South African Railway trip to Magaliesberg

15th March 2008

Coming to the end of a Round-the-World trip I had a few days left before flying to London on the 16th March. A search of the internet revealed that Reefsteamers were running a steam special to Magaliesberg on the 15th and I thought it would be a good idea to photograph it. Further checks revealed that it was starting from Boksberg, just a stones throw from where we were staying with my sister and we ended up buying tickets to travel for a day out. Scheduled departure was 7:15 am and the route was via commuter lines and freight only spurs to the south and west of Johannesburg to Krugersdorp, then the single line down the escarpment to Magaliesberg, a descent of aroung 1,100' in a little over 20 miles. Most passengers left the train at a halt by a hotel where dinner had been arranged but we stayed on it to the station a short distance further along, where the loco was detached for servicing and turning on a triangle. This done, we walked back to the hotel for dinner and then returned to the station. The return was promised to be spectacular as the 10 coach train plus water tanker had to climb gradients as steep as 1:40 in places and it was starting to drizzle. The locomotive was 15CA class 4-8-2 # 2056 DOROTHY. After returning to the halt to pick up the remaining passengers we reversed to the foot of the incline to start the assault. The start went well and the loco was soon getting into the climb without problems. About half way up we were looped to cross a downhill freight and shortly after this as the drizzle continued we stalled on a curve in the middle of a climb. Numerous attempts had to be made to get going again but each time after a few exhaust beats the loco would slip and the train would start to roll back a little as the brakes came on. Sometimes we would gain a few feet only to lose some again but occasionally we actually made progress and eventually the loco found its feet and we reached our scheduled stop at Krugersdorp, perhaps a little late but still ahead of our departure time. The rest of the journey was uneventful except that the rain was becoming ever more heavy and arrival back at Boksberg was about right time. The cost, 220 rands per person including dinner - that's around Ł15 each for a whole day trip 60 miles each way including dinner!

2056 waits to leave Boksberg in the morning 800x600 2056P3156276.jpg	Old steam loco at Germiston 700x500 1746P3156279.jpg	700x500 GermistonGarrettsP3156281.jpg	700x516 E1726P3156285.jpg
800x600 35-429P3156286.jpg	800x600 35-420P3156287.jpg	700x500 35-420_35-429P3156288.jpg	700x500 34-007P3156289.jpg
700x500 34-418_34-092P3156290.jpg	800x600 34-418P3156292.jpg	700x500 UIDP3156293.jpg	The train sets off from Boksberg 600x600 2056P3156297.jpg
2056 at Krugersdorp 800x600 2056P3156303.jpg	2056 at Krugersdorp 800x600 2056P3156304.jpg	Krugersdorp station building 800x587 KrugersdorpP3156307.jpg	2056 at Krugersdorp 586x800 2056P3156308.jpg
2056 at Krugersdorp 800x600 2056P3156309.jpg	2056 at Krugersdorp 800x600 2056P3156310.jpg	700x500 Maroon_38-023P3156311.jpg	Arriving at Magaliesburg halt 800x600 2056P3156317.jpg
Crossing the bridge at the foot of the climb. 800x600 2056P3156324.jpg	2056 at Magaliesburg station 800x600 2056P3156329.jpg	2056 at Magaliesburg station 600x800 2056P3156330.jpg	2056 at Magaliesburg station 800x600 2056P3156333.jpg