Tracks and Tunnels!

Yesterday we went for a drive in a northerly direction along a lovely road that runs next to the sea before heading off on a meandering journey through vleis, farm and flowers before re-joining the sea at the little coastal village of Elands Bay. However, because we were heading towards the sun, all the flowers were facing that way too, and we had to keep peering in the rear view mirror to see how gorgeous they actually were! Anyway, because the road meanders so much, it has several bridges  across the railway line that runs from Saldanha Bay to Sishen, a long straight track that covers 861 kilometres.

As far as the eye can see in both directions.

I used to be terrified of trains, the noise and the size and the power turned me into a gibbering idiot. I remember my mum asking the Station Master at Ealing Broadway Station to please tell me that the trains wouldn't hurt me! Now I love them, I wave to all the drivers and get quite annoyed if they don't hoot and wave back! So every time we passed over the bridges yesterday I stared in both directions to see if anything was coming. Because we had Alfie with us (of course), we headed off the main road at Elands Bay to let him have a run and a drink (and other things) and parked close to the tunnel entrance/exit (depending on which way the train goes!). As we were standing there, a bakkie arrived and a chap leaped out and climbed down the embankment and into the tunnel where he began to hit something with a long metal tool that he had. So, naturally, we stopped him on his way out to find out exactly what he was doing!

The Bobbejaansberg Tunnel.

He had just completed a line (track?) replacement in the tunnel and was checking that all was ready for the first train to run on Monday. That of course answered my 'when is the next rain coming' question. They close the line for ten days every August for maintenance and Monday was time up! He was telling us that the rails are imported from France, which seems daft seeing as the iron ore is mined in Sishen, railed to Saldanha and exported in the huge ore carriers that we see daily on the horizon, coming and going! I wonder why we don't manufacture rails here?? Anyway, they arrive in Port Elizabeth in 50 metre lengths, and are then welded into 240 metre lengths to be railed to wherever they are needed!

Flowers, the sea.......and The Train!

As we were standing there in the sun with the flowers smiling around us, idly chatting and watching whales frolic in the bay (jealous yet?), I heard a sound. It sounded like a train. It was a train.........so much for 'no train till Monday.'

Three hundred and forty two altogether!

I waved, the driver hooted and waved back, wonderful! We stood watching while this 3.2 kilometre train with 342 empty trucks and 5 engines rumbled past and into the tunnel.

A wonderful sight, I would love to ride with the driver!

No, I didn't count the trucks, our new friend gave me the statistics. The train goes halfway with the Saldanha crew and then they hand over to the Sishen crew who take it the rest of the way. The Saldanha crew then bring the full train to Saldanha. He told us that the full train never stops, there are three places on the way for the empty one to pull over to give the full one right of way, and the empty one can wait for up to an hour. Construction began on 1 June 1973 and the first train arrived in Saldanha in 1976. There are only 3 bends on the line and only one tunnel, the 840 metre Bobbejaansberg (Baboons Mountain) Tunnel at Elands Bay! We didn't see any baboons there though and he said that as far as he knows, there aren't any!

Now for some bragging! In 1989 'our' train entered the Guiness Book of Records for the longest and heaviest train in the world!! Look below.

             Length of train - 7 303km
             Gross mass of train - 71 210ton
             No. of loaded trucks - 660
             No. of locomotives - 9 electrical and 7 diesel
             Distance covered - 861km

After all that excitement we headed off to the hotel for calamari..........and the best milkshake that I have tasted for ages!

Delicious!

It's a tough life, but someone has to do it!