Sightings

Hi all.

Quite an interesting week, here goes.

A northbound ore train was on its way through Bloemhof when we got there, this was behind orange and blue 10E's. Just to the south of Bloemhof we got another northbound ore train behind orange E 10 021, blue E 10 066, orange E 10 002, SAR red E 10 121. Near Britten we got TFR E 10 101 and SAR red E 10 110 on another northbound load, this time CAR wagons. Hoots from the crew. At Christiana a northbound load of containers headed through at a leisurely pace. This was behind blue E 1585 and SAR Maroon E 1xx6. Greetings from the crew. Close to Leeudoringstad a southbound load of fine coal came past behind SAR Maroon E 1544 and 2x orange sisters, hoots from the crew. The silos at Regina had plenty of old sugar trucks now being loaded with maize. Close to Dean another southbound load of fine coal headed through. Up front were SAR Maroon E 1615 SAR maroon E xxxx, still with number plates and orange E 1570. All along the line Transnet were busy with maintenance.

Then we decided to see if anything remained of Milner Bridge and Vaal Brug stations on the uplifted Orkney - Vierfontein line. All along the way the ballast remains and even some concrete sleepers at a level crossing. Some ruins are left and one fibre glass post left from the burnt name board at Vaal Brug. In a couple of years nature would have reclaimed everything. If one follows the embankment to the bridge the flood damage from the previous floods (reason for closure) would be possible to find. This will have to be done in winter when the reptiles are sleeping...

Orange 34 054 headed through Karee with a short load of mielies, this was the return working of the Theunissen and Brandfort pick-up. Just North of Estoire we visited a Reclam site with mountains of scrapped wagon bogies lying everywhere. Here orange 35 279 headed past with a load of mielies and an orange shunting van heading towards Bloemfontein. Estoire just has a rusted nameboard left and is completely overgrown, that's it. Across the line Transwerk's workshops can be seen, rows upon rows of scrapped wagons and coaches awaiting the cutters torch. Even still some refrigerated trucks. Next we visited Longend, same story here, just a name left, still with Transwerk in the background.

Then we paid a visit to Transwek Bloemfontein. The line of scrapped / wrecked diesel locomotives is amazing... Plenty of activity going on, new coal wagons and iron ore wagons being built, as well as passenger coaches and other repairs being done. A level crossing warning signs reads Stop 19 Lines! 16DA 878 "Jock" looks good, still completely intact, but in need of a polish. Who can give us the history of how this loco ended up here? Was this loco refurbished before being plinthed?

Bloem loco was visited just in case something was hiding there, nothing new this time. The scrapped diesels have gone and have been replaced with rows of steam cars that are to be cut up next. It is hard to believe that there are only a handful of diesels left at this depot. We found a couple of 34's idling away and at the Shosholoza Meyl side a couple of purple and blue 34's and 35's. Kelly's View nameboard has been erected here, no wonder we could not find it lineside!

A quick visit was paid to Bloem coaching yard. Here too is only a fraction of the amount of passenger coaches left compared to years ago. We found the Kei Rail coaches standing staged here at one end of the yard. Purple 34 102 was standing in BFX station, nothing else.

Bloemfontein East is also only a name. The line between Bloemfontein and Hamilton has become a no-go area. The trackside is used as a latrine and vagrants are strewn all over the place, even we did not feel safe and moved on... At Showgrounds station the sidings still remain intact but completely overgrown. This basically concludes our visits to all the stations in the Bloemfontein and surrounding area. Two orange 36's were standing with the shunt at Hamilton yard, orange van in tow. All that could be identified of Pelenomi is a destroyed ruin of a building.

Orange 34 028 came through Hennenman en-route to Kroonstad with the return working of the Bothaville pick-up, hoots from the driver. Passing Whites saw RRL 33 01 coming from the south, East London we are told?? She was put onto the branch and a couple of minutes later she headed towards Welkom. Now we have two 33's here but only until next week. 33 02 and 36 01 are being transferred to Mozambique to work there. Not sure exactly where. Apparently a 35 class for RRL is arriving in two weeks, also only for a while before she goes elsewhere. The 91's are to be modified to enable them to work in multiple, to help them cope with the ore loads. We have been told that Sheltam's 31 class no. 1201 is being transferred to Sappi Ngodwana, not sure when.

At Hennenman and Virginia we again noticed passengers on the platforms long after the Trans Orange should have passed. On phoning operating we were told:

"Die hele bank het geskuif by Colworth / Clove". [The whole embankment has moved]. The wash away is between Besters and Brakwal, before van Reenen pass. The train traveled via Standerton, Union and Vereeniging onwards to Kroonstad. It had just left Sasolburg at 11h50. Running about seven hours late when she reached Kroontad. Getting to Bosrand both up and down signals were showing green aspects. On phoning Kroonstad at 12h40 were told "Snel net weg". The up line being set up for much later train. The orange came past behind SAR Maroon E 1612 Kaap and orange E 1xxx. We have heard that the coal line has also suffered wash aways and the trains are standing.

Maroon 34 067 was caught struggling towards Bultfontein with the pick-up. This was near Tierfontein.

At Bloemhof orange E 1349 was waiting at the signals with a northbound load of welded rails. Greetings from the driver. Then close to Drie Ruiters we got a southbound load of containers behind orange E 1236 and orange E 1725??Southern Transvaal. Greetings from the crew.

Greetings.

J & J.