Umgeni Steam Railway

[John Ashworth]

UMGENI STEAM RAILWAY (USR)

On October 23, 2012 Railways Africa

The lengthy strike by South Africa’s truck drivers saw the complete set of new superheater elements for class 19D no 2685 Wesley effectively stuck over the border in Zimbabwe, putting back restoration work on the locomotive. The earliest it can be returned to steam looks like being late next month and the first public Running Day has been planned for 25 November.

The provisional USR summer holiday programme is as follows:-

• Sunday, 9 December 2012; departures from Kloof for Inchanga at 08:30 & 12:30

• Sunday, 16 December 2012; 08:30; 12:30 and 17:00 (Santa Specials & Carols by Candlelight)

• Monday, 17 December: 08:30 & 12:30 (Santa Specials)

• Sunday, 23 December 2012: 08:30 & 12:30 (Santa Specials)

• Sunday, 30 December 2012: 08:30 & 12:30

• Sunday, 6 January 2013: 08:30 & 12:30

[John Ashworth]

UMGENI STEAM RAILWAY

On November 20, 2012 Railways Africa

Umgeni Steam Railway’s (USR) North British-built class 3BR 4-8-2 no 1486 Maureen narrowly missed her planned 26 February celebratory run on her hundredth birthday, due to problems with boiler tubes at the smokebox end. Her temporary withdrawal from service put paid temporarily to USR running public excursion trains. Steam operations are finally getting going again. The next public running day is expected to be Sunday, 25 November, with trains booked from Kloof at 08:30 and 12:30. Summer holiday trains have been provisionally booked for 9 December, 16 (Carols), 17, 23 and 30; and 6 January. Breakfast and morning teas are served at the stationmaster’s house at Inchanga station from 09:00 on running days, followed by a buffet lunch between 13:00 and 14:30. Reservations: Bev on 083-226 1024 or on-line booking www.bevelart.net.

For details of USR’s fundraising competition featuring prizes such as a free trip on Rovos Rail and a Starlight Cruise, contact Andy Anderson on 071-146 6160 or visit www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za

[Brendon Anderson]

Please see the latest update on USR:

Hi Guys –

Unfortunately we’ll have to wait a little longer before USR can get back into public passenger train operations.

At a meeting held with Transnet this morning, the minimum requirements to get the Kloof – Inchanga line open were discussed and whilst the original demand of 4 000 sleepers to be replaced has been drastically reduced, there are still a number of pressing issues that need to be dealt with before passenger operations can resume. One of these relates to the serious shortage of ballast in the Botha’s Hill – Padleys section, and USR has been asked to assist by hauling trucks of ballast to site and offloading them – this will probably take place on Sunday. TFR has also indicated that even though the Old Main Line is not a priority route, it will help with the rehabilitation of the line, where possible. The fact that PRASA Head Office has evidently asked TFR whether Shosholoza Meyl trains could not be rerouted over this line during service disruptions on the New Main Line may have added some impetus to this… (last night’s Trans-Natal was reportedly cancelled due to a goods train derailment and hook-up on the NML)

The required work which involves replacing certain sleepers and repairing some damaged culverts will take approximately a week, so we are confident that trains will finally be running by 9 December.

Please advise all concerned.

Regards

Ashley

[Nathan Berelowitz]

Good luck all, it is a hard fight but will end successfully.