Railway Wanderings

Hi guys.

Within an hour we got 3 trains at Bloemhof.

A light loco heading south, ore train also heading south and the northbound Trans Karoo Tourist.

Near Kingswood we got a northbound ore train.

Again at Leeudoringstad a northbound ore train.

Hoots and greetings from all the crews.

At Bothaville the pick-up was staged, the crew's time being up, security guards were watching the train.

Cheers.
J & J.

Sightings.

Hi guys.

Got the two light locos heading towards Bloemfontein at Kalkvlakte.

34 093 is on the Glen Harmony branch with the "Rail uplifting train", so it seems the branch is doomed, however we CANNOT CONFIRM this, as TFR give us different answers...

The staged unit is at Virginia.

Sheltam 1202 is loading waste at 4 Shaft, and 1201 is on her way to 5 Shaft, having just crossed her sister at 4 Shaft.

Cheers.
Jacque & John.

Sightings.

Hi Guys.

The photos are mostly from a visit to Theunissen, the diesels are at Welkom.

The Southbound working of the empty car train, and a Northbound working of mostly fuel tankers just North of Theunissen. The ruins are of Smaldeel Junction. The overgrown line is the Winburg branch.

34 406 is staged in Welkom with the return working of the Bothaville pick-up, crew's time up. The other train is coming from Wesselsbron en-route to Kroonstad. Believe it or not the trailing 34 in SAR maroon still carries numberplates!

Cheers.
J&J

Petrol train heading South at Virginia, Welgelee pick-up returning to Kroonstad.

Geneva, car train heading towards Kroonstad, one hour ago.

Class 43

Hi all,Its been a long while but im back, got this 3 class 43 locos this afternoon at Skansdam station heading to Bijlkor yard with a load of iron ore from Pyrimad.

Logan Stone   

Snow between Welkom and Friedesheim.

Hi Guys.

A Transnet 36 class, hired by RRL, on Transnet rails, with a load of Harmony Surface Rail ore hoppers, Welkom in the Free State - IN THE SNOW!

Cheers.
J&J

Friedesheim timber shunt.

More sightings!

Hi guys.

This morning we called the TCO at Hennenman to enquire about movements on  the line.

He stated that we just missed a Kroonstad bound train but there was some shunting at Whites, this puzzled us? Also a train was busy with radio tests in Gunhill ready for departure South.

We arrived at Whites and noticed 2x blue 34's running backside first on a short load of mielies to Kroonstad?? We then noticed the Friedesheim timber shunt standing in the station at Whites, minus its diesel loco. It turned out to be that the Welgelee pick-up's  return working had failed and the Friedesheim shunt's loco was commandeered to take the stricken train to Kroonstad. There was also a maroon 6E1 standing staged in the yard at Whites.

Off to Theunissen where both North and Southbound signals were green. We knew the Bloemfontein bound train was the goods from Kroonstad, this turned out to be a load of what we know them as "beer trucks", greetings from the crew.

Then a surprise, a call to the cabin at Theunissen and the TCO informed us of a block load of brand new coal trucks ex BFX Transwerk, heading to Vryheid. This came thundering past behind a 37 and 2x 34's, hoots from the crew. On enquiring the reason for diesel haulage we were informed that these loads go to the workshops and return from the workshops as a complete train due to the braking arrangements/telemeter ect.

Cheers.
J & J.