Help me restore Franschhoek station

[Hanno Lourens]

We are currently running a pub and grill from Franschhoek station and we would really like to get old railway memorabilia back here. We want to showcase a real station to the public. Please help me with the history ect of Franschhoek station and if you do have stuff that you are willing to part, please contact me

[Steve Appleton]

Hi Hanno,
A very warm welcome to the FOTR forum. I, for one, am glad that you appreciate the historical significance of such a building. I do hope that there are enthusiasts here that can help you.

I was in the Cape and travelled out to Franschoek just after Christmas. A stunningly well-maintained place. I was not surprised to see the tourists thronging the main street. I just wish that our local attractions, like Cullinan which is FOTR's prime destination, could look and be like that.

I also looked longingly at the railway line itself and thought "what a wasted opportunity." With so many tourists looking for things to do, a scenic old branch line like this, anywhere else in such a beautiful part of the world, would be a major attraction. I could visualise a variety of services running back and forth to Paarl: a diesel railcar set, a lunch and dinner train, a wine-tasting train, a heritage steam train and much more! Instead, I saw a national treasure partly grown-over, partly built-over, partly farmed-over, maybe even partly-stolen that is being ignored and simply rusting away.

The window of opportunity to save this line is closing, fast, fast, fast. With the Transnet "concessioning" process underway, assuming there are no acceptable bids for this line, probable final closure and track-lifting will almost certainly happen. You only have a very short time in which to save this asset for the benefit of Franschoek, the region and the future. After that, this fabulous line will be gone forever and the idea that heritage trains could ever run again to Franschoek will be dead and buried: without a living, working memorial, except for your solitary station building.

I strongly suggest Franschoek Tourism and the local council immediately lobby the local DA Provincial Minister of Tourism and Finance, Alan Winde, to put pressure to save and resurrect this line. Perhaps, if the Outeniqua Tjoe-Choo project fails, with provincial assitance you could even acquire some of its rolling stock to be relocated to yourselves as a head start.

A dream perhaps, but, of course, even pigs can fly!

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

This line is well and truly stuffed. Some of it and the sleepers have already been ripped up. In Franschoek they have built a storage facility for stone and sand over the Railway line. It will never run again sadly.

[Dylan Knott]

No problem, what do you need?