Sandstone features in the first episode of a YouTube channel called “What makes the Eastern Free State lekker?”
This episode is 30 minutes long, so we suggest you pour your favourite drink while enjoying the stunning beauty of the region.
A very busy day for the second day of our festival with high visitor numbers who have missed their visits to Sandstone. Our photo gallery shows some of the highlights of the days activities.
Sandstone has just completed the moves by road transport of a number of steam locomotives from Bloemfontein to Sandstone Estates near Ficksburg. We featured these moves on our web site in a number of articles from August 20th 2021. Here is our picture gallery of the moves from our Railway Manager, Mr Gert Jubileus. Enjoy the read!
Sandstone’s latest restored steam locomotive will be hauling trains over the weekend. The 1968 Johannesburg built NGG16A number 155 will haul trains for the first time in 21 years!
Sandstone open at Cherry Festival Time! 19 to 20 November 2021 plus the launch of their latest steam locomotive, NGG16A number 155.
The Cherry Festival has not been confirmed for Ficksburg in 2021 due to the Covid 19 pandemic but a number of local establishments will be open over the weekend of Friday19th November and Saturday 20th November together with Sandstone who will be holding a steam festival over the two days. From the 19th November until 20th November Sandstone will be offering train rides together with opportunities to view the Sandstone Heritage collection.
Entrance is R250 for adults and R140 for children under 12.
Trains will run from 10h00 on Friday 19th and from 10h00 on Saturday 21st November.
Please note that strict Covid 19 protocols will be followed and no one will be admitted if not wearing a mask. A screened temperature over 37 degrees will also result in non-admittance together with other members of the party.Click here to Read more
The expansion of our cattle herd over the last few years represents our ethos that our oxen lie at the heart of our preservation capabilities in terms of rare breeds. Maintaining teams of trained oxen has been a learning experience but has proved fulfilling and given us a unique attraction to showcase Sandstone both locally and to the world. Enjoy the short video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVyhaKqLaxc
Sadly we heard the news that the driving force behind the Apple Express and Editor of SA Rail magazine passed way. Wilfred Mole, from Sandstone Estates, posted this tribute, via her husband Hilton, to Nerina.
Dear Hilton,
I am currently in the UK but I received a message to say that Nerina had passed away.
Although I have not seen her for many years, I of course dealt with her over an extensive period probably 10-years ago or more.
She was definitely a champion of the Narrow Gauge and was very committed to her cause.
Lyndie and I would like to extend our condolences to yourself and the family on her passing. I feel that she was taken from you early because I thought she was always a very youthful and vibrant person.
She will be sorely missed, not the least of all by the Narrow Gauge Railway which she did so much to keep alive.
Yours sincerely,
Wilfred E. Mole
Sandstone Estates (Pty) Ltd
The latest edition for 2021 of the Heritage News is now available, click here to read the latest news from Sandstone.
Our recent article below, where our massive HET tank tractor was needed to pull our combine out of a marshy area of the mealie field, had a wonderful sequel after one large sodden area of the mealie field became a definite no go for the combine. This was no problem for the arable guys at Sandstone and all our ladies from every working area of the farm moved in to harvest the maize in that area by hand! Given Sandstone’s commitment to mechanisation this was a site to behold! To add to the olde world ambience our Oxen joined in to clear the harvest from the land. We thank you ladies!
Some time ago we looked at the HET out to play with the Cats, The CATS come out to play! (sandstone-estates.com) . Since then the CAT 621 scraper has been given a new coat of paint while the HET has been out in the lands rescuing the John Deere combine from a particularly marshy part of the mealie fields.
Our gallery shows David spraying the CAT 621 scraper and the Combine bogged down with the HET to the rescue.
Sandstone Heritage Trust and Sandstone Heritage Museum are proud members of the South African Museums Association (SAMA). This organisation does great work across a broad spectrum of museums in South Africa. They have recently published their January 2021, newsletter, Samantics which has some interesting information on the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on museums and also previous pandemics that have infected the world. Click here to see Samantics.
Sandstone subscribes to all the current Covid 19 protocols and is very much open to visitors. We have a new Visitor Coordinator, Mariette Palmer, who can arrange your proposed visit. You can contact her by e mail on