume of ballast material

that can be excavated and screened per hour, in order to remove

fi ne material from the reusable stone.

In 2006 Plasser South Africa introduced the RM900 ballast

cleaning machine (Figure 9) with its high screening production

of 750m3 per hour. This is still the highest production ballast

cleaning machine available on the 1,067mm track gauge.

Figure 7: Ballast cleaner production.

Figure 6: Damaged sleepers due to repeated hand tamping.

Figure 8: The RM74 ballast cleaning machine.



Specialists in refurbishment, repair and upgrade of wagons and major supplier of new wagons to the heavy haul

coal and iron-ore fleets with tare ratios as high as 5:1, as well as wagons for cement, car carriers, intermodal

and fuel tankers.

WAGON BUSINESS

Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304 Fax: +27 (0)12 391 1371 Email: [email protected]

GM

515

_T

RE

Pre

ssli

nk

When the occupation starts, an endless excavating chain, consisting

of scraper plates with fi ngers, is connected inside the cutter bar.

The chain breaks up the encrusted ballast down to formation level

and transports it to the vibrating screens via the up-chute for

separation.

A lifting unit lifts the track to ensure there is adequate space for the

height of the chain, so as not to cut into the formation.

The vibrating screen box (the RM900 has two screen boxes) is fi tted

with screens of different mesh sizes. The screens will separate the

fi ne material from the reusable ballast stones. The fi ne material

will be spoilt either to the side of the track or into MFS material

conveyor wagons in front of the ballast cleaner, for removal to

suitable spoil sites.

Both machines work on the same principles, with a few differences

that bring about their difference in production capabilities.

Before the occupation starts and before the ballast cleaning

machine arrives on site. The cutter bar is inserted under the track.

The cutter bar width can be changed for ballast cleaning under

turnouts or for restricted width of tunnels, platforms etc. The cutter

bar is a casting which guides the excavating chain underneath

the track, electronically controls the cutting depth and provides

a smooth longitudinal formation surface at the required cross-fall.

This is an important feature that prevents water from ponding on

an uneven formation and the rails from copying the uneven

formation during settlement.

Figure 10: A level formation visible behind the cutter bar.

Figure 11: Ballast cleaning package.

Figure 9: The RM900 ballast cleaning machine.



• Stabilising machines – The track behind ballast cleaning is

not consolidated and will show reduced resistance to lateral

displacement. Stabilising machines are used to consolidate

the ballast which allows the track to be opened at normal

section speeds directly behind the ballast cleaning operation.

6. CONCLUSIONThe ballast is a very important component of the track structure

with various functions that are critical to sustain safe passage of

traffi c.

It is most important that the ballast be maintained in an

acceptable condition before deterioration starts to damage

other track components. This means that the ballast must be

inspected for fouling and ballast cleaning undertaken timeously.

Neglecting this will cause damage to the track which will result in

unnecessary maintenance occupations and high maintenance cost.

The reusable ballast will be returned to the track and spread evenly

by the distributor conveyor and a plough.

Due to excessive dust generated by the process in dry areas, dust

suppression systems may be used which consist of a water spray

system located at the cutter bar.

5. THE BALLAST CLEANING PACKAGEThe ballast cleaning machine does not work on its own. It needs a

number of other machines to support it and collectively they are

referred to as the ballast cleaning package. These machines are:

• MFS material conveying wagons – These wagons are used

where spoiling of the fi ne material next to the track is not

allowed or possible.

• Ballast wagons – Due to the removal of the fi ne material,

which to a large extent consists of crushed ballast, the ballast

bed must be replenished with additional stone to ensure the

required ballast depth and volume.

• Ballast regulating machines – The returned ballast behind the

ballast cleaning machine and the new ballast offl oaded by

ballast wagons must be profi led to the required ballast bed

cross-sectional profi le. For this purpose, ballast regulating

machines are used.

• Tamping machines – These machines lift, align and tamp the

track to the required geometry.

In the next article in this series on track maintenance we will look at methods of removing the fi ne material

that was spoiled by the ballast cleaning machine from the ballast cleaning site. In the past the fi ne material

was spoiled right next to the track but this had various disadvantages. Today material conveying systems are

used to remove the contaminated spoil material to environmentally approved spoil sites.

REFERENCES:

1. SELIG Professor Ernie & WATERS John. Track geotechnology and

substructure management.

2. PRETORIUS F J: The state of the art of ballast fouling and screening

maintenance systems –

Section A - Technical report on the concept of ballast fouling, Jan

1993.

Section B - Manual on practical evaluation techniques for measuring

and classifying in-track ballast layer conditions, Feb 1993.

Section C - Screening maintenance systems, May 1993.



from a point east of Luacano in Moxico province to connect with

Zambia’s Lumwana line, currently under construction. This will

provide a direct connection with the Zambian rail system, bypassing

the present route through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Caminhos de ferro de Moçamedes is to be linked with the Namibian

rail system at Oshikango by way of an extension to be built from

Cuvango south of Cassinga, on the existing branch from Dongo

junction, 500km east of the port of Namibe.

Caminhos de ferro de Luanda (CFL) is to have a northern branch

serving the provinces of Bengo, Uíge and Zaire, extending to a link

with the Congo-Ocean Railway and Cabinda (which would require

a lengthy bridge across the Congo River). No detailed intentions

concerning this line have been revealed.

CAMEROONMINE LINES IN CAMEROONAfferro Mining has been talking to the Cameroon government over

its possible participation in the fi nancing of the special purpose

vehicle being set up to develop the railway being built to serve

Sundance Resources’ Mbalam iron ore project. According to

Afferro, the Cameroon authorities have said third party access to

the line will be allowed. Afferro, which is negotiating with potential

strategic partners in the development of its fl agship Nkout project,

is to revise the preliminary economic assessment to take account

of the “potential infrastructure enhancement”. Affero CEO Luis da

Silva is quoted saying: “This represents a signifi cant step in the

development of the rapidly emerging iron ore district that covers

the south of Cameroon and the north of the Republic of Congo.”

ANGOLAPRIVATE INVOLVEMENT IN ANGOLA’S RLYSThe Angolan government intends to merge the country’s railway

companies - Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB), Caminhos de

ferro de Moçamedes (CFM) and Caminhos de ferro de Luanda

(CFL – into one authority and to concession their operation to

private initiative.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the Luanda

government, “plans to sell off commercial and operational aspects

of the railways to private companies, whilst keeping a controlling

stake“ in a new company called Caminhos de Ferro de Angola.

The state is to retain ownership of the infrastructure; operating

companies will manage the actual services.

CFB LUENA STATION READY BY JUNEThe new Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB) station at Luena in

Moxico province, 990km from Lobito, was expected to be fi nished

by June. When Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos visited

the town in April, minister of transport Augusto da Silva Tomás said

the line would be complete as far as Luau, 334km from Luena, by

December. He expected the fi rst train to arrive in Luena by August.

INTERNATIONAL LINKS FOR ANGOLAN RAILWAYSThe Angolan government has approved a plan entitled Development

of the Integrated Railroad System, which envisages the construction

of new international links from each of the country’s three main

railways.

Caminhos de ferro de Benguela (CFB) is to have a new branch

AFRICAN RAIL SUMMITThe inaugural African Railways Summit is to take place in Johannesburg on 18 and 19 September. According to the organisers,

it “will concentrate on rail strategies for the African continent. Case studies, panel discussions and networking opportunities

with experts and industry leaders will give delegates a platform to interact, learn and collect business intelligence and strategic

insight… The African Rail Summit has engaging sessions designed to provide a holistic purview on the rail developments in

the region”.

CFB’s impressive new station at Huambo. Photo: Anton van Schalkwyk.

The metre-gauge national railways of Cameroon are entirely separate

from the mining lines currently under construction. Pierre-Noël Rietsch

photographed CC 2213, a Bombardier-built MLW MX 620, at Yaounde some

years ago.


AFRICA UPDATEAFRICA UPDATE

AFRICA UPDATE

increases dramatically, which in turn depends on a sustained

period of economic recovery and growth in Zimbabwe.”

WAGES UP 6% IN MOZAMBIQUESpeaking on behalf of the government of Mozambique, deputy

fi sheries minister Gabriel Muthisse says all state employees

(including those on the railways) are to receive a 6% fl at-rate wage

increase in 2012. This will apply across the board to all categories.

State pensions will also increase by 6%.

BEACON HILL PROSPECTIVE USER OF SENA LINEBeacon Hill Resources started mining coking coal at Moatize in

Mozambique during the last week of March 2012, and expects to

despatch its fi rst shipments by mid-year. The cargo will have to go

by road to Beira but Beacon Hill is confi dent it will be allocated a slot

on the Sena railway when upgrading work is fi nally complete. The

company previously started production of thermal coal at Moatize,

but coking coal is of higher quality and commands a better price.

MOZAMBIQUE WILL NEED 3,000 COAL WAGONSPeter Cona, General Manager Wagon Business at Transnet Rail

Engineering (TRE), told FTW that the Mozambican coal lines are

going to need some 3.000 wagons. He was speaking at a media

conference to mark the loading of the last of a 200-wagon order

for use on the Moatize-Beira line. Designed and made in TRE’s

Uitenhage works, the wagons were delivered in eight months from

order through design, prototyping and testing, according to Cona.

TFR has set itself a production target of 50 wagons a month. TRE

has also delivered wagons to Botswana, Tanzania and Ghana, with

further orders on hand.

NAMIBIATRANSMANIB PARTS WAYS WITH CEO AND COOAccording to a press release from TransNamib Holdings, the

group “parted ways” with its two most senior employees - Chief

Executive Offi cer Titus Haimbili, and Chief Operations Offi cer

Charles Funda. “The Chairman, on behalf of the board explained

that the action taken was in the best interest of the company.”

General Manager Finance Noel Mouton was appointed acting CEO.

Haimbili and Funda applied subsequently to the Labour Court

in Windhoek, asking that their former employer be forced to

reinstate them. According to their advocate, they were dismissed

without fair hearing. Haimbili claims that under his management

TransNamib’s fi nances improved dramatically but the company

says its fi nances deteriorated sharply during the year ending

GHANAGHANA CROSSING SYSTEMSThe WEGH group is to supply complete systems for level crossing

protection on the recently rehabilitated line between Accra and

Tema in Ghana, including components such as barrier arms,

trackside and road signals and control boards. The contract with

WEGH was signed on 23 December 2011.

KENYA KENYA PENSION ASSETS QUERIEDThe board of trustees at the Kenya Railways Staff Retirement

Benefi ts Scheme insists that property sold was transparently

managed and represented value for money. The trustees

caretake assets valued at more than Sh20 billion. According to

the Retirements Benefi ts Authority (RBA), quoted by The Nation,

disposal of estates by the scheme to pay retirees is “shrouded in

controversy” and “threatens to halt their monthly payments that

amount to about Sh56 million. Scheme Chair Ms Beryl Odinga

says due process was followed throughout.

She claims that RBA inspectors did not give trustees adequate time

to prepare for the inspection or produce documents in response to

issues raised, and complains that the inspectors took only two days

drawing up their report. All the necessary documentation is now

available, she says.

KENYA RAILWAYS DENIES MAKONGENI ESTATE PLANSMedia reports suggesting residents are to be evicted from the

Makongeni estate in Nairobi have been strongly refuted by Kenya

Railways staff retirement benefi ts scheme (Krsrbs) Chief Executive

Offi cer Nicholas Kikuvi. The scheme owns the property in question.

Kikuvi denied rumours that architects had been appointed to

redevelop plot number 209/6823 in the Makongeni estate, prior

to demolishing buildings and redeveloping. “We read mischief,

propaganda and intentional malice in the media reports since no

contact was made to our media liaisons or offi ces to clarify the

matter,” Kikuvi told the press. He conceded that his predecessor

CEO had asked for a Makongeni redevelopment feasibility study in

2010, but pointed out this in no way constituted any fi rm intentions,

nor was any contract discussed.

MOZAMBIQUESENA CAPACITY TO QUADRUPLEAccording to Mozambique Deputy Fisheries Minister Gabriel

Muthisse, the government intends to lift capacity signifi cantly on

the Sena line from Moatize to Beira. At present the route cannot

carry much beyond 3 million tonnes of coal per annum. Once

current work between Beira and Dondo is fi nished in July or August

2012, it is expected that capacity of six million tonnes a year will

be achieved.

Muthisse is quoted saying this fi gure is to rise to 12mta by the end

of 2012. This seems optimistic, to say the least.

BEIRA-ZIMBABWE LINESpeaking on behalf of the government of Mozambique, deputy

fi sheries minister Gabriel Muthisse says rehabilitation of the railway

from Beira to Machipanda, on the border with Zimbabwe, is well

advanced. The aim is to double the present capacity of three million

tonnes per annum to six. He added that the transport ministry is

looking into the possibility of raising the capacity of the Machipanda

line to 25 million tonnes a year in the longer term. “This however

will only make economic sense if Zimbabwean use of the line

Caminhos de ferro do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway & ports):

Diesel-multiple-unit photographed at Maputo by Roderick Smith in

August 2011.

AFRICA UPDATE


March 2011. By the end of that month, TransNamib’s accumulated

losses amounted to almost N$578 million, the court was told.

STUDIES NEEDED IN NAMIBIAA proposal in parliament for new rail lines linking Windhoek to

Rehoboth and Okahandja, in order to reduce the death rate on the

roads, could not be followed up without a comprehensive feasibility

study to determine fi nancial and economic viability, says the

Namibian ministry of works and transport, which points out there

are existing lines along these routes.

NIGERIAONITSHA METROPOLITAN MONORAIL, NIGERIAAt a ceremony at Government House in Awka, Anambra State

Governor Peter Obi recently signed an agreement with Globim

Corporation chairman Dr Jude Igwemezie for the construction of

the Onitsha metropolitan monorail in Nigeria. The project is to be

a public-private partnership (PPP). The planned monorail is to run

from Onitsha to Nkpor and Obosi.

Governor Obi was quoted saying that the monorail would solve the

problem of road traffi c congestion and enhance the movement of

people in the area. Commissioner for special duties and transport

Robort Okonkwo said the feasible study (carried out by Globim)

confi rmed that the project was feasible and viable.

MORE ROLLING STOCK FOR NIGERIAAccording to Nigerian Railways Corporation Managing Director

Adeseyi Sijuwade, the recently acquired tank wagons are only

part of the rolling stock that is needed. It is intending to order

more passenger coaches and container wagons, at the same time

rehabilitating existing coaches and wagons.

Sijuwade speaks of substantial demand for freight rail service from

potential customers, such as the Nigeria Flour Mills, Dangote Group

and Lafarge Wapco.

Lafarge Wapco is already moving products from Lagos to Ilorin

and plans to establish a large depot in Minna, to be the hub of its

distribution network in the north.

“It’s not just tank wagons,” Sijuwade says. “We are talking about

procurement of more passenger coaches, more container wagons,

and the rehabilitation of more coaches and wagons. There is quite

a lot that is required to enhance the level of service.”

Stressing the importance of the railway amendment bill currently

before the National Assembly, Sijuwade says government

partnership with the private sector is indispensable for the new

NRC to develop.

NIGERIA TO TRANSFER TWO LINES TO LAGOS STATEThe federal government of Nigeria is considering the transfer of

two of its fi ve rail tracks in Lagos State to the state government,

for use in the current light rail project. President Goodluck Jonathan

announced this at the sixth Lagos Economic Summit. Keynote

speaker Ms Razia Khan (vice-president, Africa Region, Standard

Chartered Bank, London) said Africa’s transformation was largely

dependent on Lagos State, due to the growth recorded in the past

few years. She was quoted saying: “If Nigeria sustains its growth

rate, it is going to overtake South Africa as sub-Saharan Africa’s

largest economy by 2018. It is clear that Nigeria is on course to

emerge as Africa’s largest economy.”

[Nothing like a spot of optimism to keep the fl ag fl ying. Check this

page in 2018 to see how things work out. – Editor Railways Africa.]

NIGERIAN TRAIN WELL FILLEDTwo additional coaches had to be added to a train on the newly

rehabilitated line from Lagos to Ilorin on 6 April as the seven

originally provided could not accommodate all the thousand

travellers that turned up. This surprised the management, as fares

were charged (by contrast, the inaugural train on 5 April had been

free). The fares asked for train travel are considerably lower than

those applying on buses.

PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN NIGERIAN RAILThe Nigerian government is considering repealing the Nigeria

Railway Act of 1955. Transport minister Senator Idris Umar explains

that this would make it possible for individual states and the private

sector to participate in rail-related business. It would mean that

private sector investors would be able to build and operate railways

in Nigeria. This is prohibited in terms of the existing Act. “Nigeria

used to take pride in its railways network”, says the Nigerian

Tribune, commenting on the proposal. “Comatose for the last three

decades [It was] the largest on the continent at independence. “

[Oh come on. The Nigerian railways measured a fraction over

3,500km at independence. The South African rail network exceeded

20,000km. – Editor Railways Africa.]

TANZANIATAZARA TOP BRASS SUSPENDEDAccording to the Tanzania Daily News (published in Dar es Salaam),

fi ve departmental heads in the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority

(Tazara) have been suspended. They are the chief mechanical

engineer, the managers of marketing, traffi c, fi nance and

information/communication. They stand accused of “occasioning

loss to Tazara and administrative irregularities that perpetuate

protracted animosity between the management and workers”. The

decision was taken after minister for transport Omar Nundu visited

Tazara headquarters where he convened an emergency meeting

with the administration and later addressed workers on measures

taken by the government to address their problems.

Chairman of the Tazara board Omary Chambo was quoted saying

that Managing Director Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika and his

deputy Damas Ndumbaro remain “untouched” until further notice,

pending consultation with relevant authorities. The suspension of

two more offi cials has been ordered – the commercial head and

the senior freight offi cer.

TransNamib GE U20C (previously South African class 33). Note characteristic

SA-design points indicator. Photo: John Batwell.


AFRICA UPDATE

According to Chambo, all offi cials implicated in allegations of

misuse of funds are to be disciplined.

TUNISIANEW ELECTRIFIED SERVICE IN TUNISIAElectric trains have started running from the southern suburbs of

Borj Sedria and Riadh into the Tunisian capital Tunis. The new sets,

which will work 158 trips daily, replace 30-year-old diesel rolling

stock. They can attain 120km/h and the new schedules reduce

commuting times by 26%. Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer

Tunisiens (SNCFT - the Tunisian National Railways) initiated the

project as a step towards reducing the fuel dependence of Tunisia’s

trains and at the same time help preserve the environment. It is

estimated that maintenance costs will be cut by 75% and outlay on

energy by 45%.

ZAMBIAZAMBIA ALLOCATES FUNDS TO TAZARAChinese consultants are studying the operational problems at the

Tanzania-Zambia Authority (Tazara) which reportedly include low

staff morale, reluctance among some staff to work with colleagues

on the other side of the border, and a shortage of serviceable

wagons.

According to Zambian communications and Transport Minister

Yamfwa Mukanga, the government has allocated $US8 million from

this year’s budget to help Tazara, as it is anxious to have the line

fully operational.

ZIMBABWENRZ STATSAccording to the Zimbabwe Financial Gazette, wagons of the

National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) “have long gone beyond their

economic lifespan of 40 years. Only 13 of the 168 locomotives are

within the lifespan, with six years remaining. The state fi rm owns

a fl eet of 309 coaches but only 130 were said to be in service

but are in a deplorable and unsafe state. The railway fi rm owns

8,682 wagons of which only 3,427 are operational, transporting

over six million tonnes of goods per year. The tonnage moved by

NRZ in 1992 was 12 million.” The country’s parliamentary portfolio

committee on transport and infrastructural development “has

noted that NRZ management has no clear strategy on how it is

going to turnaround the parastatal in the event that government

decides to inject fresh capital. MPs fear that if funds are availed

without ‘visionary’ management, the resources may go to waste.”

Tunisian passenger train at Bir Bou Regba. Photo: Rikard Ågren.

Station scene on the Tazara line. Photo: Paul Ash.


AFRICA UPDATE

To rebuild rail infrastructure to meet the

needs of the South African agricultural

sector, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has

created a new business unit with this

special focus.

In the early nineties, the railway was

moving nine million tons of produce

annually. In twenty years this fi gure has

dropped to a dismal two million. Addressing

an agribusiness indaba in Johannesburg,

Transnet CEO Brian Molefe said studies

show “ huge potential” to increase this

traffi c over the next twenty years.

Molefe conceded that old rolling stock,

underinvestment and lack of maintenance

had made the railway unreliable and

unsuited to agricultural requirements. In

assessing what could be done, lines that

have been abandoned are among avenues

being explored in meeting the needs of

agriculture, particularly in the sugar, maize,

wheat and fruit-growing regions.

TFR SERVICE TO AGRICULTURE

Transnet Freight Rail train at Ancona in the

farmlands of the OFS. Photo: Jacque Wepener.

NGCURA MANGANESE TERMINAL GOES AHEADTransnet has confi rmed that plans to relocate its manganese

terminal from the harbour at Port Elizabeth to Ngqura are going

ahead. All manganese export traffi c is to be routed through the

new deep-water port.

NEW BLUE TRAIN COMMERCIALSOn 5 May, two new commercials advertising the Blue Train were

screened for the fi rst time on SABCTV channel 2 between 20:04

and 20:16. Each segment lasts 30 seconds and depicts dramatic

shots both inside and outside the express.


RAIL NEWSSOUTH AFRICAN

SA RAIL NEWS

PRASA ROLLING STOCK TENDER Prospective bidders from Europe and Asia were prominent among

over 60 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who took away

tender documents for the R120bn rolling stock fl eet renewal

programme by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) which

welcomed the response. According to Prasa CEO Lucky Montana,

quoted by Business Day, “That is at least 70% of the manufacturers

that participated in our earlier market engagements, which means

that companies are showing real interest and paying attention to

our programme.”

In evaluating bids, Prasa is applying a 15% weighting to local

content development and 85% to price competitiveness. This has

been criticised by France’s Alstom, which is quoted saying: “It’s

more expensive to build here than to import (the coaches), so it

would be better if they had given a higher weighting to the economic

development component, We think we shouldn’t be penalised

twice because of the local content requirements and then still have

to compete on price.”

PRASA ROLLING STOCK & BEEThe Black Business Council (BBC) says the rolling stock acquisition

programme of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)

estimated to be worth R123 billion, must involve black business

as empowerment partners in preparing tender submissions

and not only at the end of the process. BBC says it has “serious

reservations” about the way Prasa is going about things.

SPECIAL SA PASSENGER TRAINSSpecial passenger trains were scheduled to and from Durban from

10 May in connection with the tourism “indaba”.

The Rovos Rail “Indaba Special” was scheduled from Pretoria at

11:00 on Thursday 10 May, overnighting at Elandslaagte and getting

to Durban at 17:30 on Friday. Lunch and dinner trips operated to

the South Coast on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The train left

Durban on Tuesday 15 May at 09:00, arriving back in Pretoria at

14:00 on Wednesday 16 May.

A special Premier Classe train was timed to leave Johannesburg

on Friday 11 May at 20:12, arriving in Durban on Saturday at

08:30. The set was planned to do a side trip to Umkomaas on

Sunday 13 May, then return from Durban to Gauteng at 17:30,

arriving back in Johannesburg at 06:30 on Monday morning.

A recent photo by Jacque Wepener of the Blue Train south of Klerksdorp,

behind two class 14E dual-voltage locos.

International Trade Fair for Transport TechnologyInnovative Components · Vehicles · Systems

18 – 21 September · Berlin · Germanywww.innotrans.com

InnoTrans 2012

The future of mobility

Messe Berlin GmbH Messedamm 22 · 14055 Berlin · GermanyTel. +49(0)30/3038-2376 · Fax +49(0)30/[email protected]

www.railwaysafrica.com

COAL LINE SHUTDOWNThe annual Witbank to Richards Bay coal line planned shutdown

for concentrated maintenance procedures took place between

17 and 25 May 2012. Emergency personnel remained on standby

and maximum safety precautions were in place throughout the

operation. Activities undertaken included ballast tamping and

screening, rail and sleeper replacement, overhead electrifi cation

refurbishment and many others. Transnet Freight Rail’s Sandile

Simelane told the press: “This shutdown was planned way in

advance with our customer base. We run a heavy-haul service on

this line and huge tonnages are transported on an hourly basis.

Therefore maintenance on the line is paramount.”

HEADACHES FOR RAILTOUR OPERATORS In their April 2012 Newsletter, JB Tours referred to many service

improvements promised by Shosholoza Meyl, to take effect from

1 April 2012 - but none eventuated. Also, JB Tours were only informed

in the fi rst week of May that certain trains were to be cancelled

from 1 June. The running times and days of the Johannesburg to

Cape Town “tourist class” train were affected as well. This service

now runs only twice a week. JB Tours had to re-schedule many of

their 2012 tours and all booked passengers had to be informed

accordingly.

Undaunted, the operator assures customers: “JB Train Tours are still

committed to rail tourism.”

The success of the enterprise is clearly demonstrated in the

bookings. For instance, train-based tours to the rugby tests

between the Springboks and England in Durban and Port Elizabeth

respectively during June 2012 were fully booked.

The annual train tour with runners and supporters from Gauteng to

Durban to attend the Comrades Marathon on 3 June 2012 was also

fully booked.

PRASA PLANS FOR MOTHERWELL In terms of government’s Strategic Integrated Infrastructure

Project 7 (SIP7), the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)

plans to provide commuter train services between Port Elizabeth

and the vast Motherwell residential complex north of Swartkops.

According to CEO Lucky Montana, this would be extended to the

Coega Industrial Development Zone in the second phase of the

project.

[Commuter trains to Motherwell have been promised now for almost

30 years. The project involves building a branch off the main-line to

the north, which is currently only single track across the Swartkops

River and beyond. – Editor.]

N

Uitenhage

Despatch

Redhouse

Coega

Ngqura

Swartkops

Port Elizabeth

Main-line to Johannesburg

5Km2Km

1 : 200 000

0

Motherwell

Swartkops River

Transnet Rail Engineering’s (TRE) workshops at Salt

River, Cape Town are celebrating 150 years of service.

They are believed to be the oldest in the Southern

Hemisphere. On 15 May 2012, public enterprises

minister Malusi Gigaba unveiled a commemorative

plaque. “Salt River’s history,” Gigaba said, “mirrors

that of South Africa, with periods of rapid growth

and expansion slowed by economic depressions and

political developments, which required it to adapt

to new circumstances and fi nd ways to meet new

challenges. And to its credit, it always succeeded -

emerging stronger and better equipped to fulfi l its

obligations. With TRE Salt River currently going

through another rebuilding phase, it is a good time to

take inspiration from those that came before and to

build on their proud legacy.”

The facility’s main purpose currently is to support the

Sishen-Saldanha iron ore heavy-haul export corridor

– operating trains 7km long - and Transnet Freight

Rail’s general freight business division (GFB) in the

Western Cape.

PLAQUE AT SALT RIVER

Celebrating 150 years from left to right: Transnet Rail Engineering’s Chief Executive, Richard

Vallihu; Transnet’s Group Chief Executive, Brian Molefe; The Department of Public Enterprises

Minister, Malusi Gigaba and Chairman of the Transnet Board, Mafi ka Mkwanazi.

Photo: Transnet Rail Engineering.


SA RAIL NEWS

TRANSNET’S “OWN COAL TERMINAL” CONCEPTSpeaking at the Coaltrans conference in Johannesburg, Transnet’s

Diveysh Kalan said the group is pursuing the idea of creating its

own coal terminal. The concept is being explored parallel to

negotiations with Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), Grindrod

- which manages the Navitrade Richards Bay terminal - and the

Matola terminal in Mozambique, regarding export allocations for

black economic empowerment (BEE) companies. Among possible

sites identifi ed, Kalan said, was the old venue for the South Dunes

Coal Terminal. Known in the coal industry as the “ANC Terminal”,

the envisaged new facility might be located adjacent to Navitrade

at Richards Bay.

BONNIEVALE DEMOLISHEDDie Burger on 14 May reported that the Bonnievale station

building was being demolished. The article stated that 300 more

South African stations are to be broken down. A commentator

reminded those responsible that buildings more than 60 years old

may not be demolished legally without a government permit, but

another pointed out that if the building were left vacant, it would be

a ruin anyway within a matter of months.

TRE EYES AUSTRALIAN MARKETA long succession of negative sentiments towards South Africa’s

“narrow gauge” heritage (with Gautrain and DoT “experts”

prominent among the doomsayers) is undergoing a dramatic

wake-up. Queensland Rail National (QR), Australia’s largest freight

rail company, happens to use the same 1,067mm gauge and

hasn’t let this cramp its style. QR is in heavy-haul coal in a very

big way, its “narrow” gauge notwithstanding. In 2011 it moved 10

“REVIVING” THE QUEENSTOWN-MTHATHA LINEThe Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced

plans to “revitalise” rail passenger connections between Mthatha

and Queenstown. CEO Lucky Montana is quoted by The New Age

saying: “There used to be a line that travelled from Mthatha to

Queenstown, so we want to revitalise that line and build a number

of stations so that people from the villages will be able to connect

at these various stations. The second part is to fi nd a better

connection for people to travel from Mthatha to Queenstown and

East London. We think the route will be quicker than Kei Rail.”

The single use crucibleRail Welding

Thermitrex (Pty) Ltd

Tel: +27 (0)11 914 2540

Fax: +27 (0)11 914 2547


Website: www.thermitrex.co.za

PO Box 6070,

Dunswart,

Johannesburg,

Gauteng

South Africa

1508

The single-use crucible reduces the risk of human error. It is made from a bonded refractory material inserted in an easy-to-handle five-litre container. Welds are more consistent. As there is no drying or pre-heating, weld times are much shorter. And the single use crucible is safer and minimises environmental impacts.

Mbashee River

INDIAN OCEAN

Bityi

Umtata

Viedgesville

Munyu

Idutywa

Mpuluse

Butterworth

Ndabakazi

Springfontein & Johannesburg

Cookhoue & Port Elizabeth

Spiral

Komga

Bianey

King Williams Town

Amabele

EAST LONDON

Great Kei River

Kei Mouth

250 50

Km

N

Queenstown

One or two inaccuracies in this story. The only line north of East London

into the Transkei is the one shown here. There never was a line from

Queenstown to Mthatha.

SA RAIL NEWS


million tons, a fi gure it aims to quadruple by 2014. Offi cials from

QR have been looking at Koedoespoort in South Africa (which is

currently turning out diesel-electric locomotives that meet 80% of

QR specifi cations), and the viability of Transnet Rail Engineering

building locomotives for Australia.

CTC BETWEEN KROONSTAD AND BLOEMFONTEINIt is understood that centralised traffi c control (CTC) is to be

installed between Kroonstad and Bloemfontein. Current work

between Leeuhof (to the south of Vereeniging) and Kroonstad is

scheduled for completion in October. It is understood that the new

equipment is not compatible with that put in originally between

Bloemfontein and Springfontein in 1963.

GLEN HARMONY BRANCH

The 9km branch line to Glen Harmony, opened in 1954 from Virginia, 133km north of Bloemfontein on the main-line to Kroonstad and Johannesburg, has been

closed and much of the track lifted. Sheltam, which operates interchange traffi c from Glen Harmony, now has to use mine-owned lines by way of Welkom, a

substantial detour. Photos: Jacque Wepener, May 2012.

About seven years ago, part of the 18km section between Orkney and Vierfontein, on the cross-country link from Kroonstad to the Cape Town-Johannesburg

main-line, was washed away during heavy rains. The line was closed and the remaining track lifted. In early 2012, work on reinstating the line commenced,

with work expected to fi nish by September at an estimated cost believed to be about R32 million. The fi rst consignment of rails was despatched on 12 April.

Photos: Jacque Wepener.

VIERFONTEIN-ORKNEY


SA RAIL NEWS

by Metrorail at a halt called Loftusversfeld

Park (formerly known as Colleges), which

adjoins the stadium – Editor Railways Africa.]

GAUTRAIN FARES RISEGautrain single-journey fares rose by R2 to

R49 during June 2012. Seven-day passes

now cost R438 and 35-day tickets R1,712.

Parking charges at Gautrain stations

went up from R10 to R12. Spokesperson

Dr Barbara Jensen says the increases

were made “in full consultation with the

provincial government”.

TAXPAYERS MEET GAUTRAIN ANNUAL OPERATING LOSSDuring construction, there were strong

hints that Gautrain revenue would cover

operating costs. Some 110,000 daily

passengers were confi dently expected.

Barely a third of these has eventuated

so far unfortunately, so taxpayers have

to meet the defi cit, currently running

at around R280 million annually. This

represents a “patronage guarantee” in

terms of the Bombela concession contract.

The customer shortfall is blamed partly on

the highway e-tolls that didn’t happen and

the line to Park station that couldn’t open

because of tunnel leaks.

Well, the line to Park station opened on

7 June and road tolls it seems will come

sooner or later. Hopefully pessimism about

train ridership reaching 100,000 daily

users will be proved wrong eventually.

Anyway, the Gautrain Management Agency

says the 110,000 was never expected

immediately – not maybe for fi ve years.

WATER IN THE GAUTRAIN TUNNEL The dispute over water leaking into the

Gautrain tunnel has been set down

for arbitration in September. Gautrain

Management Agency CEO Jack van der

Merwe says the rate of water running in

still exceeds specifi cation and he wants

that corrected. Apparently the extent of

leakage beneath the track has been dealt

with but he says the walls remain a problem.

While the work done has been suffi cient

to allow train operation to start, he points

out that the tunnel has to last 100 years

and he doesn’t see this happening unless

leakage is brought within the specifi ed

limits. In one place, ingress is said to

exceed this four times. Van der Merwe is

also concerned about the demands placed

on the pumps that have to deal with the

water, which could shorten their life-

expectancy. Apart from that, permanently

damp conditions cannot be good for

sophisticated electronic equipment.

There are other potential concerns - the

water table could drop, prejudicing the

environment and vegetation above the

tunnel. Clay conditions might cause

instability. If, for instance, golf courses

GAUTRAIN AIRPORT SERVICE The Bombela concession company, which

operates the Gautrain system, recently

improved service on Sunday afternoons.

Trains now run every 20 minutes until 20:30.

Commenting on criticism about weekday

starting and fi nishing service times, which

do not provide for early and late fl ights at

the airport, the management says extended

schedules would be costly to implement.

GAUTRAIN MAY BE EXTENDED IN PRETORIAThe provincial government might announce

plans to extend Gautrain lines in Pretoria “as

early as April 2013”, Gautrain Management

Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe told

reporters on 30 May. A “loop” through

suburbs around the Pretoria central business

district is envisaged. In this general area, two

universities, 48 government departments,

six hospitals and 30 schools are located. A

route extension to the Menlyn area is also

a possibility.

[The existing Gautrain line to Hatfi eld passes

right by the University of South Africa, which

is served by Mears Street halt on Metrorail’s

parallel line. However, no Gautrain station

was provided. Similarly, both Gautrain and

Metrorail lines run right past four prominent

high schools yet again – curiously - there is

no Gautrain station. The schools, as well as

the campus of Pretoria University, are served

GAUTRAIN NEWS


SA RAIL NEWS

were detrimentally affected, the provincial

government could be exposed to claims.

GAUTRAIN BUSES STILL CURTAILEDBombela spokeswoman Kelebogile Machaka

is quoted saying about 11,000 passengers

are carried on Gautrain feeder busses daily,

but the service is only running between

06:00 and 18:00.

[This curtailment follows a long-running

dispute with bus drivers, who complained

they were not provided with transport for

early starting and late fi nishing. The situation

is diffi cult to understand. For decades, it has

been the practice for major bus operators

to provide out-of-hours transport for their

drivers. Lawyer Kevin van Huyssteen, who

represents their interests, is quoted saying

that the Basic Conditions of Employment

Act forbid the employment of people before

06:30 and after 18:00 if no transport is

provided. - Editor: Railways Africa.]

Footnote: Gautrain bus drivers are employed

by Megabus, a subcontractor to the Bombela

consortium.

ADVERTISERS MAKING BOODLEAccording to The New Age newspaper,

there are concerns that while taxpayers

have to subsidise Gautrain operations, a

private company is “raking in advertising

revenue” from billboards and posters at

Gautrain stations. Kelebogile Machaka,

spokesperson for Bombela, was quoted

explaining that Strategic Partners Group

(SPG), a 25% shareholder in the Bombela

Concession Company, holds the advertising

rights to the Gautrain system.

[Not to be confused with Super Group

(also SPG) which posted a 63% increase in

headline earnings for the six months ended

December 2011. Bombela’s SPG is its black

empowerment component - Editor: Railways

Africa]

SACP HATES (& LOVES) GAUTRAINThe South African Communist Party (Sacp)

repeatedly reminds us that Gautrain is an

“elitist” project which benefi ts the wealthy

but does absolutely nothing for the poor.

Sacp deputy general secretary Jeremy

Cronin was anything but enthusiastic about

the project when he chaired parliament’s

select committee on transport. Later, as

S A deputy minister of transport, he had

to be more circumspect with his words,

though Gautrain was still far from being

his favourite endeavour. Meanwhile (1), the

Mail and Guardian, which has been digging

again, fi nds that the Sacp’s investment

vehicle, Masincazelane, has shares in

the J & J Group and that J & J bought 8%

of Bombela in 2008. So the Sacp doesn’t

have a direct fi nancial interest in Gautrain.

However, assuming that it doesn’t bracket

itself with the wealthy, Gautrain seems to

be benefi ting at least some of the poor –

albeit indirectly.

Meanwhile (2), Cronin has been sidelined

from the transport ministry. His perceptive

words will be missed at conferences.

GAUTRAIN PATRONAGEGautrain Management Agency CEO Jack

van der Merwe was quoted in early June

saying that between 32,000 and 35,000

people were use thing system daily,

including 8,000 travelling to and from the

airport, which “exceeds forecasts”. This

was prior to the opening of the line from

Rosebank to Park station.

SA RAIL NEWS

Reefsteamers, GermistonAs mentioned in the previous Railways Africa, a donations’ drive

for the repair of class 15F no 2914 is in place. By early July over

R65,600 of a projected target of R70,000 had been pledged. To

pledge please contact Lee Gates on: [email protected] .

The work necessary on this 15F –

• Firebox needs plating repairs (work has been under way since

April). On completion the boiler must undergo mandatory re-

certifi cation;

• Smoke-box requires seating repair, also bad leaks at the front

door to be fi xed;

• Repainting.

As the boiler and fi rebox comprise a fi re-encasing pressure vessel

that runs up to 1,450kPa, the repairs can only be done using the

fi nest quality boilerplate. The work demands a high standard of

workmanship, with the repair patches installed by a certifi ed welder.

The tender needs some plate work as well, to stop leaks.

The class 12AR 4-8-2 no 1535 has been out of service again –

eight tubes need to be replaced – so class 15F no 3046 has been

the club’s only operational locomotive. The group has initiated an

“Around Johannesburg” pie-and-chips ramble similar to the Pretoria

club Friends of the Rail’s long-standing Sunday afternoon “Xplorer”

operations. A winter Open Day was held on 28 July.

Sanrasm, KrugersdorpClearance of the North Site is virtually complete. It was proposed

that the track on site would be moved to Friends of the Rail and

the machinery to Reefsteamers during June. After that, Sanrasm

only had to have the site detoxed and restored. There is an upside

in terms of costs-saving, since security on the site is no longer

necessary.

On the South Site, good progress has been made with repairing

and repainting rolling stock. Type A-18 dining car no 161 Phantom

Pass has been fi nished, no 15001 has been completely repainted

and a start made on repainting kitchen car no 282. The eventual

relocation of salvageable motive power to other preservation sites

is being planned.

Progress with fund-raising comprised running revenue trains

to Magaliesburg in April and May, in conjunction with the

Reefsteamers’ club. These trips were described as “reasonably

successful” and feedback from passengers was generally good.

Friends of The Rail, PretoriaDuring the week-end of 9/10 June, North British class 24 no 3664

was used out of Cullinan for a photographic shoot organised by local

photographer David Benn. The cold conditions made for some very

pleasing photography. The Fathers’ Day run the following week-end

saw the use of the class 19D no 2650. An Open Day took place on

24 June. Two further private drivers have completed their practical

time on the footplate – they are Tony Attwell and Gabor Kovacs.

Ingwe Council, KwaZulu NatalWinter passenger workings have been operated out of Creighton-

Riverside. In early May, Ingwe Council’s class 19D 4-8-2 no 2669

- from Creighton - undertook a special trip for the Pietermaritzburg

Council when it hosted the visiting Indian prime minister on a

“Gandhi Experience” working. (Gandhi, a London-trained barrister,

made news when he was thrown off a “whites-only” fi rst-class

coach at Pietermaritzburg, in 1893).

After the event, on 10 June, the 19D was relocated to Creighton

from Mason’s Mill, hauling two coaches to provide braking

assistance (the loco has steam brakes only). Tickets were sold for

the one-way trip to Creighton.

It is reported that the Sisonke-Stimele luxury train used out of

Creighton has been taken over by a third company with German

connections and experience in rail operations. Hopefully this will

bring stability to the project. It seems that the previous operator

tried to run things more on the lines of a hotel than as a train.

Friends of The Rail’s class 19D domeless 4-8-2 no 2650 has returned to

service out of Pretoria. Photo: D Knott.

Class 15F 4-8-2 no 2914 is being restored to working order by the

Reefsteamers’ club in Germiston depot. Photo: P Braithwaite.


Preservation is A Preservation is A Vital Part of The Picture Vital Part of The Picture

By John BatwellBy John Batwell

RAILWAY HERITAGE

Umgeni Steam Railway, KwaZulu NatalThis group has adopted a “sponsor-a-sleeper” fund-raising campaign

to help fi nance current projects. At R100 a sleeper, purchasers

get a “sleeper number” which goes into a draw. The grand prize

is a cruise next April on the MSC Sinfonia from Durban to Cape

Town and a trip from there on Rovos Rail to Pretoria. Any applicable

air fares in order to take advantage of the prize are included.

Work needed on the group’s class 19D no 2685 has proved more

extensive than anticipated. In June, the boiler stays had all been

removed and were being replaced, new super-heater elements

installed and the wheel and motion bushes serviced and replaced.

It is hoped to return the loco to service during September

or October.

Atlantic Rail, Cape TownIn May, a boiler breakdown at Nampak in Epping left the plant

facing potential “millions” in working losses. An approach was

made to the Atlantic Rail operation, requesting the loan of class

24 no 3655 for use as a temporary stationary boiler. This was not

practicable as the engine was needed for scheduled passenger

trips out of Cape Town. Ian Pretorius was able to negotiate a

mutually satisfactory arrangement in terms of which the group’s

class 16DA no 879 stood in as the stationary boiler, and Nampak’s

agreed to sponsor the loco’s subsequent return to service. The

engine was relocated to Nampak on 9 May and quickly acquired a

three-year boiler certifi cate.

Ingwe Council’s class 19D 4-8-2 no 2669 - from Creighton - undertook a

special trip for the Pietermaritzburg Council in early May when it hosted the

visiting Indian prime minister on a “Gandhi Experience”. Photo: C Baker.

Class 16DA Pacifi c no 879, used as a temporary stationary boiler since 9

May at Nampak in the Western Cape. Photo: Atlantic Rail.

www.railwaysafrica.com

Born in Lichfi eld, England, and educated in Croydon, Ted was an

enthusiastic visitor to local engine sheds as a boy. Initially he

thought of a career in the medical world but in 1964 went to work

in the district engineer’s drawing offi ce at Taunton, in British Rail’s

Western Region.

From 1972 he spent six years in the Rhodesia Railways chief civil

engineer’s drawing offi ce in Bulawayo. He then took up biblical

studies in England. In 1981, his Steam Locomotives of Rhodesia

Railways was published. Nearly twenty years later, Locomotives

of Zimbabwe & Botswana appeared. In the years between, Hamer

documented a variety of Rhodesia Railways anecdotal material in

a small soft cover entitled Sidelines. More recently, he was the

editor of the Permanent Way Institution Journal in Britain.

As well as a church minister, Ted Hamer was a Science and English

schoolmaster. It was during his ministering and teaching period

back in the new Zimbabwe in the small rural Midlands town of

Kadoma that he became a serious collector of railway memorabilia

and turned his hand to preservation. Two Rhodesia Railways’

Garratts – a class 14 and the initial class 15 (signifi cant for its

haulage of the Royal Tour of Southern Africa in 1947) – were

rescued from Bulawayo and plinthed in the town. A narrow gauge

0-4-2T Peckett from the Selukwe Peak Light Railway, east of Gweru,

was added to the static exhibition as well as a wooden, balcony

3rd class saloon from the Rhodesia Railways.

Former Selukwe Peak Light Railway 1914-built Orenstein & Koppel

0-6-0T named Elsa (at one time or another in industrial use in

both Zimbabwe and South Africa), was a feature in Ted Hamer’s

school-house garden at Jameson High School in Kadoma during the

early eighties. The loco accompanied the Hamer family when they

went back to the United Kingdom and is to be returned to steam

according to Ted’s hands-on son David.

Ted Hamer is survived by his wife Diane and four children – and

there is another manuscript, still to be published.

- Based on notes by John Batwell

The late Ted Hamer – rail author who documented in great

detail the former Rhodesia Railways’ operational days.

Saved for long-term preservation in England – a 1914-built Orenstein & Koppel narrow gauge 0-6-0T which saw industrial service in both South

Africa and the former Rhodesia.


OBITUARY

TED HAMERTed Hamer, who died at 69 on 16 May 2012, was well known for documenting and publishing defi nitive works – as well as much other writing - on the motive power of the Rhodesia Railways, later the National Railways of Zimbabwe.

he late Ted Hamer rail author who documented in great detail the former Rhodesia Railways’ operational days

for uch ays,

We offer proven rail products with strong after sales service and support in the key markets of:

Our locally manufactured and assembled product offerings are further enhanced by reliably engineered

products supplied through strategic alliances with leading international and locally based Original G

M59

2_Pr

essl

ink

Quite a few people - including well-known authors like Jose Burman

(To the end of the line, 1969) – have written about Namaqualand’s

unique little railway - mainly in the form of magazine articles.

Now, in attractive hard-cover format, Peter Bagshawe has

produced a profusely illustrated and beautifully printed book. As

spelled out in the title, it concentrates on the locomotives – like the

unbelievable 1886 condensing engines - but this could only make

sense in the context of the line itself, whose history is recounted

in fascinating detail.

In his foreword, Charlie Lewis writes: “Having closely observed

Peter’s diligence with the books of Alfred County Railway for nearly

thirteen years, I can say with confi dence that he is not only the

ideal railway accountant, but also a really reliable railway historian;

for he would never let a single fact, no matter how trivial, go astray.

Neither would he let it be published without being cross-checked

and verifi ed from several sources.

“This is an extraordinary book about the locomotives of a little-

known but quite romantic railway that last saw activity throughout

its length about seventy years ago (although a tiny fragment of it

remained in use at Port Nolloth until recently). The text is enriched

by detailed accounts of incidents that happened throughout the

working life of the railway, such as the attempted blowing up of

O’okiep by Boer Commandos in May 1902 (with the aid of a

stolen Namaqua Copper Company locomotive and a wagonload of

dynamite!). The unearthing of particulars of some of the rarest of

locomotive builders, such as Lilleshall of Shropshire and Dick, Kerr

of Kilmarnock, has lent fascinating body to what could have been

bland locomotive lists. It is thanks to Peter’s tenacious research

that we not only know the critical dimensions of most of these

engines, but what loads they handled and the operating problems

encountered as a result of brackish water, desert sand and extreme

heat that prevented the condensing apparatus of the early Kitsons

from functioning effectively, as well as how all of these problems

were overcome.

“Without doubt, Locomotives of the Namaqualand Railway and

Copper Mines is destined to be the defi nitive work on the subject

and an essential component of our railway literature.”

Locomotives of the Namaqualand Railway & Copper Mines

ISBN 978-91-7266-179-0

Obtainable from the author at:

P O Box 12128, Sunwich Port, 4230,

[email protected]

R165 plus R29-50 Postage & Packing (RSA)

In 2000, the late D R Bell photographed Kitson 0-6-2 loco no 4 Clara

(dating from 1890) preserved at Nababeep.

The incredible Kitson condensing loco of 1886, with side shields to keep sand out of the motion. The copper condensing coils look like an overall roof.


LOCOS OF NAMAQUALANDBOOK REVIEW

Specialists and leading supplier of maintenance, repair, upgrade and manufacturing services in Southern Africa

for AC, DC and diesel-electric units.

LOCOMOTIVE BUSINESS

Tel: +27 (0)12 391 1304 Fax: +27 (0)12 391 1371 Email: [email protected]

GM

51

4_

TR

E P

ress

lin

k

Railways Africa Issue 3 2012

Documents

Transcript of Railways Africa Issue 3 2012