Natal North Coast 2: Darnall to Ninians by Les Pivnic, Bruno Martin and Ashley Peter ©
PART 16 The Natal North Coast Line compiled by Les Pivnic, Bruno Martin and Ashley Peter. ©
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 and Bruno Martin.
Epitomising the frenetic activity on the North Coast main line on the eve of electrification is this rare photo by the late Brian Couzens depicting a GF+15CA doubleheading into Darnall while a GEA-hauled goods waits to head north.
Acknowledgments
The request for photos of the Natal North Coast line at work generated so many images from our contributors that it necessitated splitting the chapter into three parts. This is the second and covers the line from Darnall to Ninians just south of Empangeni – 57 and 116 miles from Durban respectively. It also includes the branch line from Gingindlovu to Eshowe.
For convenience, the following statements are repeated because they apply in equal measure to this chapter.
In terms of steam motive power over the years, this line was worked by a variety of classes – including Mallets, Garratts and large main line engines like the class 15CB/CA in later years. Electrification and dieselisation eventually took over from steam as will be revealed in the myriad photographs.
My co-compiler Bruno Martin provides the historical background to this interesting line as well as details of the terrain covered as it winds its way up the North Coast. Bruno has also provided all the maps and gradient profiles – thanks Bruno!
Special mention must be made of the mammoth contribution by Ashley Peter in arranging the loan of the comprehensive set of photographs by the Late Brian Couzens but also providing interesting and informative captions to go with Brian’s photos.
My colleague Charlie Lewis also needs special mention in that he had to tackle the massive amount of Photoshopping of Brian’s images that over time have deteriorated very badly.
The following photographers and colleagues (in no particular order) contributed photos to this chapter:
Bruno Martin; Peter Stow; Charles Parry; Late Brian Couzens via Ashley Peter – RSSA Durban; THL; Charlie Lewis; John Carter; A.A.Jorgensen; Yolanda Meyer – THL; John Middleton; Dick Manton; Robert Kingsford-Smith (Rags); A.E.Durrant; Les Pivnic.
Thanks as usual are also due to Andrew Deacon for formatting the chapter and Charlie Lewis for posting it.
MAPS & GRADIENT PROFILE
THE NATAL NORTH COAST LINE:
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
STANGER - NINIANS SECTION
Compiled by Bruno Martin
In part 15 we followed the construction and the development of the North Coast Line from the Umgeni River to Stanger. The extension from Verulam to Stanger and up to the south bank of the Tugela River was built by the Natal-Zululand Railway Company Ltd. On 1 December 1898, the line was taken into use from Stanger to Tugela Station.
THE ZULULAND RAILWAY COMPANY
Zululand was incorporated into the Colony of Natal on 27 December 1897, after having been annexed by Britain in 1887. Proposals for extending the Verulam-Tugela railway into Zululand were first made when coal deposits in workable quantities were reported to have been located in the area around Hlabisa. When the territory became part of Natal, the proposed railway was also intended to serve the additional land opened up to sugar-growing. James Liege Hulett lost no time in securing a concession and raising a loan for extending the railway from Tugela River to the St Lucia Coalfields. This concession was granted by the Territory’s Administration to a syndicate represented by Messrs J L Hulett & Sons in August 1894. The concession changed hands several times before a contract was signed on 10 June 1899 in London by representatives of the Natal Colonial Government and Thomas Reynolds of the City of London, a civil engineer, representing the interests of the Zululand Railway Company Ltd. Under Natal Act 42 of 1899 the contract authorised ‘the construction, equipment, maintenance and working of a railway between the River Tugela and the Hlabisa Coalfields in the Province of Zululand, subject the ratification of Parliament’.
Even before the specifications were handed to the contractor’s agents Messrs Bale and Greene in Pietermaritzburg on 28 September 1899, work on a preliminary survey of the route was already underway in August by contractor’s surveyors Messrs Middleton Bros. On 12 January 1900, a preliminary plan and cross-section for the 100-mile long railway was submitted by the contractor’s solicitors for examination to the NGR’s resident engineer, T Bradford. After an on-site inspection was made of the proposed route by the NGR’s superintending engineer and recommendations were made for improvements to the alignment, the revised working plans and cross-sections were again presented to the Resident Engineer on 6 March. The approval was given on 19 March and the contractors proceeded to peg out the first 21 miles. Construction of the formation started June and by the end of 1899, some 35 miles of earthworks had been completed. For the construction of this line, the Zululand Railway Company imported 3 construction locomotives, one side tank 2-6-2 and two 2‑6‑0 with tenders, from the Baldwin Locomotive Company in the USA.
On the 53-mile stretch of railway from Tugela to Empangeni, there were four major river crossings, the largest being the Tugela. The Tugela was crossed 1¼ miles from Tugela Station with a bridge which was 1330ft long consisting of sixteen 75ft spans and a centre span of 130ft. Because no stone suitable for building masonry piers could be found in the vicinity, concrete was used instead to cast the piers and abutments. The bridge spans were supplied by Messrs Head, Wrightson & Co. Ltd, Teesdale Iron Works, Thornaby-on-Tees, on Teesside in England. While the bridge was being erected, a temporary low-level crossing was opened in June 1900 to allow work trains to proceed up the line carrying rails and building material to the construction sites. The first locomotive crossed the completed Tugela River Bridge on 17 December 1901, and by the end of that year, 28 miles of track had been laid. On 18 July 1902, the 44¾ mile section from Lower Tugela to Umhlatuzi was opened to traffic and a further 8¼ miles was taken into operation on 16 January 1903 which brought the railhead to Empangeni.
RECONSTRUCTION BY THE SAR
Work started in the early 1930s on rebuilding the alignment between Stanger and Tugela to ease the 1 in 30 grades to 1 in 50 and replacing the 300ft radius curves with curves of not less than 500ft radius. All of these works were completed when the last section between Newark and Tugela was brought into use on 7 October 1934. Immediately after leaving Newark, the line passes through the 717ft long Newark Tunnel. The improvements enabled train loads to be increased from 395 tons to 675 tons ‘up’ and ‘down’.
The rapid growth of traffic in the post-war years completely outstripped the carrying capacity of the section from Tugela to Empangeni. Although the alignment north of Tugela was built from the outset on a ruling gradient of 1 in 50 with 500ft minimum radius curves some sections were excessively curvy. A new alignment was built from a point north of the Tugela River bridge to Mandini to ease the continuous gradient encountered immediately after the bridge. Likewise, a new alignment was opened during 1947 to replace the tortuous descent to Umhlatuze River south of Felixton. This improvement also included a new bridge over the Umhlatuze. A new alignment was opened between Sitebi and Inyoni during the early 1950s to replace the sinuous old alignment following the course of the Umsunduzi.
When the North Coast line catered mainly for traffic generated by the sugar industry, a large number of private sidings were provided to load sugar cane. The largest sugar milling organization was Huletts Sugar Mills Ltd – it started as J L Hulett & Sons Ltd opening its first sugar mill at Tinley Manor in 1903. At stations such as Shakaskraal, Tinley Manor, Gledhow, Darnall, Felixton and Empangeni sugar mills were served by a network of 2ft gauge tramways. By the late 1960s, most of the cane tramway systems had closed and were replaced by road transport. With the development of traffic from other commodities, shunting at the private sidings presented a serious obstacle to the passage of through traffic. These private sidings were progressively eliminated or new sections of track built to allow through traffic to by-pass the sidings.
From the late 1960s until 1974, improvements to enhance the carrying capacity from Stanger to Empangeni entailed building more deviations, partial doubling and replacing bridges over the Nonoti, Matigulu, Tugela, Mlalazi and Mhlatuze Rivers. To accommodate the increased lengths of trains, stations and yards were remodelled at Stanger, Amatikulu, Gingindlovu and Empangeni. The doubling of the line between Stanger and Darnall was completed by the end of March 1963, however, the portion between New Guelderland and Darnall has since reverted to singletrack. The stations at Darnall and Zinkwazi were re-sited with the building of a new alignment from south of a new bridge over the Nonoti to Newark. At Gingindlovu, the Eshowe branch was deviated and brought in to the station from the north on a long sweeping curve. North of Gingindlovu, the alignment was straightened and curves flattened as far as Hudley making Emoyeni siding redundant. Further to the north, a new station and yard were opened at Port Durnford. Closer to Felixton, the old Mzingwenya and Mhlatuze sidings were abandoned and replaced with a new Mzingwenya station on a new double-line alignment. Between Felixton and Ninians the alignment was straightened and doubled in the early 1960s which resulted in the closure Msimbiti siding.
ELECTRIFICATION
On reaching Stanger in 1969, electrification progressed steadily reaching Newark in 1970, Mandini in July 1971, Gingindlovu in 1972 and throughout to Empangeni in October 1974. Electric traction between Darnall and Empangeni was decommissioned in October 2011.
GINGINDLOVU – ESHOWE BRANCH
This branch, 19 miles 75 chains long, was originally surveyed in 1902 as a 2ft gauge line but was instead built as 3ft 6in gauge line (Union Act 23 of 1913). It was officially opened on 20 June 1917 by Sir Liege Hulett. From Gingindlovu (89 feet a.s.l.), the line climbs steadily to reach an altitude of 1647 feet a.s.l. at Eshowe. The ruling gradient is 1 in 40 up and 1 in 50 down. For the first 7 miles, the line traverses easy terrain to Blackburn (418 feet a.s.l.) where it enters the valley of the Inyezane River and rises 1229 feet over a distance of 13¼ miles to the watershed of the Amatikulu and the Umkukuzi Rivers on a succession of 330ft radius curves.
What was described as the worst natural disaster in South Africa’s history occurred during the last week of September 1987. For four days and nights, it rained continuously triggering off ‘Izikhukhula’, the flood of destruction. The branch to Eshowe was so severely damaged that it was considered no longer financially viable to be repaired since most of the sugar cane traffic had already been lost to road transport.
The extension of the Eshowe Branch
The Eshowe Co-operative Sugar & Timber Company Ltd was established in 1924 by the farmers of the Eshowe district. To serve the transport requirements of the members of the Co-op, a 6¾-mile-long service line was built from Eshowe North to the terminus named Siding E. Initially, a one-mile long extension was opened on 26 June 1926 by the SAR to Eshowe North and continued as a private line to Siding E which was opened during May 1928. Construction of the line was financed by an advance from Messrs C G Smith & Co., a bondholding company of the Co-op with the objective that the railway would be taken over by the SAR Administration and extended to link up with the Nkwalini branch.
1. This photo by the late Don Baker of the north end of Stanger shed c 1969 was unearthed too late for inclusion in our first segment of the North Coast chapter. It is so apposite to this segment as well that I include it here as it emphasises the variety of Garratts on the North Coast as described by Ashley in his caption to photo 114 of the previous chapter.
2. Not only was the North Coast renowned for its variety of Garratt locomotives – it also boasted another rare phenomenon – a class S2 shunting locomotive in regular open line service. So busy was the line that there simply was no room for a light-engine movement. Although restricted to 25mph, the Stanger shunt loco would be called upon to travel to and from Darnall with a fully-fledged goods train several times a day – even sporting a tranship truck and guard’s van at the rear…! Furthermore, to prove this was not just a one-off situation, it was also documented in the official load tables, which allowed the S2 440 tons for 44 axles between Stanger and Darnall, and 520 tons for 52 axles in the opposite direction. Here we see the sprightly S2, its safety valve feathering, departing Darnall proudly with a goods load for Stanger.
3. Over the years there were three alignments between New Guelderland and Darnall: the original 1898 route, the 1930 deviation and the much straighter electrified line of 1970 (see photos 9 and 10 below). The original track was retained at least until 1970 for servicing the numerous sugar-cane loading sidings along here, this section just north of the Mbozama river ran parallel to the Darnall Mill's 2ft-gauge system. In June 1968 14R 1708 was delivering empty 'B' bogies to the loading sidings.
4. With its safety valve feathering, the 14R on train no. 292, all-station passenger from Empangeni to Durban, eagerly awaits the 'right-away' from Darnall, 13km north of Stanger, sometime late in 1968. The neat appearance of the station and its surrounds say a lot about the pride and commitment of SAR railwaymen.
5. The crew of GEA 4007 seemed to be in a hurry as they headed north with a mixed goods near Darnall on Saturday 9 January 1971.
6. The mounting traffic levels over the mainly single line section between Darnall and Empangeni resulted in some interesting locomotive combinations at times in an effort to keep the volumes moving. Here a remarkable GF/15CA double-header shown in our title photo for this segment pulls into Darnall with a southbound block load of pulpwood. Despite the high midday sun, Brian wasn’t going to allow this opportunity to pass him by…!
7. By mid-1969 there was precious little open-line steam left north of Durban. To see 'big steam' required travelling beyond Stanger. On this occasion Brian found a 'Peacock' (the Natal nickname for a GEA) running into Darnall, 13km north of Stanger, with a northbound goods. With the upgrading of the North Coast route now far advanced, Darnall was destined to become the end of the double-line section, so the GEA would have to wait here for an opposing goods before proceeding. There was however a short section of double line further north, between Amatikulu and Gingindlovu. Take note of the NGR-era water column in the foreground, quite likely dating from the extension of the line north of Stanger in 1898.
8. A 14R racing through Darnall with down (i.e. southbound at that time) pulpwood in February 1964.
9. Providing a perfect illustration of the great lengths SAR went to to improve the North Coast rail route, this GL, recently transferred from Glencoe, hauls a block load of empty B bogies northwards on the old alignment somewhere north of Darnall, soon to be bisected by the completely new line characterised by major cuttings and embankments – and if one looks closely, preparations are already well underway for electrification of the new route.
10. The three passenger coaches bringing up the rear of this train tell us that this would have been 400-up, the 6:26am all-stops Mandini – Stanger mixed, which carried mainly school children on weekdays and shoppers on Saturdays. Here its GEA threads its way through the sections of new track awaiting connection north of Darnall. In later years this would become goods train (with passenger accommodation) 408-up, the 6am all-stops from Gingindlovu to Stanger.
11. A Class GEA on southbound goods waits in the loop at old Zinkwazi, no doubt to cross an opposing train. The rural passengers on the platform, some of them carrying luggage on their heads in the traditional African way, would suggest that northbound passenger 291-down could be that opposing train. Somebody with a keen eye for accuracy has also picked up the inconsistency in the level crossing stop sign, where the standard vintage “STOP – 2 LINES” has simply had the “2” obliterated, presumably to warn less wary motorists to be more vigilant when crossing the multiple tracks in the station!
12. Having pulled into the loop at old Zinkwazi, an Empangeni-bound GL stokes up in preparation for departure as a GEA on southbound goods pulls in over the Nonoti River bridge - a through truss which was superseded by the new concrete bridge in 1971 (see next picture). Even on those sections where there were few, or no tunnels, the Garratts were preferred running bunker-first to draw the heat away from the crew, especially in the hot and humid Zululand summers!
13. It requires some effort from both fireman and locomotive, here a class 15CA, to lift 229-down, the 10:00 mail from Durban to Empangeni, up to and over the Zinkwazi River bridge near the halt of the same name. This was Saturday 10 July 1971 and the new concrete bridge together with the new Zinkwazi loop had only recently been opened. The new bridge is considerably higher than the old one and about 200m downstream of the old through truss shown in Brian's photo.
14. A class 15CA with 269-down, the 14:15 Saturdays only from Durban, catches the last rays of sunlight as it crosses the new Zinkwazi River bridge at 16:38 in the Autumn of 1972.
15. The somewhat jumbled-up load of 430-up goods was being worked southwards out of Newark by GEA 4012 in June 1968. Looks like this was a bad batch of coal......
16. A class 15CA heads south from Newark with a morning mixed goods train. It would appear that Natal was given good coal for their locomotives as most steam trains operated with very clean stacks. Saturday 10 July 1971.
17. In July 1967 Allen photographed a more organised 430-up goods entering Newark station behind a typically well-maintained Greyville 15CA. Looks like a better batch of coal too.
18. An unknown 15CA bringing 230-up mail into Newark in July 1969.
19. Class GL 2351 “Princess Alice” heading north, downgrade past the outer home and distant signals for Newark station on Saturday 9 January 1971.
20. The town Stanger was founded about 1820 by King Shaka and was named KwaDukuza (Zulu: Place of the Lost Person) because of the capital's labyrinth of huts. After King Shaka was assassinated on 22 September 1828 during a coup by two of his half-brothers, Dingane and Umthlangaan (Mhlangane), the town was burnt to the ground. In 1873, European settlers built a town on the site, naming it after William Stanger, the surveyor-general of Natal. The town was again renamed KwaDukuza on 3 March 2006. Electrification from Durban reached Stanger in April 1969. From that time, trains to Empangeni from Durban were hauled by electric locomotives to Stanger and then by steam further north. Apart from the usual mid-60s allocation of classes 14R, GDA, GE, GEA and S2, some Class 15CA locomotives were later also allocated. Here a Stanger based class 15CA bearing the name Stanger is leaving Newark southbound with 240-up, the 06:45 from Empangeni to Durban. Saturday 10 July 1971
21. Construction of the easier-graded alignment away from the south bank of the Tugela was well under way when this 14R was working hard up the 1934 route towards Newark tunnel with a southbound load of pulpwood destined for the Courtaulds/Sappi plant at Umkomaas. July 1968.
22. In July 1968 we found 14R 1584 drifting into the water stop at Tugela with C bogies for loading with raw sugar at the various mills north of Mandini. This side of the train are the heavy earthworks for the new regraded alignment between the river and Newark tunnel.
23. GL 2357 with 415-down goods (down was northbound by this time) creeping up to the water column at Tugela for a drink, fire-clean and grease all round before heading up the bank away from the river. Earthworks for the complete remodelling of Tugela station on the left (see next photo).
24. In the Winter of 1972, the final curtain was beckoning for the most powerful steam locos ever built for the SAR - and reportedly the most powerful locomotives in the Southern Hemisphere when introduced in 1929. Amidst reports that the remaining three GLs would be withdrawn from service within the next few months, the RSSA Natal Branch approached the local SAR Operating Office to ask if a final commemorative trip could be undertaken with a GL loco and, much to the members' surprise, they agreed to run a suburban passenger coach at the back of a goods train hauled by a GL from Stanger to Gingindlovu on Saturday, 17 June 1972. On the day the RSSA members and their families first visited Stanger loco depot, where they found GL 2351 "Princess Alice" smartly shined up for the occasion, after which they made their way to the station yard to board the train. However, this picture captures about the most remarkable event of the day, which took place at Tugela station, 25km north of Stanger, where their train was held for a crossing and, what should be hauling the opposing train, but yet another Class GL - so on their short trip they got to see two of the remaining three GLs in service! NB: please see photo 42 for the continuation of this trip.
25. An unknown* 14R brings 400-up, the 06:00 Mandini-Stanger schoolchildren's train off the bridge into Tugela station in April 1970. That's the new concrete bridge almost complete in the background.
* Identifying engines in Natal was tricky due to the crew's habit of hanging their water bottles over the number plate.
26. The same train about to draw into Tugela station with Mkize Motors "Expert Repairs and Panelbeating" in the foreground.
27. A class 15CA southbound with 230-up the Zululand mail in tow, having just crossed the Tugela River is now officially back in Natal. In the background is the significantly higher new railway bridge over the Tugela River, while behind it the top truss structure of the road bridge is just visible. Although electrification masts had been erected along many sections of the line by this time, those sections where deviations were planned were obviously left untouched. Note the outer home signal for Tugela station behind the third vehicle. Saturday 9 January 1971.
28. You can just imagine the sound as this class 15CA blasts its way off the Tugela River bridge with a mixed load southbound. Saturday 9 January 1971
29. CORONATION DAY 1902: An unidentified Baldwin tender locomotive elaborately decked out in palm fronds, shields and flags for the occasion of the Coronation of Edward VII and his wife Alexandra of Denmark as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions taking place at Westminster Abbey in London on 9 August 1902. As regards who is posing for the photograph, my guess is the driver is standing next to the locomotive while the fireman is standing in the opening of the cab. The identity of the well-dressed gentleman in his Stetson and the other two men is open to conjecture.
For the construction of the line from Tugela to Somkele, Messrs Middleton Bros., the contractor for the Zululand Railway Company, imported 3 construction locomotives, one side tank 2-6-2 and two 2‑6‑0 with tenders, from the Baldwin Locomotive Company in the USA. The six-wheeled tenders of these locomotives were unique in that they were carried on a single pair of wheels and a trailing bogie. Under the Zululand Railway Company, the locomotives were numbered 1 to 3; when they were absorbed into the NGR locomotive stock, the tank locomotive was assigned number 512 and 513-514 for the tender locomotives.
What is of further significance is that the Baldwin tender locomotives were the first true tender locomotives to operate in Natal, in 1902. NGR’s first tender locomotive, Hendrie ‘B’ No 275 entered service on 25 October 1904.
30. We are indebted to the THL Librarian, Yolanda Meyer and her DRISA crew for unearthing this classic view of the first Tugela bridge. Judging by the rolling stock this was an inspection trip, possibly by General Manager of the NGR Sir David Hunter himself. The bridge, completed in December 1901, was impressive enough with its 17 spans and overall length of 1330ft. Sometime between 1930 and 1934 it was replaced with through trusses strong enough to take the largest locomotives of the day. The third and final reconstruction - a concrete bridge with its approach earthworks and track was completed just prior to electrification in 1971.
The rolling stock on this train is also of great significance. Behind the Dubs A or K & S locomotive is a van to NGR diagram 21, which became type K-15 in SAR days. Next is a first class coach used on the 1903 Dining Corridor Express to NGR diagram 49, becoming SAR type C-8. The third vehicle is the most significant. It was an NGR built kitchen car, one of 2 built in the Durban Mechanical Shops in 1902/3. One of these was converted to a cattle wagon in 1906, leaving one in service until around Union in 1910 when it was either scrapped or converted. This is the only known photograph depicting one in service and credit must be given to the sharp-eyed Leith Paxton for identifying this vehicle. One could be forgiven for believing that this vehicle was a wagon, given its appearance and begs the question as to whether it had a stable or pen in one corner to house a cow in order to ensure fresh milk daily! The last vehicle appears to be NGR Inspection Coach 88, built in Durban in 1904, which became private 12 with the SAR, being scrapped at Pietermaritzburg in July 1932.
31. That the through trusses of the 1934 bridge were strong enough to take a GL is amply illustrated in this July 1968 photo.
32. The same train, a southbound freight, about to pass the outer-home and distant signals for Tugela station.
33. The Tugela and its bridge were very photogenic so we've gone to town here..... That's 239-down, the Durban - Empangeni mail with her 14R showing a feather of steam to reassure the crew she's ready for the strenuous stretch up the north bank of the river.
34. This was GL 2352 crossing the Tugela with northbound empties in July 1968. Earlier in that month Stanger had acquired three GLs from Glencoe and immediately put them to work. As soon as we could we made our way to the North Coast to continue photographing these epic machines. By the end of 1968 the remaining GLs had all been transferred to Stanger with the exception of #2350 which had perished tragically in a head-on at Doringberg on her last trip.
35. GL 2355 bringing a northbound goods across the Tugela in July 1968. If you compare this picture with the next one something remarkable shows up. That huge new concrete bridge took less than 18 months to build!
37. On the north bank of the Tugela River, class GL 2351 "Princess Alice", with a good head of steam and some, has just rumbled across the old steel bridge with a mixed goods train, with the soon to be opened new concrete bridge in the background. Saturday 9 January 1971.
38. The North Coast line was guaranteed to provide a variety of motive power on any one day. Here a class 14R has left Tugela and is climbing the north bank toward Mandini with the mighty Tugela (by South African standards!) in the background. This river, which rises in the Drakensberg, has the biggest catchment area of all rivers in KZN. Saturday 9 January 1971.
39. The freight hauled by GL 2357 in photo 24 above is slogging through old Mandini siding on its way to new Mandini, in July 1968.
40. This train has also been in this chapter before, in photo 22 to be exact. Those 'C' wagons have yet to reach their destination.
41. Continuing on from photo 25 above: upon arrival of the GL special at Mandini, the goods load was shunted to the yard, after which GL 2351 underwent the mandatory servicing, which was quite time consuming. In the meantime, 239-down, the northbound Empangeni mail, carrying the unofficial name "Duguza" rolled into Mandini behind a 15CA with Empangeni's Driver Special Grade Philip Oosthuizen* at the controls in very characteristic style.
Mandini is an important industrial hub on the North Coast with a major SAPPI paper mill, amongst other industries. The next station down the line, iSithebe, is a further industrial extension of Mandini, with numerous factories and commercial sites.
*Later to become the senior footplateman in the Republic, retiring as Chief Locomotive Inspector in 1987.
42. The RSSA special referred to in Photo 24 continued on from Mandini and with the servicing completed, 2351 returned to her train, but as there was no goods traffic available beyond Mandini, the load consisted simply of the loco, suburban coach and a goods guard's van. This meant that this GL hauled, probably for the first and only time on the North Coast, a "proper" passenger train - and must have had a really easy time of it!
43. Brian stepped down from the train to take a photo while waiting for a crossing at an intermediate station between Mandini and Gingindlovu. Barely a few weeks after this, all three remaining Class GLs were withdrawn from service, bringing to the end an era of super steam power on the SAR that had lasted some 43 years. It bears noting that the GLs spent their entire working lives in Natal, first on the New Main Line between Congella and Cato Ridge; then Glencoe - Vryheid and finally Stanger - Empangeni. After withdrawal, the locos were worked to Greyville, from where the majority were scrapped, although two, nos. 2351 and 2352, have been retained for posterity - but regrettably neither of them on their home stomping ground, Natal. In mid 1968 the leader of the class No 2350 was unfortunately involved in a head-on collision with a class GMAM at Doringberg and she was withdrawn from service and scrapped. The two survivors are No 2351 Princess Alice, housed in the Outeniqua Transport Museum in George in the Cape and her sister 2352, eventually returned to the UK as described in Part 14: Glencoe-Vryheid-Piet Retief and is proudly on display in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester – the city of her birth. The Class GL Garratts were all built in Manchester by Beyer Peacock & Co., the builders who became famous for specialising in Garratt-type locomotives.
44. This GL was caught in the shadows of a deep cutting, heading northbound near Mandini. By now the GLs were living on borrowed time and Brian must have considered himself fortunate to find this one out on the line, working a heavy freight, much of which consisted of pulpwood loaded in B and DZ wagons.
45. A 14R approaching Nyoni from the north with pulpwood for Mandini. July 1968.
46. A late afternoon shot of a 15CA, heading train 269-down (2:15pm Saturdays only, Durban to Mtubatuba) thought to be in the vicinity of Nyoni in the winter of 1972. This train would return as 294-up, leaving Mtubatuba at 7:5pm on Sunday, and travelling overnight with an early Monday morning arrival in Durban, hence the number of sleeper coaches in the consist.
47. It’s late in 1972 as this 15CA blasts upgrade near Nyoni with 239-down mail, the daily daylight all-stations passenger from Durban to Empangeni. With electrification now complete to Gingindlovu and, according to reports in SA Rail magazine, a decision already made by SAR that the Class 15CAs would be returning to the Transvaal once the power was switched on as far as Mtunzini (38km from Empangeni), it was only a matter of time before the vociferous CAs would disappear forever from their regular duties on this line.
48. Brian was back in a much sunnier Zululand, photographing another polished 15CA (or could it be the same one?) on 239-down mail, by this time named 'Duguza', as it pulled into Ginnery, formerly a crossing place between Amatikulu and Nyoni, but by then already downgraded to just a passenger halt.
49. 15CA 2045 was clearing out of Amatikulu in style with 239-down, the Empangeni mail in August 1970. Track doubling had only recently been completed.
50. Just east of Amatikulu this GL was working pulpwood southwards in October 1969.
51. The doubling north of Amatikulu was nearing completion when this photo of 14R 1736 with 437-down goods for Empangeni was made in May 1969.
52. This was GL 2354 about half-an-hour later on the same afternoon with 441-down goods comprising mostly specially-cleaned empty 'B' bogies for Empangeni.
53. A mile north of photos 49, 51 & 52 but little more than a month earlier, during Easter 1969 this 15CA was heading north on the new alignment between Amatikulu and Gingindlovu.
54. The new, straighter, easier-graded alignment in preparation for electric traction and doubling had only recently been connected when GE 2275, having an easy time of it with 428-up molasses and export sugar, rumbled towards Amatikulu from the north during Easter 1969 (see this train departing from Gingindhlovu in photo 63 below).
55. This second-series GE has probably just arrived off the Eshowe branch and is taking its train on the short section of recently doubled line between Gingindlovu and Amatikulu, where the Hendrie-era BB wagons loaded with sugar cane would be shunted directly into the sugar mill siding.
56. With a commendably clear chimney, this 15CA heads south from Gingindlovu with a load of bulk sugar in C wagons, followed by empty fuel tank trucks, heading for the Churchill Road yard in Durban. No longer required to work the train all the way to Durban, this ‘CA would hand over to a pair of diminutive 1Es at Stanger, just 35 miles further on.
57. After servicing at Ging, the same GEA seen arriving on train no. 453, has picked up its return load and heads south as 460 (3:52pm goods, daily except Sundays, from Gingindlovu to Stanger). Much of the traffic shown would have been intermediate, having been picked up by wayside train 424-up between Empangeni and Gingindlovu that morning.
58. A GEA pulls into Gingindlovu from the south with a block of empty B-bogies, probably from the Amatikulu sugar mill and destined for reloading with cane at the numerous sidings along the Eshowe branch all the way to Eshowe North. By the way, did you know that the SAR employed foreigners from time to time? I’m not sure how true this is, but the story goes that at least one or two British immigrants in Railway service ended up on the North Coast and were really battling to come to terms with some of the indigenous names like Mtubatuba, Hluhluwe, Empangeni etc., but they eventually sorted Gingindlovu out by calling it “Gin-gin-I-love-you”!
59. During 1971 Brian found another of the now rapidly disappearing behemoths, a Class GL, pulling into Gingindlovu with a hefty southbound goods. By 1971 the GLs were at the very end of their long careers. Several had already been withdrawn, so finding one in road service would have elicited much excitement. From an Operating point of view, by this time the GLs were viewed as both the cure to their heavy traffic problems (with the largest permissible load of 1 045 tons for a single locomotive) and a curse, as they tended to be heavy on coal and water, requiring extended servicing time at each and every water point. According to my late father who was the Operating Inspector for this section in the early 1970s, it was not unheard of for a GL to take 12 hours to make the 68 mile journey between Stanger and Empangeni – a trip normally scheduled for five to six hours on a regular goods train!
60. As if to give credence to the reputation for taking forever, a following southbound goods with a GMA in charge has caught it up at Gingindlovu, even before the GL has finished cleaning fire and moved on to the watering point....
61. For the next photo Brian retreated up the hillside overlooking Gingindlovu to provide something of a panoramic view of the busy station and yard. Apart from the two Garratt-hauled goods trains in the foreground, there is the resident Class 14R shunting the cluttered yard with at least three V-type goods guard’s vans as well as the coaches for train 389-down (3.5pm 'goods with passenger accommodation') for the Eshowe branch.
62. During Easter 1969 this 15CA was entering Gingindlovu with northbound freight 435-down ('traffic for Empangeni and beyond'). This is the same train shown in photo 53.
63. The same train looking towards the station and village (you can see the latter's main street upon which Ging's famous hotel was situated). By this time Gingindlovu, the junction for Eshowe, had become probably the busiest station between Durban and Empangeni. There were invariably several trains being serviced here with the associated crossings and overtakings. One mystery we are trying to unravel is that there seems to have been caboose working using GMAs at this time but we have found no reference to it in contemporary WTBs.
64. As late as 1969 the second and third series GEs could still be found on important freight jobs to Stanger. This was 2nd-series 2275 with 428-up southbound block molasses and export sugar, Easter 1969. In the background is the same GMA seen in the previous photo with caboose working (?) of 430-up goods bound for Bayhead (the GMA would come off at Stanger).
65. GL 2354 brings 441-down goods into Gingindlovu while the GEA of a southbound freight has run forward to the south water column - much easier than spotting the front tank filler hole under the garden-hose type nozzle with a whole trainload of stalk cane coupled behind. May 1969.
66. The class 15CB 2068 of 429-down, 'through petrol traffic ex Race Course yard' having a fire clean and taking water at Gingindlovu. The interesting assortment of 'runner wagons' includes a cement wagon, three open wagons, probably with locomotive coal, amongst others. In the background is the morning train to Durban, whose locomotive, class 14R 1747 has uncoupled to take on water. Coach 1343 visible behind 2068 is a 2nd-class Hendrie balcony saloon placed in service on 11 December 1912 and which would not see another heavy overhaul. It was scrapped in August 1972, its bogies being reclaimed for use under new steel third class coaches from Union Carriage and Wagon Co. at Nigel. Date: Saturday 5 April 1969.
The north-end water column at Ging was situated directly opposite the dining room of the Hotel - somehow this seemed to make their already excellent curries taste even better.
67. A 14R with northbound goods departing Gingindlovu while GEs (1st and 2nd series) move out of the yard on their way to loco. July 1968.
68. Yet another profitable-looking freight with five full petrol tankers towards the rear, departing northward out of Gingindlovu in July 1968. The signal on the far right post is a wrong-road semaphore which directed trains onto the down line - at night it displayed a purple light. The signal behind the bunker of the GEA is the splitting home for the Eshowe branch.
69. The other name carried by a Stanger based 15CA was 'Duguza' (note spelling and see photo 20). Here it leaves Gingindlovu northbound with train 239, the 10:25 from Durban. It is not known if the names were born by specific locomotives on a link or were ornaments owned by drivers and attached to any locomotive the driver may have had on the day. April 1972
70. Once the diminutive electrics had moved clear, this smartly turned out Class 15CA moved in to take the train on to Empangeni. Although the number is not known, it could well have been No 2042, which was a regular performer on passenger trains. In order to photograph the loco away from overhead wires, Brian had to head some way north of Gingindlovu station. From about 1971 until the end of steam in 1974, northbound passenger trains running between Stanger and Empangeni unofficially carried the name 'Duguza', which is the Zulu name for Stanger (actually 'kwaDukuza'), whilst southbound passenger trains sported a 'Stanger' name board.
71. Rare until the very end for steam: GO 2586 departing Gingindlovu with the northbound mail on 10 January 1973.
72. Two second-series GEs awaiting assignments at Gingindlovu's minute locoshed. Note how the track is covered in sand. There was a very steep downgrade into the shed, a wild guess would be 1/25, and it was not unknown for locos to be unable to pull-up in time to avoid crashing through the end of the building.
73. During a visit to Gingindlovu Sub-Depot on 5 January 1970, I spotted second series GE 2268. Note the NGR-style water column to the left of the engine.
74. John Middleton describes how he took this photo of GEA 4012 at Gingindlovu sub-depot: “I only ever went up the North Coast once in steam days by train from Durban to Empangeni, in September 1975. The weather was awful and so photography was limited in the extreme. I did get one shot (I jumped off while the train was standing at Ging.) "
75. Another second series GE shunting at Gingindhlovu in October 1969. There is a GEA just visible on the right and a couple of straight locos behind (possibly 14R's?).
76. A day of hard work is over for the relaying gang, stowing their tools after helping to get the North Coast main line ready for the 21.5-ton axleload of the 5E1s. The new-works camp is behind the barbed-wire fence on the left and the train is standing on the Eshowe branch. The track on the left is the main line to Empangeni.
Bruno's map shows the topography as well as the twists and turns of the Eshowe branch as it struggles to maintain the 1/40 gradient in the face of that fierce escarpment. Note the private siding beyond the terminus, it winds through the canefields for almost another seven miles (see photos 82 & 83).
77. GEA 4007 departing Gingindlovu for Eshowe with a goods load on 5 January 1970.
78. A veteran Class GE sets out from Gingindlovu with train No 589 on the Eshowe branch. The GEs were already approaching 45 years of age at this time and were probably quite heavy on maintenance, which could possibly explain the eagerness of Operating to replace them with GO Garratts, when these arrived on the North Coast a year or two later. However, GOs were reportedly prone to throwing sparks when working hard on the steep gradients of the Eshowe branch, and a number of cane and forest fires were attributed to them, so they were quickly moved elsewhere, giving the GEs a temporary reprieve, although they did share duties with GEAs until the diesels arrived.
79. A class GE in charge of goods train No 589 from Gingindlovu to Eshowe, slogging manfully up the 1/40 grade with tall canefields in the backgound. The DZ wagon ahead of the coaches has been converted into a 'ZNR' (non-revenue earning) wagon and fitted with several rudimentary corrugated iron huts to provide labourers’ accommodation, probably for the local permanent way gang attending to some serious track maintenance work along the tortuous Eshowe line. Interestingly, in SAR timetables, the official 'mixed' train from Gingindlovu (No 377, which departed Ging at 3:55am daily except Sundays), conveyed at least four passenger coaches, two of which came up from Durban on the overnight passenger train - whereas No 389, which had only two coaches, remained a lowly 'goods train with passenger accommodation'.
80. During Easter 1971 GDA 2259 paused for a breather at Dikinjana while working sugar-cane empties up to the long private siding at the end of the branch in Eshowe. The GDAs were compact Garratts that did the job they were designed for - working lightly-laid branch and secondary lines. The five GDAs spent most of their working lives in Natal but two were drafted away to the Cape Midland in December 1968 - a move that spelt their doom, for the System Mechanical Engineer and the Operating staff down there were already besotted with diesels.
81. A clear stack meant good coal and it was needed on the Eshowe branch. GDA 2259 was barely maintaining walking pace with its empty B bogies on the 1/40 just north of Dikinjana. There were many notorious uphill sections on SAR and the 12 miles at 1/40 from Weybridge (!) to Eshowe was one of them. The total climb of 1508 feet between Ginginghlovu and Eshowe was concentrated on this section. Engines left Ging with full bunkers with about as much coal on top of the tank as in the bunker.
82. And here we are at Siding E, terminus of the aforementioned 'long private siding' as described by Bruno in his introduction. GDA 2259 has arrived with its empties we've been following since Blackburn and is about to exchange them for the eight loads of stalk cane on the far side of the horseshoe for the return journey which it will take all the way to Amatikulu Mill.
Note how 'essential' the guards van was regarded in those days. It had to be dragged all the way up the steep grades thus leaving payload behind when the guard could have ridden on the footplate - and even, God forbid, helped out with the shovel from time to time.
83. At siding D some more loads were picked up. We'll leave this train now and head for Eshowe where 588 'goods', but running as a pure passenger train, is about to depart.
84. For some reason lost in the mists of time, 588 was not allowed to haul cane which meant that if there was no ordinary goods traffic on a particular day the train ran as a pure passenger - sounds Oirish: a passenger working, labled 'goods' in the WTB and not a solitary vehicle to justify its classification. Either way, this was 588-up, the 06:15 Mo-Sa from Eshowe to Gingindlovu and John took the photo in January 1970.
85. Only one tri-compo was sufficient for business on this day in mid 1967. The countryside around Dikinjana is rugged, requiring a succession of horseshoe curves to maintain grade. Incidentally, 'Dikinjana' was Dusty's favourite SAR station name!
86. A second-series GE working stalk cane somewhat gingerly down the steepest part of the line, between Dikinjana and Ibumba. Subject to a maximum load of 940 tons, an endorsement in the WTB tells us that 'Up goods trains may convey 25 bogies of cane and a guards van between Eshowe and Overdene' (applicable only to class GE). Over the home stretch from Overdene to Gingindlovu this could be increased to 1500 tons. The photo was made in June 1967.
87. John followed 588-up ('up' was a weird anomaly in railway taal, it was downhill all the way to Ging!) intercepting it again at Ibumba. Seems several passengers alighted here.
88. The same train and same unknown GDA leaving Blackburn - almost off the steep section now.
89. On another day 588-up, the 06:15 from Eshowe, had a more moderate mixed load as it passed through some of the beautiful scenery along this line. September 1975
90. Rattling along on the home straight from Weybridge to Gingindlovu. You shoulda seen all those bowler-hatted City gents with their Financial Timeses getting on at the latter place.
Just kidding. It looks as though 588-up could find no goods business that morning.
91. As one would expect from an engine with 63,000 lbs of tractive effort, this GEA was moving the two coaches of 588-up effortlessly towards Gingindlovu. With no goods traffic this was hardly a load for a GEA but the passengers no doubt appreciated the connection at Gingindlovu with the morning train to Durban. The leading coach was a third class type S-45 while the second vehicle was a tri-composite van. September 1975.
From the outskirts of Ging we will now move back to the main line.......
92. In the vicinity of Fairbreeze a GEA is silhouetted as it heads south with one loaded B wagon and numerous empty BB wagons. This view illustrates the changes made to the BB coal carriers to increase their sugar-cane carrying capacity. Some of them simply had vertical gumpoles inserted into collars, or metal uprights welded on, whilst others received a full metal framework on top – all of them have been recoded to BC wagons by now, indicating that they had been dedicated for sugar-cane traffic. Interestingly, the arrival of electrification posed new challenges, as cane loaded too high could either damage the catenary, or get stuck in it, resulting in potential hook-ups on the pantographs of electric locos. To avoid this, the guards working the pick-up trains that attached loaded cane wagons were issued with long folding wooden measuring sticks, exactly 13ft in length, which were supposed to assist in ensuring that only trucks loaded within the loading gauge were cleared from intermediate sidings.
93. By mid-1971 half of the eight members of the GL Class had already been withdrawn and rumours abounded of the imminent demise of the entire class. Brian no doubt set out to try and find some of the last remaining members at work and succeeded in finding this one hauling a southbound load of bulk sugar and treacle between Hudley and Fairbreeze.
94. A fairly rare shot for the North Coast of a GEA running chimney-first. The train was southbound about three miles north of Gingindlovu sometime in 1969. Note the raised coal bunker to allow additional coal supplies to be loaded. The avenue of gum trees are once again evidence of the SAR’s attempts to reduce sugarcane fire claims by providing a continuous windbreak alongside the cane plantations to reduce the danger of live sparks from steam locomotives reaching the fields.
95. A 15CA southbound with a blockload of pulpwood for either Mandini or Umkomaas between Hudley and Fairbreeze, July 1968
96. Approaching Fairbreeze from the north during Easter 1969, 14R 1583 with 230-up, a heavy-looking Durban mail.
97. Empangeni-bound 229-down, headed by its usual 14R motive power, pulls into the neat and generally tidy Zululand station of Mtunzini for a passenger stop, the station foreman ready to exchange tokens. The mess of sugar cane trash is typical of all cane-loading station yards in Natal – an inherent aspect of conveying freshly harvested sugar cane and needless to say, these cast off bits and pieces today litter the roads instead!
98. 436-up goods, mainly pulpwood, with a simply magnificent 15CA 2059 in charge paused for water at Mtunzini, October 1969.
99. 15CA 2853 with northbound tonnage, pulling out of Port Durnford, Easter 1969.
100. By Easter 1970 easing of curves, regrading and doubling between Gingindlovu and Felixton was under way. It was a major project, given the heavy earthworks out of the Umhlatuzi valley and the new multi-span concrete bridge; no expense was spared. This was 15CA 2055 blasting out of Port Durnford in typical 15CA style with northbound freight for Empangeni.
101. A couple of months later and the formation is complete and ready for tracklaying while GEA 4044 brings a northbound goods out of Port Durnford.
102. 15CA 2053 southbound drifts through Mzingwena with solid revenue freight in the form of processed sugar destined for Maydon Wharf in Durban and pulpwood, probably for the SAICOR mill at Umkomaas.
103. A GEA hauls mixed goods northbound between Mzingwenya and Umhlatuzi c 1968.
104. The southbound hill from the Umhlatuzi river was a taxing 1/40 that brought every steam engine to its knees. We camped in the forest here, sometimes three or four times/year between 1968 and 1973. Especially when it wakes you around three in the morning the canon-shot exhaust of a 15CA is not easy to forget.
105. Clawing its way up the 1/40, a 14R doing the hokey pokey, first to the left and then to the right as with each exhaust beat it visibly lists to the thrust of its pistons.
106. The same train as above, about five minutes later..... (just joking - but it did seem like a long time)
107. During Easter 1971 this GEA was making heavy weather on wet rails with what looked like a particularly heavy train.
108. This was a husband-and-wife effort. Melly did the colour and I the b/w. The wider view gives a good idea of why the GEA was struggling.
109. A day by the North Coast lineside in the late sixties was like being on a turkey shoot. One barely had time to reload film..... (OK, OK). This ex 14A now 14R was bringing yet another load of pulpwood south.
110. Photos 106, 107 and 108 were taken from that bridge, which also gave access to the friendly farmer who granted permission to camp on his property. On the left is the summit post for the climb away from the Umhlatuzi river, the crews would watch out for it very attentively. It also marks the watershed between the Umhlatuzi and Mzingwenya rivers.
The train, 428-up, is interesting in that it consists of six loads of processed sugar in the specially-cleaned, leak tight "B" bogies we've mentioned before and several tankers of molasses, all either from the Empangeni or Felixton sugar mills.
111. On this rainy day a GEA was battling with a solid revenue train mostly of processed sugar destined for the sugar terminal at Maydon Wharf.
112. The load doesn't look heavy but it is the full monty for this GMA on this 1/40 grade: 910 tons. By 1973 the GMAs had relieved older power of the duties they had faithfully carried out for the previous three decades and work was in progress in the Umhlatuzi forest that would change the place forever.
113. Looking the other way at the same location on the same day in mid 1973 produced this downhill GMAM with a mixed load for Empangeni. This was the last time Charlie came to this beautiful place - progress had ruined it.
Readers of Soul of A Railway hardly know how lucky they are to have an Operating man on the editorial panel. Of all railway employees they probably knew the most about what is/was going on and Charlie always thought they made the best managers. Here is Ashley Peter's take on this photo: "you've just gotta love that multitude of (probably empty) mini OE fruit box wagons at the back of this load, no doubt being worked to Northern Zululand, where small-scale farmers will load them with tropical fruit (bananas, mangos, pawpaws or pineapples) for the various municipal markets around the province."
There is a good reason to love those 4-wheeled wagons: they brought in lots of extra business from small-scale farmers, UNTIL some time in the mid-70s an accountant in head office noticed that demurrage charges for shorts (as the 4-wheelers were known) were half those for bogie wagons. A directive went out that demurrage on short wagons would henceforth be the same as for bogies. Well, you can imagine the resentment this caused; the result was predictable. Farmers with small consignments began testing the alertness of the railway permit officers and the usage of short wagons deteriorated overnight. By the early 80s it was decided to do away with short wagons entirely.
114. In September 1973, 240-up, the 06:45 from Empangeni, heads south out of Felixton, across the Umhlatuzi, up to the halt of the same name and on to Durban. The class GO would no doubt come off at Gingindlovu as electrification had reached that point by 20 June 1972. It is strange to see an ex type 1M1 motor coach as the fourth vehicle in the consist, as these were now type 4M electric plain trailers and had no axle mounted generators. Being a daylight only service, this clearly did not pose a problem.
Note the heavy earthworks under way. It would be another year before straightening, flattening and doubling of the 7-mile stretch from the Umhlatuzi river to Port Durnford was completed and the electrification reached Empangeni. In the process the old Umhlatuzi halt would disappear.
115. Following service on the Lydenburg line until dieselisation in mid 1972, GO 2573, among others, spent some time on the North Coast line. Here she heads south from Felixton, getting really wound up as she approaches the bridge over the Umhlatuze river in preparation for the 1/40 slog up to Mzingwenya. The steam in the picture is the remains of the fireman having the blowdown on, thinking he was doing the photographer a favour. Frantic waving stopped him just in time. Sunday 10 September 1972.
116. North of the Umhlatuzi river the line between Felixton and Empangeni had already been doubled and equipped with bi-directional colour-light signalling in the sixties. This was 239-down taking the crossover just south of Felixton in August 1970. The escarpment facing southbound trains out of the Umhlatuzi valley is visible above the coaches.
117. Empties from the sugar mill at Felixton being worked northwards for distribution along the Nkwaleni branch by this first-series GE during Easter 1969.
118. Going away of the same train in the cutting at Felixton.
119. On the new track opened very recently, and hot on the heels of the GE, came the same train we had photographed at Amatikulu and Gingindlovu. It was not going fast but judging by the way it was lifting its exhaust it would probably overtake the sugar empties before Ninians.
120. The same GE hauling the same empty stalk-cane bogies approaching Ninians, by which time it had duly been overtaken by the freight shown in photo 117 (Easter 1969). The line between Felixton and Empangeni was doubled as part of the North Coast upgrade and eventually became a 'Bi-Directional Twin Single Lines' section, with colour light signalling controlled from the new Richard’s Bay CTC centre, which would also control trains over much of the busy Coal Line between Vryheid and Richard’s Bay.
121. A GL drawing into Ninians with northbound general freight, including locomotive coal, in August 1969.
122. Loading stalk-cane at Ninians while a GEA comes by with southbound goods, mostly processed sugar destined for Maydon Wharf.
123. A GEA on tranship and pickup train 281-down, stands aside at Ninians to allow this 15CA on through goods No 265-down (7:21am Churchill Road to Empangeni) to pass by on the main line. Train 281 was something of a motley specimen, having started off at 11pm the previous evening, according to the WTB, simply as 'locomotive and guard’s van' from Churchill Road to Durban station where it would have attached parcels trucks and any other urgent traffic destined for Stanger, Mandini and Gingindlovu, departing at 11.34pm.
Gingindlovu was scheduled to be reached at 8:51am, whereafter its status diminished appreciably, becoming the daily wayside train, shunting as necessary at all stations to Empangeni, where it was booked to arrive at 3:32pm – just two minutes short of 16 hours for a 178km journey! However, in its defence it did hang around at Stanger for about two hours and also at Gingindlovu for another one, with at least one locomotive change en route…
The final segment of the North Coast Chapter covers the line from just south of Empangeni – 118 miles from Durban to Golela – 246 miles from Durban and the original terminus of the North Coast line. The line was extended into Swaziland in 1977. This chapter does not include the extension into Swaziland. Included is the branch line to Nkwalini and the Loco Depot at Empangeni.