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Union Limited, South Africa

Discussion in 'International Heritage Railways/Tramways' started by Breva, Jul 1, 2019.

  1. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    In August 2000 the Railway Touring Co organised a fairly exceptional 14 day trip across South Africa, almost all of it by steam. The coaches used to form part of the pre-war Blue Train, and included clerestory vehicles and a beautiful restaurant car called 'Protea'. All vintage stuff erected in the UK. No air conditioning, just open windows, wood and leather.

    The trip started in Cape Town, then via the Montague pass and Loetsberg pass to Pretoria and then Hoedspruit in the north, by the Krueger park.

    I took stills only at the time, but a fellow traveller recently gave me a DVD of the films he took, with permission to post on YouTube. I have just posted part 1 (Cape Town - Worcester):



    It's an amateur film, but it has sound and the many run-bys in open countryside with 25NCs, 15Fs and Garratts must be pretty historic by now. I don't think the rake of coaches still exists (please prove me wrong!)

    It wasn't until several days into the trip that I realised that the scrubland over which we fanned out during run-bys was the habitat of the Puff Adder :eek:. I found this out by asking about the skin apparently shedded by a short but fat snake that I found by a rock on which I had elected to stand.

    We all got home safe, but what an adventure it was.

    If this is of interest, I can post more episodes.

    Enjoy!
     
    Sheff, Gladiator 5076 and 5944 like this.
  2. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Sadly the Union Limited is no more and the Transnet Heritage Foundation - if it still exists - no longer runs tours. Did a Dave Rodgers tour in 2002 around the Western Cape and the UL was our home for 11 days of it. A superb trip so will be watching the video you've linked with interest.
     

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