Sightings

Hi all.

We have been told that RRL's 91 04 has been transferred to Brits, to work there. The guys have started their 33 class training, they state it is a joy to drive the big 33.

The line running past the Welkom showgrounds to Harmony's exchange yard has had a stop block fitted towards the old St Helena end - so no more trains down that way. We don't think the rails are going to remain for a long time...

Got orange 34 043 at Rooiblom, returning from Bothaville, with a short load of mielies and petrol tankers. Strangely there was a sugar truck in the consist - the first time we've seen one here in our area. On inquiring we were told that they are used for mielies nowadays.

Blue 34 406 was seen shunting timber trucks at Welkom and at Friedesheim.

The Spoorbaan and signal guys were busy at Whites West.

At Vetriver we discovered an ancient advertisement for "Tamella Tips Tea" against the old Kontantwinkels's wall. Here the North bound car train headed past behind orange E 1570 and Spoornet maroon E 1565, greetings from the crew.

At Brandfort we caught the Love Life train again, standing at the old goods shed platform. For reasons only known to themselves, Shosholoza Meyl, quite a while ago, has closed the pedestrian footbridge with their palisade fencing. Now the only way to cross the tracks is over a self made crossing over all the lines. Today we were watching streams of people heading towards the Love Train over the tracks. A lone security person was sitting under a tree. We noticed the signals were green. The next moment we heard him warning some kids "Pasopa terene..." The Southbound car train came past at full speed kicking up dust and sending people running away. How dangerous is this ???? Motive power on the car train was 2x orange 6E's, leading E 1376, greetings from the crew.

Sheltam's "new" 31 class 1201 looks splendid on the ore haulages.

Got a South bound container train at Ydelhoop behind 2x blue 18E's. Next a long ore train near Grasslands, also heading South, this was behind 3x 18E's of various liveries. Then at Kingswood, a SAR Maroon 6E still with number plates on the pick-up. This train had a blue "Electrical Test Coach" Attached. Then near Eersteling a load of fine coal headed past at full speed also heading South and also behind 2x blue 18E's. Greetings from all the crews. Unfortunately all the photos / numbers of these sightings were destroyed when our Boerboel decided to eat my SD card and my camera...

We received a YQ for the Love Life train. On Saturday light loco leave Bloemfontein, pick up the train and take it to Thaba Nchu, arrival should be around 2100, then the light locos return to BFX. The train stages there for a week.

Also received a notice of a Safety add campaign run by Transnet over the month of December on SABC TV. Various channels at various times everyday.

Greetings.
J & J.