Welcome to the Sandstone Estates website! Click on “About Us” to learn more about Sandstone and the Heritage collection. Please note we do not accept cash payments at Sandstone, only Debit Cards, Credit Cards, EFT payments & mobile application payments.
Today was the first day of our Spring Festival. Although the Cherry Festival did not happen this year, Ionia Farm, just over the road from Sandstone, is holding a Spring event in conjunction with a number of other farms and Sandstone. Our gallery shows a quiet day today with NGG16 number 153 on our train for the day and a number of other attractions that were seen on the train travels at Sandstone. You can still join us as the Spring Festival runs through Friday and Saturday ending on Sunday November 22nd.
Work continues on number 155 with the fitment of the ex 3’6’ gauge GMA/M mechanical lubricator. Our pictures show the lubricator in position and the external operating linkage awaiting connection. Good progress is being made towards a steam test early in 2021.
While Sandstone is world renowned for its 2ft narrow gauge railway, many supporters may not be aware that the first ambitions at Sandstone were on the 3’6’ gauge system. Sandstone first rail acquisitions were ex SAR GMAM Garratt locomotives from Randfontein Estates Gold Mines and much planning was undertaken to concession the Bethlehem to Bloemfontein line for operation by Sandstone for freight operation and rail tourism.
Sadly this failed with objections from the South African trade unions who could not bear to see privatisation and economic use of the railway meaning they would have to work harder and earn their wages instead of overstaffing the national system. This unnerved the national operator, Spoornet, and all negotiations with Sandstone just fizzled out. In fact the privatisation Department, of the then named SPOORNET which handled concession negotiations, was closed overnight.
One of the prime movers within Sandstone for the 3’6” project was well known Railway and Preservation specialist , Geoff Pethick. While the loss of the 3’6” project was hard to bear at the time, it was 2ft gauge that ultimately was to benefit with the magnificent railway that exists to this day.
Throughout the 3’6” project Geoff Pethick worked tirelessly to take it to success and wrote a very telling article in October 1997 in conjunction with Wilfred Mole, “Where to private rail use in SA”. We are proud to publish this article 22 years later as an example of what could have been and is still relevant to what could be achieved today. In fact after the destruction of many parts of the national railway system during the recent Covid19 lockdown, it is interesting to see the first moves towards allowing some form of private access and operation on the rail system, primarily for freight but with hints for a revival of rail tourism of a more affordable nature than that presented by the current premium operators.
Sandstone wins the Pioneer Weigh and Win Maize Yield Competition for the EFS region and achieves 2nd place in the National Grain SA Grow for Gold National Yield Competition
In April 2020 Gideon Knobel, the agronomist working with Sandstone, entered the company into the Pioneer Weigh and Win Competition which is an annual event whereby farmers compete against each other to see who is able to achieve the highest yields for Pioneer maize and soya in various parts of the country.
With a yield of 12,914 tons per hectare with the Pioneer white maize cultivar P2842WB, Sandstone achieved the highest yield for a white maize Pioneer cultivar in the Eastern Free State winning the regional competition for maize in the Dryland category.
These results were achieved through meticulous land preparation, soil analysis and the application of fertilizers with the correct micro elements needed to balance the soil to give the plants the best condition to grow in. The results were not just in yields but delivered a top grade product. The results were also achieved by exceptional team work. The machinery used for planting was the John Deere 8310R tractor and the Equalizer planter.
In 2019 Grain SA became involved with the competition to take it to a national level and to include all other seed producers supplying farmers in South Africa. Sandstone was automatically entered in the national competition as a winner in the EFS and was advised that it had reached the finalists list. At a function in Muldersdrift, in the North West Province on the 15th of October, all finalists attended a function to announce the winner of the National competition.
Sandstone came 2nd in the EFS region.
Photo below, left to right, Gideon Knobel agronomist, Germa Kieser National Marketing Manager Pioneer, Mike Myers of Sandstone and Jaco Snyman National Sales Manager Pioneer with the Weigh and Win award.
Work has continued on NGG16A since our last report with the cab fittings installed and the water tank fitted to the front engine unit. The chimney has also been fitted as number 155 begins to look like a full locomotive. Our photo gallery shows the work to date. No definite date has been set for the completion of 155 but early in 2021 is looking likely.
Sadly the Cherry Festival will not be held in Ficksburg in 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic but a number of local establishments will be open over the weekend of Thursday 19th November to Sunday 22nd November together with Sandstone who will be holding a steam festival over the four days. Sandstone has been closed since the pandemic began but will re-open for visitors from November 1st 2020.
From the 19th November until 21st November Sandstone will be offering train rides together with walking tours of the Sandstone Heritage collection.
Entrance is R200 for adults and R125 for children under 12. Trains will run from 11h00 on Thursday 19th and Friday 20thth and from 10h00 on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd.
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.
