Rovos Rail Zimbabwe derailment

[John Ashworth]

There are reports of a Rovos Rail derailment between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls on Friday 8th February 2008. Two diesels are reportedly on their side, with two or three Rovos coaches damaged, including the power car. On Saturday 9th Rovos sent 25NC 3442 to Pyramid with three replacement coaches to be taken north on a TFR train.

[John Ashworth]

Railways Africa reports a similar incident on the same line a week earlier:

NRZ DERAILMENT
Thursday, 07 February 2008

The locomotive and four vehicles of a passenger train from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo derailed between Hwange and Entuba at about 03:00 on 3 February. According to National Railways of Zimbabwe Public Relations Manager Fanuel Masikati, quoted in the Chronicle, the locomotive hit a rock that had fallen on the line. Heavy rains were suspected to have been the cause. The staff caboose and three passenger coaches also left the track. Eleven people reported minor injuries but only the locomotive inspector remained in hospital at Hwange. Other injured passengers were treated and discharged. Train services were cancelled until the line was cleared.

[John Ashworth]

sar-L adds a little detail on 11/02/08:

Green Down

Any confirmation on the story of the derailment of two NRZ diesels, NRZ caboose and three green train (Rovos Rail) coaches that came off apparently on Friday past, somewhere near Dete?

[Chris Janisch]

Apparently this is a big tour train going up to Dar-es-Salaam. Definitely derailed and as 3 coaches are damaged and replacements are required for the trip to continue, the necessary stock was sent north over the weekend.