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THE BLUE TRAIN Blue Class 20E: No’s 20-031 & 20-032

Inside This Issue:

Historic Event at Pretoria Station

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Contents Rovos Rail: Former Aussie: Joey No 1562 ................................................................. 3

THE BLUE TRAIN ...................................................................................................... 4

Blue Class 20E: No’s 20-031 & 20-032 ...................................................................... 4

Introduction ............................................................................................................. 4

The arrival of the two princesses in blue ................................................................. 5

Coupled at last ........................................................................................................ 9

20E 20-032 & 20E 20-031 .................................................................................... 10

Some profile shots for the Modellers .................................................................... 11

Blue Train Set 2 .................................................................................................... 18

No 1 SAR No 21031 .......................................................................................... 18

No 2: The Engine room ..................................................................................... 19

No 3 .................................................................................................................. 20

No 4 .................................................................................................................. 20

No 5 .................................................................................................................. 21

No 6 .................................................................................................................. 22

No 7 .................................................................................................................. 23

No 8 Kitchen No SAR 123 & 9 Dining Car SAR No 124 .................................... 23

No 10 ................................................................................................................ 25

No 11 ................................................................................................................ 26

No 12 ................................................................................................................ 26

No 13 ................................................................................................................ 27

No 14 ................................................................................................................ 28

East & south approach to Pretoria Station ............................................................ 28

Gautrain at Pretoria .............................................................................................. 29

Class 38-032 & 38-008 ......................................................................................... 30

PRASA: Metro Rail ............................................................................................... 30

Pretoria Informal Traders ...................................................................................... 32

Preserved ZASM loco; Class “B” at Pretoria Station............................................. 33

Reservations & Besprekings ................................................................................. 37

A re yeng (Let’s go!): Pretoria’s new busses ........................................................ 38

ROVOS RAIL: THE JOEY’S: AUSTRALIAN DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES ................... 39

DD2359 ............................................................................................................. 39

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DD2355 ............................................................................................................. 39

A Joey from the rear .......................................................................................... 40

DD2357 ............................................................................................................. 40

A Joey from the front ............................................................................................ 41

DD2356 ............................................................................................................. 41

DD 2357 & DD2358 .......................................................................................... 42

She was steam: “Min dae?” .................................................................................. 42

Rovos Trolley ........................................................................................................ 43

A Wheel truck ....................................................................................................... 43

Electric Depot ....................................................................................................... 44

New Rolling Stock ................................................................................................. 45

COPYRIGHT: NIL .................................................................................................... 45

Rovos Rail: Former Aussie: Joey No 1562

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THE BLUE TRAIN

Blue Class 20E: No’s 20-031 & 20-032

Introduction

Friday 2015-03-06 at 10:00: Railway history was made to-day at Pretoria Station

when Blue “China Dolls” Class 20E numbers 031 & 032 were attached to the Blue

Train (Set No 2) for stationary test purposes.

Lourens Sturgeon invited me to accompany him to attend to the event. He officially

makes models of the Blue Train and of Rovos Rail and from somewhere he picked

up the rumour that the “Blue China Dollies” would be at platform 4. We came there

but saw nothing at 10:00. We walked around and enquired at the Blue Train office

and we were assured that the “Blue China Dollies” were on their way. Strange it was

a historic moment in our travel industry and there were no press men or no fuss.

However we saw a couple of officious gents at the east end of platform 4 and sure

we saw the “Dollies” beautifully dressed up in Transnet-blue with white and gold

stripes. Here is the whole sequence of events in “slow motion”.

Comments will be made as we go along. Gautrain and Metro were particularly busy

on this Friday morning and to complete the picture we took a few pictures of the

other actors in and around the station for fear of being accused of favouritism.

There was excitement in the air when a humble pair of Class 36’s brought in the

illustrious Blue Train (set No 2) which was staged at the Blue Train shed.

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The Class 36’s moved away and parked a few tracks away – waiting to take the Blue

train back.

The arrival of the two princesses in blue

Everybody looked up when these two ladies moved into Pretoria Station. My

informant informed me that the “Dollies” came from Pyramid South. We thought they came directly from Transwerk at Koedoespoort

Moving east to come back westwards to platform 4.

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And these she was, the Blue Train waiting for the Blue China Dolls:

The first coach in the Blue Train consist was a former Trans Karoo Guards Van, No 21031, with ordinary couplers at both ends. She is now used also to convey spares under lock and key. We were taken on a trip through her. Note the rock above the coupler.

And here they come at last...

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The historic railway event takes place...

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One of the section managers looks on...

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Coupled at last

View from platform 5. We used a dirty and only subway – full of pigeon manure and

human urine! We have lost our pride!

I don’t know where the Blue Train logo will be fitted on. Certainly the Blue Train logo, in front, will cover the Transnet logo.

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It was busy morning just after 10:00. Lourens and I had our cameras and equipment

with us, although we felt that we were watched nobody tried to molest or rob us,

especially in the subway. I personally think it’s dangerous to do the exercise alone!

One becomes so engrossed in the subject you are photographing that you forget

about personal security measures. We certainly miss the old SAR Police that were

everywhere.

20E 20-032 & 20E 20-031

The Transnet Logo on the side and below “Freight Rail” – personally I would have preferred “Blue Train” instead. This is not freight but one of the former most prestigious trains in the world. It’s not freight! What message is Transnet sending out to the crew?

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The locomotives are equipped with toilets. The toilets are at the rear of the loco.

Some profile shots for the Modellers

The bogies

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Note cowcatcher

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TV Cable

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Blue Train Set 2

A few pictures of every coach in Blue Train consist No 2

No 1 SAR No 21031

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No 2: The Engine room

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No 3

With accommodation for the technicians

No 4

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No 5

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No 6

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No 7

No 8 Kitchen No SAR 123 & 9 Dining Car SAR No 124

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No 10

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No 11

No 12

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No 13

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No 14

It was at the end of the platform and I could go no further. Note: Roof of the guard’s

van.

East & south approach to Pretoria Station

Left is the Eastern line and right to Germiston with the Gautrain crossing the lines by

a bridge.

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Gautrain at Pretoria

It was difficult to capture both the Blue Train and the Gautrain in the same

photograph.

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Class 38-032 & 38-008

This was the only freight train we saw, the pair went quite fast through the station.

Most coaches, including two La-La coaches, have been stripped of windows and

doors.

PRASA: Metro Rail

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Pretoria Informal Traders

An African tradition: Markets

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Preserved ZASM loco; Class “B” at Pretoria Station

More traders behind the preserved locomotive ...

The late President Paul Kruger’s coach has been removed to George Museum. The brass plaque has been removed – probably stolen ...

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Staged next to platform 4; right next to the Blue Train ....

All brass missing inside

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A National Monument? It was one before 1994 for certain!!

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Without brass plaques? So what’s the story? What message are sending out to our tourists?

Nice from far! (Note dust, glass window and glass at lamp broken.)

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Reservations & Besprekings

I still remember this particular notice board. It was there when I left Pretoria for

Durban the first time in my life as “little” Constable. I can remember the ambiance of

the station and that was more than 50 years ago! There was a hustle and bustle on

the station – boxes of chicks, post bags, inaudible intercom, many passengers and

the smell of steam and coal. General atmosphere of excitement!

I also remember the excitement amongst us young policemen, we were at the

threshold of our careers, and some were going north, some east, some south and

others west - all over Southern Africa! I remember the porters. They sort of looked

down on us, knowing that we were cheap! We had no money for tips! Money was

elsewhere! It was only later that we learnt we could claim R0,50 porter fees at

departure and on arrival. We carried our “trommels” and suitcases two-two.

We entrained here in our coaches which were attached to a Sub-urban train. At

Germiston we were attached to the Trans Natal – what a prestigious train it was!

Later in life I was to travel on duty many times. Each trip was a pleasure! My

penultimate trip was in the 80’s to Cape Town on a temporary transfer to Tuynhuis. I

took both my private vehicle and my police vehicle in the Trans Karoo from Pretoria

to Cape Town. My wife and I dressed for dinner – dark suit and tie. That’s how it was

done! The railways could do things is style. On the return journey our vehicles were

de-trained at Johannesburg.

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What I missed the most today was the pie, chips, gravy and railways coffee at the

station restaurant!

A re yeng (Let’s go!): Pretoria’s new busses

Busses have their own “red” bus lanes

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ROVOS RAIL: THE JOEY’S: AUSTRALIAN DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES After our visit to the station, Lourens and I went to Rovos Rail to capture the new

“Joey’s” that Rovos Rail has purchased. We finished the expedition by buying take

away pies at Pat Smith’s Mader’s restaurant and butchery; really “lekker” pies and

sausage rolls!

DD2359

DD2355

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A Joey from the rear

DD2357

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A Joey from the front

DD2356

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DD 2357 & DD2358

She was steam: “Min dae?”

Simmering on a hot autumn day (6th March 2015) at Rovos Rail

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Rovos Trolley

A Wheel truck

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Electric Depot

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New Rolling Stock

COPYRIGHT: NIL There is no copyright in this issue. All photos by Hennie Heymans.

Greetings

Hennie Heymans & Glenn Elsden

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