South-Eastwards as far as Volksrust (Part 4) by Les Pivnic ©

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Heidelberg to Sprucewell

All maps courtesy of Bruno Martin ©

Resuming at old Heidelberg Station, we can see the final images taken before the old station and formation were abandoned and replaced by a new station and alignment that crossed the old line at right angles.

Politics played a major role in this development. The CCE’s staff had found an easy route from Kaydale direct to Fortuna that would have eliminated the climb up to Kraal altogether but bypassing Heidelberg at the same time. The senior Member of Parliament for Heidelberg saw to it that this easy bypass was NOT brought to fruition. Instead, a new alignment still passing through Heidelberg and involving a tunnel and other heavy earthworks was built totally against engineering logic but satisfying political expediency. The new alignment did eliminate the severe curvature at either end of the old Heidelberg Station but massive expenditure on the new twin-bore tunnel and a new Kraal Station could have been avoided altogether!

1. Old Heidelberg Station in August 1960 – still in use but its days were numbered! In actual fact, when the new Heidelberg Station was brought into use, the old NZASM station building and adjoining platforms were given a new lease on life as a local transport museum. Negotiations with SATS resulted in class 16CR No 816 as well as a few Hendrie mainline saloons including a type A-18 single diner being allocated to this Museum which was financed and managed by the Rembrandt Tobacco Corporation. The 16CR and the saloons were placed alongside the main platform and looked marvellous in a totally natural setting!

2. A 15F trundles through old Heidelberg with a goods train for Natal in August 1960 – such scenes would soon be a thing of the past. In its new guise as a Museum, this grand old station would live on for several more years. The A-18 dining car was even equipped (with help from us in SATS Museum) with a full cutlery and linen stock to allow the table settings to be complete and authentic. The old Goods Shed was also put to use to display a fine collection of old motor cars and motor cycles. Unfortunately, this idyllic situation would not last! The Rupert Family of Rembrandt Corp decided to move the collection of cars and bikes to Franschhoek – in essence, a very good decision BUT......the dear old 16CR and her train were left behind! To the best of my knowledge, Rembrandt closed the Museum altogether! What became of the loco and train? I would welcome an update on its fate!

3. This view clearly shows the new station taking shape and how it crossed the old formation at 90 degrees. The beautiful three-posted lattice gantry would soon make way for the new trackage.

4. The new Heidelberg Station rapidly nearing completion. Within weeks of this photo being taken track was being laid alongside the platforms.

5. By October 1960 old Kraal Station had already been abandoned. Note the trimmed shrubs, small trees and flower beds along the platform – right up to its closure the last Station Master made sure that his station was presentable. How times have changed!

6. The three-doll home-signal gantry at the northern end of old Kraal Station. Those semaphores had done their job – note the blackened arm and post for the main line – evidence of heavy steaming through old Kraal in days gone by. They would never again experience the power of a 15F hammering past with train 199 the Durban express.

7. New traction at the new Heidelberg Station. One of the first trains through new Heidelberg with a pair of class 31 diesels in charge. The old station was situated to the left of the official SAR photographer.

8. On 10 July 1961 this 15AR came through new Heidelberg with a pick-up goods and no, I didn’t order the smoke! Steam would work this new section for a few years longer – it wasn’t over yet!

9. On 2 July 1961 this 15F with a goods train approached new Kraal from Heidelberg. As can be seen a large embankment formed part of the new deviation (please refer to Bruno’s map). As mentioned before, these heavy earthworks could have been avoided.

10. The late Eddie Mecl recorded this 15F working a goods train over the new formation between new Kraal and Heidelberg on the same day. Eddie was an Austrian-born enthusiast who sometimes joined Frank Garrison and me on these photo outings. The new formation at Kraal did offer us several lovely photo locations which we were only too eager to try out!

11. At virtually the same spot I bagged this 15F working train 196 from Natal on 2 July 1961 – the 15Fs were still standard power on these secondary passenger trains. The old Imperial Brown coach livery was also still very evident at this time. The evolution to the red and grey colour scheme was gradual.

12. Eddie Mecl took this lovely shot of 193 heading towards new Kraal with a Volksrust 15F making haste on the new alignment. We were aware that steam’s days were numbered on this line and we took full advantage of what was still available to us.

13. On 10 October 1960, a trio of class 1-DE diesels growled through new Kraal on their way to Volksrust with a heavy mixed goods. The lash-up of three diesels was something of a rarity so I was pleased to bag something special. Note the trackwork and immediate surroundings – all evidence of a brand-new alignment.

14. On 7 July 1963 the Blue Train, returning from another Durban July Handicap, came past new Kraal with two class 31s at the head-end. By this time they had been re-classified 31 but they were yet to receive their new livery of Gulf Red. The Blue Train became a regular visitor to Durban in July, conveying the posh to South Africa’s premier horse-racing event of the year. Just imagine how good a nicely-cleaned 15F from Volksrust Depot would have looked at the head of this train! Wishful thinking – even in those days!

15. In the going-away shot of the train in the previous picture you can see that the catenary has already been run out but closer examination reveals that the “droppers” have not yet been clipped in.

16. By March 1964 steam-hauled passenger trains on the south-eastern main line were nearly at an end. Within a few days this train would be electric hauled all the way from Johannesburg to Durban. Here is a Volksrust 15F with train 193 at Kraal. The sad thought that there were only days left for such scenes brought a lump to my throat.

17. Turning the clock back a few years, here is 15F 3028 rolling down-grade towards new Kraal on 10 October 1960 with a load of coal. Note the deep cutting - this again offers evidence of political waste! If the direct route to Fortuna had been implemented all of this would have been unnecessary but it did provide me with a colourful photo!

18. A few years later, in March 1964 at the same spot, a pair of class 31 diesels came by with a petrol train. By this time the electrification was complete but 31s were still doing some of the work between Germiston and Volksrust. Before the decade was out, completion of the oil pipeline from Durban to the Reef would put paid to scenes like this.

20. Having crossed the petrol train seen in the previous two photos, these two 5Es (one in the old green livery) were on a goods train heading for Natal - the first electrically-hauled train I saw on this section in March 1964. This would soon become a monotonous daily procession that would hardly tempt me to drive out to Kraal to photograph.

21. The same pair of units heading up the grade towards Kraal tunnel. With the electrification energised over this section from Union near Germiston to Volksrust on the Natal border in March 1964, this became SAR’s first main line to be fully worked by electric locomotives over the entire route from the coast to the Reef.

22. Back in October 1960, this 15F named “Benoni” (unfortunately I have lost the record of its number) is seen approaching new Kraal tunnel from Fortuna with a goods train. Note that our engines still had decent headlamps in those days.

23. On the same day at the same spot I photographed this heavy block-load of petrol with a couple of extra runners and a pair of 15Fs in charge. At that time my camera was kept pretty busy – a procession of trains in both directions was always guaranteed. In fact, there were times when a change of film had to be made in a hurry to avoid missing the next shot!

24. Another double-headed goods train with 15Fs heading south-east to Volksrust, exit the brand-new Kraal tunnel. The original 1895 formation and the down outer-home signal post for old Kraal station are clearly visible above the tunnel. Note the second portal ready for doubling of the line. With fat-boilered Fs practically filling the bore, the crews on the second loco must have had a hard time avoiding smoke inhalation. Wet sweat-rags over the face must have been standard procedure in situations like this!

25. The sticks are off for a pair of 5Es working train 193 to Natal. These units with their steam heating tender had still escaped the new Gulf Red livery when photographed approaching Fortuna in May 1964. It was roughly from this point that an easy-graded direct route to Kaydale was possible bypassing Heidelberg.

26. By May 1964 steam had all but disappeared from the Volksrust section yet here at Fortuna was a 15AR working a petrol train with the required “runners” between the loco’s tender and the first tank car – probably destined for Springs via Kaydale and Nigel. As the 15AR (number not recorded) rolled by, I thought that she looked rather smart for a pooled loco - Springs men really looked after their engines!

27. A pair of 5Es passing through Fortuna with a heavy petrol train. The leading 5E is no.260 – numerically the second 5E in service on the SAR – new in 1955. May I draw attention to the clean appearance of the two electric locos – even the unit in the older green livery. Quite a contrast to today’s scene where filthy units are the norm.

28. On 24 May 1964 this class 24 was seen working a curious mixture of goods wagons and guards vans west of Fortuna. Unusual to say the least! During this period, Frank Garrison and I spent a lot of time in the area but this was the only occasion that we saw one of these light 2-8-4s on the main line. The signals indicate that she was to be looped at Fortuna station.

29. This was the “Rugby Special Blue Train” that we previously saw in Part 3 passing Mapleton. We drove out specially to photograph this train on 24 May and decided to take our first shot of it near Fortuna. Note the steam heating unit in the earlier green livery.

30. Moving down the line to Balfour North but slightly back in time to 29 March 1964, a 15F with train 193 is standing at the platform while joining passengers look for seats under the watchful eye of the ticket examiner! Electric traction was only 3 days away!

31. With the newly-joined passengers safely accommodated, the 15F with train 193 departs from Balfour North, heading for Standerton and Volksrust. The heavy, comforting beat of an F would soon be replaced by the whine of electric motors accompanied by the hideous scream of vacuum ejectors – sad but one had to realise that the old SAR had to move with the times. Steam traction was already dying in most developed countries and we had to accept that it would happen here.

32. With 193-down out of the way, her opposite number – 196-up with 15F 3038 at the head is seen arriving at Balfour North on the same day. The fireman is ready to throw off the tablet picked up at Sprucewell. Trains 193 and 196 were very well patronised especially by intermediate passengers i.e. those not travelling all the way. The Hi Ace taxi was yet to come!

33. In July 1961 we found class 8 No 1090 at the tiny coco-pan coaling facility at Balfour North, junction for the secondary line to Frankfort, Reitz and Bethlehem. We will look at that section when we return to System 5 – the Orange Free State.

34. Here is a 15F working 198-up, all-stations daily Volksrust-Johannesburg, near Sprucewell. Unfortunately this is a case where a still photograph cannot do justice to what is portrayed - the train was doing well over 60mph when I pressed the shutter! She literally tore past, showing what steam could do with an enthusiastic crew!

The next section will resume at Greylingstad before moving down the line to Standerton and onwards to Volksrust where the Natal system begins. For the branch to Vrede I will hand the reins to long-time SAR civil engineer and great photographer, Peter Micenko. Peter will show us around the Loco Depot at Standerton and, using his beautiful photos, we will take a trip down the branch.