Go Trip Tours, run by Caro Meiring, brought two separate groups of visitors to Sandstone Estates just before the Cherry Steam Festival on the 18^th November. Both groups enjoyed a train ride and a tour of all the Heritage Collection. They had a wonderful time and were extremely complimentary about their experience at Sandstone. Caro Meiring tells the tale of two visits!

Go Trip delivers a professional service for unique travels throughout Southern Africa and was founded in 2021. We really love what we do and it shows in the intense passion we have for people.  We work with a network of amazing establishments, excursion enthusiasts, transport companies and extraordinary guides to create a perfect getaway.  

Gawie van Schalkwyk, from Voetspore Tours, brought a group of 19 tourists to the Cherry Steam Festival on Saturday 19^th November who enjoyed immensely their day with us. Gawie sent us a picture gallery from the day plus a short video of the train arriving at Hoekfontein to end the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90KOTdhrULY

Sandstone’s Railway Manager Gert Jubileus and our Visitor Coordinator, Mariette Palmer sent us a photo gallery of some of the activities on the 18^th and 19^th November. Garratt locomotives NGG16 number 153 and the red NGG16A number 155 provided the traction for the weekend’s trains. Classic Flying Connection entertained the visitors with two Tiger Moths and the McLaren Traction engine proved a great attraction. A Military Vehicle Display and the Sandstone Oxen completed two great days.

 The recent Cherry Steam Festival was an outstanding success with a great effort made by all the Sandstone staff. The railway ran faultlessly thanks to the planning by Gert Jubileus, our Railway Manager, and the dedication and efforts of our volunteer crews who travelled from Johannesburg, and the Eastern and Western Cape to keep the railway moving.

The volunteer railway crew, from left to right, Mark Ruddy, Gary Ruddy, Shawn Spaan, Ryan Fincham and Andries Keyser.

As a warm up to the Cherry Festival we are running a train for the Kindi Pre-primary School in Ficksburg for 180 children. NGG 16A locomotive number 155 will haul the train.

Its Cherry Festival time! An added attraction at Sandstone will be the Classic Flying collection team with two Tiger Moth aircraft and two Chipmunk aircraft in action. Flips may be available but this is subject to weather conditions.

Sandstone played host to the International Police Association (IPA)-Free State National Council  meeting recently. The IPA has been in existence for over 60 years and has a membership of 420,000 members worldwide. In South Africa the IPA branch was started 37 years ago but the National Council meeting was being held in the Free State for the first time. Although attending a four day meeting event, the IPA is a non-profit organisation with a goal of outreach to charitable organisations as well as visiting some places of interest. At Sandstone our Team hosted the 46 strong IPA group as well as 16 children from David’s Place in Ficksburg. David’s Place is a children’s home and NGO that relies on donations for its good work. The children and the IPA guests were treated to a train ride plus an Ox wagon ride. At the close of the visit  the IPA presented each of the children from David’s Place with a gift hamper, which included clothing. A most welcome donation for the children. All in all, a wonderful day out for the IPA and the children from David’s Place, Sandstone salutes the International Police Association South Africa for their good work!

Our gallery shows a selection of the day’s activities.

John Batwell, who was the Editor of the latest Sandstone book, sadly passed away recently. John was a personal friend of mine and a major contributor to railway preservation in Southern Africa. He was an acknowledged expert on Rhodesia Railways and its locomotives as well as a senior editor at SA Rail magazine. John also covered preservation matters with Railways Africa magazine. He edited a number of books on railways and was my first choice to edit Sandstone’s second book, The Sandstone Steam Railway, the story continues. John had retired from teaching at Redhill School in Johannesburg some time ago.

John had not been well for some time but was pleased to take on the task. We spent over four months from late 2021 into 2022 having weekly meetings and finally we had a finished manuscript. John’s attention to detail was impressive and he certainly added immense value to the quality of presentation in the book. As time progressed I could see and feel  that his health was failing and after a short bout of pneumonia  he  passed away peacefully in late August. He did, however, see the finished product of the Sandstone book as he was presented with one of the first copies from the print run. I  was extremely pleased that he did see the results of his hard work. My thoughts and condolences are with his widow, Pam.

His memory will stay with me and the Sandstone book is a fitting tribute to his skills.

John Batwell (seated) and author, David Richardson take a look at the final proof copy of the new Sandstone book.

A Sandstone Wetland

For the first time in memory our small  wetland  next to the main complex has been full for the winter months.
Click here to read the full story.

The Sandstone Visitor Management team, led by Mariette Palmer, has been strengthened by new arrival, Sam Gilson. Sam has experience in tourism management and is currently studying Hospitality Management and will be a welcome addition to the team. Mariette has singlehandedly managed all visitor enquiries and walking tours as well as accommodation bookings for nearly two years and is most appreciative of some assistance!  Our Visitor Experiences will certainly be enhanced by Sam’s arrival. We wish her all the very best in her new role.

Caption; The Sandstone Visitor Management Team, left, new member Sam Gilson and right, Mariette Palmer.