Last weeks action.

Hi all.


Not much again this week.

Got orange 34 031 at Hennenman heading backside first towards Kroonstad with a load of AY ballast hoppers and mielies. This was the Welgelee pick-up.

At Whites the Spoorbaan were busy and a white inspection trolley was standing alongside the platform on the Welkom line.

Again we got 34 031, this time at Bultfontein, shunting the silos. Soon she turned on the tri-angle and headed back towards Kroonstad.

Orange 34 499 was spotted just before Hennenman, Kroonstad bound with the return working of the Bothaville pick-up on a load of mielies and petrol tankers. Friendly greetings from the crew.

We paid a visit to Sheltam in Virginia, these chaps are always friendly and we heard some interesting news, thanks guys. They have a new arrival No.4, an ex 34 200. They are also getting No.18, an ex 34 600 soon. No. 2013, their 32 200 and no. 1002 left for the Congo on Friday with a load of four staff cabooses. The first leg of the journey will be from Virginia to Randfontein and then onto the Congo. We had a look in the cabooses and they are smartly refurbished with all the household goodies running from a generator, they are air-conditioned as well. Coupe's and a compartment with a toilet and shower in the middle. The 31 class no.22 will still remain in service here.

Caught a glimpse of a Southbound container train near Virginia behind 2x orange 6E's.

Near Harrisburg we got a Northbound load of Lime stopping at the signals. This was behind orange E 1735 Natcor One and orange E 1204 CW. Next Spoornet maroon E 1307 headed past light loco Northwards. This loco was also held up at red signals. Near Leeubos we found the guys busy on the signals / points. Leeudoringstad also had Northbound traffic coming. This was another load of Lime behind blue E 18 254, blue E 18 xxx & TFR E 18 619. Greetings from the crew. Near Kingswood we got a very long ore train, also heading North behind 4x 10 E's, leading was orange E 10 002, 1x blue and 2x SAR maroon sisters.

We did some research about the Leeudoringstad dynamite explsion of 1932. Today we set out to try and locate this spot. The info we have states about 1Km South from Leeudoringstad. All we could find were some ancient stone covered graves under a tree. Don't know if this has anything to do with the explosion as some graves from 1977 are also close by. Maybe we stumbled upon the site without even knowing...

Greetings.

J & J.