Witbank Marathon by Trainman - Part 3

[John Ashworth]

Night falls and we share the camaraderie of a braai, alongside the caboose. The table for the raw meat being the extended buffers of container trucks on the adjacent line. Those huge air and vacuum hoses make wonderful footrests! Tales are told and food is consumed. There is much friendly banter 'tween the two groups. Alongside, under the comfort of the shed roof, the locomotives are at rest. One of them at least is back home after all these years. In fact, 2056, the 15CA, was a pet project in steam days of a lively lass, who has since faded into the pages of historical periodicals. Julie Van Rensburg, if I recall correctly, was very involved in taking over the care and attention of this particular locomotive, as well as the class 8 mounted outside the municipal buildings in Middelburg. She had written in a SARail, all those years ago, of cleaning the loco, and getting so involved with it a Witbank, that it was given the name “JULIE” by the shed staff. Did the CA not have the honour of being the last steam loco to work at Witbank? Now the familiar form of generations ago has a last night in the depot. In the cabs, now darkened, the firelighter huddles up against the cool wind blowing in.

We are due off at 0700 on the Sunday, so it is an early start. Crews were up at 0500 and they went off to prepare the locos. I was booked to fire the dolly to Bronkhorspruit, so some preparation lay ahead.

It was gloomy that morning, and miserable. I never liked Witbank, that carbide stench from the local factory, forever stinking up the place. It was a dull and boring hole, during my time in the now defunct railway hostel. The most exciting export from this vile place was the beauty queen, Anneline Kriel, and since then, it has never recovered!

However, today it is great and the familiar sound of locos being prepared, resound through the silence. It is Sunday morning, and we are the only movement here. The CA moves out first with water tank and collects the coal grab, followed by the dolly. We couple up and get permission from the sleepy shedman, to move out to go couple onto the load.

Final steam spurts from cylinder drain cocks, and grey mushy smoke exhausting from two stacks, and then it is all over. The shed is once more a memory, save the evaporating pools of wasted water and the simmering ash in the pits. We have moved out to the control cabin, and request the shunter to get our path so we can couple. The loco inspector from Capital Park, has arrived and we couple up.

The way out of here, as we stood, entailed a setting back of our train onto the Oogies line, so that we could then pull forward and round the one leg of the triangle formed by the Pretoria and Oogies sections. The control shunter rode with and utilised our own communications system, to guide us safely back, and bade us farewell as we got the yellow signal, and we drew forwards.

My trip back to Bronkhorspruit was a joy ride, for the loco inspector was a driver whom I had fired to many a time whilst at Capital Park. In fact, if you have the “Spirit of Steam” book in your collection, the wonderful photo of making toast with a fork on the footplate, well, that is his hand and fork!! (My photo!) So he wanted to fire, and I sat back, working the injector and taking photos. My time to let my thoughts wonder to being up front on the LM Mail, in a15CA double header. Silver smoke box fronts and cab roofs. White walled tyres, making the Witbank locos look so smart. The first light of day has not yet reached the train, and behind me I see the lights of the doorways spilling out onto the ballast. Here and there, and early riser or train fan, has his compartment light on, wondering about this change of motive power from electric to steam.

An important international train, as mentioned, with its two CFM coaches attached. Watching the road and getting ready to lay a fire on. Calling out the semaphores to the driver, “Oom, Honeymoon piele, alles reg!” ( Uncle, they are like honeymoon erections… all right!), I call out, as we watch the semaphore blades call us on to run through. No stops on this train except Bronkhorspruit for a twelve minute fire clean and then Pretoria. At speed I catch the Van Schoor tablets from the Foreman, and a friendly greeting is shouted out as I flick out the one tablet and collect the other. “ Clewer Balmoral Oom absoluut” I call out as I read the disc on the tablet before showing my driver and then hanging it on the pressure gauge. Back to business and get my head down for some shoveling.

No, it is not there anymore, just dreams. Replaced by CTC signaling, deserted stations. Just the pedestals with their faded paint watch as we roll by. There is no more man to climb up on it and stand nervously holding out the tablet in shaky hands, as the thundering double header storms menacingly upon him. Once more, the graying trackside cinders lie upturned watching us by, joined by some fresh friends who too, will become another remaining trace of a faded era.( my goodness, but he does get these most depressing scenarios, don’t he?) . The remaining railway houses are occupied by whoever, and plenty old car wrecks litter the yards. Many windows are cardboard filled, but still time to give a cheery wave to us, as through bleary eyes, the inhabitants find time to absorb an image now seldom seen crossing these paths.

The long downgrade to Bronkhorspruti approaches. Time for lunch and a service stop. I vacate my seat for the other fireman to take over. Back in the caboose, its time to relax further and enjoy the ride.

At Capital Park, we split the load, and let the CA get coaled and sorted out, while the 19D was stabled. The highly successful Witbank Marathon was over for another year. For the clubs, it was a cementing of relationships. A great team effort to make the day a success for all who traveled with. To make the 21st year of the marathon and the 21st year of the FOTR a huge success. Thanks to all who gave heart and soul.

For me, it was a trip along memoryline. May I get the chance once more to rekindle the flame.

Thanks for reading this.

tellitasitwasTrainman