Koedespoort - double-decker

[John Ashworth]

I believe this is South Africa's only remaining double-decker coach, number 6704. It's in extremely poor condition, as can be seen from the photos.

Photos by John Ashworth 27th March 2008

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Did not know there was such a thing here. Anyone have a picture of this type of coach in a decent state? Used for?

[Marc Russell]

Great pics! Shame to see it in such a state. What are the chances of it being salvaged and brought back to it's former glory? Like Steve I would love to see some pics of it in it's past life.

[John Ashworth]

Since Nathan posted the link to these photos on the sar-L some interesting information has been shared there, mostly from Les Pivnic, an acknowledged SAR expert.

I was personally involved in getting the double-decker coach transferred
from De Aar to Pretoria. Very briefly, as coaches earmarked for
preservation were released from service, they were sent to the nearest
mechanical depot for disposal. I received a call from a certain Mr
fowler of the CME's Office to the effect that ALL museum vehicles were
to be removed from his depots forthwith!!!

I heard over the grapevine that the Bridge Engineer had a yard south of
the loco depot at De Aar which was basically empty as far as track space
was concerned. I went across to his office in Tippet Building and he
gave me authority to move our coaches to his yard. The only stipulation
was that they had to roadworthy in case he needed to move them around.
This was duly arranged and coaches from various depots were labeled off
to the Bridge Yard at De Aar. I was absolutely thrilled to have found a
temporary home for our museum coaches. The climate was right and they
should be safe down there. HOW WRONG I WAS!!!!! Not long after the
coaches started to arrive at De Aar, they were being plundered by
vandals from a nearby township AND my own railway colleagues! The
township vandals ripped the leather seats to pieces and enjoyed smashing
the windows while my railway colleagues took a fancy to compartment
doors, washbasins and bunks. These were carefully removed for
installation in their houses in De Aar.

When this vandalism was brought to my attention I went down to De Aar
for an inspection. I was dismayed and disgusted at what I found -
wanton damage of historically valuable coaches. I immediately went to
see the System Manager in Kimberley and asked for protection of our
museum assets in De Aar. It was a long time in coming - in fact, by the
time that a stout fence was erected around that yard; the main damage
had been done.

I decided to move some of the more valuable coaches up to Salvokop in
the area of the previous Pretoria Mechanical Workshops. A site
inspection seemed to indicate that the coaches might be safer in that
area. Several coaches including the double decker were made roadworthy
and dispatched by rail to Pretoria. The rest is history - the vandalism
continued at Salvokop and I found myself in a helpless situation - where
to stage my museum coaches where they would be free of vandals. I never
found a place of safety for them!

I have a drawing of it on Dayle's SA Transport site...

...wasn't there only ever one double deck passenger coach in South Africa? In which case these pictures are of the only double decker coach, surviving or otherwise.