In one of my earlier Blogs I wrote about the SAR-NG10’s and made brief mention to the Baldwin No 2 built for the ‘Eastern Province Cement Company Ltd. This loco being of the same class as the 60’s built for the SAR but built as a one off in 1930 for the Cement Company. As we know it still survives and has been restored and maintained on the Brecon Mountain Railway http://www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk/no-2-locomotive. Back in June 2011 I took the time while in Cardiff visiting a client re my day job, to take the afternoon off a visit the BMR ,hopefully my photo’s of No 2 on the day do credit to the fine job of restoration by the BMR. If you are in the UK and can get over to the BMR it is worth the visit. If you are going to see No2 I advise to call them before hand to make sure she is in service to avoid disappointment.

It has been awhile since I last blogged, no real excuses but anyway I’m back. I plan to change the blog slightly still majoring on SAR Two- Gauge but bringing in every now and then other Southern African Narrow Gauge and by that,narrow gauge, I mean anything less than Cape Gauge 3’6”. Also if a loco or rolling stock had started life in Southern Africa but found a new life elsewhere I might cover it as well. As I get myself going in this again I will more than likely have a burst of writing but then plan to update at least once a week. Lets hope I can keep this going and find useful stuff re SAR-NG please feel free if you wish me to try research something re SAR-NG or you have something to add to one of my posts. Any crap and you will find out why I'm called the 'Wildebeast'

SAR-NGG11-54 From Peter Blackham's collection.

Cape Colony To-Day

Cape Colony To-Day by A.R.E.Burton (author of ‘Cape Colony for the Settler‘)- 1907
Part One
The book gives an account of travelling mainly by train in the Cape Colony and what one would expect to experience. The book was written and compiled ‘under authority of The Cape Government Railway Department. Giving an account of 10 tours around the Cape Colony. For this blog I’ve taken extracts from the tours that give reference to the two ‘two foot’ gauge railways with in the Cape Colony, Tour No 3 and Tour No.4, both chapters are precede by maps showing the route of the branch lines.




Messrs.Thomas Cook & Son get a mention as the recommended travel agent one should use should one be planning a trip to the Cape Colony, from arranging ones passage by steamboat, for hotel accommodation, to acquiring a 3 month travel ticket from the Cape Government Railways.

A ticket with the Union Castle Line from Southampton ,leaving on Saturdays would take 16 to 17 days with a first class ticket setting you back £39.18.0

There are over 200 small black and white photos depicting scenes around the Colony.

Tour No 3

I pick up from the connection to the Hopefield Railway/Branch.



Mr. Burton writes ‘From Belleville Station we proceeded to Kalabas Kraal, where we changed from broad to narrow gauge line:-
Hopefield , a comfortable little place close to the great Berg River. The farmer (some of whom met us at the station) are apparently a well-to-do class, thriving on their live stock and produce of the soil, especially wheat, the staple produce of the district.’

‘Saldana Bay we took post cart to Hoetjies, that part of Saldanha Bay that affords the best anchorage and protection for vessels in bad weather.’

Mr. Burton in the chapter makes note of the stats of Darling a village along the line and the journey time by post cart from Hopefield to Hoetjies Bay

‘Darling Village,23 miles W.N.W. of Malmesbury and 9 miles N.W.of Hermon Station which is 60 miles from Cape Town. P.O.,T.O. and M.O. Hotel and Churches, Court House ,Post cart to Hermon two Hours. Population: White 790, Coloures 358

Post cart from Hoetjies Bay to Hopefield 45miles N.W. eight Hours.’


At the back of the book Mr. Burton make reference to the news lines authorized.
New Lines-The following new lines were authorized by Parliament in 1906:-

Hopefield to Hoetjies Bay( Saldanha Bay)……… Miles 40.…….£87 640

Hopefield Branch
Evidence of the Cape Government Railway




Well its been awhile since I’ve posted anything on my blog so I will start of with what become my almost obsession, the Hopefield Railway or also now known as the Hopefield Branch a term that came into use after ’Union’ as the saying goes.

I have just recently return from a holiday in the West Coast ,Velddrift ( about 150km north of Cape Town) where this railway lies. I was able to spend sometime away from the family exploring the branch which is still in use ,just and of coarse being re-gauge to 3’6”,but you know all that and if you don’t read some of my earlier postings.

Well while going over Hopefield Station ,its buildings and yard ,I came across some fence post made from old railway line near the station building and small goods shed. Three of the posts had clear embossing showing the CGR of the Cape Government Railway, what was also interesting is that the one fence post had an embossing showing that the rail was manufactured in the USA.

As I’ve said in previous posts is the Station building and the small goods shed next to it are more than likely to be the original CGR buildings built for the line when it first opened in 1903,but I have mentioned that before and will do so again in future postings. I have posted some photos showing the CGR embossing.

The Little Pacifics

SAR-NG10.No61-Humewood Road 2002 photo by Bruce Green


The Little Pacifics -The Sixties-
South African Railways-2 foot gauge
Class NG10 No. 61-66

Baldwin of Philadelphia USA built six 4-6-2's for the South African Railways which where placed into service on the Avontuur Branch in 1916.They where distantly American in appearance, popular with their crews, nicked named the ‘Sixties‘, equipped with outside bar frames and Walschaert’s valve gear. They spent most of their days working out of Loerie. In 1948 numbers NG63 and NG64 where transferred to South West Africa to assist with yard duties. The balance of the fleet went to Humewood Rd in Port Elizabeth to perform yard duties there. They where all with drawn in 1962. If you go to the website at http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/narrow-gauge/ng_info_pictures/steam.html there are some photographs of the NG10’s, No 63 or 64 at Usakos in South West Africa in 1955 and No61 at Humewood Rd. in 1961.

SAR-NG10 No.61 was still about and running at Humewood Rd until 1965 ,just, even though being officialy withdrawen. In 1970 she was moved to an unusual position ,the roof of the Port Elizabeth Museum where she remained for 9 years. The museum then decided that it was no longer going display heritage transport returning the loco back to Humewood Rd in 1979. NG61 is now in the safe and capable hands of the Sandstone Heritage Trust in the Orange Free State, where she awaits her fate and ultimate out come in the road towards restoration. Itis more than likely as her boiler is basically a right off that she will become a static display. On the Sandstone Heritage website there is talk of her ending up at the Transport Museum in George.

Baldwin also built a sister loco to this class for the Eastern Province Cement Company Ltd. She was delivered in 1930 and become the companies engine No.2 . Her original livery was olive green and aluminium lining with bold letters on her tender, Eastern Province Cement Co. Ltd and No.2 on her front number plate, although she ended her days in a fine red. Her boiler was replaced at some time with a Hunslet one. Colin Garratt in his book Last Steam Locomotives of the World, Steam Safari, gives an accountant of this loco when he came across her working the Chelsea Branch Line. In his account he credits her with one of the nicest chime whistle he has ever heard ,saying it was melodious almost to be described as fragrant.

Working a night train on the Chelsea Branch. The photo is from Colin Garratt's book. It shows the loco in it's last days much modified and in its red livery.
In 1974 she was involved in an accident after running away from her driver leaving the tracks and subsequently being written off by the insurers. She was purchased by the Brecon Mountain Railway in Wales U.K. as scrape. In 1990 they started a complete rebuild and restoration and in 1997 she entered service again as No.2 , looking again very American but in a fine state. She spent 10 years as an oil burner but recently being converted back to a coal burner. Have a look at the website, www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk/locomotives.html
Another website with photographs of No.2 is http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/gb/museum/BMR/bmr2.jpg

Bladwin works photograph 1930

The Hopefield Branch/Railway

In an earlier post I wrote about the history of this branch/railway. It is still in use today although was re-gauged in 1926 to Cape Gauge. If you look at the photo of the first train to Hopefield in the previous article you will note the station building in the back ground and if you compare it to the building in the current photo's I would say its the same. The photo's where taken by William Smith. I will be back in the area myself in Feb.2011 so will be able to do some more local research and further photos of the other stations along the line.
The bottom photo is my 7mm/On30 NG22 with a B wagon and two GH-1 goods vans. The B wagon is a Mark Reed resin casting, built by me.The two GH-1's are built and resin cast by myself.

The Hopefield Railway

The first passenger train arriving at Hopefield station on the 28th February 1903.

I found this in a book I have just purchased 'Early Railways at the Cape' by Jose Burman. It shows the 2-6-0 Baldwin,number 02 with a fine rake of coaches. What is interesting is the book makes referance to the extension to Saldanda Bay (Hoetjies Bay) not being in place at the time of the Union 1910.The author lists in the bibliography a book called 'Little Railways of the Cape Colony' something to look out for. He also makes mention there being 3 passanger trains per week in each direction with the train at the Hopefield end leaving at 2am in the morning so that the West Coast traveller could be in Cape Town by 8am remember this involved a change at Kalasbas Kraal.