"'Groot Gat' Festival Express To CULLINAN, Saturday, 20th March 2010 

We regret that this train is FULLY BOOKED!

Join us on the train journey to the Cullinan "Groot Gat" festival behind steam. This festival celebrates the biggest diamond mining hole (claimed to be three times the size of Kimberley's) ever dug in SA.

The Groot Gat Fees is hosted for the benefit of Cullinan Combined School.

Arts, antiques, cheese, wine and whiskey tasting. Food stalls, beer garden, mechanical bull, rock climbing, children’s entertainment. Walk for food, cycling and 4X4 challenge. Music, stage, gospel and rock shows!

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant under the oak trees in the old mining village where the world's largest diamond was found. Alternatively, bring your picnic basket along and braai with us (braai fires are provided free).

The return train departure is at 3:00 pm. You arrive back in our depot at about 5:00 pm, having enjoyed a great fun day out with Friends of the Rail.

Please note that, due to limited table availability, you are advised to make advance bookings for many of the Culllinan restaurants and cafes. Click here or click the "more info" button for additional details.

Image courtesy of Google Earth and Digital Globe.

"Easter Bunny's Diamond Express To CULLINAN, Monday, 5th April 2010 

Bring the kids and join the Easter Bunny on a vintage steam train journey to Cullinan or Rayton.

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant under the oak trees in the old mining village where the world's largest diamond was found. Otherwise, bring your picnic basket along and braai with us (braai fires are provided free).

Or, alternatively, spend the day at one of the fun venues that can be booked through FOTR, including the 'Willem Prinsloo' Agricultural Museum and Farm or the 'Garden View Resort' (advance booking through FOTR is required).

The return train departure is at 3:00 pm. You arrive back in our depot at about 5:00 pm, having enjoyed a great fun day out with Friends of the Rail.

Please note that, due to limited table availability, you are advised to make advance bookings for many of the Culllinan restaurants and cafes. Click here or click the "more info" button for additional details.

""Cullifest" festival TRAIN To Rayton and Cullinan 

Saturday 1st May sees the annual "Cullifest" festival. Ralax, have fun with us by taking our vintage steam train to the annual Cullinan "Cullifest" festivities.

Join the main festivities in the grounds of the Rugby Club (a small entrance fee will be payable there) or just bring your own picnic or enjoy lunch at a cafe or restaurant (advance booking advisable for eateries) under the oak trees in the mining village where not 1, but 2 of the world's largest diamonds were found. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to find your own gem in historic Cullinan!

We will post more detailed information on the various activities to take place as we get them.

"Mothers' Day Diamond Express To Rayton and Cullinan 

It's time to spoil Mum by taking her out for the day on an extra special Mothers' Day vintage steam train trip to Cullinan.

Dads, bring your goodies in a cooler box and "man" the braai (braai fires provided) or else make it really special ... take mum to lunch at a cafe or restaurant (direct advance booking advisable for restaurants) under the oak trees in the mining village where not 1, but 2 of the world's largest diamonds were found (don't tell mum though - she might want one). Still, you may be lucky enough to find mum's own gem in historic Cullinan!

This year, 2010, is a big one with massive celebrations for Friends of the Rail, for South African Railways and for South Africa as a nation!

To start, this year Friends of the Rail will be celebrating 25 years of existance. That's right, folks we've been doing railway heritage things for 25 years! So, we will be planning some special things - more details later.

Even bigger, there is both a national and a railway centenary to celebrate! The union, the event that defined today's South African landscape took place on 31 May 1910. That makes the geographic nation that has evolved into today's democratic South Africa 100 years old.

In addition, the merger of the individual government railway and harbour companies in 1910, just after the formation of the Union of South Africa -- 100 years ago -- created the South African Railways and Harbours Administration whose successor, Transnet, now runs an approximately 20 000 km rail network employing some 25 000 people (source: Transnet website). 

And, 150 years of trains in South Africa. The first railway to run in South Africa, 3 kms in Durban, was opened on 18th June 1860 -- exactly 150 years ago -- railways in South Africa are a century and a half old this year! We have reason to ce;lebrate.

Join us on one of our fun and interesting public train trips. We are a living museum and it is one of our missions to bring the notstalgia back into your life! Click here to get our 2010 trip schedule.

If you would prefer us to keep you informed by email about our upcoming trains and specials, please click here to send us a schedule request.