Spent this weekend travelling down to Port Elizabeth by train from JHB. Train 73011 left jhb on time. No trains were seen between Vereeniging and Kroonstad. 2 Class 34 diesels came by in Kroonstad station with a load of grain heading to Gauteng side, hopefully they'll be heading to the Westleigh branch.No trains at all between Kroonstad and Bloem. All most stood for an hour at Whites due to signal failure. Bloem station busy, 1 Class 34 pass with petrol, containers and grain to Springfontein. East London passengers also arrived behind 2 class 18Es. Just out of Bloem crossed containers, another cross with cement.Several crossings through the night,All the way to Port Elizabeth, crossed 4 trains from Rosmead to Port Elizabeth, manganese empties, containers, grain. Train arrived 3 hours late. On the return we crossed 3 x manganese ore trains,1 container,1 car train,1 empty load of rail bolster wagons. This all between PE and Rosmead. Noupoort looking empty, only Shozalosa Meyl diesel in the depot area,Spotted only the return car train the next morning at Virginia, load of coal between Rooiwal and Heuningspruit, mixed goods between Koppies and Rooiwal, timber, petrol. The Mainline from Noupoort to Port Elizabeth has seen a massive increase in traffic, I remember about 8 years ago, we crossed about 2 or 3 trains on a trip. Thanks to Coega now and increase in Manganese exports.
Regards
Logan Stone
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