Free State sightings

Hi all.

The first train we saw was RRL's 91 on a load of ore between Odendaalsrus and Friedesheim. Are these locos going to cope with ore haulage ??

At Bloemhof we discovered a new dirt road to the South of the station, near the old livestock loading area. Here we found an almost still intact water column. Even the 1971 brass Chubb London lock was still dangling on a piece of chain. (This has now been "donated" to our museum, after all these years one turn of the Chubb key and the lock opened). What was interesting was the piece of isolated catenary above the watering point, still with the following yellow warning / notice attached to the pole. "Switch 25W - TO TAKE WATER - Unlock switch. Place handle to open position. Turn chain-key towards switch and withdraw key. AFTER TAKING WATER - Replace chain-key and turn away from switch. Place handle to closed position and lock." "OM WATER TE NEEM - Sluit skakelaar oop. Stoot hefboom na die oop stand. Draai kettingpen na die skakelaar toe en trek dit uit. NADAT WATER INGENEEM IS - Plaas kettingpen terug en draai dit weg van die skakelaar. Stoot hefboom na die toe stand en sluit."

A short while later, orange E 1411 "OFS", still with a red UCW makersplate on the door, came through on the late running Trans Karoo to Johannesburg. A friendly hoot from the driver startled us ! The train looked very empty.

Next stop was at Makwassie where the Southbound signals were green. As reported previously, the old goods yard has been uplifted and a bolster rail truck was standing on a loop loaded with pieces of rail. Also the train load of sleepers have disappeared to somewhere else. A short wait later 3x orange 6E's came speeding through on a load of containers, leading was E 1261, again a friendly wave and hoot from the driver.

At Leeudoringstad we found the C & W guys attending to two container trucks that had been put off the train we got at Makwassie.

On to Regina, here the Southbound signals were green once again. A couple of minutes later 4x 10E's came through on a load of Lime and ore trucks. Leading was SAR maroon E 10 115 with a huge tumble weed stuck on the cow-catcher. The front door wide open for a cooling breeze. Next was Spoornet blue E 10 xxx, Spoornet maroon E 10 xxx and another SAR maroon 10 E. This driver did not greet as he was to busy slowing down / applying brakes when he noticed us line side. As the train passed the smell of brake blocks filled the air !

Speed trapping greetings.

J & J,