African rail-tour news
from
Steam in Action
and
Geoff's Trains
05 March 2013
Southern Afican Steam Season on Track to Success
All tours are now confirmed
Geoff's Trains and their German partners Tanago are delighted to confirm that the entire Southern African Steam Season planned for May 2013 has been confirmed, all of the component tours will run as planned. If you have not yet booked, there is still space and an opportunity to join one of the premier tours of 2013.
Starting in Johannesburg on 03 May, including visits to Sandstone, Natal, Zimbabwe and Botswana before ending again in South Africa on 11 June, this is probably the most comprehensive and exciting narrow gauge tour of the year. The season has been broken down into a number of modules that can be booked separately or combined to suit your interests.
Our first destination is Sandstone, where we will join the Stars of Sandstone Festival. This is a world class annual event in the scenic Lesoto border region of South Africa's Orange Free State. The Festival centres on the comprehensive two foot gauge railway and should see up to 22 steam locomotives and many of their 200 wagons and coaches pressed into use to create a diverse steam spectacle. This should be more than enough to keep everyone busy for a week, but there will be much more happening. Traction engines, road locomotives and steam lorries will feature alongside vintage agricultural machinery, cars and military vehicles.
With so much happening there is a need to make sure that the interests of the more serious steam railway photographers are not overlooked. To deal with this Geoff's Trains, with the assistance of Sandstone, will run three early morning and three afternoon steam train charters featuring a variety of locomotives and train consists that primarily represent the historic South African Railways narrow gauge lines.
Sandstone is remote, even by South African standards. The advantage of this is that the Festival remains an exclusive event – think major steam gala without the crowds, safety barriers and restrictions. Add sunshine, great scenery, good food and friendship. To make this unique event accessible, Sandstone and Geoff's Trains have created a package that included transport to and from South African airports, accommodation, local transfers, entry to Sandstone, all meals and the special photo charter trains. Added to this is the option to travel on to Natal to spend a day with two Avonside 2 foot gauge sugar cane tank locomotives in the cane fields. New addition this year are three original cane wagons that will add authenticity to this unusual event.
The next part of the Steam Season takes place in Natal. The first day will see the 2 foot gauge NGG11, the second oldest working Garratt in the world, working on the old Ixopo to Madonela branch line, followed that afternoon by a trip from Riverside to Creighton behind a Cape gauge Class 19D 4-8-2. The next five days will see a GMAM Garratt and mixed train run from Creighton to Pietermaritzburg and back again, a chance to explore the photographic potential of this scenic Cape gauge line to the full.
Garratts feature again when we move on to Victoria Falls. The National Railways of Zimbabwe will position a 15th Class 4-6-4+4-6-4 and a Class 16A 2-8-2+2-8-2 Garratt at Thomson Junction for us, with multiple photo charters running from there to Lukosi, Old Hwange and Zanguja before journeying to Victoria Falls. We will also spend time at Hwange Colliery, home to a small fleet of 15th Class Garratts. The Garratt extravaganza will end at Victoria Falls with the inclusion of a Class 14A 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt and no less than three charter trains to the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge that dramatically spans the Zambezi River.
An option to visit either the Chobe Game Reserve or the city of Bulawayo, headquarters of the National Railways of Zimbabwe and home to their Garratt fleet and museum, will be followed by a trip to to BCL Mine and their fleet of Class 19D 4-8-2's that thunder through the African bush with heavy loads of copper ore – a fitting end to an outstanding steam extravaganza.
This is the only comprehensive steam tour to southern Africa this year. It is an important component in South Africa's steam preservation scene and a major part of Zimbabwe's effort to keep their Garratt fleet operational. Booking a place on any part of the tour will contribute to the maintenance of steam in this remote, but vibrant and important steam outpost.
Geoff Cooke, owner of Geoff's Trains, has experience in African railtours that goes back to 1986. You will benefit from a goodwill that has built up over years of mutual support on a tour planned to maximise the potential of the various stakeholders without offering unachievable services. Photographers will be supported with runpasts organised by experienced photographers who are familiar with local conditions and your interests.
To find out more about the day to day programme and to book your place on this outstanding tour, go to the following websites:
For Great Britain, South Africa and international:
www.geoffs-trains.com
For Germany and the rest of Europe:
http://www.tanago.de/erlebnisreisen/en/africa-2013.php
For America:
http://www.traintrips.biz/southern-africa-rail-spectacular.html
You can also call Geoff Cooke personally to talk though the best option for you on
+44 (0)1562632000