Some Free State action

Hi all.

We got blue 34 409 at Hennenman, running into the loop with a load of timber and mielies. The timber for Glen Harmony and the mielie trucks for Hennenman and Welgelee. At Friedesheim orange 34 031 was shunting the timber sidings. All five of RRL's loco's were standing in Welkom station due to shaft inspections.

The Northbound signals were green at Welgelee, this turned out to be a load of FZ's and petrol tankers behind 2x orange 6E's which we only saw in the distance near Theron. Next near Theunissen orange E 1257 & orange E 1153 headed south on a load of FZ's and tarpaulin covered B- bogies. At Virginia blue 34 093 was shunting in the station area, this once again was the Welgelee pick-up.

Orange 34 043 was shunting at the Mondi timber sidings at Friedesheim. RRL 91 03 crossed here. At Hennenman orange 34 499 came in with a load of mileies from Welgelee. Sheltam's 32 class was waiting for a load at Steyn 4#.

At Leeudoringstad we got Spoornet maroon E 1565 heading South, light loco. This was the loco to shunt the silo traffic at Makwassie, Kingswood and along the way. We have never seen any mielie traffic at the large silos in Leeudoringstad, are they perhaps not working anymore? At Daalder the Northbound Trans Karoo Tourist came past behind Spoornet maroon E 1318, plenty of steam was blowing between the first and second coaches. She was running late again. E 1565 pulled into Makwassie to do the shunting just as a Northbound container train behind orange E 1227 Cape Northern & orange E 1169 came through. There was a well wagon in the consist. Between Boskuil and Kingswood orange E 1320 came past at a leisurely pace with a Northbound load of welded rails. A Gulf Red and Quaker Grey caboose was at the rear. Near Grasslands a long load of ore headed North behind 4x 10E's, blue and maroon. Closer to Bloemhof another Northbound load headed past, this time Lime, behind 2x blue 10E's. There still is a 30km/h speed limit at Bloemhof. Here we caught orange E 1262 & orange E 1421 NATCOR HAULER pulling into the yard with a long load of mielies and Lime. One of the Lime trucks' discharge chutes had opened along the route and everything was covered in a fine dust as the train came past. Just South of Bloemhof, SAR maroon E 1639 Kaap, headed North, light loco. Again all the crews greeted us.

Thursday morning at 06h58 on the RSG Traffic Report a motorist had sent a SMS to say. Railway lights at Redan station are blinding motorists. On inquiry we were informed that is was not new signals or level crossing lights.
Metro is upgrading all station platform lights, for security reasons, with high intensity lighting, hence blinding effect. Some sort of shade will have to be fitted at Redan and other stations with a similar problem.

In our area only RRL, Sheltam and Harmony surface rail. Hamilton yard was deserted but for a few Lime trucks. A Springfontein bound container train rumbled past behind Spoornet maroon and orange 34's. We paid a quick visit to the Vroue Monument, here we found green 7th class number 975 Neilson & Co. 4469 Glasgow 1893.

Vista a local news paper in the Volksblad group, published a photograph of a police official in a closed truck with 16 lengths of railway line. A team of 5 were busy cutting these long pieces of track into smaller chunks. The Manager of the scrap yard was also in the back of the truck and altogether 6 persons were arrested. The truck, gas bottles and rails were all confiscated. K9 unit plus a back up team, made the arrests after a tip off from the public. No mention was made if Transnet or Mine railway property was involved. It's about time the scrap merchants receiving known stolen property are arrested and closed down.

A small information item. A friend asked us to inquire about the movement of a 6 metre container from Durban to Kroonstad. TFR Bloemfontein said no problem, they will accept it and promptly gave TRF Marketing's number in Durban.

Greetings.
J & J.