Return of Steam - Cape Central Railway - Ceres Rail Company - Part One

The Worcester to Mossel Bay route is a branch line stooped in character and history dating back to its construction in the late 1800s. The Cape Central Railway was founded in 1883 with the line reaching Ashton in October 1887 the primary purpose being fresh farm produce from the Breede River Valley to Cape Town.
The CCR received stiff competition from ox wagons and soon the company was bankrupt with its assets being transferred to the New Cape Central Railway in 1893.
1906 finally saw the line being extended to Voorbaai and crossing the Gouritz river by means of the sharing the road bridge that was already in use. There was, however, strict weight limitation that continued until the line was absorbed into the South African Railways which lead to a multitude of improvements along the route. These improvements included the construction of the new bridge in 1931 and the laying of 80lb rail.
Today this branch line is occasionally visited by two NBL built South African Class 19D steam locomotives. Consecutively numbered 3321 and 3322 were the first two of fifty 19Ds built by the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow, Scotland for the then South African Railways and Harbours.
These locomotives are now privately owned and operated by Ceres Rail Company that use them for scheduled day excursions, private charters and occasional overnight trips. This five-part series showcases these sister locomotives along the same route during two different CRC Voorbaai excursions.
Soul of a Railway - sites.google.com/site/soulora...
Ceres Rail Company - www.ceresrail.co.za/

[@davidvlok1755]

Thanks for the excellent footage 😀 fond memories rekindled 👍👊

[@WayneSA85]

Thank you David!

[@dickgillatt01]

Woweee Wayne. Fantastic video. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@WayneSA85]

Thank you Richard.

[@vishwajitpawar4076]

This steam engine is having a set of four drive wheels ,whose diameter is approximately 1.5m. Certainly this engine may have speed more 100kmph. Eventhough only six boggies are carried. Very nice video.Thanks.

[@WayneSA85]

Thank you.

[@WesKaap]

Awesome Wayne

[@WayneSA85]

Thanks Chris.

[@r4cubing420]

I personally have seen Ceres steamtrain Claire, since it comes past the Railway Market in Elgin. I see it most Saturdays

[@WayneSA85]

Awesome! Thanks for watching.

[@kerryjames7150]

Great combination , very well put together , I was there in 72 , enjoyable indeed .

[@WayneSA85]

Thanks for watching Kerry.

[@TrainLordJC]

Superb footage of these wonderful locomotives in awesome South African scenery. I took the Pride of Africa from Cape Town to Aar and back in the cab of the Shozoloza. Thanks for posting. Keep up the good work. Cheers from Australia.

[@WayneSA85]

Thank you.

[@gibinbabu27]

Woww .. that must have been a great Experience ❤️

[@euclideszoto997]

Beautiful locomotive.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Very cool looking video and well done.

[@WayneSA85]

Thank you.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@WayneSA85 Your very welcome.

[@Deontjie]

I have learned today that in the 70's South Africa designed and build rail carriages and electric locos. One of them still have a WORLD speed record. Not an African record, a world speed record. And we exported these locos to Africa and the East. Today South Africa can not even import the right carriages.

[@sydneymartin6941]

Yeah Just imagine 4ft 6 fitting on a 3ft 6 gauge🎃

[@WayneSA85]

Sad it is! Thanks for watching.

[@daveydoodlebug3841]

That’s fun

[@VT29steamtrain]

What's the springbok headboards and that propellor thing on the front of Dominique at 7:25 I personally think they look a bit weird but do you know what they are?

[@WayneSA85]

I'm a member of the organisation that operates this train so yes I do. The propeller is an ornament that spins with sufficient airflow while the wheel behind it is the smoke box locking wheel that engages on a threaded shaft to keep the door closed. The animals are Springboks one of our national animals and were once a common symbol on most South African institutions. In the former South African Railways, drivers were assigned permanent engines that remained theirs during their employment. Hence many would report to their depots often on off day to clean their locomotives for the following day's operations. This also created a tradition where drivers would often name the locomotives after the daughters or sometimes their wives. It was a brilliant system that ensured engines were kept in excellent conditions as crews took a personal ownership approach.

[@VT29steamtrain]

I never knew that South Africans decorated their engines as well! I thiught only indian locos are decorated! Were the Springbok headboards for express passenger trains or just an everyday ornament. Will the Outaninge Choo Choo run again and where will the Red Devil run? Cheers, VT29

[@WayneSA85]

For now, the Red Devil will operate between Cape Town and Robertson. There is hope for tjoe choo with the authorities agreeing to reinstate a section of the line. Special express trains carried large oval shaped headboards similar to what the Blue train still uses. ( when they remember to fit it). The Springboks were a personal preference of the driver many took these ornaments with them when they retired.

[@sydneymartin6941]

@@VT29steamtrain Hi I was a fireman and had a regular driver and steam loco no.1766 She was a 14crb and man she could steam Always had a white feather Was proud of her Some people love their motor cars I loved my steam engine but then I got divorced from her when I was transferred to the diesels Sure miss the old girl

[@VT29steamtrain]

@@sydneymartin6941 you must have been very proud of your engine. It's always good to keep it in pristine condition