1

THE ULOLWE

SOUTH AFRICA – SUID-AFRIKA

A monthly railway research / historical publication

‘n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie

Vol 2 No 8 (Mk 3)

Un-official / Nie Amptelik Everything to do with the

former South African

Railways: i.e. Railway

Stations, Harbours, Airways,

RMT, SAR Police, Armoured

Trains, Lighthouses, Pipelines,

Catering, SAR Models,

Diagrams of Locomotives etc

and books on the Railways in

Southern Africa

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, South Africa

heymanshb@gmail.com

August 2011

Marseilles in the Free State! [Photo: HBH]

Patron - Les Pivnic - Beskermheer

2

Contents - Inhoud

Welcome ................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Editorial .................................................................................................................................................................... 4

History – interpretation ................................................................................................................................. 4

Photographs ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

Historic Photographs ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Our Main Story ............................................................................................................................................... 4

Main Story................................................................................................................................................................ 4

Photo No 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

Photo No 2 ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

Photo No 3 ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Photo No 4 ....................................................................................................................................................... 8

Photo No 5 – see photo No 9 ......................................................................................................................... 8

Photo No 6 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Photo No 7 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Photo No 8 ..................................................................................................................................................... 10

Photo no 9 ...................................................................................................................................................... 10

Photo No 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Remembering the Metroblitz - Bruno Martin ................................................................................................... 11

Time-Table ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

6E1 No.1525 ................................................................................................................................................... 12

Japan ............................................................................................................................................................... 12

Australia ......................................................................................................................................................... 12

Gautrain ......................................................................................................................................................... 13

Wepener’s Perambulations.................................................................................................................................. 18

Carlos Junction ...................................................................................................................................................... 23

Railway History .................................................................................................................................................... 24

- Cape Government Railways ......................................................................................................................... 24

- Natal Government Railways......................................................................................................................... 25

- OVSS ................................................................................................................................................................. 25

- NZASM ............................................................................................................................................................ 25

- Anglo Boer War: The Simms Railcar ........................................................................................................... 25

3

- IMR .................................................................................................................................................................... 26

- CSAR ................................................................................................................................................................. 27

- SAR: Joseph – SA Rail Dec 1984 .................................................................................................................... 27

Photos of 32010 by the old SA Railways Police ................................................................................................. 28

SAR photograph to show the difference in colour – some pictures were taken at night ............................ 29

Stations –Frans du Toit Halt – Ermelo (Old Station ......................................................................................... 29

Ermelo Railway Company - Ermelo Spoorwegmaatschappy ................................................................ 29

Railway People: Mr F Boisson ............................................................................................................................. 31

Book Shelf ............................................................................................................................................................... 32

SAA.......................................................................................................................................................................... 34

SAR Police .............................................................................................................................................................. 34

Railway News & Railway Sites ........................................................................................................................... 34

Jacque Wepener: New Industrial locomotives .......................................................................................... 34

Comments John Middleton .......................................................................................................................... 35

Models ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36

Outside South Africa: .......................................................................................................................................... 38

1. Bulawayo ............................................................................................................................................................ 38

2. India ................................................................................................................................................................. 38

Articles and photographs for publication .......................................................................................................... 41

Purpose of Ulolwe ................................................................................................................................................. 41

Copyright ................................................................................................................................................................ 41

INDEMITY / VRYWARING................................................................................................................................. 41

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................. 41

NEXT EDITION ..................................................................................................................................................... 41

Railway Greetings ................................................................................................................................................. 41

4

Welcome

A word of hearty welcome to the August-issue Mk 3 – the gremlins visited and caused

havoc with Mk1 and Mk 2 during an especially busy period. So let’s hope you enjoy this

issue before...

Editorial

History – interpretation

We have a very interesting history in South Africa. It is strange how old photographs bring

the past. Insignificant items in photographs make for interesting history. We may present

the facts objectively, truthfully and in all fairness; however we all have a different

interpretation of same events!

Photographs

One of my mottos is: “A bad photo is better than no photo at all!” Sometimes only a portion

of the photo is of value so never destroy your “bad” photographs. Going through old

photographs it is interesting to note that old photographers concentrated on the traction

and not on the rest of the train!

Historic Photographs

There so many historic photographs tucked away in shoeboxes and in old albums. The

other day I was given old SA Air Force photographs taken “Up North” during WW2.

Really excellent and dramatic stuff – however there is no identification of people, events or

aircraft! It is advisable to get the information while the owner is still alive!

Our Main Story

It is so nice when somebody shares old photographs with us! The other day Wesmè

Hartman contacted us through the internet and she has shared her grandfather’s railway-

photographs with us. Thank you for sharing Wesmè!

Main Story

Wesmè Hartman sent in these beautiful and interesting photographs. She wrote:

Hi,

Ek het onlangs 'n dokument gekry wat jy saamgestel het rondom die spoorweë. Ek het

hierdie foto's van my oupa (Daniel Blom) gekry - hy het ook vir die spoorweë gewerk,

meestal in die Cradock area, en was op 'n stadium ook 'n 'n groot trein ongeluk betrokke.

Die foto's is vir my net so baie spesiaal!

Groete,

5

Wesmè

Hi Hennie,

Aangeheg is 'n powerpoint dokument met al die "trein" foto's wat ek van my oupa het. Ek

vermoed die man wat deurgaans saam met hom is, is 'n ene Faan Bester, sy swaer. Ek het

ook 'n koerantuitknipsel waar die Faan Bester "vereer" word met sy aftrede. My ma is op

Middelburg (Kaap) gebore, en ek weet hulle het op 'n stadium in Rosmead en ook Cradock

gebly, en toe Port Elizabeth. Ek kan ook onthou dat hulle op Beaufort Wes gebly het (ek is

50, as dit vir jou 'n tydlyn kan help gee). Ek dink die meeste van die foto's is maar in die

Cradock area dalk, toe my ma nog jonk was (sy word volgende jaar 80).

Ek het nie die foto's compress nie - wou nie eintlik kwaliteit verloor nie. Hoop nie dit is te

groot nou nie.

Groete, Wesme

Dear Hennie

Royal Trains ran in 1911, 1925 (Prince of Wales), 1934 (Prince George Duke of Kent) and

1947 (British Royal Family). There was another one in 1930 or thereabouts that I would

need to access my papers for details. From memory alone it conveyed the Duke of

Connaught and Princess Alice. It was on this trip in Natal that the Princess rode on 2351 on

the section between Booth and Cato Ridge and with her permission, the loco was named

after her.

The loco in the photo with the crown on the smokebox looks like the 1925 train and a class

10 - I'm not sure.

Regards

Les Pivnic

Andre Kritzinger says: 1. 1286 Klas 1 ex CGR 316.

2. Selle as 1.

3. ?

4. ?

5. Selle as 9. Selle mense, selle klere, selle loko.

6. ?

7. ?44 Kan Klas 6J 644 wees as dit 'n 4-6-0 is. (6A 444 pas ook maar ek twyfel sterk.)

8. ?

9. 3417 25NC

6

Photo No 1

The grandfather of Wesmè is on the right.

Photo No 2

7

Photo No 3

Wesmè says her grandfather is the man in

the centre.

It would appear that the train was on its

way to the inauguration of the

Voortrekker Monument that took place

during 1949. The inauguration ceremony

was attended by nearly 250 000 people.

This gentleman could be Mr Henning

Klopper. More about him later under the

heading Railway People.

8

Photo No 4

Once again the man on the right is her grandfather and the other person is probably his

brother-in-law, Mr Faan Bester.

Photo No 5 – see photo No 9

9

Photo No 6

A Royal Train with her grandfather on the right – date time and place unknown.

Photo No 7

Wesmè can’t see whether her grandfather is on the photo & we can’t see the locomotives

number clearly.

10

Photo No 8

Once again her grandfather is on the right. The chimney was hand-drawn by the

photographer.

Photo no 9

Once again her grandfather is on the right – the other persons are unknown.

11

Photo No 5

Remembering the Metroblitz - Bruno Martin

With the opening of Gautrain from Rosebank to Hatfield, I was prompted to delve into my

‘archives’ to retrieve the newspaper articles I collect all those years ago about the

Metroblitz and other documents relating to South Africa’s experiments with high-speed

traction on the 3 ft 6 in (1065mm) ‘Cape’ gauge.

First, I dug into one of my metal boxes jammed with slides to retrieve and scan the images

taken of the Metroblitz from the overhead footbridge at Sportpark station on 18 January

1984. As a bonus, I even found the special tickets issued for travel on the Metroblitz from

my trips on the 16 & 17 January 1984.

This is the article was published in the RSSA Natal Newsletter No.14, June-July 1984

recording the return trip to Pretoria on the Metroblitz on the inaugural day, Monday 16

January, 1984:

Rail transport in South Africa entered into a new era on Monday, 16 January, 1984, with the

inauguration of the METROBLITZ, the high speed intercity service between Pretoria and

Johannesburg. The Metroblitz is currently operating only once each way on weekdays and

covers the 69 km distance in 42 minutes, travelling at speeds of up 160 km/hour on the

stretches of the line between Kloofsig and Knights. Departure from Pretoria is at 06h45 and

the return trip leaves Johannesburg at 17h10. Prior to the introduction of the Metroblitz, the

12

“Jacaranda Express” completed the journey between the two cities in 55 minutes while the

ordinary “alle stasies” takes roughly 90 minutes.

The train configuration of the Metroblitz is made up of 8 light-weight suburban trailer

coaches and the motive power consists of two class 12E’s, one at either end. The 12E

represents a modified version of a Class 6E1 and develops a starting tractive force of 240

kN. The basic shape of the suburban trailer coach has been retained, however the windows

are oblong and have tainted glass panes. The fully air-conditioned coaches are each fitted

with 60 comfortable aircraft-type seats in a chequered red/grey material and the floor is

covered with plush red carpeting throughout. The livery of the Metroblitz is striking to say

the least – starting with a broad red band, then narrower yellow band below the window

level, thereafter dark grey and followed by a yellow and red band above the windows. The

units have a dipping yellow/red/yellow band in front of the cab. A feature which I found to

be lacking is a streamlined appearance of the train, in particular the fronts of the units

could have done with a little more of an imaginative design.

Nevertheless, the ride at 160 km/h is extremely smooth and quiet with very little jolting

over the points. All station platforms between Fountains and Knights have an

approximately 1,5 m wide “danger zone” painted in yellow along the side of the through

lines and a large notice warning people to stand clear of this zone when trains are passing

through.

According to a SATS public relations officer in Durban, there are no plans to introduce any

faster services in this area. So, if you wish to experience the thrill of travelling at 160 km/h

on the 3 ft 6 in gauge, the ride on the Metroblitz is well worth the single fare of R2,50 (or a

little more from 1 April). Time-Table

Pretoria dep. 06:45, arr. Johannesburg 07:27

Johannesburg dep. 17:10, arr. Pretoria 17:54

Noted at the time: Departure was from Platform 11 in Johannesburg and arrival at Platform

3 in Pretoria. The driver announced that 160 km/h was reached near Birchleigh.

Also recorded was the time of arrival in Pretoria: on 16 January it was 2 minutes later than

the scheduled 42 minutes, the following day the train arrived on time in Pretoria.

6E1 No.1525

Worth noting too is that the test speed of 245km/h was attained on 31 October 1978 by a

modified 3kV electric locomotive (6E1 No.1525) between Midway and Bank.

Japan

Railways in Japan have been successfully operating tilt trains at up to 160km/h on its 3ft 6in

gauge lines since 1992 when Shikokus 8000 EMU’s went into service between Yakamatsu

and Matsuyama.

Australia

Queensland Rail’s electric Tilt Trains have the distinction of holding Australia’s railway

speed record of 210km/h set in 1998; however their operational speed is limited to 160km/h

on sections of the line between Brisbane and Rockhampton.

13

Gautrain

Now, there is Gautrain, the ‘new kid on the block’ taking a different route and operating at

160km/h on a wider gauge, but the memory of hurtling along at 160km/h on a narrow

gauge railway remains quite vivid to this day.

Bruno Martin

14

15

16

17

Bibliography

Pretoria-News

RSSA Natal Newsletter

No.14, June-July 1984

SA Digest: 2-April-1978; pp

19

SA Digest: 2-July-1982; pp 6

SA Journal of Science, Vol 80;

pp 3 – 4;

The Star : 1984-01-19

18

Mr Hansie Sturgeon mentioned above is now employed at Rovos Rail – HBH.

Wepener’s Perambulations

This month we received some striking photographs from Jacque Wepener, here are some of

them:

19

Lennings Rail Services at Tierfontein.

34-119 on its way from Bloemfontein to Kroonstad

20

Both photographs were taken at Drieruiters

21

Both photographs were taken at Virginia

22

Whites, empty car train heading south

Between Friedesheim and Welkom with mielies (maize) from Wesselsbron.

23

Something industrial! (Sheltam)

Carlos Junction

Drakensberg coach type C-31-B; No 8284. Below the same type in old Blue Train colours:

24

Railway History

- Cape Government Railways

Enjoying “High Tea” along the line. On military trains the soldiers were provided with hot

water from the engine for tea – SANA.

25

- Natal Government Railways

Somewhere in Natal during the Anglo-Boer War. The Boers have destroyed bridge and a

temporally bridge was constructed by the Royal Engineers.

- OVSS

-

- NZASM

-

- Anglo Boer War: The Simms Railcar

The Simms railcar is featured in the following books:

• Malmassari, Paul: Les Trains Blindès 1826 – 1989: Editions Heimdal.1989 (French

Edition).

• Van Bart, Marthinus & Scholtz, Dr Leopold: Vir Vryheid en Vir Reg, Tafelberg

Uitgewers, Cape town.

Please enjoy looking at the following:

26

Sketch 1 = ABO 'Simms' - Malmassari

p234. Photo 2 = A-B War 'Simms' -

Malmassari p234.

Photo 3 = ABW 'Simms' - Van

Bart & Scholtz p83.

Photo 4 = ABO 'Simms' -

Malmassari p234.

• More information is wanted on the ‘Simms’ railcar, please.

• Comments: I have a sneaky feeling that the Simms was developed for the British &

Continental broad gauge. Looking at the photographs the railway line looks like a 4 foot 8

and a 1/2 inch.

- IMR

-

27

- CSAR

-

- SAR: Joseph – SA Rail Dec 1984

28

Photos of 32010 by the old SA Railways Police

29

SAR photograph to show the difference in colour – some pictures were taken at night

Stations –Frans du Toit Halt – Ermelo (Old Station)

“Die koms van die spoorweë na Oos-Transvaal was groot stap vorentoe om die gebied oop

te stel en sy handel en ekonomie te bevorder.”

Ermelo Railway Company - Ermelo Spoorwegmaatschappy

“In 1895 is die Pretoria-Lourenco Marques spoorlyn geopen en in Februarie 1899 het die

Ermelo Spoorwegmaatschappy (Ermelo Railway Company) tot stand gekom met die doel

om 'n spoorlyn van Machadodorp na Ermelo en van Ermelo na Springs te bou.

Die uitbreek van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog en 'n gebrek aan samewerking met die Britse

bestuur na die oorlog het die maatskappy se planne gekortwiek. In 1906 is dit gelikwideer.

Die regering het self die bou van die aansluiting van Machadodorp na Ermelo onderneem

en in 1908 was dit voltooi. Reeds in 1906 het die eerste trein Ermelo bereik en die lyn tussen

Ermelo en Breyten is op 13 Maart 1907 amptelik geopen.

In 1911 is die spoorlyn van Ermelo tot by Piet Retief verleng en in 1913 is dit verder tot in

Natal verleng. Die lyn van Ermelo na Lothair is op 1 September 1922 geopen.

Die spoorlyn van Broodsnyersplase oor Ermelo, Piet Retief en Vryheid na Richardsbaai wat

spesiaal vir die uitvoer van steenkool gebou is, is in 1976 voltooi.

30

Op Maandag 19 Januarie 1976 is die vertrek van die eerste trein wat steenkool na

Richardsbaai vervoer, feestelik gevier. Op Ermelo is die spoor amptelik deur die

burgemeester geopen.

'n Nuwe passasierstasie is op die nuwe lyn gebou en ’n nuwe [93] goedereloods word

beplan. Die nuwe stasie het die naam Ermelostasie gekry en die ou Ermelostasie se naam is

na Frans du Toit-halte verander.”

Source: Lombard, Dr RTJ: Ermelo 1880 – 1980, , City Council Ermelo, 1980 p 92 – 93 from a

book Stan Kantor brought under my notice.

31

Railway People: Mr F Boisson

32

Book Shelf

One of our readers, Mr Dave Fortune sent me the above booklet on Triang and Hornby

Models by OS Nock. Thanks Dave. I found the following interesting information in the

booklet; and a picture of model R56 built for South Africa, India, Australia and New

Zealand (p 19):

33

Class ES, a 1200 hp SAR electric shunting locomotive built by AEI – p13. For more

information also see Paxton, L & Bourne, D: Locomotives of the South African Railways

– A Concise Guide, Struik, Cape Town, 1985, ISBN 0 86977 211 2: pages 134 -135.

Loco-headlamp Botrivier Museum - HBH

34

SAA

Johan Jacobs is working on an article.

SAR Police

Does anybody know what happened to the “new” SA Police Service coaches? They were

painted in the SAPS corporate colours. (White and blue)

Railway News & Railway Sites

Jacque Wepener: New Industrial locomotives

Jacque Wepener shared the following photographs with us regarding new Industrial

Locomotives and John Middleton furnished us with his comments:

Jacque

Ek het die 4 lokomotiewe so 2 weke terug na Durbanhawe toe gevat waar hul op skepe

gelaai is; 2 vir die Kongo en 2 vir Dar-es-Salaam.

Hierdie lokomotiewe word nuut gebou by RRL GRINDROD te Pretoria en is gelyk

staande aan TFR se klas 39 maar die dryf kajuit verskil en is baie groot binne. Ek moet sê

hy ry baie lekker en gemaklik en om nie eers te praat van die stop nie!

Ja, as ons maar net 2 van hul kan kry hier in Welkom!

35

Comments John Middleton

Jacque

Many thanks - actually 1105 is heading to Sierra Leone (along with some 19

more which will likely be 1106-24), there are two more for Congo CC1103-04.

They are on different frames, the Congo ones having an 18.5 ton axle load and

the Sierra Leone ones 20 ton. They all have EMD 16-645-E3B engines of 3300 HP.

Regards, John

Jacque

36

Everyone is going to get terribly confused but just so you know there are two sets locos

numbered 1101-04

CC1101-04 are RRL built for Congo CFCO 1101-04 are EMD type GT26 by Gredelj,

Croatia built for Sierra Leone. Gredelj is an NREC licensee. RRL ordered these for

comparison (Riversdale mining has 11 the same for Moatize coal traffic).

1105-24 are RRL built for Sierra Leone.

No idea why RRL numbered like this and didn't come up with something different.

Cheers

John

Models

37

Oom Hennie

Baie dankie vir die advertensie. Ek sal foto’s van die Blou Trein modelle (en ander) stuur

sodra ek weer voorraad inkry.

Hier is so lank ‘n paar.

Wynand Vermeulen

For more information contact: DREAM TRAINS

PO Box 32882

Fichardtpark

9317 SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 83 409 7319

Fax: +27 86 66 99408

Email: info@dreamtrains.co.za

38

Outside South Africa:

1. Bulawayo

Dear Hennie

I noticed on sarlist last month that you were appealing for a photo showing a blowdown

facility. Attached shows the one at Bulawayo Steam shed which is still in use on a daily

basis....probably an unsophisticated version compared with RSA but I was unlucky the

day I took the photo as a 15th class Garratt had just pulled away on to its shunting duty,

having stopped to blow down. Would have made a better photo with the Garratt there

and lots of steam!!

Rgds Chas Rickwood, Bulawayo (currently in Kalymnos, a Greek island)

You have been sent 1 picture - IMGP0442.JPG

“Ulolwe”

Ulolwe – means railways in Zulu. Form the English

word railways – phonetic u-lol-wê

2. India

39

Guinness Book of Records?

40

Our SAR-RMT could also transport circus elephants, however this appears to be

dangerous! Below: Anyone for a cup of tea?

41

Articles and photographs for publication

Please send articles in word.doc, we use Palatino Linotype 11 and all photographs in jpeg

please.

Purpose of Ulolwe

The purpose of Ulolwe is to play a part in the conservation of our Railway Heritage.

Anybody is free to use articles and photograph by Hennie Heymans (HBH) of “Ulolwe”

please use with recognition to “Ulolwe”.

Copyright

Please respect the copyright of our contributors.

INDEMITY / VRYWARING

Die Ulolwe bevat die uiteenlopende en diverse persoonlike menings van verskillende

korrespondente en die opsteller van Ulolwe kan nie vir enige deel van die inhoud daarvan in sy

persoonlike hoedanigheid verantwoordelik gehou word nie.

The Ulolwe contains various and sundry personal opinions of different correspondents and the

compiler of Ulolwe cannot be held responsible for any of their comments.

Enige advertensies of enige sake voortspruitend is tussen u en die ander party.

Conclusion

There are some interesting subjects in the pipeline – an article by Dr Loubser and Lourens

Sturgeon will show us how to build our own SAR models. Rudi Venter was on a service

train delivering railway tracks along the line – this will feature next month. How about

some “snow” pictures of our railways? [Looking at the Indian stewards serving from the

outside, one is reminded that in South Africa passengers were served through the roof.]

NEXT EDITION

DV middle of Sept 2011.

Railway Greetings

Walk Tall and take care out there!

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, ZA.