The Ceres Rail Company and a few others are making exciting progress here in the Western Cape . They have obtained permission from the authorities to use many hundreds of kilometers of secondary and branch railway lines for passenger and freight services powered by a variety of beautifully restored vintage steam locomotives. There are a number of excellent steam museums and sheds the size of aircraft hangars to visit, and even a steam powered crane dating from the Boer War. http://steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.co.za/2015/10/sar-19d-3321-nb-26041-1948-part-2.html And if any forum member comes to South Africa, they are welcome to visit me for a good old Cape braai, beer and lamp natter
Nice pic! It's not possible to be 'off-topic' in the Open Forum - that's its sole purpose i.e. "The place for members to talk about whatever they like - keeping it civil, of course! Off-topic posts from elsewhere will be moved here. ..."
Thanks, David; I was just being careful. Those steam train tours are through some of the most beautiful winding mountain passes, valleys and scenery in the world, from Darling, just north of Cape Town all the way to the famous Knysna forest about 500 km to the east. Lots of small towns in between, with antique shops, with lamps
I guess I'm telling my age but I can still remember when I was a kid seeing steam trains in action. They were usually used for fright hauling, not passengers. I remember being on a train with my father and going through the switching yard in Grafton, West Virginia around 1953 and seeing all the steam trains, the swirling smoke and coal dust! For a kid this was pure heaven.. Beautiful pictures and the views are terrific.
That's so bonnie you could almost be in Scotland but I bet the train is comfier than any of our ones.
Crikey There a tad bigger than the loco's around my neck of the woods....... Very nice Phil, love steam
Lovely part of the world, especially like the huge shingle spit and the different view you get from the carriages...Lived in Colchester from '88 til a few years ago and used to take the camper down to Kent...Nice part of the world ..
ok, cross wires , thought you meant you had a pic/print of the actual Dr Syn ( http://www.dymchurch.org/history/syn.htm ) whom the Loco was named after, Terry Anthony was a local artist Atmospheric pic as you say Derek all the more atmospheric in black and white too
Cheers. I wish (in hindsight) I had taken both shots just a little lower to get a better illusion of size. Taken with the good old Olympus 10. Didn't know about Dr. Syn the smuggler - do now!
