Ex-works 16E 858, the 'Allan G Watson' ready to depart with 17 coaches of 435-down, the Port Elizabeth Express, in September 1970.
Please note: All photographs, maps and text in Soul of a Railway are protected by copyright and may not be copied or reproduced in any way for further use without prior permission in writing from the compilers of this series: Les Pivnic, Charlie Lewis, Bruno Martin, Andrew Deacon, Peter Stow, Peter Micenko, Eugene Armer and Sandy Buchanan.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For the compilation of this chapter we've had many consultants and contributors. We have put them in alphabetical order. If anyone has been omitted please let us know so that we may correct the error. The same applies to factual errors:
Eric Conradie, Andrew Deacon(1), Allen Duff, Johannes Haarhoff (2), Nils Kotze (3), Dick Manton, Bruno Martin(4), Yolanda Meyer(5), Leith Paxton, Les Pivnic, Peter Stow, Transnet Heritage Library(5) and Jacque Wepener (6)
(1) Andrew does the web-page formatting. This is like rocket science.
(2) Johannes is the founder of DRISA which has quickly become the primary source of historical material for Soul of A Railway
(3) Nils is the 16E fundi who provided much interesting information from his archives, including the regular drivers' names.
(4) Bruno does the maps. This makes it fairly easy to see where each photo was taken.
(5) Yolanda runs the library and is the fount of most railway knowledge that appears in these pages.
(6) For more than 30 years Jacque has accurately observed and recorded the decline and fall of our once-great railway.
We commence our exploration of the OFS main line southwards from Hamilton (note that the section from Bloemfontein to Hamilton is covered in Parts 1; 1a & 1b). The first part covered in this chapter is the 86-miles from Hamilton to Springfontein.
The decade of the 1960s saw continuous improvements: loop-lengthening, curve easements, replacement of 96lb/yard rail with 115lb/yard material, and installation of CTC between Hamilton and Springfontein. By 1970 the density of traffic on this single-track section had increased to 78 trains/day which made it one of the busiest bottlenecks on the SAR. The lengthening of loops to enable running crossings was completed in 1962 and diesels off the Cape Eastern began to appear after 1965 - running through to Bloemfontein from Queenstown. However, by late 1968 the diesels had gone back home, needed more urgently in the mountainous territory south of Burgersdorp. For the next five years every train on each one of the five main routes out of Bloemfontein was steam operated - some 300/24 hrs. As would be expected with an arrival or departure every five minutes throughout the day, there was never a lull in activity (except on Christmas Day).
Comparisons could be made between Bloemfontein - Springfontein and Kimberley - De Aar. The former was CTC single line and the latter double all the way. But the big difference was that the south main line from Bloemfontein lost its steam in 1973 (for all practical purposes) whereas on the south main line from Beaconsfield steam played a meaningful role for another 17 years.
1.An unknown 15F (which will take the train as far as Noupoort) departing Bloemfontein with 3-down for Cape Town on 6 October 1959. Within two years replacement of clerestory stock, the much-loved imperial brown coach livery and Pyle National headlights would begin.
Thus came the eve of changes that marked the end of the era of stability that had prevailed since SAR's formation in 1910 and the beginning of the slide to its eventual demise with the renaming to 'South African Transport Services' in 1980.
2. A favourite photo reproduced here again because of its relevance to the Springfontein line: 16DA 874 working 993-dn T&P ('transship and perishables'), which in fact meant the train stopped to shunt every siding on the way. June 1971.
3. Hamilton; 16E 854 "Harrismith", the regular engine of driver 'Apie' Donaldson, departing with 23-down Burgersdorp all-stations daily in February 1968. This was deep in their twilight years after they were no longer employed on the Orange Express. However, when this photo was made the 16Es were still the most sought after engines by the top-link drivers and when one of them retired the next in line would immediately take over his engine.
It should be mentioned that the class was only removed from top-link work in December 1970 (i.e. after 35 years of service) after which they were no longer used on the three fast passenger runs on this route: 433/434, the East London express (later named the 'Amatola' after the mountain range the railway has to negotiate between East London and Queenstown), 435/438 the Port Elizabeth express (later named the Algoa after the bay on which Port Elizabeth is situated) and 1303/1300, the Mossel Bay express (which never was named). Thus, the photo of ex-works 16E 858 at the head of this chapter depicts one of the last top-link runs by a member of this class.
4. Hamilton, departure of 2915-dn block coal for the Cape Midlands. On the left is the disused coaling plant that until 1970 recoaled caboose-worked locomotives hauling block manganese ore from the Postmasburg branch to Maydon Wharf, Durban, as described in Part X.
5. This photo by Nils shows the same coaling plant as it appeared in 2015 - note that all the sidings are gone. Jacque Wepener assures us the coaling plant is still standing but although the transmission lines were in place when this photo was made, today they are gone, the CTC is no longer working and the copper cables probably gone to China. The main line is now worked by train warrant and radio, sufficient for the present level of traffic but, unfortunately, insufficient to prevent head-on collisions - quite an achievement when taking into account that the number of trains/day has declined from 80 during the 1970s to ONE today. Here follows up-to-date information from Jacque:
"Yes, CTC is no more, and all the stations are destroyed. Train operating is done with radio track warrants. I was in Bloemfontein about a year ago and the coaling plant was still standing. We visited the line about 4 years ago and for the entire time spent travelling from Bloemfontein to Sprinfontein - Colesberg and Noupoort we only saw one train heading North near Bloemfontein. [Charlie's emphasis]
[It was] amazing to see the activity at Trompsburg, the location is encroaching closer to the station and the attached pic [see photo 82 below] was in December 2018. I would not walk around there with a camera today...
According to a diesel assistant at Bloemfontein this is the current situation - supposed to be daily:
1) 1x Springfontein, also the car train on certain days.
2) 1 x, sometimes 2x Kimberley
3) 1x Maseru
4) 1x Shunt in BFX
5) Sometimes the Combis take the crews out for special trains like Rovos Rail.
6) Plenty of times the trains get cancelled.
A retired diesel driver told me in the early 80"s they were held up for up to 12 hours on the Springfontein line by CTC awaiting space in one of the yards at Bloemfontein."
Later, Jacque sent the following post-script (it really applies to Parts 2, 3 and 4 of System 5 but it is relevant here too):
"Forgot to mention, Kroonstad does the [northern [main line] from Bloem also with diesels as there is no more catenary anywhere south of Sasolburg in the Free State. [Charlie's emphasis]
This once busy line also sees maybe 1x train a day, sometimes 2.
Kroonstad still has a few "pick-ups"for the Silos at Viljoenskroon, Bultfontein, Bothaville. Vierfontein, Henneman. Welgelee and Mirage. Also maybe a train to Bethlehem. 1x Shunt is Kroonstad that does everything, the petrol is mostly on the roads as is the maize traffic."
6. Long after the 23s were replaced by diesels on the south main line, the unadvertised 21-down and 22-up were used to run 19Ds from the Koffiefontein branch back to Bloemfontein for their fortnightly boiler washouts and other light maintenance. Running ahead of a highveld thunderstorm, this 19D brings the unadvertised 21-down out of Hamilton. In the background are the Hamilton industrial sites with the well-known prototype for Eiffel's tower in Paris. April 1975.
7. The rainbow and storm clouds were so picturesque we couldn't resist letting you all share in this beautifully lit broadside that emphasises the small jobs and prettying up that were carried out during #2692's boiler washout. Peter Stow's photographic career was lit by the same gods that cared for David Rodgers. Who else got rainbow shots on two different days in April 1975?
8.The unadvertised 21-down was used weekly or two weekly (depending on the number of 19D’s at Springfontein) to ferry 19Ds back and forth that were used on the Koffiefontein branch. Peter’s interest was the coaching stock which was largely the same from Monday to Friday but the set was then used to build the 13:30 Saturday afternoon train 373 to Zastron, resulting in a different set of coaches being used for train 21 for the next week. Although the normal composition was three third class suburban coaches it was not unusual to have a main line coach in the consist, as shown here with a type H-24 steel bodied clerestory roofed main line coach, one of 75 of the type built for the SAR and placed in service 1950/51. Photo August '75
9. Newly-overhauled 16DA 872+16E 857 departing from Hamilton with 701-down, shortly before both engines were withdrawn from service.
Early in 1973 the RSSA had asked SAR to give these magnificent Pacifics a last go at their old stamping ground; Bloemfontein to Noupoort.
10. On 6 January 1969, class 23 No.3229 carrying ‘Springs’ wing-type nameplates on her deflectors was seen rolling down-grade through Riflerange Halt south of Hamilton with train 701 the 2.20pm passenger to Noupoort. Note the 'Shoofly', (Yankee slang for a temporary deviation), laid in preparation for the foundations of a new overhead road bridge.
11. The Port Elizabeth-Johannesburg express, 438-up, races through Rifle Range behind an unkempt cl 23 - next stop Bloemfontein. May 71
12. A heavy-looking 438-up with two 16Es, 859+856 running through Rifle Range interloop, April 1968. (Charlie's Dad was on this train)
13. Even in their glory years it was common to find 16Es hauling freight on their return legs - frequently combining with a scheduled freight engine, as with this combination at the head of fast goods 1404-up perishables and livestock. Two years later the 16Es were finally taken off top-link passenger work and for a few more years such sights became common.
14. The same 701-down from photo 6 crossing a northbound 23 with empty B-bogies waiting in the interloop at Rifle Range.
15. The first interloop south of Hamilton was Rifle Range - as you see it was remote controlled by Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) installed by SAR as far as Springfontein in 1962. That steam under the footplate is from the stoker motor (normally it would be directed to the underside of the grate) indicating that the fire is being built up for the last lap into Bloemfontein.
16. Rifle Range, 16E 856 'Kroonstad', regular driver Daantjie Venter, with 23-down for Burgersdorp, July 1968.
17. Even though it was a short train, 21-down was often a gem with regard to the coaches the Bloemfontein shunters were able to muster. On a 19D washout turn we see from the locomotive end a type S-36 third class suburban coach, followed by two composite first-and second-class day saloons, originally intended for branch lines but here being used as third class vehicles. These are followed by a D-32 composite main-line coach of the last series with squared off clerestory and lower roof over the vestibule. The composite van is the most interesting. Only four of this type GD-15-C were built and although built two years after the time when new stock arrived for the Union Limited and Union Express in 1928, no evidence exists of them having been used on these trains. However, they had all the characteristics of the new stock including full width vestibules as opposed to the recessed vestibules introduced during CME A G Watson’s time from 1933 and perpetuated as standard on all subsequent SAR main line stock. January 1975.
18. 36-up all-stations Noupoort - Bloemfontein, hauled by 23 3229 'Springs', paused for passengers at Ferreira early in 1972 during the last year of 100% steam working south of Bloemfontein.
19. Brewing up at Ferreira in preparation for the last leg of its exertions with 996, the daily pick-up from Springfontein, with an unknown wide-firebox 16DA impatiently awaiting its crossing with 21-down, the unadvertised daily stopper from Bloemfontein to Springfontein.
20. Pacifics crossing at Ferreira: 16E 856 with 21-down mixed meeting wide-firebox 16DA 878* with 996-up transship, perishables and livestock, March 1968
*Upon her withdrawal c 1973 (the year SAR did a complete cleanout of all the Pacifics), #878 was beautifully restored and plinthed inside the security fence of the Mechanical Workshops at Bloemfontein. According to Nils Kotze she is still there and still in good condition.
21. Ferreira: 16DA 848 with 21-down crossing 918-up goods with 23 3286, March 1972.
22. Simultaneous departures at Ferreira - in opposite directions! Having crossed 918-up, 16DA 848 sets off with 21-down, March 1972.
23. Train 36 from Noupoort and train 16 from East London were combined at Springfontein, making for a sizable load north of there. Throwing in the through coach from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg brought up by train 118, the 21:50 except Saturdays from PE, and added to train 36 at Noupoort daily except Sundays, made it even better. The SAR’s intricate, yet logical, through coach working somehow seemed to work effortlessly yet effectively, ensuring that passengers had the least disruption on their journey, wherever they may have been heading. The train is seen leaving Wurasoord in December 1972.
24. As if it didn't exist, Driver C F de Beer disdainfully brings 438-up, the Port Elizabeth - Johannesburg express, through Kaalspruit. This was November 1972 and too soon his much-loved 3286 would be the last 23 to receive a heavy-overhaul (in mid 1973).
25. From this photo you can tell that 'much-loved' was no exaggeration when applied to 23 3286. C F De Beer kept her cab and controls as tidy as a hospital operating theatre.
She was one of Beaconsfield's fleet of 23s employed on the ore traffic from Postmasburg from 1954 to 1962. During that year this arduous work was taken over by condensers released from Touws River after electrification of their home turf to Beaufort West. Suddenly Beaconsfield was sitting with a large number of tired and unemployed 23s. They were transferred to Bloemfontein where they systematically received heavy overhauls before taking over the main line southwards to Noupoort. It so happened that #3286's turn came up in January 1964. Upon completion of her overhaul De Beer, the test driver at the time, soon had her thrashing up and down at scary speeds. Something about her appealed to him and as a senior engineman he was allowed to have 3286 as his regular engine. When she had her last heavy overhaul in 1973 De Beer took his annual leave in order to supervise the repairs and, particularly her valve settings.*
*Thank you Nils Kotze
26. Kaalspruit: departure of 23-down with 16E 857 'Bloemfontein' (also named 'Ann Smith, Bloemfontein Queen'). February 1968.
Engine 857 carried brass replacement plates as the engine overturned in the late 30’s on the main line between Kimberly and Johannesburg. In 1944 she was named 'Ann Smith' in 1944 after the System Manager's office assistant who collected the most funds in aid of our soldiers up North.
The following information comes from Nils Kotze who is a mine of information on the 16Es:
"857's regular driver for many years in Bloemfontein was Piet Steenkamp. After a clean up she was plinthed in front of Bloemfontein station in September 1975. In September 1990 she was restored to running order by the legendary Lukas Nel (at that time still in railway's employment and subsequently responsible for the restoration of most of Sandstone's fleet). Was used between 1990 and 1999 on museum specials and was the last 16E to steam in 1999. She is currently standing at Bloemfontein loco in fair condition. Brass plates together with the Ann Smith commemorative plates were removed in 1997 and replaced with aluminium Museum plates. I managed to locate and purchase one of this engine's brass cabside plates."
27. Running more than an hour late, 3-down departing from Kaalspruit. Note the unusual array of suburban coaches in the make-up of a long distance twin-diner corridor-sleeper passenger train. 3-down (Pretoria/Joburg - Cape Town - 1014 miles) is exceptionally interesting because at Bloemfontein, Noupoort and De Aar it linked up with cross-country trains from Durban, Port Elizabeth and South West Africa. The engine is 16E 859 'City of Bloemfontein' (upon scrapping in 1973 her smokebox nameplates were transferred to #857 - how fickle is that? See also Nils Kotzes notes to photo 39).
28. Kaalspruit: 16DA 845 with 996-up Tranship, Perishables and Livestock, crossing 1423-down conveying freight for the Cape Eastern system, November 1972
29. Kaalspruit, 18 January 1966; 23 3313 hammering up grade towards Ferreira and on to Bloemfontein with a mixed goods load.
30. Also on 18 January 1966, 16E 855 ‘City of Johannesburg’ is seen setting off for Noupoort from Ferreira with a load of coal. Allan G Watson must have turned in his grave seeing his pride and joy working coal trains!!!
31. Class 23 3222 with a load of new 115lb/yard rails departs Ferreira for the Cape Midlands on 17 January 1966.
32.Train 7707 from Johannesburg dropped off parcel vehicles at Kroonstad and Bloemfontein en-route south. South of Bloemfontein it conveyed vehicles to Port Elizabeth, South West Africa (Namibia), De Aar and Cape Town marshalled in this order from the locomotive. It was to be expedited and receive preference over other trains and was to be able to pass passenger trains en route running in slower times. The maximum allowed load south of Bloemfontein was 18 bogie vehicles. Here class 23 3282 sporting the plates “City of Pretoria” blasts southbound up a bank toward Kafferrivier in typical undulating countryside. Scheduled departure time from Bloemfontein was 06:15 and even in the Summer months the air was cool and moist enough for a good exhaust steam effect. Date Sunday 27 August 1972
33. Kaalspruit. Departure of 23-down Bloemfontein-Burgersdorp with 16E 854 'Harrismith', February 1968 (how many knew that for more than 30 years the Cape Eastern main line featured SAR's premier passenger locomotives on a daily basis). The leading coach is of interest, being one of only five tri-composite 1st, 2nd and 3rd class vehicles of type F-16-C built for branch lines, its intended use now clearly forgotten while on this train. So much for 'corporate memory'. Note that the 1st and 2nd class compartments had two windows each while 3rd class only had one, clearly shown by the spacing between the windows.
Until 1969 all the six 16Es had regular crews and usually were kept immaculate. Then, in their 35th year they were summarily taken off the passenger links and began to appear on lowly freights. Occasionally they would still be called in to work a posh train but their glory days were almost over. They were withdrawn in 1972 but 858*, the 'Alan G Watson' and 857, 'Ann Smith, Bloemfontein Queen' were preserved.
*In 1970 858 became the last 16E to receive a full heavy overhaul which is probably why she (he!) was preserved.
34. Kaalspruit and 21-down again in March 1976, featuring 19D 2703. For several years after dieselisation of the Noupoort and Burgersdorp main lines during 1973, the Koffiefontein branch continued to be steam-worked - by 19Ds. However, there was only a very small shed at Springfontein, equipped to do only minimal maintenance. So the daily workmen's trains, 21-down and 22-up were used to work Koffiefontein branch engines back and forth from Bloemfontein.
35. This is your photographer's favourite shot of train 21. The crew did the best they could with smoke, working hard to lift it while a gentle north westerly breeze kept it away from the train. One wonders if it was necessary to add coal on the rest of the journey to Springfontein.
Again the shunters have made an interesting composition with a 6-door S-36 3rd-class timber bodied coach sandwiched between a 5-door type O-38 2nd class steel coach (leading) and 4-door L-44 1st-class steel coach trailing. This rule-of-thumb applies to all side door suburban coaches except vans and composites and firsts not fitted with toilets. The latter also have 5 side doors per side. Date December 1974
36. The same train as in photo 9 is seen here trundling through Kaalspruit. March 1973.
37. Sunset silhouettes of 21-down were sometimes quite dramatic, and this one of 21-down departing from Kaalspruit with an unknown 19D is certainly no exception. October 1975
38. Class 16E 857 seen elsewhere in this chapter on train 21 to Springfontein returned to Bloemfontein as scheduled on train 22 and is captured here leaving Kaalspruit at sunrise at about 05:15, only possible at the height of summer. Note the balcony coach leading. In hindsight, I should maybe have been riding the train. Date December 1972
39. Your photographer makes no excuse for photographing the back of this train. Although this practice was once very popular in the USA, especially of crack, luxurious trains featuring observation cars on the tail end, there is unfortunately no observation car at the back of 21-dn to Springfontein, neither was there on any other train on the SAR when this photo was made in November 1972.
Rear-end observation cars were introduced to South Africa as far back as 1904 by the progressive Central South African Railways (CSAR), the administration managing the railways of the former Boer Republics. Later on the SAR adopted them for the Union Limited and Union Express stock of 1928 - a feature later dropped by substituting a lounge car in the middle of the train as the preferred option. The tail end of train 21 here features a lowly goods guards van but it somehow gives the train character. As you see, the train only consists of three passenger vehicles. The leading one is of particular interest as it is an ex CSAR 1st converted to 3rd , leading a type S-36 and a type D-32.
40. The daily pick-up southwards from Bloemfontein was 993-down. By the late 1960s it was regularly worked by narrow and wide-firebox 16DAs (and from 1970 on even 16Es frequently worked this train). Note the short dynamite truck in the middle of this consist. It was the subject of much acrimonious correspondence between De Beers and SAR (as described in our Cape Northern chapter in the caption to photo 27 - System 2, Part 5).
41. Wide firebox 16DA 877 departing from Kaalspruit with 23-down for Burgersdorp in August 1969
42. Kaalspruit: GO 2583 on transfer from the Eastern Transvaal to the Cape Eastern systems in August 1972. 1972 marked the beginning of the first wholesale transfers and withdrawals of steam classes after Dr Loubser's announcement in 1971 that SAR would abandon steam. From then on diesels would be arriving in ever-increasing numbers - in particular for branch lines such as Belfast-Steelpoort that carried large volumes of chrome ore for export. The lightweight GOs could no longer cope with the increasing traffic on that line, which thus became the first branch on the Eastern Transvaal system to be dieselised. The GOs were still relatively new so it was decided to send them to the Cape Eastern for use on the Umtata branch, where they were not a success (more about this in our chapter on that system). It is interesting to note how locomotives on transfer through the Free State were often required to 'work their passage'. Date 6 August 1972.
43. We were tipped off that two of these 11s selected by Frank Holland were on their delivery run to the Free State mines in October 1973. No's 921+936 were attached to some empty B-bogies (for braking) and told to go like hell from Noupoort to the Goldfields - which they did. For mile after mile we chased them at more than 60mph - so when they got to Kaalspruit they had caught up a preceding goods and had to phone Control from the home signal for a clear block ahead. As a matter of interest, a mile-a-minute for an engine with 4ft drivers can only indicate a free-steaming, free-running, well-balanced machine, which all of the CSAR's PA Hyde's designs were. (OK,OK someone is going to point out a legitimate exception.......).
44. Class 14CRM 2027 en-route to Paarden Eiland on transfer from Pietersburg crosses the Kaalspruit with a healthy head of steam. Date Sunday 23 July 1972
45. From an almost totally overcast sky, the sun miraculously broke through just as train 21 with its ex-washout class 19D left Kaalspruit. One may not get too exited about the modern elliptical roofed steel coaches that replaced the more antiquated vehicles we have seen thus far but of significance here with these ex-work vehicles is that they represent the last of those painted with an aluminium-coloured roof and the first painted red-oxide. The argument at the time was that the aluminium got dirty so quickly that the advantages of the lighter coloured roof were soon negated. Date April 1976.
46. After the mass slaughter of main line passenger services in the mid ‘80s, there was an attempt to revive certain services and here is a Bloemfontein to Cape Town service just south of Kaalspruit. It was short-lived. Date 1987
47. 16E 858 on 907-down goods with Sasol fuel for Burgersdorp and Queenstown, departing from Bekkersfontein in July 1968.
More information from Nils Kotze:
"Carried original aluminium plates. Her regular driver was Joe Bloemhof until her withdrawal in 1973. The engine was always a poor performer compared to her sisters. Was known by other drivers as “858 – always late”. Transferred to De Aar in 1973 after withdrawal. Here, the smoke deflectors were removed, original type headlight and safety valves were fitted, but injector piping was not restored to original routing. Engine was running in 80’s and early 90’s in Kimberley-De Aar. Currently at Beaconsfield depot in poor condition."
48. Bekkersfontein, 16E 859 accelerating away from Bekkersfontein with 3-down in April 1968.
From Nils Kotze:
"Carried her original aluminium plates. Regular driver was Cerneels De Beer (Father of late CF De Beer who had 23 3286). She was scrapped 1973. After scrapping, her smoke-deflector nameplates (Bloemfontein/City of Bloemfontein) were fitted to 857."
49. Bekkersfontein: 16E 859 ('City of Bloemfontein') + 23 3255 pounding through southbound with 02371-down block goods for the Cape Midland system, March 1969.
50. Bekkersfontein, 16E 857 with 23-down crossing unknown 23s with 934-up goods ex Cape Midland, February 68. Note: the double-header is drifting downhill and the 16E is accelerating away from its stop for passengers. Crossings such as this were facilitated by the installation of > mile-long passing loops in the early 1960s which were remotely controlled by CTC from Bloemfontein.
51. Bekkersfontein: its long interloop facilitated running crossings as in this case showing an up goods (on the left) crossing 7707-down parcels - on a cool Sunday in August 1972.
52. Bekkersfontein. Even in their heyday the general rule for the 16Es was to return on a freight. On the Noupoort and Burgersdorp runs they usually doubleheaded as in this case with 16E 858 + an unknown 23 with 02794-up ex Noupoort conveying block traffic from the Cape Midlands to the Transvaal.
53. Superpower! A class 23 on train 21 was certainly overkill. By the late 1960s the OFS System was complaining that the 16DAs and 16Es were of little value other than on local and pick-up trains. The fact that the cost to run the class 16DA locomotives was on average the lowest of all the classes on the System seemed of little concern. By the early 1970s they were all replaced, allowing for a greater degree of standardisation of classes and resultant reduction in spares. Here train 21 drifts down from Bekkersfontein past a farm dam on what was to become the old alignment to Kafferrivier. Date March 1973
54. Train 36 with 23 3256 in charge negotiates the rather sharp curve north of Kafferrivier on the climb up to Bekkersfontein. The line was straightened by going through the hill by way of a deep cutting. This was one of the more scenic locations along the line. Date March 1973
55. Same location as the previous photo, showing a class 23 in genuine drag service with an enormous freight, December 1969
56. We referred to the ex CSAR coach in picture 39. Here is a closer view of this vehicle, number 3586 3rd class type H-29 ex 1st class type C-13, in the same train. This was the last vehicle of its type still in revenue service and was scrapped in 1974. Note the flat sides and the clerestory roof, the ends of which did not form a swan neck over the balcony as did those of the CGR and D A Hendrie’s standard balcony coaches for the SAR. Train 21 is negotiating the same curve as the one in the previous picture. Date December 1972
57. Train 21 again, this time with 16E 857 on the same curve as the one above. The leading coach is of interest being a recently outshopped tri-composite suburban coach 5994 of type Q-12-C, one of 10 of this particular type of a lightweight design built especially for use on branch lines. They were often referred to as having 'depression' underframes, like so many other types built for branch line use in the early 1930’s but officially they were “lightweight” underframes. Coach 5994 was scrapped in 1973. Date December 1972
58. In December 1972, at the very end of her professional career, 16E 857 accelerates train 21 smartly away from Kafferrivier, with coaches (from the locomotive) 5994 and ex-CSAR flat sided 3586 described in photos 56 and 55 respectively. The balcony coach next to the goods van is a Hendrie 1st of type C-16, number 748 placed in service in 1922 and converted to a composite 1st and 2nd of type D-11 in 1969 in its twilight years of service. It was scrapped in 1974. These balcony coaches had a 2½” (63,5mm) tumble home (curve inwards towards the bottom of the side). This was increased to 3” (76.2mm) by CME A G Watson on new timber vestibule stock he introduced from 1933.
59. Kafferrivier, 16E 854 'Harrismith' with 23-down overtaking a 23 with 2911-down goods, November 1969
60. 16Es 859 ('City of Bloemfontein')+856 ('Kroonstad') with 438-up exiting the 6140ft long Hertzberg interloop, April 1968
61. The crews of 7707-down have eased off for the succession of curves through Herzberg. This was a fast train that ran to passenger timings, the following are the WTB instructions pertaining to it:
"7707-down: conveys parcels traffic from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, South West Africa, De Aar and Cape Town, marshalled in this order from the engine. Must be expedited and receive preference over other trains and must be allowed to pass passenger trains en route running to slower times. Maximum load 18 bogies [no load given for when the train is double-headed as in this case!]
62. Their pedigree is indisputable. Another view of the class 11’s described in photo 43, here seen climbing out of the Riet River valley, October 1973.
63. At the southern end of the curvy long loop at Hertzberg: a wide-firebox 16DA piloting a 23 on 36-up with an eclectic mix of stock topped off with a TZ milk-and-cream van.
64. The combination of wide-firebox 16DA + 23 was a fluke. Despite numerous excursions during the ensuing five years I was never able to repeat that combination on 36-up, let alone any passenger train. So herewith the next best thing IN COLOUR, this time showing 23 3229 'Springs' in charge. Being an all-stations train it still has the TZ van; this really was the daily milk run.
65. The crew of 36-Up were most obliging in putting on smoke as I followed the train from Springfontein during February 1973 - seen here near Wurasoord.
66. 21-dn approaching Wurasoord at sunset. The reason for this unusual and highly over-powered doubleheader is given in Peter's caption to photo 56 in Part 1a of 'Steamtown RSA'.
67. Wurasoord, 16E with 21-down passing a 23 with 2915-down goods, December 1968
68. There were not many main line mixed trains on the SAR but train 701 from Bloemfontein to Noupoort was an exception. Consisting of only bogie goods stock and usually four passenger coaches in the off-peak periods, it is seen here drifting down toward Rietwater.
STRAIGHTENING, REGRADING AND DEVIATING THE NOUPOOR LINE
Peter's photo, and the following ten images, provide a good illustration of a program that was quietly carried out between 1957 and 1973 during which most of the main line from Noupoort to Bloemfontein was reconstructed, ranging from simple curve flattening and regrading (as in the photo above) to substantial deviations, the latter in order to eliminate the uncompensated curvature away from the Orange River. With the foregoing in mind please take a look at the original alignment in the background. It is straight. Out of sight to the right there was a sharp curve around the end of a typical Free State dolerite dyke, which was how they did things in the 1890s - on the cheap. Beyond the van you can see the actual flattening of the curve where the dark grey current alignment veers away from the old route coming off a much sharper curve.
69. Rietwater; 16E 859 'City of Bloemfontein' with 23-down descending towards the Riet river. Here is a better view of the type F-16-C tri-composite coach mentioned in photo 33, clearly showing the irregular window spacing.
70. 36-Up negotiating the reverse curves on the new deviation through the cutting, climbing out of the Riet River valley. Note the ex-works milk wagon trailing, still looking fresh in its aluminium-coloured paint scheme. March 1973
71. Rietwater, 16E 855 with 1116-up goods on the original formation, climbing away from the Riet river. This was May 1969 and #855 had recently returned from Braamfontein from where she had performed admirably on the April 1969 30th anniversary of the Blue Train.
All the 16Es originally had aluminium number plates except No's 857 and 855 which had replacement plates after accidents. The latter carried brass replacement plates as the engine overturned at Van Zyls siding near Norvalspont in 1952. Driver Jack Wilcox was fatally injured in the accident. This tale was told to Nils Kotze* by driver Buks Pelser who had the “Search Order” to find the missing train the day of the accident.
*Thank you Nils
72. Rietwater, 23 3228 with 438-up, March 1972
73. Rietwater, a 23 climbing new 1/80 alignment away from the river with 1134, the Eastern Cape-Witwatersrand Bombela, February 1972.
74. 1134-up again, on another day in February 1972. It is on the deviation through the cutting clearly seen in photo 70 above. The 1892 formation (only recently replaced) can be seen to the right. It is straight, but at each end of that straight there was a much sharper curve.
Note the third-class balcony coach of type H-9 behind the locomotive. These were the first Hendrie balcony coaches to be systematically scrapped in the late 60’s and early 70’s, their bogies being recycled to replace Day bogies on other timber bodied coaches being converted to third class. The Day bogies in turn were refurbished and sent to Union Carriage and Wagon to be placed under a batch of new steel bodied 3rd class sitter coaches. Let it never be said that the old SAR wasted money but rather that they made every effort to keep costs down in order to provide a useful, reliable service for all their passengers and customers.
75. Rietwater, 23 3256 with 438-up, the Port Elizabeth - Johannesburg express, soon to be named "The Algoa" (after Algoa Bay on which Port Elizabeth was situated at that time). Within a month diesels had taken over.
76. Rietwater, 16E+23 with 02406-up block load from the Cape Midland system. April 1969. Note the old alignment in the background.
77. Rietwater: wf 16DA with 996-up , the daily pick-up. The train has just deviated onto the new 1/80 compensated alignment here and is about to enter the cutting through the characteristic dolerite dike seen in Peter's photo 69 above. November 1969.
78. Rietwater, 23 3286 with 3-down, crossing the old bridge at Waterplas, February 1973
79. Rietwater, 16E 856 'Kroonstad'+23 32XX with 02301-down all-bogie block load for the Cape Midland, March 1969
80. Rietwater, wide firebox 16DA 877 with 23-dn departing from its first waterstop, August 1969
81. It would appear that 857 had no need to take on water at Rietwater but that she did pause long enough to bask in the final rays of the setting sun, something that had probably happened many times in her illustrious career. CTC has already given her a clear rode ahead and her driver is just waiting for the guard to give the right-away to depart. Note the provision for double headed trains to take on water simultaneously. December 1972.
82. Rietwater, crossing of 16E 856 with 701-down mixed and an unkown 12R+23 with 02410-up from Cape Midland system to Witwatersrand. February 1968. (the 12R was on its way to Bloemfontein workshops for a heavy overhaul).
BUSY TIMES AT EDENBURG
83. Edenburg, 15AR 1823 departing southwards with 997-down pick-up. After the electrification from Vereeniging to Kroonstad this class became very scarce on the OFS main line. This one was heading to its new home base at Burgersdorp. In the background a northbound doubleheader is departing (particulars not recorded).
84. A triple crossing at Edenburg involving 3-down destined for Cape Town and an unknown freight that seems to have lost its path, its driver sitting patiently on a rail (Victor Hand once told me you'd get fired for doing that on a US railroad). The northbound passenger (on the left) is 438-up, the crack Port Elizabeth-Johannesburg express.
85. Having been crossed by 438 as above, 23 3268 with 3-down sets off once again on its somewhat leisurely journey to Noupoort whence it will link up with 6-up ex East London and 118-up ex Port Elizabeth for De Aar and, eventually, Cape Town. Meanwhile, sitting patiently on the right is 997-down T&P waiting to follow the passenger as far as Springfontein.
86. The water stop at Rietwater allowed us to overtake 7707 down and get this one of it flattening Edenburg (see also photos 59 & 103)
87. Edenburg, 16DA 845 with 996-up T&P, April 1968
88. After shunting off some traffic for the dorp of Edenburg and crossing two northbound freights in the process (914-up and 1440-up), wide firebox 16DA 874 with 993-down T&P gets underway again, surprisingly (but it was a WTB arrangement) ahead of 1401-dn double-headed goods. Yes Briggs, that's the tail end of 1401 sticking out behind the van of 993. March 1968.
89. The WTB provided an hour and four minutes for 996-up T&P to dally at Edenburg. That was to allow four southbounds (2371, 2911, 979 and 1463) to cross it and one northbound (02406) to pass it, all the while shunting the business for Edenburg off and onto its train. On this occasion, having completed its duties at Edenburg it departed in fine style behind wide-firebox (and small-drivered) 16DA 874.
90. 3-down coming into Edenberg ahead of a sandstorm in February 1973.
91. Edenberg, 16E 858, the 'Alan G Watson' with 1401-down Perishables and Livestock, getting out of town in May 69
92. Under new management (1): what our once proud railway has been reduced to.
93. Krugers, 23 3235 (driver Kallie Ludick's regular engine) with 701-down mixed. This train was sometimes used to convey empty coaches for destinations south of Bloemfontein and these were normally coupled behind the locomotive ahead of the bogie goods wagons. Here we see 7 extra coaches, the second being a type C-22 articulated vehicle from the 1928 Union Limited/Express days. Date: Sunday 2 July 1972
94_ Pompie, 16E 854 with 23-down mixed (for Burgersdorp) crossing an unknown 23 with 2924-up off the Cape Eastern system, June 1968
95. Krugers, 19C 2442+16E 855 'Johannesburg' with 116-up crossing 16E 854 'Harrismith' with 701-down, June 1969.
96. Krugers, 16E 854 'Harrismith' with 701-down mixed crossing unknown 23s with 116-up perishables & livestock, February 1968
97. Waterplas, 19C 2442+16E 855 with 02410-up crossing the van Zyl spruit in June 1969
98. 3-Down with through coaches to De Aar, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town rumbles over the plate girder bridge at Waterplas. February 1973
99. My father took this photo at Trompsburg in 1960 when on his annual train trip around the country. From the early thirties until their displacement by 15Fs; 16DAs, 15CAs and 15CBs ran this route. From c 1955 until the early sixties 15Fs predominated. Then the 23s came, displaced from the Postmasburg ore traffic by condensers which had, in turn, been bumped off Touws River - Beaufort West by electrification. Incidentally, the unkempt state of these engines reflects the situation resulting from the acute motive power shortages that arose during the post-war period until new deliveries of locomotives and electrification began to take effect during the sixties.
100. Although Peter was a passenger on 36-up, having joined the train at Springfontein with the coaches from 16-up from East London, there was enough time to sprint ahead of the train while it took on extra passengers and capture the scene at Trompsburg. There was much activity on the platform and like any good driver, that of the class 23 took the opportunity to top up the tender. The 16E 855, bearing the plates “City of Johannesburg” on her smoke deflectors, gave it a miss if I recall correctly.
AN ACCIDENT AT TROMPSBURG
Trompsburg was the scene of a head on collision between 1303-down, the Mossel Bay express, and a northbound goods in the small hours of XX May 1970. Although no passengers were seriously injured this accident became the talk of the town in Bloemfontein for many a day as it, and the scandalous story behind it, was splashed all over the front pages of both Die Volksblad and The Friend - the main feature of which was a photo of class 23s locked in gentle embrace - smokeboxes kissing.
The cause of this incident, which took place on the loop at Trompsburg, makes interesting reading. The following is a true account (but names have been changed):
A railway psychiatrist in those times would have said that two things determined the daily thoughts of footplatemen – greed and sex. In some the former was the dominant factor, in others the latter. Senior driver Frik Geldmal was a slave to greed, 16-hour shifts were grist to his mill. Only problem: by the time he got home from those extended shifts he was too knackered to keep his missus happy. On the other hand, passenger-link driver Kobus van der Pomp had different priorities. On the day in question Kobus was called for 1303-down, the Mossel Bay Express so he arranged a rendezvous with Frik’s wife in the first compartment behind his engine.
Around 02h40 Kobus gently backed his engine onto the train in Platform 2 at Bloemfontein. At this hour the station was all but deserted but he was taking no chances. Upon getting the right-away, at 02h55 Kobus opened the cylinder cocks, cracked open the regulator and, having left his fireman with detailed instructions, leapt out of the cab on the opposite side from the platform. When the steps of the first carriage came by he was up them and into compartment "A" before you could say ejaculate.....
At first all went well, fireman Neels driving and working the mechanical stoker as if he’d being doing it all his life. But in the fullness of time things are bound to get dodgy. Approaching Trompsburg, where they were scheduled to stop for passengers and water, Neels checked the fire. To his horror he saw a huge clinker plumb in the middle of the grate, which diverted his attention long enough to miss Trompsburg’s distant on yellow. By the time he saw the red home signal it was too late to stop. For some reason it was the practice to set both the facing and trailing points for the loop when a train was taking siding. In this case, the goods which 1303-down was scheduled to cross here was already entering Trompsburg which meant that both the main line points were set for the loop. With the engine's momentum insufficiently reduced she swept past the home signal at danger and into the loop, just in time to meet the northbound goods.
Although no passengers were seriously injured - other than being ejected from their bunks - the Board of Inquiry ruled against van der Pomp: it was a clear case of coitus interruptus.
101. On a much later date 23 3235 heading south crosses train 36 at Trompsburg. March 1973
102. Under new management (2): what our once proud railway has been reduced to at Trompsburg. Actually we are willing and able to provide thousands of photographs of similar destruction.
A LINE MADE FOR PANNING
103. Class 16E 857 hauling train 21 makes a magnificent sight, her 6’ 0” driving wheels rotating effortlessly at 90km/hr. December 1972.
104. This was 16DA 872 piloting 16E 857 near Lofter on their last southbound revenue run in early 1973. Even in their dotage these venerable machines could still move along.
105. A pan of 23 3214 at work on 701-down mixed, made over 50 years ago. A passenger-link engine she was invariably immaculate, both in appearance and mechanicially, kept that way by her regular crew driver C P Smit and fireman Giel van Schalkwyk.
106. Pauling: 16DA 845 with 996-up T&P crossing 7707-down in December 1968. (see also photos 59 & 84)
107. Loftus: almost the final gallop for steam on the south main line a 23 on the last lap of 993-dn T&P which terminated at Springfontein. December 1973 (although 21-dn & 22-up, the washout workings for Koffiefontein branch engines, continued to run for a few more years).
108. This was small-wheeled wide-firebox 16DA 879 'Theodora', recently overhauled, on a trial run preparatory to performing on the 'Sunset Limited' of April 1979. The train is northbound between Springfontein and Lofter.
109. Typical Summer storm clouds are building up as double class 23s blast through Lofter with almost clean stacks. March 1973
110. Peter: As mentioned in photo 109, your photographer was a passenger on train 36. It is hardly possible to capture the thrill of the ride in a single photo but this class 16E + 23 combination gave him undoubtedly the best ride he ever had behind steam. Although the train was all stations, those two locomotives were thrashing it between stops. The effect was compounded by the sound from the rails, known as “roaring rails”, where surface imperfections cause a continuous, sometimes more intermittent, roaring sound that gave the impression of even greater speed.
The station warning board for southbound trains to Springfontein is clearly visible in front of the train, and about half a mile beyond that is the summit of the main line to Bloemfontein. At just over 5000ft it is on the watershed between the Orange and the Vaal Rivers.
Thank you for bearing with us. We have reached the end of the first segment of the main line south of Bloemfontein. In the next we feature the important junction at Springfontein (of Boer War infamy) and the branch to Koffiefontein.