Day 1. Saturday. 02 May 2009
Your South African Narrow Gauge tour will start at Johannesburg Airport today. Meet at the Spurs Restaurant in the Domestic Terminal in time for a 12h00
(noon) departure. Drive to Ficksburg, where we will spend the night. All road transport during this tour will be in coaches operated by Springbok Atlas.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Buffet dinner.
This morning, Friends of the Rail, a Pretoria based steam tour operator, is running a steam train from their station in Pretoria to the Diamond Mining Village of
Cullinan. The train leaves Pretoria at 08h30, and arrives in Cullinan at around 10h15. Geoff's Trains can reserve space on this train for you, and you will pay
Friends of the Rail direct for your ticket, which should be Rand 150.00 (about £11.00). You will have to make your own way to Pretoria, but Geoff's Trains has
arranged a FREE transfer from Cullinan to Johannesburg Airport, arriving in time for the start of our tour. This option is not a part of the tour, but should be pre-
booked with Geoff's Trains to ensure that space is reserved.
Day 2. Sunday. 03 May
Before sunrise we will drive to the Sandstone Estate. The 2 foot gauge railway on the estate offers outstanding photographic opportunities with a diverse
collection of steam locomotives. We will concentrate on those locomotives that were at one time in the South African Railways fleet.
This morning two Garratts will be centre stage. NGG13 # 49 and NGG16 # 113 will run trains both single and double headed. The train will be a mixed, with a
variety of wagons and coaches.
The coach will make a second trip from the hotel to Sandstone at 09h00, subject to adequate participants requesting.
This afternoon our locomotive will be NG15 #17.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Braai dinner at Sandstone.
Day 3. Monday. 04 May
Once more, we will arrive at Sandstone in time for sunrise and a morning of outstanding narrow gauge steam photography, this time with two NG6 ‘Lawley’
locomotives running in photographic re-enactments that have, until now, not been possible.
The coach will make a second trip from the hotel to Sandstone at 09h00, subject to adequate participants requesting.
This afternoon we will use the NG4 # 16. The train will, of course, be shorter.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet dinner.
Day 4. Tuesday. 05 May
This morning we will have our last opportunity to watch a sunrise at Sandstone. The locomotives and trains will be chosen by the staff at the estate, and I am
sure that they will do us proud when they bring out their favourite photographic stars.
Later today we will drive to Ixopo in KwaZulu Natal.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. (Neither can accommodate the full group.) Meals included: Packed breakfast, Buffet dinner at hotel.
Day 5. Wednesday. 06 May
Today is Cape Gauge day. This morning we will take short tendered, domeless 19D #2669 from Creighton to Riversdale.
This afternoon we will run to Donnybrook through great Natal scenery.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. Meals included: Packed breakfast with coffee on arrival at Creighton, Lunch at Creighton Station, Buffet dinner at hotel.
Day 6. Thursday. 07 May
Spend this morning travelling on and photographing the Paton Country Railway NGG11 Garratt. This afternoon we will concentrating on photographic
locations not included this morning with the backdrop of the scenes described in Alan Paton's book 'Cry the Beloved Country'. The NGG11 Garratt should be
in charge, with the possibility of an NGG16 in steam as well.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. Meals included: Packed breakfast, Light lunch at station, Pizza dinner at station.
Day 7. Friday. 08 May
This morning is sugar cane time. Re-enactments of loaded sugar cane trains with sugar cane steam, running through sugar cane plantations.
This afternoon, drive to East London. Arrive at our hotel in time for dinner.
Hotel: Garden Court, East London. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 8. Saturday. 09 May
After breakfast we will drive to Port Elizabeth. A short city tour of Port Elizabeth will be included.
Hotel: Hotel Edward. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 9. Sunday. 10 May
This morning we will visit the Humewood Road diesel and steam depot before joining our train.
We will travel as far as Patensie at the end of a branch line that carries seasonal citrus fruit, a journey of about 111 kilometres. Our train will be a mixed
consist, operated by an NG15 2-8-2.
There are no hotels at Patensie, and so we will enjoy the hospitality of the local community who run a number of Bed & Breakfast establishments.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfasts at Patensie. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 10. Monday. 11 May
We will leave Patensie this morning with the NG15, running back to the junction with the main line and from there continuing to Assegaaibosch.
Accommodation: Arranged by Apple Express. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 11. Tuesday. 12 May
Today we will travel from Assegaaibosch to Humansdorp and back with a mixed train. Flood damage has closed the line to Avontuur beyond Assegaaibosch
and this damage had not yet bee repaired, preventing our continuing to Louterwater as was originally planned.
This evening, drive to George where we will spend the night.
Hotel: Protea Outeniqua, George. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 12. Wednesday. 13 May
Your tour ends with breakfast this morning.
Geoff's Trains has arranged a Powervan (motor trolley) charter from George Transport Museum to Voorbaai Steam and Diesel Depot at Mossel Bay this
morning. The price for this charter is £20.00 per person, and there are already enough bookings to confirm that it will run. We are due back in George at
13h00, but this cannot be guaranteed. We have now added another Powervan trip, leaving George at 14h00 and running up the Montague Pass, returning to
George in good time for an early dinner at the Stimela Dining Car Restaurant in the Transport Museum, which will be kept open especially for us. This second
Powervan trip, which will take you up the famouns Montague Pass through nine tunnels and with outstanding views is ABSOLUTELY FREE to all participants
booking the morning Powervan trip.
Your hotel booking in George can be extended, details below.
Your South African Narrow Gauge tour will start at Johannesburg Airport today. Meet at the Spurs Restaurant in the Domestic Terminal in time for a 12h00
(noon) departure. Drive to Ficksburg, where we will spend the night. All road transport during this tour will be in coaches operated by Springbok Atlas.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Buffet dinner.
This morning, Friends of the Rail, a Pretoria based steam tour operator, is running a steam train from their station in Pretoria to the Diamond Mining Village of
Cullinan. The train leaves Pretoria at 08h30, and arrives in Cullinan at around 10h15. Geoff's Trains can reserve space on this train for you, and you will pay
Friends of the Rail direct for your ticket, which should be Rand 150.00 (about £11.00). You will have to make your own way to Pretoria, but Geoff's Trains has
arranged a FREE transfer from Cullinan to Johannesburg Airport, arriving in time for the start of our tour. This option is not a part of the tour, but should be pre-
booked with Geoff's Trains to ensure that space is reserved.
Day 2. Sunday. 03 May
Before sunrise we will drive to the Sandstone Estate. The 2 foot gauge railway on the estate offers outstanding photographic opportunities with a diverse
collection of steam locomotives. We will concentrate on those locomotives that were at one time in the South African Railways fleet.
This morning two Garratts will be centre stage. NGG13 # 49 and NGG16 # 113 will run trains both single and double headed. The train will be a mixed, with a
variety of wagons and coaches.
The coach will make a second trip from the hotel to Sandstone at 09h00, subject to adequate participants requesting.
This afternoon our locomotive will be NG15 #17.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Braai dinner at Sandstone.
Day 3. Monday. 04 May
Once more, we will arrive at Sandstone in time for sunrise and a morning of outstanding narrow gauge steam photography, this time with two NG6 ‘Lawley’
locomotives running in photographic re-enactments that have, until now, not been possible.
The coach will make a second trip from the hotel to Sandstone at 09h00, subject to adequate participants requesting.
This afternoon we will use the NG4 # 16. The train will, of course, be shorter.
Hotel: Ficksburg Highlands Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet dinner.
Day 4. Tuesday. 05 May
This morning we will have our last opportunity to watch a sunrise at Sandstone. The locomotives and trains will be chosen by the staff at the estate, and I am
sure that they will do us proud when they bring out their favourite photographic stars.
Later today we will drive to Ixopo in KwaZulu Natal.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. (Neither can accommodate the full group.) Meals included: Packed breakfast, Buffet dinner at hotel.
Day 5. Wednesday. 06 May
Today is Cape Gauge day. This morning we will take short tendered, domeless 19D #2669 from Creighton to Riversdale.
This afternoon we will run to Donnybrook through great Natal scenery.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. Meals included: Packed breakfast with coffee on arrival at Creighton, Lunch at Creighton Station, Buffet dinner at hotel.
Day 6. Thursday. 07 May
Spend this morning travelling on and photographing the Paton Country Railway NGG11 Garratt. This afternoon we will concentrating on photographic
locations not included this morning with the backdrop of the scenes described in Alan Paton's book 'Cry the Beloved Country'. The NGG11 Garratt should be
in charge, with the possibility of an NGG16 in steam as well.
Hotel: Amble Inn or Kings Grant. Meals included: Packed breakfast, Light lunch at station, Pizza dinner at station.
Day 7. Friday. 08 May
This morning is sugar cane time. Re-enactments of loaded sugar cane trains with sugar cane steam, running through sugar cane plantations.
This afternoon, drive to East London. Arrive at our hotel in time for dinner.
Hotel: Garden Court, East London. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 8. Saturday. 09 May
After breakfast we will drive to Port Elizabeth. A short city tour of Port Elizabeth will be included.
Hotel: Hotel Edward. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 9. Sunday. 10 May
This morning we will visit the Humewood Road diesel and steam depot before joining our train.
We will travel as far as Patensie at the end of a branch line that carries seasonal citrus fruit, a journey of about 111 kilometres. Our train will be a mixed
consist, operated by an NG15 2-8-2.
There are no hotels at Patensie, and so we will enjoy the hospitality of the local community who run a number of Bed & Breakfast establishments.
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfasts at Patensie. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 10. Monday. 11 May
We will leave Patensie this morning with the NG15, running back to the junction with the main line and from there continuing to Assegaaibosch.
Accommodation: Arranged by Apple Express. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 11. Tuesday. 12 May
Today we will travel from Assegaaibosch to Humansdorp and back with a mixed train. Flood damage has closed the line to Avontuur beyond Assegaaibosch
and this damage had not yet bee repaired, preventing our continuing to Louterwater as was originally planned.
This evening, drive to George where we will spend the night.
Hotel: Protea Outeniqua, George. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 12. Wednesday. 13 May
Your tour ends with breakfast this morning.
Geoff's Trains has arranged a Powervan (motor trolley) charter from George Transport Museum to Voorbaai Steam and Diesel Depot at Mossel Bay this
morning. The price for this charter is £20.00 per person, and there are already enough bookings to confirm that it will run. We are due back in George at
13h00, but this cannot be guaranteed. We have now added another Powervan trip, leaving George at 14h00 and running up the Montague Pass, returning to
George in good time for an early dinner at the Stimela Dining Car Restaurant in the Transport Museum, which will be kept open especially for us. This second
Powervan trip, which will take you up the famouns Montague Pass through nine tunnels and with outstanding views is ABSOLUTELY FREE to all participants
booking the morning Powervan trip.
Your hotel booking in George can be extended, details below.
| Phone + 44 (0)1562 632000 69 Pitt Street, Kidderminster Worcestershire, DY10 2UN, England |
| This tour will run primarily for railway enthusiasts and photographers Participants should be able to board and leave trains where there are no platforms, and walk some distance without assistance. Hotels will offer reasonable en-suite facilities and will be to three star standards wherever possible. Please contact us if you are unsure if this tour will be suitable for you. |
| To see a report on the 2008 SANG tour, click here See a Sandstone report here See 2008 SANG tour photographs on Geoff Cooke's Fotopic site here |
| Click here for Geoff Cooke's Fotopic website |
| 02 to 13 May 2009 |
| South African Narrow Gauge Tour |
| There are three outstanding locations for South African two foot gauge railways. This tour brings them, and more, together. |
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| This tour has run sucessfully See a trip report here |