Some great coverage in the latest issue of the UK Heritage Railway magazine. Enjoy the read!

The Sandstone Steam Railway map 2023

Over the years our railway has changed with numerous variations. Some time ago, in October 2022, we gave details of the closure of the Mountain Section. With our Easter event happening shortly we are reposting our current railway map for interest.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF

The current COVID 19 legislation published after our February and Easter events were advertised prohibits all indoor and outdoor events as of 28th December 2020 and was subsequently extended on January 15th. This legislation will be reviewed on February 15th 2021. If the restrictions are not lifted and extended over a period that covers the end of February, the event scheduled for February 26 to 28 will be cancelled.

This will be advised on our web site and Facebook page.

Depending on whether such legislation is lifted prior to Easter will determine as to whether the scheduled Easter weekend event (April 2-5) will be held.

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.

By Car:

Our GPS co-ordinates are

28° 50' 41.12” S

28° 00’ 15.94” E

By Plane:

The nearest airport is Bloemfontein or for chartered aircraft Ficksburg, the co-ordinates for Ficksburg Airport are 

2849’30’S 

2754’30’E

Car Rental at Bloemfontein Airport:

By Coach:

The only coach company servicing Ficksburg is Intercape Coaches but this is only in peak season (i.e. in December) 

By Train:

The "Shosholoza Meyl" between Johannesberg and Port Elizabeth and another train between Johannesberg and East London both stop in Bloemfontein but from there a car would be required.

Accommodation:

Click here to view a list of accommodation in Ficksburg, Fouriesburg and Clarens (PDF 11KB)

Alternatively should you need or prefer professional assistance with your travels plans The Association of South African Travel Agents website http://www.asata.co.za/general/search.asp will help you to find a travel agent in the Free State area as well as other parts of South Africa.