Autumn day at Leeustroom

Hi all,

We picked up a friend at 08h00, he mentioned that at 05h05
the grain train towards Allanridge & onwards, rumbled past
his house, he stays next to the railway line. He also mentioned
no ore traffic was heard.

A few kilometres out of Hennenman at 08h20 we met a train with
2 x 6E1's (orange E 1421 leading maroon E 1471) a friendly wave from driver.
She was heading South on a load of mielies, liquid gas tankers and
3 grey painted old parcels vans, stencilled - "Moenie Boggel Nie/Do No Hump" -
"Rangeer Versigtig/Shunt With Care. We have seen these vans
on the car train on occasions, carrying motor spares.

Between Verbetering and Heuningspruit we got Southbound E 1386
and E 1277 (both orange) on a load of empty timber trucks, cement
tankers and some mielies.

We arrived at Leeustroom at around 10h00. At 12h30 E1386 & E1277
passed back Northwards at a slow speed, on string of beer and mielie trucks.

Both up & down signals showing green aspects again. Low platform
overgrown, found a nice spot for our braai. On the other side a high
platform with uplifted tracks and catenary.We found old steel rails used for
support of concrete platform coping, dated between 1896/97 N.G.R.
Whilst waiting for the coals to burn took a stroll to an old unused wind
pump & circular concrete dam. Found interesting ratchet type fence
anchors north & south of station yard. Used to tighten fence barbed wires,
"Glascow", must be old. Little red wasps have moved into the catenary
mast and we tried not to disturb them at all.

Special "Algoa" tourist E1262 (orange) passed at speed, 14h00,
lovely smell from Dining Saloon.

Both Kroonstad & Leeuhof stating no further trains till the "Amatola"
Economy around 18h00.

Saw more early 1900's rail fence poles around station area. The Relay
room recently painted, walls & facia boards plus aluminium roof.

Small diesels seen at Koppies, Rooiwal & Heuningspruit silos.

We arrived at the road over rail bridge near Bosrand at 15h30, were told
the car train was on it's way, from Whites, but missed it. Arrived at
Kroonstad 15h25 leaving at 15h45 North bound.

Many 1890 round crown rail used for fences on approaches to bridge &
1926 on farm fences.

At 15h35 the "Algoa" (E 1282 orange) passed underneath the bridge, friendly wave
from the crew. Signals were soon green again and at 15h45 a long
goods with grain trucks passed under us, this was behind maroon E 1461
and an orange sister.

We travelled along the road to Hennenman but saw no more trains,
the "Amatola" only expected at 18h00.

Hot & Tired greetings,

John, Jacque & Bakkies.