Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

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Chris Janisch
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Chris Janisch »

Apparently Umgeni SR applied for lottery funding but were left in the cold. You have to prove that you benefit the local population-which we do, but not enough it seems...

Umgeni sit with almost 10 locos and other items that need to be transported from the defunct Hilton depot- and it would cost over 2.5 million to do so. How do we raise money for rail heritage in a country which is just not focused thereon?
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Derek Walker
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Derek Walker »

Ironically on 702 today Jennifer-whatsisname-Williams was waffling about Rovos Rail and the Blue Train and one of the callers in was a guy from Rosebank that was in the travel business and he was enthusing about the huge tourist potential of train travel in South Africa, and I thought to myself... here we cannot keep OCT running and this guy is raving about tourism. The problem is, the tourists want to get off the plane, get on the train, do the reserves and head out again, waving $US at everybody. Locals have to try for more affordable options like OCT and at the rate things are going soon it too will be history. Like it or not, the powers that be are not interested in heritage rail, no matter how many white papers they flash around and how many bland statements they make. There is a decided short sightedness about the people in the ivory towers and we can send as many appeals and show as many puppy dog eyes as we want. The fact remains that they are ****bent on seeing it all go down the pipes. As private individuals we are fighting a loosing battle, we dont have access to huge amounts of $$, our endevours are seen as colonialist claptrap, we have a young population who is really only interested in bling, brandnames and instant gratification, we have an ever dwindling supply of skilled people to run and maintain equipment and we are sitting on machinery that is becoming increasingly harder to keep going.

Lets face it, unless we can get some big boy with lots of $$ OCT will die.

The Lottery board is a lost cause, they cant even disburse money to charities that are feeding people
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Steve Appleton »

Derek, I think you are stereotyping tourists a bit too much. I have travelled on the OCT and there was a fair mix of both local and international tourists on board. Many of the internationals did the trip in only one direction (to/from Knysna), although they were dropped off and picked up by tourist busses that, presumably, were plying the attractions thorugh and on the garden route.

We at FOTR have an almost totally local client base. However, we have attempted marketing to inbound tourism companies. The main difficulties we found are that the tourism companies need to sell a standard package for all tours and that the duration must be only a few hours long. It is disruptive and difficult for most larger tourism companies to run variable content tours. They need to advertise and market the same tour every day and know many, many months in advance that it is guaranteed to run. We at FOTR do not have sufficient local numbers to run every single day, let alone the staff/volunteers to man and maintain so many train trips. Yes, if we did get the business, we could start hiring professionals. Second, the tourists do not have sufficient time (they want maximum value for their money -- not all tourists are rich) and (here is where you are right) desire to spend more than a few hours on or at each attraction. Therefore our standard trips to Cullinan, which are a whole day long, do not suit them either. We will continue to look into inbound tourism though.
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Stefan Andrzejewski
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Stefan Andrzejewski »

The last time I travelled th OCT yo Knysna must have been 2004, WE were the only South Africans in the coach. All the rest were German, British , American. even the Japanese were having a good old time. There was a bus shuttle that would drop them off at George and pick them up in Knysna or visa versa.
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Steve Appleton »

This good news received via "Steam in Action":
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:37 PM
Subject: CHOO-TJOE NEWS Edition 1
Dear Interested Party,
Following your desire for updates and information on Minister Alan Winde's quest to save the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, we have drafted the attached newsletter. Please disseminate to all concerned, and advise them to sign up for our newsletter themselves, by e-mailing finmin@pgwc.gov.za.
Another to follow soon.
Sincerely,
Tammy
--
Tammy Evans
Media Liaison Officer to Minister Alan Winde
Cell: 082 378 2235
E-mail: tevans@pgwc.gov.za
Choo-Tjoe News
Edition 1
MEC ALAN WINDE TO MEET WITH TRANSNET TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THE OUTENIQUA CHOO TJOE


Welcome to the first newsletter from Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, who’s on a quest to save our famous train. This newsletter is our response to your desire for information, and the vast number of communications that this office has received. Here’s what Minister Winde had to say:
“This Friday (10 July), I will meet with the Acting group CEO of Transnet, Mr Chris Wells to discuss the future of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe. The meeting will occur following months of speculation over whether Transnet will be shutting down Africa’s last scheduled steam train, and a major tourist icon of the Southern Cape, for good.
I am of the strong opinion that this icon needs to be preserved. As such, I will do everything in my power to ensure that it
operates again. Tomorrow, I will discuss possible mechanisms for its survival with Mr Wells, after which time I hope to garner expressions of interest from business persons and the community affected by the train’s running.
I am optimistic that the public will come to the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe’s rescue. Since it closed down last week, I have had dozens of people contact me to express their support for the train’s continued operations, and their desire to play a part its survival. The provincial government is very willing to play any role necessary to ensure the successful reinstatement of this attraction. More news to follow soon!”
Please call at 021 483 3531, or e-mail finmin@pgwc.gov.za, to give your input on how we can save the train.
Choo Tjoe News 1.doc
(102 KiB) Downloaded 153 times
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Dylan Knott
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Dylan Knott »

Great, some good news for once!
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Luca Lategan
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Luca Lategan »

Main news on 567 this afternoon is that the meeting did take place and that Transnet agreed to keep the OTC running until a favourable other option is found.
Luca Lategan...
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Dylan Knott
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Dylan Knott »

Does this mean Tnet will continue running the train? As from when?

Brilliant!
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Luca Lategan
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Luca Lategan »

Well it sounded as if they would now continue from August until whenever they find another operator
Luca Lategan...
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Gabor Kovacs
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Gabor Kovacs »

I'm glad to read the positive statement issued by Minister Alan Winde (Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism). I hope operations will continue, but only time itself will give the final answer whether the resue of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe will be a successful or not!!

We await with baited breath . . . . .
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Dylan Knott
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Dylan Knott »

As long as they do not call for Public Private Partnerships. None of these are ever successful.
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Steve Appleton »

Edition 2 of the Western Cape Govt's Choo-Tjoe News
Choo-Tjoe News
Edition 2
MEC’S TALKS WITH TRANSNET ABOUT OUTENIQUA CHOO-TJOE SUCCESSFUL
We’ve done it!
This afternoon, the Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, met with Transnet's Group Executive, Mr Karl Socikwa, to discuss his strong views around the continued operation of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe. Acting Group CEO of Transnet, Chris Wells, was called to an urgent engagement and unfortunately could not make the meeting. Minister Winde asserts that the meeting went very well, with Transnet re-confirming its commitment to keeping the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe going until the disposable process into a new company is finalised.
Shortly after emerging from the meeting, Minister Winde had this to say: "We will shortly be announcing the date on which the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, in conjunction with Transnet, will hold a public platform. At the engagement, we will release an information memorandum calling for Expressions of Interest from parties who wish to respond to the call for the private sector to take over the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe. The information memorandum will contain the executive summary of the business cases commissioned by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape on the George - Mossel Bay line and the George - Knysna Line.” We will be inviting all stakeholders, communities and businesses to respond and join in the public meeting. We hope to see you there!
We’ll keep you updated about any new developments that come to light.
Please call at 021 483 3531, or e-mail finmin@pgwc.gov.za, to give your input on how best to save the train.
"To train or not to train, that is the question"
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Steve Appleton »

OCT Newsletter Edition 3 from MEC Alan Winde's office in the Western Cape Provincial Government:
Choo-Tjoe News
Edition 3
EFFORTS TO SAVE THE CHOO-TJOE RUNNING FULL STEAM AHEAD

Pressure to get the Choo-Tjoe back on track is certainly building!

This week, the Ministry began to get calls from the public about when the Choo-Tjoe will resume operating between George and Mossel Bay. In media statements at the end of June, Transnet assured that the line would reopen in August. According to a representative from Transnet, this has been delayed until mid-September due to a shortage of spare parts. Minister Winde says that he is “very much looking forward to seeing our Southern Cape icon back in action, and hopes the required parts arrive soon”.
At a meeting to be held on the 21st of this month in George, MEC Winde will brief the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe Steering Committee on the progress we have made thus far to keep the train on track. He plans to pave the way forward for increased cooperation between his department and the Steering Committee by inviting them to become a part of our effort to find a lasting solution for the its continued operation. Our goal, as with this newsletter, is to bring all train enthusiasts together: many heads think much better than a few! On that note, thank you to all the concerned enthusiasts who have e-mailed us with suggestions and comments about the Choo-Tjoe. Your inputs are incredibly valuable to us.

UPDATE: At a meeting called by Minister Winde last month, Transnet undertook to compile an information memorandum on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe. We are expecting to receive that document by the end of this month, at which time we will invite the public to a special meeting where we will call for expressions of interest from private sector investors. Our next newsletter will hopefully be an invitation to that event.

As always, please send your comments to us at: 021 483 3531, finmin@pgwc.gov.za, and visit www.wcfinmin.blogspot.com.
"To train or not to train, that is the question"
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Derek Walker
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Derek Walker »

http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=456688

THE return of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train has been delayed due to a shortage of spare parts.

Maintenance on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, which was scheduled for July, will continue until mid-September because of difficulties in sourcing spare parts.

Western Cape Finance, Economic Development and Tourism MEC Alan Winde said his office was inundated with calls from the public and steam train enthusiasts when the Choo-Tjoe’s operations between George and Mossel Bay failed to come back on line at the beginning of the month.

“According to a representative from Transnet, this has been delayed until mid-September due to a shortage of spare parts,” Winde said yesterday.

Parts for the old steam engine, which was first used in 1937, are not easy to find.

“The coaches of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe are heritage assets and as such these spares are no longer commercially available,” Transnet spokesman John Dludlu said.

Winde said he was “very much looking forward to seeing our Southern Cape icon back in action”.

He is expected to brief the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steering committee, established to find a way to save the iconic steam train, on August 21 in George.

Initial estimates by Transnet, which planned to sell off non-core assets such as the Choo-Tjoe, put the cost of repairing the flood-damaged rail line and overhauling the coaches at about R130-million.

Winde said he planned to pave the way for increased co-operation between his department and the steering committee by inviting them to become a part of his efforts to find a lasting solution for the steam train’s continued operation.

A memorandum on the train, compiled by Transnet, was expected at the end of the month, when calls would go out for private sector investors to keep the train running.
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Dylan Knott
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Re: Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe reaches end of the line

Post by Dylan Knott »

What shortage of spare parts? The coaches are the same type used by FOTR and 19D's are standard locomotives. Feeble excuses if you ask me!

Lets say tenders are called for at the end of the month. How long will it take to select an operator and then who is going to pay the R130 million to repair the line?

Steering Committee. Who does this consist of?
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