Natal & Free State news.

Hi all.

We left Welkom on Tuesday afternoon for Natal. No trains at Hennenman, all signals red. Onto Bethlehem, again no trains. From there we saw Kransfontein in the distance. Warden was passed in darkness and the same at Vrede. At Newcastle we saw plenty of red signals illuminating the night. From there it was on to Utrecht and onto Vryheid.

Wednesday morning we left Vryheid for Pongola. We passed Hlobane rails gone.

From Pongola the plan was to visit Piet Retief and Back to Vryheid via Paulpietersburg. Unfortunately due to the TERRIBLE state of the N2" we lost several hours due to stop / go road works and these places were only reached after dark.

Thursday was started of with a visit to Vryheid station. The station still looks neat and is used by private woodwork contactors. The cabin is still manned. All the signals were red and all the tracks very shiny. Faded nameboards are still on the platform with a couple of intact lights. On entering the station from inland by rail there is a blue board "Welcome to Coallink. Have a nice journey."

From here we headed to Vryheid East - Coallink. Arrival here was met with the tail-end of a two kilometre coal train waiting to head inland. Operating told us that a full load was on its way within 30 minutes or so and would change crews here. She was due in on road 5. While we were chatting away a diesel hooter was heard. This turned out to be orange 35 660 shunting a very long load of timber trucks. We were informed that the crew change would take place at the other end of the yard so we headed of in that direction. Along the way we noticed a BTM busy on the line, also some semaphores used as decoration in front of some of the offices.

At the other end we were met by a small little blue diesel shunter busy with empty coal hoppers in the repair area. The business end of the coal train had 4x blue 11E's up front, leading was E 11034, with 3x filthy sisters. Just alongside this train was SAR maroon 7E with numberplates also on a short load of coal trucks. Then light E 7256 N (orange) and blue E 7220 headed through.

We decided to head up the hill for a better few of the incoming train as one cannot take in the length of these monsters standing next to them. Soon this came into view also behind 4x blue 7E's. By the time we headed to Ulundi via Nongoma the end had still not come over the bridge we went underneath !

At Ulundi we joined up with the coal line again at a high rail over road viaduct. All along the line we were amazed at the engineering feat that had gone into this line, a real tribute to the good old SAR...

We were in the area so we decided to visit Umgungundlovu, Dingaan's kraal where Piet Retief and some of his Voortrekkers were murdered by Dingaan.

The first coal train we came across was a coastal bound one near Nhlazatshe. This was behind 3x blue 11E's. One could hear them working hard across the veld. Next was another load of coal behind 3x blue 11E's just before Dassieshoogte. At Dassieshoogte we saw a 11E standing in the yard area with plenty of coal wagons. Then another long train just past Dassieshoogte behind 4x blue 11E's. Then again past Vryheid East with plenty of coal wagons.

On Friday morning we left Vryheid for Ladysmith. At Bloodriver station we turned left and visited the famous site of the Vow and the laager of ox wagons. This is where the might of the Zulus was broken by the almost 500 trekkers against 12 000 Impis. Quite awe inspiring to stand there in the middle of the laager...

Back at Bloodriver station we found the station looking not to bad and inhabited by some locals. The platform is very overgrown and the nameboards have lost their names. A single intact platform light still bears the name Bloedrivier. The goods shed still stands and all track is still in place, although some of the points have been clamped. There is a steel footbridge over the lines. The old railway bridge still stands over the river. Also a semaphore signal gantry still stands as well. No trains were seen and our next stop was at Talana museum.

Here we found a green steam loco and a pink mainline coach.

Next stop was Talana station. The station is no more with all the buildings gone and an overgrown platform. The names still stand. WE found a long load of fine coal staged here. the line next to the platform has been uplifted.

Then we headed to Dundee. The station is fenced off and looks neat, it is still manned. The goods shed still stands and all the track is still there. Here we found another load of fine coal behind 5x blue 18E's. E 18 242 NATCOR CAR, E 18 084, E 18 182 were the only ones we could identify.

Then just before Danskraal we found an inland bound goods train behind Blue 18 E and purple Shosholoza Meyl 18E to far to get numbers.

Danskraal was full of traffic, Ladysmith was empty.

Our next stop was at Van Reenen station. The station still stands but is badly vandalised. The goods shed still stands and all the lines. The platform is overgrown. We found a sign "Lampkamer Lamproom" still on the building. The tracks are shiny and all the signals were red. This station building was once used as a tavern and the sign is still up.

Then it was onto to Swinburne. Basically just one building and a platform, the goods platform also still exists. Here we found an ancient 8 - sided "W" whistle board. All the signals were still red. There is a nice bridge just before the station.

Harrismith was void of any traffic and so was Bethlehem station. The yard had one orange 6E and some goods traffic.

We headed back via Kaallaagte. At Meets we just missed orange E 1466 on a short load of mielies. We stayed with her and followed where she entered the tunnel until we reached Kaallaagte, where the road leaves the line. From there it was back home with no further sightings.

Greeting.
John & Jacque.