Accommodation:
Sandstone can offer self-catering accommodation in our Victorian Cottages for up to 24 people. The Victorian Cottages can sleep four in two twin bedded rooms and have a kitchen and bathroom with shower.
Our rate is R1771-00 per cottage per night, inclusive of VAT.
Our Railway Cottages offer accommodation only for 8 people in twin bedded single rooms with a bathroom with shower. Meals can be arranged at the Waenhuis in the main complex of Sandstone. Our rate is R295-00 per person per night inclusive of VAT.
Camping
We can also offer camping on site with pre-paid electricity for our visitors. A modern fully equipped ablution block is on site. Pricing is R380.00 per stand per night inclusive of VAT.
For all visitors booking accommodation for two nights or more you will only be charged the entrance fee for one day for your party.
For all enquiries contact
Alina T: +27(0)51 933 2235 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or Leigh C: +27(0)79 327 7649 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or book online at www.sandstone-estates.com via the Enquiries tab.
Train Rides:
Sandstone Heritage Museum will operating train rides in conjunction with 2019 Cherry Festival on the 22nd and 23rd November 2019. The entrance fee is R200 per day for adults and R100 per day for children under 12.
See PDF for full details.
In September 2015 the last steam locomotive in full commercial service in South Africa, 19D Saaicor No 3, dropped its fire for the last time and ended 155 years of steam operation in South Africa. Click here to read more
3688 was acquired by the Sandstone Heritage Trust in 2016 after it was removed from the Transnet National Collection and earmarked for disposal. As the locomotive was at Bloemfontein and in good condition it made good sense to acquire her to avoid the locomotive being scrapped. - Click here to read more
Questions relating to the security of the Sandstone Heritage Trust’s locomotive assets.
The collection of assets at Sandstone Estates is very securely housed, maintained and operated where necessary. At present we are involved in a high level dialogue with the Rail Safety Regulator concerning the need to adopt a Heritage Railway specification in South Africa, more specifically for 2-ft Narrow Gauge railways that are ring-fenced or isolated from any other railway network.
The Rail Safety Regulator has only one specification in South Africa and we are being treated as a Main Line railway and therefore we are having various restrictions placed on our operations and we are having to upgrade parts of our infrastructure at enormous costs to levels that we believe are entirely unnecessary for the axle loading and speed of operation of our railway.
Our current Rail Safety Regulator permit expires at the end of 2019 but going beyond that we have advised the RSR that we cannot comply with the demands being made on us with regard to Civil Engineering issues, nor can we comply with the requirement that all repairs to locomotives be placed under their control and be subjected to inspections.
One should appreciate that there are enormous costs which accompany each and every one of these regulations which are currently being promulgated quicker than we can deal with them.
We have worked hard for many years to accommodate the Rail Safety Regulator’s long list of demands but we have reached the stage where it is unsustainable for a railway that operates at slow speeds like ours.
We have forwarded copies of the British Heritage Rail specifications to the authorities with a strong recommendation that they implement something similar in South Africa.
The rumours that are going around regarding the disposal of Heritage assets etc. are entirely incorrect. We are simply in a state of limbo while we negotiate with the authorities to take a more realistic view of operations like ours.
The attached article has just appeared in Narrow Gauge World.
It is a fitting tribute to Lukas Nel’s integrity, dedication and skill which was displayed in huge measure during the restoration of this very rare locomotive.
Heritage Railway Magazine Where Mountains meet the Stars - Click here to read
