Friends of the Rail Forum

I spent the last few days in one of the most isolated parts of South Sudan, at Kuron Peace Village, close to the Ethiopian border. It was a gathering to celebrate the 75th birthday of one of our retired South Sudanese bishops who has played an iconic role in South Sudan, and people came from far and wide, by road and air. I saw so many different vehicles, some fairly venerable, that I couldn't resist photographing them.

Land Rover enthusiasts will be disappointed not to see any. Sadly the 109 was the last Land Rover that was fit for the tough conditions in South Sudan; from the Defender onwards they just don't make the grade and you rarely see them. I believe the British Ambassador has one, but then he has no choice.

All photos by John Ashworth, 24th-27th February 2012, Kuron Peace Village, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan.

Back in South Sudan's capital city, Juba, and today I took a few snaps of an old Commer which stands very near to my office. This one is not working, but I have seen similar ones still operating in towns like Malakal and Bentiu.

Photos by John Ashworth, 3rd March 2012.

A lime-green Foden delivering building materials to an NGO office in Juba.

On the road from Juba to Yei, South Sudan, May 2012. Photo by John Ashworth.

This road is now very different from the first time I was on it in 1997, at the height of the civil war. Then it was just wheel tracks through the grass. The Sudan People's Liberation Army took me to the front line, 40 miles from Juba, to show me the bodies of the foreign mujahidiin that they had killed in a big battle. There is a hill nearby which is known as "Iraq Mountain" as a reminder of the foreign forces, but apart from that I'd be hard-pushed to recognise the site of the battle now.

The Foden is a very interesting find indeed!

It must have an interesting history!

Good vehicle - some are still in use with the British Engineers in Afghanistan.