System 5 Part 3: Bosrand to Glen

H L Pivnic and C P Lewis ©

1. We resume our progress down the OFS Main Line at a point just south of Hennenman. On 4th July 1970 Roger Perry found 843 cl 16DA working 1604-up mixed between Whites and Hennenman. Although at this time two 16DAs were stationed at Kroonstad for working the daily mixed trains between Allanridge and Hennenman (1602/3 and 1604/5), it wasn’t all that easy to photograph them on the main line for the simple reason that most of the time their main line gallop was barely three miles long!

2. In April 1970, I was photographing the trains around Hennenman and a rather smartly turned out class 23 arrived from Kroonstad, cleaned fire, took water and set off for Bloemfontein. As its type EW tender loomed large in my viewfinder I wondered why A G Watson, who designed the EW for several of his later proposed designs, never used it on the 15E. Although his successor – W A J Day – used it for his class 23, he also didn’t specify the big tender for the 15F. Years later, when 23s were being scrapped, their EWs were attached to many 15Fs, thereby giving the 15F a better operating range between water stops. My co-author of this series has differing views on this issue. Charlie says that he didn’t like the 15Fs with EWs attached – I thought that it enhanced their overall appearance – a big locomotive needs a big tender!

3. Another clean loco passing through Hennenman in April 1970 – this time a 15F with a load of FZ grain wagons. She added several loaded FZs from the grain elevator in the background and then set off for Bloemfontein.

4. Returning to Roger’s activity around Hennenman in July 1970, on the same day he photographed these 15Fs charging through Hennenman with 02738-up goods conveying high-rated general freight from Cape Midlands to the Western Transvaal.

Sad that youngsters today would have no idea of the overwhelming crescendo of sound these Fs were making while coming by with a maximum load. The only thing they could do perhaps is to find a recording - there were folk putting these sounds on tape at the time. Better to tune in to a tape than nothing at all……… that would be like dying without having listened to the Pastorale!

5. The first long-distance oil pipelines in South Africa were only constructed in the late 1960s, from the Natref Refinery in Durban to the Witwatersrand and Sasolburg. Since then the construction of extensions and branches has been ongoing. Whereas liquid fuels once were lucrative business for SAR, today what doesn’t go by pipeline goes by lorry – almost nothing remains on rail. Such dismal scenarios were beyond the horizon for most railwaymen in 1971 when Charlie photographed 2963 cl 15F on an empty tanker working coming through Hennenman on its way back from Sasolburg to Port Elizabeth.

6. Turning the clock back to the early 1950s when 15CAs and 15CBs were still working the Free State main line, as they had been doing for nearly a quarter century. This fine SAR photo shows a 15CA hammering away from Virginia on the old single line with a main line passenger train – probably 438, the Port Elizabeth-Johannesburg express. I imagine that if this photo came with sound one would hear that CA talking very nicely indeed! Note the really good permanent way – it needed to be, the original main line was a succession of sweeping curves. Drivers would pride themselves in taking them at speeds that made the coaches lean over quite alarmingly. To at least one nervous passenger it felt as if a mile-or-two/hr faster would send the whole bang shoot into the veld.

The flatness of the terrain is deceptive. Between the Witwatersrand and Noupoort, i.e. right across the high veld, the railway crosses several river systems, each requiring long stretches of 1-in-100 to enter and leave (with the well known exception of Bosrand). The single track and minimal earthworks are characteristics of the original main line. To save money the OVGS employed continually twisting alignments to negotiate the river catchments. Straightening, regrading and doubling of this vital thoroughfare (second only to the Natal Main Line in importance) was begun in the 1930s and continued through to the 70s, by which time the entire route had been rebuilt.

7. The feeder role of branch lines could scarcely be better demonstrated than in this delightful photograph by Roger Perry of 59-down mixed about to leave Winburg on 4th April 1970. Having done a spot of shunting, 1196 cl 8D is ready to depart on her return leg to the main line at Theunissen.

Looking at the map one might be forgiven for wondering what a small country dorp like Winburg and its surrounding district could contribute to the fortunes of SAR. But in those days our national railway still provided an important service for rural communities so maximum loads (in this case, 560 tons on 80 axles) were quite common. As the seventies dawned, traffic on the branch was steadily growing – a fact that soon would lead to replacement of the venerable 8th class by the inevitable 19D. The flourishing rural lines will be a recurring theme in these notes.

Many years earlier the intention had been to extend this line to link up with the Arlington-Marquard branch and onwards to Clocolan, thus forming a substantial secondary trunk route to serve the vast granaries of the central Orange Free State. Eastwards from Winburg several miles of earthworks and stone culverts were actually completed and traces still exist today.

8. After an exhausting day hauling full loads to Winburg and back, 67 year old 1097 cl 8A rests in Theunissen’s skimpy loco refuge while the 15F of 132-up, the 14:10 Bloemfontein-Kroonstad stopper drifts into the station.

9. By 1972 class 23s released from the Bloemfontein-Springfontein-Noupoort and Burgersdorp lines were making inroads into 15F territory – the Kroonstad line. They had the advantage of the type EW 9,500 gallon tender that could get them from Gunhill to Vetrivier with a full goods load. Then somebody discovered that it was possible to fit a class 15F with these tenders and soon the 35-year old arthritic 23s were being retired. Before that began to happen this 23 was running into Vetrivier for its first drink, with freight for the south. Typical on this busy line, in the background a northbound train is working up the 1-in-100 away from the river towards Theunissen.

10. The Kroonstad line was by no means a boring parade of 15Fs and 23s. Almost every day a surprise would crop up – yes, even diesels occasionally. Most of the time it was a locomotive working to or from the Bloemfontein Works, where right until the mid 1970s 30 heavy and 30 intermediate overhauls/month were being turned out. In this case the 12A on its way to shops teamed up with a Kroonstad 15F, exiting Vetrivier on a down block coal working in March 1968. As usual on this line, those with sharp eyes can spot a northbound freight watering in the background.

11. Southwards from the watering stop at Vetrivier there was a little-remarked 350ft climb in seven miles to the summit just before Houtenbeck, whereafter it was mostly gently undulating all the way to Karee. This was where a warmed-up F could talk it up like few other locomotives I’ve heard. As can be seen from the exhaust rising high into an azure sky, 3129 was working in maximum horsepower range – somewhere between 45 and 55mph. When you travelled this stretch after electrification you wouldn’t even have noticed the difference in elevation (but back at the power-station someone may have been shovelling in some extra coal!).

12. In April 1972 a late-running westbound Orange Express had breasted the summit a mile back and its 23, already flat out at better than 75mph, was about to treat Houtenbeck as if it didn’t exist. Engine No 3300 with driver Crous.

13. Another SAR publicity photo shows a 15F arriving at Brandfort from Bloemfontein with No 212, the eastbound Orange Express. Note the Imperial Brown saloons. These were substituted from time to time when saloons in the correct livery were taken out of the set for maintenance. It wasn’t practical to maintain spare stock in Orange Express livery – every coach had to earn its keep!

14. The SAR official photographer excelled himself yet again with this scene depicting a southbound freight running through old Brandfort Station. At first glance it seemed extraordinary that he should be sent to this sleepy country town but with careful scrutiny one can see some bunting on the platform with everything spic and span. This clearly was a special occasion, and the photographer had been sent there to record it for posterity. Consultation of the General Manager’s Report for 1947 revealed that this was the year that Brandfort won the Lady Duncan trophy for best garden!

15. 209-down, the westbound Orange Express restarting after its stop in the new station at Brandfort (the perfectly good old one, featured in photo 12, can be seen on the right). Why the new one was built is a mystery until one discovers that on the outskirts of town there is an old farm right alongside the original N1. On its gate was a big sign saying “C R Swart, De Aap” (C R Swart was a cabinet minister in the National Party and became South Africa’s first State President when we left the British Commonwealth in 1961).

16. The ground shook as this 15F+23 combination on 4405-down export grain for East London opened up through Alleman for the short, sharp couple of miles at 1-in-100 facing southbound trains to the summit at Karee. That the end of the glory days was coming up fast (this was September 1974) is coldly emphasised by the concrete mast foundations.

17. A day spent at any station on the Bloemfontein-Kroonstad main line was invariably absorbing, with action every few minutes. Alleman, situated in a dip five miles north of Karee summit, was particularly good because trains generally came through at full speed as they charged the grades on either side. Passing shots were by no means rare (as were wipeouts!), in this case southbound double 23s meeting a 15F on an up goods. The ridge that has to be surmounted by all trains just north of Karee station is visible in the background. May 1973.

18. Fresh from heavy repairs at Bloemfontein works, one of the posh Germiston 12ARs was going back home doubleheading with a 15F on up coal empties in May 1971. The train is approaching Karee station in fine style – no reduced load was necessary, in drag service the gutsy 12ARs were practically as powerful as a 15F.

19. If Bosrand was SAR’s Shap then Karee surely was its Beattock. The ten miles of 1-in-100 away from the Modder River at Glen was at its most spectacular on a frosty Winter’s morning when, on occasion, the exhausts of up to seven trains could be seen from the legendary vantage point on Karee Koppie. On a raw and frosty morning in July 1969 this 15F was pounding up the hill with No 438, the Port Elizabeth-Johannesburg express.

20. On 7th of April 1970 special loco arrangements (including doubleheaded 16Es) were laid on by Operating for an Ian Allan tour group from the UK. They were treated to a parade of several trains in different combinations running north past Karee Koppie. Here, 3040 + 3012 cls 15F were on their hands and knees with 02662 block export manganese destined for Durban harbour. Engine 3040 would become well-known 20 years later, as the Germiston supershine 15F “Tamaryn” – working several steam specials and on occasion, the Amatola and the Trans Karoo. For many years engine 3012 was allocated to Volksrust loco for working the Durban – Johannesburg main line.

21. This was 02662-up ore again, plodding up the bank all set for a dramatic photo when the 15F of a downhill freight tried to get in on the act. Spoilt the picture really but serves to show again how busy it all was. Karee Koppie was another one of those special spots on the Free State main line where the trains kept on coming – up and down – ready to be photographed.

22. A nice colour view of Karee bank – this time with a class 23 on 444-up. A loco inspector in his khaki dust jacket is visible in the cab. His presence together with the unusual make-up of the train – five extra parcels vans behind the tender – leads to speculation that there was something out of the ordinary in those vans. By the mid 1970s South Africa was getting into armed disputes with several of its neighbours and because there was an embargo against us the heavy repair bays in several SAR workshops were beaconed off to allow the manufacturing of guns and ammunition. The movement of these items was surrounded by secrecy.

23. On the day this happened, 8th March 1969, Charlie was tipped off that the Orange Express would be double-headed. The reason for this has been obscured by time, but it seems that this may have been the first occasion that the complete train was kitted out with new Union Carriage coaches, particularly the new kitchen, dining and lounge cars. It certainly was grand, though not with as much class as the original clerestory teak-and-mahogany articulated Union Express carriages. Whether it was thought on the day that the new saloons would nudge the train weight over the limit for a single 15F (640 tons on 64 axles) is not known. Whatever the reason, this was the only time in more than 40 years of photographing the Orange Express that Charlie saw it double-headed.

24. Buzzword on the SAR in the early 1950s was “through engine working”. In the case of passenger trains this had been common practice since the late 1920s but freight locomotives usually worked on the “depot to depot” principle which was not conducive to high mileages. In 1952 coal stages were erected over running lines at Warrenton (on the Kimberley-Johannesburg main line) and Glen – the latter with a view to implementing through working between Kroonstad and Kimberley, Noupoort and Burgersdorp. While the Warrenton stage was successful, allowing through working between De Aar and Welverdiend (400 miles), that at Glen seems not to have lasted, although we would like to hear from anyone who has more information. What is known is that after only a few years (months?) the Glen stage was removed and re-erected at Springfontein. A more automated structure was then provided off running lines at Hamilton, and this was definitely used for caboose working between Postmasburg and Kroonstad. So here we have a very rare photo of the Glen coal stage taken by our old friend, the official SAR photographer probably soon after it came into use, to illustrate an item on the subject in the General Manager’s Annual Report where it was never used. However, the report on the implementation of through engine working does go on to say that there were marked improvements in monthly mileages, notably 10,000 miles in the case of De Aar engines. A further thought is that perhaps this was the reason for the preponderance of dirty engines in the fifties – there simply wasn’t enough time at the depots to clean them properly!

25. This was the down main-line fast-watering column at Glen. They were a patent design by the Fairbanks-Morse (USA) Company with a lever-operated valve that enabled them to dump 3000 gallons/minute through an 18-inch delivery pipe, provided that there was sufficient head. Sometime in mid-1968 the columns at Glen were replaced by standard 8-inch agricultural gate valves. The effect on watering times was disastrous*. From less than three minutes it now took 15 minutes to top up a 15F tender. Upon querying the reason for the substitution Charlie was told that spares for the Fairbanks-Morse columns were no longer available so they were cannibalising the Glen columns to keep the more important Vetrivier ones operational (all trains took water at Vetrivier whereas only 15F-hauled freights did so at Glen). At the time it did seem strange that SAR’s workshops that were so well-equipped and had such highly-qualified staff couldn't turn out home-made spares for the patent columns but in those days it was best to keep schtum.

* It should be mentioned here that the disaster was not as severe as it would have been in the days when fire cleaning was permitted in section. Once ashpits were installed at watering points it could take anything up to 20 minutes, depending on the quality of the coal, to get the fire fit for travel.

26. Watching the paint dry. The fireman is observing every drop going into 3115’s tender while her impatient driver and 3115, judging by the safety valves, are champing at the bit. This was the second engine of a double-header on 02662-up export manganese, a very heavy train - for a look at the departure see photo 27.

Note the ashpit under the firebox. The rails were mounted on cast-iron pedestals in a pit approximately 2ft deep into which the ashes and clinker were dumped. Maintaining a true running top over these pits was a nightmare – non-stop passenger drivers would open up through Glen to charge the bank to van Tonder, taking the ashpit slacks at anything up to 60mph. One had to see the 15F swaying from side to side while simultaneously rocking up and down (don’t mention the carriages or their passengers) to realise it was a miracle that there never was a derailment attributable to this cause.

27. Overcoming the resistance of 280 frozen plain-bearing journals required maximum effort – especially with the ten-mile grade to Karee summit ahead. Like Stromboli blowing its top, 02662-up export manganese erupted out of Glen, causing its air space to be declared a no-fly zone for the next few days and severe disruption of SAA flights into Bloemfontein.

And so we leave the Bloemfontein-Kroonstad line for a while. The next part will cover the home stretch, from Glen up the long bank away from the Modder River through van Tonder and on into the Orange Free State capital.