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THE ULOLWE

SOUTH AFRICA – SUID-AFRIKA

A monthly railway research / historical publication

‘n Maandelikse spoorweg historiese en navorsing publikasie

Vol 2 No 9

Un-official / Nie Amptelik Everything to do

with the former

South African

Railways: i.e.

Railway Stations,

Harbours, Airways,

RMT, SAR Police,

Armoured Trains,

Lighthouses,

Pipelines, Catering,

SAR Models, Diagrams of Locomotives etc and books on

the Railways in Southern Africa

Hennie Heymans, Pretoria, ZA

heymanshb@gmail.com

September 2011

[Photo: SAR – c1950 - HBH’s Collection]

Patron - Les Pivnic - Beskermheer

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Contents

Welcome ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Front Cover ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Editorial ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

Main Story: Van Reenen’s Pass – Bruno Martin .................................................................................... 5

The OFS Branch Line – Bruno Martin ................................................................................................. 6

Van Reenen - Hennie Heymans ......................................................................................................... 10

Van Reenen photographs from my album – Hennie Heymans .................................................... 11

Lieut-Com George Perrson Glen Kidston, RN & Flight-Lt Thomas Anthony Gladstone,

RAF..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Wepener’s Perambulations ..................................................................................................................... 17

Leeudoringstad................................................................................................................................. 17

Allanridge, shunting DZ's full of ballast ...................................................................................... 18

Daalder, heading South ................................................................................................................... 18

Eersteling ........................................................................................................................................... 19

Grasslands ......................................................................................................................................... 20

Grasslands ......................................................................................................................................... 20

Hennenman ....................................................................................................................................... 21

Makwassie, units staged ................................................................................................................. 22

Makwassie, units staged ................................................................................................................. 22

Welgeleë pick-up .............................................................................................................................. 23

Railway History ....................................................................................................................................... 25

- CGR .................................................................................................................................................. 25

- NGR ................................................................................................................................................. 25

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- OVSS ................................................................................................................................................ 26

- NZASM ........................................................................................................................................... 26

- Anglo Boer War.............................................................................................................................. 26

- IMR .................................................................................................................................................. 26

- CSAR ............................................................................................................................................... 26

- SAR 1916 ......................................................................................................................................... 26

- SAR 1939 ......................................................................................................................................... 27

Photographs .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Stations ...................................................................................................................................................... 28

Koppies – Johan Botha..................................................................................................................... 28

Railway People ......................................................................................................................................... 29

Karakter versus persoonlikheid – Boon Boonzaaier ................................................................... 29

Book Shelf .................................................................................................................................................. 32

The Man-Eaters of Tsavo ................................................................................................................ 32

RMT ............................................................................................................................................................ 32

South African Airways & Trek Airways: Lockheed L1649A Starliners - Johan Jacobs ................ 32

Harbours.................................................................................................................................................... 40

Pipelines .................................................................................................................................................... 40

Catering Division ..................................................................................................................................... 41

SAR POLICE ............................................................................................................................................. 41

The SARP Band ........................................................................................................................................ 43

Railway News & Railway Sites .............................................................................................................. 45

South African Models .............................................................................................................................. 45

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A visit to Eric Samuels ..................................................................................................................... 45

Suid-Afrikaanse modelle: V-3 Kondukteurswa / Guards Van – Lourens Sturgeon ............... 46

Outside South Africa ............................................................................................................................... 49

Opening of Benguela Railway - taken 30 Augustus 2011 at Huambo, Angola – Anton van

Schalkwyk ............................................................................................................................................. 49

Mail Bag ..................................................................................................................................................... 53

Brett Radloff: ..................................................................................................................................... 53

Koos Jp Strydom............................................................................................................................... 53

Metroblitz – Les Pivnic .................................................................................................................... 55

Indemnity / Vrywaring ........................................................................................................................... 57

Next Issue .................................................................................................................................................. 57

Welcome

A word of hearty welcome to our readers of this issue! We have planned three other issues for

September, one issue on Dr Raimund Loubser, the son of Dr MM Loubser and the brother of Dr

Kobus Loubser. The other issue is the parliamentary report dated 1869 on the extension of

railways in the Cape Colony and another how to subscribe, free, to The Ulolwe on ISSUU.

Dr MM Loubser Dr Kobus Loubser

Dr Raimund Loubser

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Front Cover

Class 25 near pictured near Three Sisters (Driesusters) in the Karoo. I

obtained this photograph from a friend while I was a schoolboy in the

1950’s. This is a typical Karoo-scene.

We would love to know who the photographer is.

Editorial

I travelled in the Gautrain for the 1st time – it’s five star, first world, very up-market, no

clickekty clack and “no mind the gap!” Never the less I enjoyed the trip – the safety is first class!

Main Story: Van Reenen’s Pass – Bruno Martin

Greetings Hennie

Ja, I read about the gremlins invading your PC on the SAR List – fortunately, the drafting

software I use has an automatic save option which I have set to ‘10 minutes’, so it saves any

open file in regular intervals and the most I can lose if there is a power failure or any other PC

malfunction, is the last 10 minutes’ work.

Van Reenen: back in 1991 I published an article in SA Rail about the rail crossings of the

Drakensberg and below is the section dealing with Van Reenen’s Pass (with a few

amendments). The attached scans are of colour slides taken in February 1982, when I deviated

from the National Road near the top of Van Reenen’s Pass to explore a SATS service road,

which presumably had restricted entry, but since the gate was left wide open I decided to drive

along it and see where it takes me. Much of this service road was of course the track bed of the

old NGR alignment built by during 1890/91, and which also took me through the curved tunnel

when the SAR joined the top and bottom ends of the reverses to form one continuous line in

1925.

The monochrome images are from photos I have in my collection: one shows Van Reenen

station (date unknown) and the other shows the reverses which were in use from 1891 until

1925.

Best regards

Bruno

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The OFS Branch Line – Bruno Martin

Construction of the OFS branch line was initiated with the turning of the first sod ceremony on

7 November 1889 at a point marking the junction about 1600 metres north of Ladysmith station.

The ceremony was performed by Sir Charles Mitchell, Governor of Natal, in the presence of

delegates from the OFS and officials of the Natal Colonial Government. The route taken by the

line generally followed the watershed of the Sandspruit and the Klip River towards the base of

the escarpment at Brakwal where a staging station was constructed. The ascent was made on an

alignment that embodied three reverses on a grade of 1 in 30 and overall 268 metres in altitude

were overcome in 12 km. By the end of 1890, the first 20 km of track bed had been levelled.

Track laying had commenced in August of that year, but stopped in December on reaching the

Klip River bridge, the only major bridge required for this section and work could only be

continued after the spans were place in position in January 1891. The rails reached the border

station Van Reenen on 8 August 1891 and the 57 km stretch from Ladysmith to Van Reenen was

opened to passenger, parcel and mail traffic on 19 November that year. The 38 km extension in

to the Free State from Van Reenen to Harrismith was taken into use on 14 November 1892

which was constructed, maintained and operated by the NGR under an agreement with the

OFS Volksraad.

The reverses between Brakwal and Van Reenen remained in operation for almost 30 years until

the alignment was adapted to form a continuous line by joining the lower and upper ends of

Reverses 1 and 3, respectively. This loop passed through a curved tunnel about 150 metres in

length and was opened to traffic on 18 May 1925. In 1933, the railways Administration decided

to proceed with the electrification of the Ladysmith- Harrismith line. So as to minimise costs,

the 88kV transmission line was carried on overhead masts manufactured from discarded 60 &

80 lb rails and flattened old steel sleepers. The substations at Colworth and Van Reenen were

the first of their kind to be equipped with mercury-arc rectifiers capable of converting 3kV DC

to 88kV AC with the regenerative working of the electric locomotives. It marked one of the first

important technical improvements in DC electric traction. This section was handed over to

commercial operation on 4 February 1935.

Work on regarding the line between Brakwal and Van Reenen on a gradient of 1 in 50 began in

1958 and entailed building 16 km of new alignment and boring 10 tunnels with a combined

length of 5264 metres. The new alignment embodies one of only two spirals in South Africa; the

other being on the Mthatha branch in the Eastern Cape Province. The radius of the spiral is 276

metres which includes two tunnels, one of 1175 metres and the other of 447 metres, and in the

process 37 metres in altitude is gained. A tunnelling record of 290 metres in 28 days was

achieved at the time of construction by the contractors, Messrs Rand Earthworks Construction

Co. (Pty) Ltd. The new alignment lengthened the distance between Brakwal and Van Reenen by

5 kilometres and opened to traffic in June 1961.

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Van Reenen - Hennie Heymans

My grandfather, after whom I was named, lived at Van Reenen. As a young boy I went on

various walks with my grandfather – once even to Clova. My father grew up there and most of

my paternal family lives in the Harrismith, Swinburne and Van Reenen-area. I also walked

around the district with my father.

My Aunt “Mim” West-Thomas is somebody who is very interested in our history and she has

taken it upon herself to collect photographs of Van Reenen and its environments as well as the

history of Van Reenen. If you don’t know the history, nothing much happened there. However

if you know the history; much did in fact take place there! The Bushmen left their beautiful

paintings in the kloofs, the Voortrekkers had a wagon road over the pass, a few miles away is

Moordraai where the Pretorius-family were brutally murdered, once upon a time there was a

border post and passport control centre, and there were Boers and Brits! The English never left

and became part of our family! (We were not joiners!) Van Reenen has a pump station for

petroleum and boasts the smallest Roman Catholic Church in South Africa! The Prince of Wales

visited Van Reenen in the early 1925’s and during a walk along the railway line had a taste of

Aunt Bessie’s freshly oven baked bread, after he asked for a glass of water. Aunt Bessie –

Ouma’s sister – did not know the Prince! However when he asked her where everybody was,

she replied “Oh everybody is at the station to meet some kind of Royalty.”

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Van Reenen photographs from my album – Hennie Heymans

General FJ van Reenen after whom Van Reenen’s Pass is named. Van Reenen also gave us

General Patrick James Dillon, SA Police (Ret) and the first OC of the SAP Counter-Insurgency

Unit, a Second World War Veteran from an Irish family in the Orange Free State on the Van

Reenen-border. The General’s father fought the British o0n the Boer side during the Anglo-Boer

War.

Kidson Memorial

Lieut-Com George Perrson Glen Kidston, RN & Flight-Lt Thomas Anthony Gladstone, RAF.

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The thick mist at Van Reenen down to Besters - taken from the footplate! - HBH

Lovely farming country - on the line between Swinburne and Van Reenen - HBH

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Moorddraai – note AFJ Smith born 1846,

grandson of the late Commandant BG Smit

who was attached to Sir Harry Smith’s forces –

Ric Searle

SAR snowed in at Van Reenen – Mims West

Thomas

The third and last Station at Van Reenen – now in the Orange Free State – the former Stations

were in Natal. Van Reenen is a border town in Natal.

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Van Reenen Station – why not a school or a clinic?

There is minimum control: Why a tavern next to the line? Why not let it to a security company

free of charge?

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Wepener’s Perambulations

Leeudoringstad

Empty stations?

Let them free of charge to the SAPS, Security Companies, museums, Boy Scouts, Voortrekkers,

First Aid, municipalities, clinics anything that a community may use! They may even be used as

shops to serve the communities. This is a real eyesore in South Africa!

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Allanridge, shunting DZ's full of ballast

Daalder, heading South

Daalder, heading South

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Eersteling

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Grasslands Grasslands

Grasslands and Kingswood

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Hennenman

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Makwassie, units staged

Makwassie, units staged

Leeubos

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Makwassie

Welgeleë pick-up

Welgeleë pick-up

Hi all.

On enquiring about the car train's whereabouts at Theunissen we were told

she is still standing at Springfontein - locomotive problems! In fact she

only left Kroonstad the next day.

The Bothaville pick-up was staged at Hennenman on Wednesday and only got

fetched on Saturday, this was orange 34 028.

The Love Train was on its way from Kroonstad to Virginia, it got as far as

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Geneva before Spoornet maroon 34 067 gave up the ghost. She finally reached

Virginia and stayed coupled to the train until orange 34 499 returned with

the Welgeleë pick-up and took her with, back to Kroonstad.

Orange E 1415 OFS & orange E 1320 headed south over the Sand River bridge at

Virginia with the empty car train.

2x orange 34's came through Welkom with a load of mielies from Wesselsbron.

At Friedesheim the orange 34 058 was shunting the timber siding. An old SAR

brown timber truck still with side stanchions was in the consist.

Bloemhof was packed with all sorts of goods trucks, mostly mielies. Between

Grasslands and Kingswood we got orange E 1204 Cape Western & maroon E 1461

on a southbound load of containers. This train was looped to cross a

northbound load of CAR trucks, behind 5x blue 18E's, leading was E 18 254.

Next was orange E 1380 & maroon E 1307 on another southbound load - this

time DJ wagons. Kingswood had plenty of mielie trucks in the station area.

Just before Makwassie yet another southbound load headed past behind blue E

18 352, TFR E 18 619 & blue E 18 xxx, this time ore wagons. Here the stench

of raw sewage running into the Makwassie Spruit is unbearable.

At Leeudoringstad blue E 10 036 headed south on a load of CAR wagons. This

train ran into the loop for a crossing, as we noticed the signals were set

up northwards.

Near Leeubos we got southbound 4x blue 18E's - upfront was E 18 046 on yet

another load of CAR wagons. Also in the consist was "dead" TFR E 10 104. On

phoning operating about the signals being green near Regina the lady told

she does not know where Regina is!! Also she had nothing going north??

Unfortunately time ran out and we left. This same lady, on another occasion

told us - nothing until this afternoon - within five minutes a train came

past. Maybe she needs a refresher course to remind her that the flashing

lights on her panel are trains and not a reminder that Christmas is coming.

The veld is turning green after all the veld fires.

Just south of Leeudoringstad a long load of CAR wagons headed south behind

5x 18E's of various liveries. Between Makwassie and Kingswood the pick-up

headed north with a short load of mielies behind SAR Maroon E 1544 Kaapland.

Also, a southbound ore train behind blue E 10 116 & blue E 10 xxx was

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caught. Near Grasslands blue E 18 345 headed north on a load of lime with

another 2x blue sisters.

At Wesselsbron orange 34 031 & orange 34 499 were on the return working of

the Bultfontein mielies towards Kroonstad.

Between Houtenbeck and Eensgevonden Plasserail were busy along the line.

RRL's 31 class should be arriving at Welkom later tonight. Will go and see

tomorrow.

Greetings.

J & J. Wepener - dd 2 September 2011

Railway History

- CGR

• Nothing to report

- NGR

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A mixed train of the NGR on the Free State line from Ladysmith to Harrismith pictured nr Van

Reenen

- OVSS

- NZASM

- Anglo Boer War

- IMR

- CSAR

- SAR 1916

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- SAR 1939

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The artist is the famous Cmdr FH Sibson.

Photographs

Nil

Stations

Koppies – Johan Botha

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Railway People

Karakter versus persoonlikheid – Boon Boonzaaier

Wanneer kan ‘n mens ‘n “persoonlikheid” en wanneer “’n karakter” genoem word?

Ek wil eintlik oor “karakters” praat – daardie een wat so ‘n onuitwisbare indruk op jou maak

dat jy hom nooit vergeet nie (in teenstelling met ‘n “persoonlikheid” wat mettertyd vervaag).

Ons het hom op ‘n naweekrit ontmoet en het aanvanklik nie geweet of daar regtig sulke mense

bestaan nie. Lang, gryserige hare, ‘n woeste baard, ‘n regte, effens fynerige, stem in die bos,

kortbroek en blou plakkies aan sy kaal voete. Ek dink nie ons sou hom ooit sonder die plakkies

sien nie, miskien af- en toe kaalvoet.

Ek sal hom maar “Boet” noem, al weet ek baie van ons vriende gaan hom dadelik herken.

Na ‘n hele paar ritte het Boet darem die gordyn oor sy jongmensjare so effens gelig. Volgens

hom was sy ouers later moedeloos met hom en het besluit hy kort sterk dissipline. Hulle het

hom, net na sy sestiende verjaarsdag, by die spoorweë as ‘n stoker ingeskryf.

Hy het gou besef dat hierdie werk hom nie geval nie, veral nie omdat sommige van die drywers

geen genade gehad het. Hulle het juis vanaf Pietermaritzburg oor die moeilikste roetes in die

land, na Kokstad/Matatiele of Greytown/Kranskop gewerk met Garratts wat nog minder

genade as die drywers gehad het. Dit was in elk geval veel gevra om van ‘n amper-nog-

skoolseun te verwag om hierdie honger monsters op die steil opdraendes te voer.

Op ‘n dag het dit net te veel geword en Boet het besluit die drywer is met niks tevrede nie, hy

kan van nou af sommer dit self doen. Hy het eenvoudig, toe hulle ‘n passasierstrein kruis,

afgeklim en huis toe gegaan.

Hy kon nie teruggaan nie en sy ouers het hom daarna by die Polisie gaan inskryf. Hier het die

effens beter gegaan en hy is, nadat hy sy opleiding voltooi het, uitgeplaas na ‘n eensame

polisiepos in Suid-Natal. Dit was asof die gode die laaste lag ingekry het: hy is op Malenge

gestasioneer, dieselfde plek waar hy destyds die drywer gelos het om alleen voort te gaan!

Van Malenge af is Boet bevorder en ek weet hy was op ‘n stadium op die grense, maar daaroor

het hy eerder geswyg. Die naaste daaraan was dat hy baie graag saam met ons na Namibië en

Swaziland wou ry “maar nie kon waag om vir ‘n paspoort aansoek te doen nie anders vind die

Waarheids- en Versoeningskommissie dalk waar ek is”. Ek dink nie dit was so erg nie, en hy

het later wel ‘n paspoort gekry.

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Ek sal nooit die lekker vleispasteitjies vergeet wat sy vrou altyd saamgebring het nie – myne

was altyd in ‘n plastiekbak sodat ek dit sonder inmenging van personeel, wat bang was ek raak

te gewigtig, kon geniet.

Op die Blommesafari’s het ons die busse van Stevens van Mosselbaai gebruik, met die twee

kleurlingbroers, Nico en Dan, as bestuurders. Op ‘n stadium het ek vir Boet vir die

daaropvolgende rit, weer na Calvinia, genooi, omdat daar plek oop was.

Omdat hy en Nico op die vorige rit dieselfde stukkie skaapvleis op die plaas wou gehad het, het

hy, op Carnarvon, ‘n aanklag van “skaapstelery” gelê en ook ‘n afskrif van die aanklag gekry.

Daarna het hy met Willem, ‘n polisieman wie se vrou ons etes bedien het, gereel om Nico

behoorlik die skrik op die lyf te jaag.

Met aandete het Willem, ten volle gekleed in sy uniform na sy skof, opgedaag, vorm in die hand

en gevra of “Mnr Nico Stevens teenwoordig is”. Nico het aan ons tafel gesit en ons het lekker

gekuier en die dag in oënskou geneem. Ek was wel bewus van die aanklag en het lekker gelag

namate Nico al-hoe-meer hakkel en duidelik kleur verloor.

Dit was egter die reaksie van een van ons passasiers wat, onwetend, almal se aandag getrek het.

Margaret het oorkant die saal opgespring en na Willem gestorm met “Julle kan dit nie doen nie,

meneer, dit is ons busbestuurder en hoe gaan ons sonder hom blomme kyk? Sy is natuurlik

deur ‘n hele paar ander ondersteun en ons het besef ons is op die randjie van groot chaos.

Ek kon almal gerusstel dat dit net ‘n poets en dat almal kan ontspan. Die een wat die meeste

verlig was, was Nico, maar dit het ‘n rukkie langer geneem voordat sy normale kleur terug

was….

Later, nadat Boet ‘n paspoort gekry het, het hy ‘n Namibiese Safari meegemaak. In Namibie het

ons die busse van Big Sky Toere van Bloemfontein gebruik en die bestuurders het groot vriende

geword. Daar was twee bestuurders per bus en dikwels het een van hulle snags eerder met die

trein gery as met die bus. Ons het dikwels hulle ook toegelaat om hulle vrouens saam te bring

en dit het die lang tydperke van die huis af bietjie draagliker gemaak.

Een van die busbestuurders het op ‘n dag vir een van die goue oomblikke op ons toere gesorg.

Marius het Boet op-en-af bekyk: langerige, gryserige hare, ‘n woeste baard, T-hemp, kort broek

en blou plakkies en stadig, terwyl daar ‘n oomblik van stilte was, gevra “Oom, wat vra Oom om

in vierslaapkamer huis te spook?” Boet se verbasing en Marius se onskuld was genoeg om

almal in die sitkamerwa letterlik te laat rondkruip van die lag.

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Boet het ook sy paspoort vir ‘n rit deur Swaziland gebruik. Nadat ons baie lank op

Komatipoort vir die paspoortbeamptes moes wag, het iemand halfpad deur die proses

opgemerk dat ons uit die land gestempel word en nie dat ons terugkeer nie. Met ‘n paar

buitelanders op die rit kon dit nie daar gelaat word nie en beamptes moes eers die regte stempel

gaan haal. Teen hierdie tyd was dit duidelik dat ons vannaand donker in Waterval-Boven sou

aankom en dit het heelwat passasiers omgekrap omdat hulle nie waterval sou sien nie.

Boet was een van die ongelukkiges en het besluit om die wet in sy hande te neem. Hy het begin

om die doeane-personeel se voertuig se bande af te blaas en dit het, natuurlik, baie van ons

ontstel. ‘n Mens weet mos jy soek nie moeilikheid met die werknemers van SARS of grensposte

nie en ons kon net raai wat kon gebeur as hierdie manne vertoorn word. Die daaropvolgende

konfrontasie het Boet blykbaar tot nugterheid geskok en ons het nie verder van hom gehoor nie.

Ongelukkig het hy daarna nie weer bespreek nie en ons het hom regtig gemis.

Eers toe dit bekend geword het dat ons nie vanaf 2007 toegelaat sou word om voort te gaan nie,

het hy ‘n laaste keer saam met ons gery.

Hy het darem ook een van my boeke bestel en ek het dit direk by sy huis afgelewer. Ons praat

ook soms via Telkom met mekaar want “karakters” verskaf dikwels die geur en kleur aan die

lewe, iets wat ‘n mens nie van ‘n “persoonlikheid” kan verwag nie.1

1 E-mail from Boon Boonzaaier dated 4 Aug 2010 or 8th April 2010

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Book Shelf

The Man-Eaters of Tsavo

A most interesting book, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by Lieut-Col JH Patterson, DSO, and a

foreword by Frederick Courtney Selous was lent to me by Stan Kantor. The book was published

during 1930 by MacMillan & Co. [The first edition has been published during 1907.] The book

carries numerous historic railway photographs. The Kenya Railway Museum in Nairobi also

exhibits one of the railway carriages from where a employee was attacked during the night.

RMT

• Nothing to Report

South African Airways & Trek Airways: Lockheed L1649A

Starliners - Johan Jacobs

As an aircraft enthusiast from a young age, one of the aircraft that caught my eye was the

Lockheed Constellation or ‘Connie’ as they were commonly known. I remember as a young

boy I visited the Jan Smuts Airport (now named O. R Tambo Airport) many a time just to see

33

the Connies and pitiable I didn’t see them for long as they were withdrawn from South African

Airways service in the late sixties. Some of our older generation would also remember even

perhaps flew in them to Cape Town or far off places during the 1950’s and 60’s.

The Constellation's wing design was close to that of the P-38 Lightning, an aircraft from the

Second World War, but differing mostly in scale. The distinctive triple tail kept the aircraft's

overall height low enough to fit in existing hangars, while new features included hydraulically-

boosted controls and a thermal de-icing system used on the wing and tail leading edges. It was

a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright engines.

The aircraft had a top speed of over 340 mph (550 km/h), faster than that of a Japanese Zero

fighter, with a cruise speed of 300 mph (480 km/h), and a service ceiling of 24,000 ft (7,300 m).

According to Anthony Sampson in ‘Empires of the Sky’, the intricate design may have been

undertaken by Lockheed, but the concept, shape, capabilities, appearance and ethos of the

Constellation were driven by Howard Hughes' intercession during the design process. It was

built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California facility in the United States

of America. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in four models, all distinguished by a triple-

tail design and dolphin-shaped fuselage.

The Constellation was used as a civilian airliner as well as for U.S. military air transport. The

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower used this plane as his presidential aircraft and flew all

over the world. It was also being used for the Berlin Airlift just after the Second World War in a

cargo configuration.

Before I start with the story on the Starliners, I would like to share some data and specifications

on this magnificent aircraft from the books ‘Great Aircraft of the World’ and ‘Quest for

Performance’.

Specifications on the L-1049G Super Constellation:

General characteristics;

Crew: 5 flight crew, varying cabin crew

Capacity: typically 62-95 passengers (109 in high-density configuration)

Length: 116 ft 2 in (35.42 m)

Wingspan: 126 ft 2 in (38.47 m)

Height: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)

Wing area: 1,654 ft² (153.7 m²)

Empty weight: 79,700 lb (36,150 kg)

Useful load: 65,300 lb (29,620 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 137,500 lb (62,370kg)

Power plant: 4 × Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound 18-cylinder supercharged radial

engines, 3,250 hp (2,424 kW) each

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Performance

Maximum speed: 377 mph (327 kn, 607 km/h)

Cruise speed: 340 mph (295 kn, 547 km/h) at 22,600 ft (6,890 m)

Stall speed: 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)

Range: 5,400 mi (4,700 nmi, 8,700 km)

Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,620 m)

Rate of climb: 1,620 ft/min (8.23 m/s)

Wing loading: 87.7 lb/ft² (428 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.094 hp/lb (155 W/kg)

It was a joyful day when the SAA took delivery of 4 Connies in 1950 to replace the Skymaster

DC4’s on the London-Johannesburg route, cutting the route duration to 28 hours. It carried 42

passengers at 20,000ft and was SAA's first pressurised aircraft. Later a tourist fare was

introduced on this route and the Connie was reconfigured to carry 58 passengers.

The first Constellation to arrive on 8 May 1950, was given the registration number ZS-DBR and

named ‘Cape Town’. This aircraft was quickly put into the Springbok service to London on the

16th of August of the same year. In 1953 the Connies were joined by the Comets from Britain

but when it was withdrawn due to an accident of a BOAC Comet on route from Rome to

Johannesburg and the inherent design problems, the Connies flew the flag until newer types

became available. The Connies were replaced on the overseas routes to Europe by the Douglas

DC-7B in 1956 however continued to operate in domestic and regional services until the last one

was sold in 1964.

Lockheed L1649A Starliner was the final development of the basic Constellation design and first

flew on October 11, 1956. Only 44 Starliners were built, the L1649A being the last of the

Lockheed piston-engine airliners.

Sleek, slender and powerful, Constellations were a beauty to the eye and set a number of

records by overseas airlines. One of the reasons for the elegant appearance of the aircraft was

the tube shape, a forerunner of modern airliners. The tube is more resistant to pressurisation

changes and more economic to build.

Prior to Trek Airways obtaining their Starliners they leased two of SAA Lockheed Constellation

L749A Starliners, ZS-DBS, named Johannesburg and ZS-DBU, named Durban for their overseas

services. The aircraft were painted in Trek Airways livery and retained the SAA registrations,

ZS-DBS and ZS-DBU.

Trek Airways’ first Starliner, ZS-DTM s/n 1041, arrived at Jan Smuts Airport on the 17th

of February 1964, after her delivery flight from San Francisco in America. Amongst her crew

were Tom Meredith, an aviation pioneer and one of the principal shareholders of Trek Airways.

Fred Gratz, Ian Laatz and Cornelius Balt were also part of the crew. Trek's second Starliner, ZS-

35

DVJ, s/n 1042 began her delivery flight from America to Hamburg on the 2nd of March 1964,

and then to Johannesburg. Amongst her crew were Tom Meredith and Captain Alan Petzer.

From 7 May to September 1965, ZS-DVJ was leased from Trek Airways by South African

Airways to operate regular services between Johannesburg and Perth via Mauritius and the

Coco Island.

It was also chartered to operate services between Johannesburg and Cape Town during the

peak season of 1967–1968. In basic Trek colours, it wore ‘S.A. Airways’ and ‘S.A. Lugdiens’

titles on the fuselage.

In 1966, ZS-DVJ scored two ‘firsts’ in South African aviation history. Flying the first non-stop

commercial crossing of the Atlantic by a South African operator, ZS-DVJ touched down at Rio

de Janeiro shortly after midday on 15 February 1966, having left Luanda at 22:30 the previous

night. On 5 July 1966, saw ZS-DVJ landing at Tokyo on the first Far-East flight by a South

African airliner. Later she went to Safari Travel Ltd and was leased to Luxair on 18 May 1967,

and was registered LX-LGX. She returned to Trek Airways in June 1968 again as ZS-DVJ.

The advent of jet airliners, with the arriving of the Boeing 707, 727 and 737 in South African

services rendered the piston-engined Constellation obsolete. The first routes lost to jets were

the long overseas routes, but Constellations continued to fly domestic routes. Only a few

Connies remain in airworthy condition. Many were sold to smaller airlines and with the arrival

of more modern equipment, these grand old ladies of the skies were either demolished under

the breakers hammer or allowed to die a slow death parked out of sight on some airfield.

Some of SAA Constellations went to other airliners

ZS-DBR Cape Town, ZS-DBT, Pretoria and ZS-DBU Durban, was bought by Aviation Charter

Enterprises and were scrapped later. They were sold for R120000.

ZS-DBS, Johannesburg, was bought by Compania Peruana Interacional de Aviacon and is

believed to be active still.

When Trek Airways moved into the jet age they no longer required the services of the Starliners

and they were sold. ZS-DVJ was retired by Trek Airways in April 1969 and stored at

Johannesburg. ZS-DVJ’s sister ship was sold to a Germiston scrap metal dealer for R5 000.

When he realised he could not sell her for a profit she was broken up at Jan Smuts Airport.

Starliner ZS-DVJ was the lucky one. On 27 July 1971, she was purchased for R2000 by Mr. W.J.

Pelser, previous owner of ‘Klein Kariba’ pleasure resort just outside Warmbaths, now Bela-Bela.

With the sun coming up on 9 October 1971, the day brought anxiety to all involved when she

undertook her last flight from Jan Smuts to Warmbaths. Former Trek Airways pilots, Laurie

Giani and Piet Retief flew her at a low altitude and after a fly past over the prepared runway

put her down on the gravel strip next to the Klein Kariba pleasure resort in the Waterberg

36

Mountains. She quickly came to a standstill through the dust and taxied to a parking site under

a few trees. I visited her there once in 1974 and I felt heartbroken to see this grand lady

standing there to slowly fade away. Happily this Starliner was not destined to end her days in

this manner and at a pleasure resort where she was robbed of various bits and pieces.

Being an aircraft enthusiast, it deeply saddened me to witness the photographs of the uncared

fuselage eroding and the vandalism of the cockpit destroying this once stately airliner.

In May 1979 ZS-DVJ was donated to South African Museum Society and was dismantled by

SAA engineers, and taken by road to the Jan Smuts Airport, arriving on 23 May and then

painstakingly re-assembled. Here she stood again for several years deteriorating in the

Highveld sun. At last the restoration began in February 1984 and parts from all over the world

were obtained to re-assemble the cockpit and instruments.

With fine upholstery and other interior cabin equipment and a new paint job on the fuselage,

she was restored to her former elegant appearance in Trek Airways livery in time for SAA’s

Open Day on 30 April 1988. But sadly she will never again grace our skies, her airframe being

damaged beyond repair when she was dismantled for her move back to Jan Smuts Airport.

ZS-DVJ is a stunning example of what a dedicated group of aviation enthusiasts, all members of

the South African Airways Museum Society, can do in the way of restoring a dilapidated old

aircraft into something quite beautiful. A friend and I visited her at OR Tambo in 2005 and it

was just a pleasure to see her in this beautiful state and to sit at her controls.

During February 2004 she was given a new coat of paint, again in Trek Airways livery, which

was generously donated by the SAA Technical branch. She is one of four that survive in the

world and must rank as the World’s finest L1649A in passenger configuration, but

unfortunately restored only to static display.

The SAA Museum Society plans to move the aircraft which is currently at SAA Technical

section at OR Tambo, by road to Rand Airport in Germiston in the near future to join their

existing fleet of aircraft on static display. At the moment there is not enough static display space

to accommodate her.

I visited the outside display area of SAAMS not long ago and it was clearly visible that the

elements of nature were busy damaging the display aircraft. It will be a pity if Connie ZS -DVJ

again has to stand exposed to the sun and eventually become destructed – this time around she

might not be saved again. What SAAMS urgently needs now is some sort of a hanger or

overhead roof for their outside display aircraft to protect our precious heritage.

Photographs of Constellations

37

Warmbad: Taxiing to the parking

Starliner at Tokyo Connie at Jan Smuts

38

At Klein Kariba After the paint job

L1649A Constellation in flight 2004 One of the powerful Wright engines

Before restoration After restoration

Landing at Warmbad:

39

Ready for transport to Jan Smuts

40

SAAMS display hall

©JohanJ28/09/2011

Acknowledgement and references:

• Photographers mentioned in the article

• Sky Trek by Tom Meredith

• Trek Airways-Wikepidia

• Jeanette Jacobs-Editing

Harbours

• Nothing to Report

Pipelines

• Nothing to Report

41

Catering Division

• Nothing to Report

SAR POLICE

During my service in the SA Police I had been fortunate to get hold of a few copies of the SAR

Police’s official magazine, Die Lourierkrans. The following, from the above magazine, might be

of interest to our readers: The Metro Blitz and the Railway Police

42

43

The SARP Band

In the above quoted magazine is an advert for two sound cassettes by the SA Railway Police

Bands – one featuring the Black band which plays more traditional African music while the

“white” SARP Band plays more traditional western military music and more Afrikaans

traditional music – it would appear that there is something for everybody’s music taste. [Has

anybody got a copy?]

44

45

Railway News & Railway Sites

Nothing to report.

South African Models

A visit to Eric Samuels

For many years Eric Samuels and I have

been “train-friends”. Eric’s father

worked on the SAR and he grew up on

Salvokop or Time Ball Hill in Pretoria.

He is a walking encyclopedia on the

South African Railways and the South

African Defence Force.

Eric is a retired Lt-Col (SADF) and spent

many years working with our SADF

tanks.

It was winter when Eric invited me for a

day to come and watch “train videos” –

and what a lovely day it was! I took

some pictures of his models of South

African Railways.

As a schoolboy during 1952 I remember it so well when the Centurion tanks of the old Union

Defence Force rumbled past our school – Stellawood Primary School – in Durban from the

harbour to the base at Umzimnyama. I told Eric this and he confirmed my story, only to tell me

that he was later responsible to truck the “Centurions” by rail to Potchefstroom.

He told me how they “made a plan” in conjunction with the SAR to transport them to

Potchefstroom. Below is one of his models, SAR type “S”-class track, depicting the event –

Umzimnyama to Potchefstroom. Other photographs depict other South African models –

scratch built and bought “ready to run” that were on his layout.

46

Suid-Afrikaanse modelle: V-3 Kondukteurswa / Guards Van – Lourens

Sturgeon

Haai aan alle modelbouers! Ek hoop julle sal my artikel interessant vind. Ek wou nog altyd ‘n

artikel oor modelbou skryf! Dalk sien julle ‘n idee raak wat julle nog nie voorheen gesien het

nie. Ek sal graag gereeld wil bydra deur ‘n diagram te bespreek en foto’s daarby te plaas. Kyk

hoe maklik is dit om ‘n model te bou – stap vir stap! Geniet dit en probeer self om ‘n model of

twee te bou!

47

Gemaak van plaktiek en gesny! Die vier-sye is aanmekaar geplak.

Kry foto’s van die regte ding en besluit op die kleur:

48

Lourens Sturgeon is a young, full-time, professional SAR model builder. We welcome him here

and we hope readers will support him in his endeavours to promote South African models.

49

Outside South Africa

Opening of Benguela Railway - taken 30 Augustus 2011 at Huambo,

Angola – Anton van Schalkwyk

The President arriving at airport The crowd at Huambo station

The President arriving at Huambo station Huambo station

50

51

Inside CFB train

Pulling out Sao Pedro station

52

Sao Pedro station

Sao Pedro station

53

Mail Bag

Brett Radloff:

”Hi Hennie, I hope you are well. For some or other reason, I have only just seen your June issue

of the Ulolwe, the one with my locks in it. You really put a lot of hard work into compiling

these, so well done. They are great.

I have some information regarding the lock posted by Jacque Wepener. This is the well known

'Battleship', made by Chubb/Chubb London. I do not know when they first started making

them, but it was many, many years ago. And they still make them today, being sold as very

high security padlocks. They were not made for anybody in particular, such as the railways, but

I do know that in the old days, the SA Post Office made use of them. You still see them fitted to

some post office and Telkom buildings. The little fish on the key cover is the old symbol of

'Chubb London', which can often be found on old Chubb safes too. The new locks are now only

marked Chubb, as opposed to Chubb London, and sell for about R1500.

Hope this helps!

Regards, Brett

Koos Jp Strydom

Naand Oom Hennie,

Ek het hierdie artikel van jou baie geniet. Jy is besig om groot geskiedenis te maak.

Ek het by die Spoorwegpolisie in Johannesburg in Desember 1972 aangesluit en was in 1973

saam met die eerste groep Spoorwegpolisie Dames op basiese opleiding in Esselenpark.

Spesierytuie

Na my opleiding is ek terug Johannesburgstasie toe en as konstabel en later ondersersant het ek

baie spesie begeleidings gedoen. Ons het die land vol gereis om goud en geld te vervoer. Die

twee spesie trokke wat huidig by Gold Reef City geparkeer staan (trok nommers 4096 en 4097)

(ek dink hulle staan nog steeds daar - ek is nie seker nie) was die nuwerwetse trokke en ek het

duisende kilometers in hulle deurgebring.

Daar was ook 'n ouer weergawes gewees - ek dink die nommers was 4012 en 4013. Ek kan nie

meer die ander nommers onthou. Daar was altesaam vyf spesie waens gewees.

Spoorwegpolisie Taakmag

54

In 1975 het ek 'n stigsterslid van die Spoorwegpolisie Taakmag geword. Ek was op die tweede

kursus in Outshoorn. In Februarie 1976 is ek na Walvisbaai verplaas en was die enigste

permanente Spoorwegpolisie Taakmag lid in Suidwes-Afrika. Ander Taakmag lede het van tyd

tot daar kom dienste doen.

Kobus en Chris

Ek was ook lid van die eerste spoorwegpolisie groep wat 'n treinbedryf kursus in Esselenpark

voltooi het om "Kobus" en "Chris" te kon ry. Nadat die twee pantserkarre by die Spooweg-

werksplaas in Langlaagte voltooi was, het ons hulle in Langlaagte se strate en in die

rangeerwerf getoets.

"Kobus" is op 'n "lowbed" gelaai en per trein na Suidwes-Afrika vervoer. Met sy aankoms in

Windhoek was ek daar om hom af te laai en in gebruik te plaas. Ek was die permanente drywer

van "Kobus" in Suidwes van sy aankoms totdat hy eindelik voor die Windhoek stasie as

monument gestaan maak is.

Nadat "Kobus" 'n museumstuk geword het, het ons oorgeskakel na die "Funkie" motortrollies.

Alhoewel die trollies gepantser was, was hulle nie mynbestand nie en was hulle baie beweeglik

vir hulle grote en gewig gewees. Hulle was aangedryf deur 'n twee liter Ford enjin met 'n

outomatiese ratkas.

Ek het met "Kobus" en die Funkie trollies 'n "ticket" gehad vanaf Keetmanshoop in die Suide tot

Tsumeb en Grootfontein in die Noorde, Gobabis in die Ooste en Outjo en Walvisbaai in die

Weste.

Treinbedryfregulasies

Ek kon ry net soos ek wou en wanneer ek wou, natuurlik binne die voorskrifte van die

treinbedryfregulasies en die algemene en plaaslike aanhangsels. Dit was 'n voorreg wat geen

ander treindrywer in Suidwes gehad het nie, alhoewel ons dieselfde kwalifikasies gehad het. Ek

het baie ure van swaarkry, sweet, meganiese probleme en wat nog, en natuurlik ook goeie tye

met "Kobus" in die trajek deurgebring.

Ek het in my 17 jaar in Suidwes meer tyd in die veld deurgebring as wat ek tyd by die huis

deurgebring het. Ek het baie nou saamgewerk met die SAP en later SWAPOL. Ek het in 1991 die

2IB van Walvisbaai geword en is in 1992 na die Kollege vir gevorderde opleiding in die Paarl as

kaptein verplaas, waar ek met die opleiding van kandidaat-offisiere betrokke geraak het.

55

In 1980 was ek saam met Eugene De Kock op springstof kursus in Pretoria. Ons was die enigste

twee van Suidwes. Eugene is op die kursus tot luitenant bevorder. Iets wat nogal opmerklik

was is dat hy op die springstof kursus bevorder is en nie na voltooiing van die KO-Kursus nie.

Niemand het ooit iets daaroor te sê gehad nie.

As jy 'n storie het waarvoor jy meer inligting of bevestiging soek, miskien kan ek help. My

ondervinding in Suidwes loop wyd.

Baie groete en dankie dat jy ons weer in die tyd terug neem.

JP Strydom.

Baie dankie vir u aandag en briefie! Stuur asb vir ons foto’s van Chris, Kobus en die Funkey’s –

vertellings welkom, veral vir ons nageslag! Ons spoorweg- en nasionale veiligheidsgeskiedenis

veral, is arm wat hierdie aspek betref!

Metroblitz – Les Pivnic

Dear Hennie, Bruno and List,

Attached to this email is a photo of a 12E finished in a Metroblitz test

colour at Union Carriage & Wagon in Nigel. In my opinion, it is actually

more attractive than the livery finally chosen for Metroblitz.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bruno Martin's item on the Metroblitz. It

brought back my own memories of that train. I made a S8 movie of the train

and to do so, I placed myself at many vantage points along the GMR - PRR

main line over a period of many weeks.

One thing with the Metroblitz - you only got ONE shot per trip! I had to go

out many times to compile the full movie. She travelled so fast that there

was absolutely no question of catching her once she had passed you. I took

several shots at Birchleigh and other places where she was doing 160km per

hour - it just flashed past the camera!

I also did a couple of trips on the train and the main thing that struck me

was the stability of the train at 160km per hour. It was so steady that it

reminded me of travelling on the DB in Germany! Smooth as silk - Herbert

Scheffel certainly proved that such speeds were not only safe but also

totally comfortable on 3ft 6in gauge.

56

It was a pity that the Metroblitz did not enjoy the luxury of a dedicated

track. She caused so much disruption to other services (having to make way

for her) on the common main line that it was no good continuing with the

service.

The SATS Commercial side was also not up to scratch with the trains

utilisation. Several opportunities to use it to convey the public to rugby

at Loftus Versveld were missed etc. Anyway, it proved a point - 160km per hour was perfectly

feasible on the 3ft 6in gauge.

Thanks Bruno for bringing back a lot of fond memories and Hennie for

publishing a fine magazine!

Regards

Les Pivnic

Class 12E in test colour474.jpg

57

Indemnity / Vrywaring

The The Ulolwe contains various and sundry personal opinions of different correspondents and

the compiler of The Ulolwe cannot be held responsible for any of their comments.

Die Ulolwe bevat die uiteenlopende en diverse persoonlike menings van verskillende

korrespondente en die opsteller van Die Ulolwe kan nie vir enige deel van die inhoud daarvan

in sy persoonlike hoedanigheid verantwoordelik gehou word nie.

Enige advertensies of enige sake voortspruitend is tussen u en die ander party.

Next Issue

The next issue will be The Ulolwe (Zulu for the railways) Vol 2 No 9A and will be published

next week – Walk Tall! & Take care!

Stuur solank julle stories, briewe, foto’s en feite – Mooi loop!

Hennie Heymans – Pretoria, ZA. © 2011 heymanshb@gmail.com