Paul Ash writes:
Here is a scene from the Stormberg-Rosmead secondary main. The picture was taken a few months ago, showing what is said to be rail and steel sleepers from the Douglas-Belmont agri branch south of Kimberley.
I met a local farmer who was instrumental in ensuring that when the track was torn up for the Douglas branch - they needed heavier rail to be able to run fully-loaded grain hoppers from the silos at Douglas - that the light rail would be relaid on the Stormberg line.
While this work was apparently done, thieves have since stolen much of the relaid track. There are great gaps in the line between Stormberg and Schoombee, some many kilometres long. The matter came to a head a few months ago when people reported scrapping activity to the police and I understand a court case is pending.
I doubt, however, if the track will ever be recovered and relaid.
And so another railway bites the dust.
- Stormberg line
