Heidelberg Transport Museum

Derek Walker · Post by **Derek Walker** » 17 Apr 2009, 18:24

Ok, this has been bugging me for quite some time, and I think its time to ask the experts.
What happened to the railway museum that used to be at the bottom of Park Station, next to the Blue Room? there even used to be a loco cab there as well as a vintage loco and heaps of models etc. I remember you could even get loco number boards there at one time.

And,

What happened to the transport museum that used to be at Heidelberg? I know that its sponsorship was withdrawn with the clamp down on tobaco advertising, but where did all the exhibits go to?

And, the plinthed steam loco that used to be on Park Station, where did it go to? or is it still there?

Derek Walker · Post by **Derek Walker** » 18 May 2009, 19:37

Is the Heidelberg Transport Museum still in existance? I am looking on the net and everybody is regurgitating the same old sentence about it, but as far as I know it was shut down because of a lack of funding. If it is still open where in Heidelberg is it? if it is closed where did all the exhibits go? I believe they had some interesting rolling stock and I am considering an expedition down that side in the near future and want to go have a look.

Dylan Knott · Post by **Dylan Knott** » 18 May 2009, 20:04

Still there I am told. 16CR and 5 coaches. Would be worth a trip down there.

Luca Lategan · Post by **Luca Lategan** » 04 Jun 2009, 08:50

Wasn't there a story about the museum being owned by the Rembrant group and because of the types of product that they manufacture, that education, especially of minors, is not part of their business and that the museum was thus shut down?

Kevin Wilson-Smith · Post by **Kevin Wilson-Smith** » 04 Jun 2009, 09:25

It was closed.

I went there early 2008 and this was the case. Also broken windows etc. with the outside exhibits tatty and neglected.

Someone passed through last year and said it was still closed.

There is info on the Internet and I have tried the variouis phone numbers given without success - so whether it has reopened is anyones guess.

I would try and phone before trailing out there.......

Kevin Wilson-Smith · Post by **Kevin Wilson-Smith** » 08 Jun 2009, 11:29

I was in the area on Sunday and went and had a look.

It is definitely closed, and appparently has remained closed since it was shut down. There were large dogs inside, so the only shot I have is from the outside.

This sums it up! There are more coaches behind this one and in the "open" compound to the right - equally shabby. The thorn tree in the foreground has grown up between the rails.

Dylan Knott · Post by **Dylan Knott** » 08 Jun 2009, 11:42

And the loco? Is it still complete? Where do those tracks run to?

Kevin Wilson-Smith · Post by **Kevin Wilson-Smith** » 08 Jun 2009, 12:05

This is the only decent view I had - taken with a telephoto throught the fence (due to large dogs!).

The tracks terminate at the fence.

There are 2 more coaches berhind the one shown, and more coaches in the shed to the right. Difficult to see in though. No sign of an engine outside, but it may be in this shed on the right.

Luca Lategan · Post by **Luca Lategan** » 06 Jul 2009, 11:02

Hello, I was at the Franschhoek Motor Museum this weekend, Johan Rupert bought all the cars etc from the Heidelberg Transport Museum 2002-2003, cars, motorbikes and horse carriages was moved to Franschhoek during that time and all cars was renovated, the collection exceeds 220 vehicles - ranging from a 1898 Beeston motor tricycle to a 2003 Ferrari Enzo supercar - and more than 80 exhibits are displayed in four de-humidified halls with a total floor area of 2700 mÂ², and presented in chronological order. Quite impressive.

I spoke to the curator of the museum, Mr. Wayne Harley this morning. According to him the locomotive and rail-coaches is on a lease/lend from TFR and after the museum closed it was placed in the care of the Heidelberg town-council. They, unfortunately, have no interest in it.

PS. BTW, the Paarl - Franschhoek branch line that is so Fancied by Dylan runs right through the farm, L'Omarins. Right there where the museum is there is this excellent bank that would make any old steam lady huff and puff 'till the whole valley answers!

Dylan Knott · Post by **Dylan Knott** » 06 Jul 2009, 12:22

And the siding is called "Lategan". 16CR cannot run on the Franschhoek line but seeing as it is complete it could go to FOTR (Hint hint).

I will take the coaches, just as soon as I can figure out how to move them.

In other news TFR are going to tender for the concessioning of over 20 000km of railway track. Privatisation of the redundant branchlines. Franschhoek may well be on this list.

Luca Lategan · Post by **Luca Lategan** » 06 Jul 2009, 13:02

Oe ja, forgot to mention Lategan, this area is out of bounds for the public, but it can be organised to go there with the farm manager. The lady at the museum said that the two boards are still there (although I don't know if it is the original ones) and the farm management keeps the gardens etc in a mint condition.

Why can't the 16CR not run there? Is is also 'out-of-gauge' (I still don't know what that means)?

Interestingly enough, the following was said by Transnet in 2004 regarding the lease of branch lines:

Parliamentary Question wrote:(2) Yes. Spoornet has developed a Light and Low Density Line Strategy in order to employ alternative usage for the under-utilized infrastructure. The objective is to give access to other operators to use the network. Transnetâ€™s Board of Directors are currently considering a test case for the lease of three closed railway lines to interested parties for the promotion of community based tourism and job creation purposes. Should the Transnet Board concur, more cases of this nature will in future be considered.
...
The objective is to sell, lease or concession those lines, which have no strategic importance to Spoornet and to dispose of the Closed Lines, which have no potential and any interested operators.

I also remember a call to interested parties to tender for the acquisition of branch-lines some months/years ago, Sandstone was especially interested in the Avontuur line, but as far as I know, nothing has come off it.

Uhm, Dylan, as far as my records go, there was only 19 896 of TOTAL rail route kilometres in South Africa during 2007. Don't you maybe have a zero to many and are talking about the 2252 km's of 'no-service' lines?

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 06 Jul 2009, 15:17

"Out of gauge" usually means that some part of the loco may foul lineside infrastructure. That could include platform edges, overhead electric wires, tunnels, bridges, etc. It refers to loading gauge (ie the profile of the loco or vehicle), not track gauge. I believe there is a difference in loading gauge for static and dynamic, as a moving train will rock from side to side slightly. That's why certain out of gauge movements can be allowed at very slow speeds.

In the UK many big steam locos are now banned from lines on which they used to run regularly because they are now out of gauge as a result of new platforms, track being raised or re-aligned, overhead electric wires, etc. Many main line steam locos have had to have their chimneys and in some cases their cab roofs lowered by an inch or two, but some parts such as the cylinders obviously can't be altered.

Locos may also be banned due to their axle weight, depending on the load limit of the track itself and especially embankments, bridges and culverts.

Luca Lategan · Post by **Luca Lategan** » 06 Jul 2009, 17:03

Oh, thanks for that, John. Is this like the GH Union-Garrats that returned to Salt River without steps and some fittings after a test run? Didn't (/ doesn't) the Class 39/19E have the same problems?

This then doesn't necessarily mean that it can not travel on any line in South Africa...

Stephen Brain · Post by **Stephen Brain** » 24 Jan 2013, 16:03

I lived in Rensburg and would visit often with my friends as a youngster.

When I was at Rhodes varsity I got a job there during my vacs, (my Dad worked for Rembrandt), and used to man reception and conduct tours for the curator. They had so many varied exhibits. The train was phenomenal, considering what I now use in the UK for commuting ;-)

They also had Jody Scheckters (sic) formula 1 car, and the best bit about working there was I got to sit in some of the exhibits.

Too bad that it is now closed.

John Ashworth · Post by **John Ashworth** » 24 Jan 2013, 16:09

Welcome to the forum, Stephen, and thanks for posting. We hope to hear more from you.

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