Skukuza (Selati) Station

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Taken in 2009. Of course, it now goes nowhere!

[Tom Macrery]

Beautiful! The Picture of the Month! Almost looks like it was taken after an ice storm.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Was this a real station?

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Yes - indeed it was.

In the 1920's the line to Koomatiepoort went via Sabie Game Reserve, and arrangement were made for the train to do this stretch in day light for the tourists. There was a lunch stop at the Sabi River (no station there in those days).

As the Park developed and Skukuza itself came into being the station was eventually built. The last train to this station ran on 1972, after which the railway line was realigned to run outside the Park boundary (along its present course).

The railway was actually the Selati Railway and this station was officially known as Selati Station. Today of course everyone refers to it as Skukuza Station!

The railway line in Kruger has been up lifted, but the embankments and the occassional bridges still stand. The route of the line can be traced, but not all the way on the public drives.

Away from the roads in a very few places a small amount of overgrown track also survives (metal sleepers) in small streches. There is also apparrenly the odd wrecked piece of rolling stock, though most was removed. I will find a few more pics for you,

[Adelbert Stigling]

Skukuza was never a station in the full sense of the word but only a passenger halt, just across the bridge from Skukuza halt was a Operating Station Huhla where two Sation Foreman was stationed for the purpose of train arrangements between Randpsruit Station on the one side and Newington Station on the other

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Adelbert - thank you for this info.

The Selati railway history is actually quite interesting.

It was first floated in Brussels (Europe) by Baron Oppenheim and his brother, and was known as the Selati Railway Company.

The idea or purpose was to build a railway line from Komatipoort to the new prospective Transvaal gold fields - which it was hoped would thrive - some gold had just been found alongthe Selati river!

The Selati Railway Company shareholders went ahead and laid 80 kilometres of track from Komatipoort to the point where Skukusa camp now stands in the Kruger Park. The next step was to build a bridge across the Sabie River. But, the prosperity of the so called Selati Gold fielkds had never been established and their viability turned out be very questionable!

The Company then crashed after the picture became clearer (owing its creditors nearly a million Rand). The line at this stage was only 80 kms long - working out what was spent on the line it is one of the most expensive railways ever built!

The line was then abandoned and lay idle for nearly 20 years. Futher construction materials lay around in piles, along with rolling stock and an engine, that rusted in the Komatipoort sheds.

Stevenson-Hamilton (Chief Ranger of the Sabie Game Reserve and instrumental in the founding of Kruger Park) used it as his private line - when he wanted to go to Komatipoort he used a trolley for a slow and ambling journey to and from the town. Whether this is the trolley pictured here ...........................

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... 145&t=5152

I do not know. Mayube someone can comment on the trolley itself - standard? A mone off? etc.

Stevenson-Hamilton retained his "private railway" until 1912 when South African Railways took it over and built it on to Tzaneen and then later, Soekmekaar.

In 1972 the trains then stopped running and the line was then abandoned in 1973 after the new "by-pass" line was opened.

[Steve Appleton]

Searched "selati" and came across this at: http://tzaneen.co.za/where_did_the_name_come_from.htm

Selati: As in the Selati Line, the Selati Gold Fields and the Selati Club. Named after Shalati, the female Chief of the Tebula people.

I believe that the capital was raised in Belgium at the behest of Kruger and the ZA Republic's Volksraad because they did not want any more British capital or companies involved: it had been decided that there was already too much British capital employed on the Witwatersrand goldfields. A quick search reveals that the concessionary company went by the grand name: "La Compagaine Franco-Belge du Chemin-de-fer du Noord de la Republique Sud-Africaine" (The Franco Belgium Railway Company of the Northern Territories of the South African Republic).

[Derek Walker]

What can be told about the stranded steam loco? She seems to even have a nameplate on. What an odd place to find an abandoned station.

[Steve Appleton]

The loco is class 24 number 3638. It was substantially complete when I last looked at it about two years ago. Having been donated, I believe it was actually driven there under its own steam shortly before the last rails northwards were lifted.
There is a colour pic here of the loco partially out of the shed (not great quality though):
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa ... uza_sl.JPG

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

The loco still is in good nick and complete - it is very very well maintained. I have a look 3 or 4 times a year and it is always clean, poliched and painted. The coaching stock is also immaculate.

This last occassion I only took a couple of pics. - see below for status last month.

Last lot of pics posted on this Forum were 2008 - taken by Barend

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... kuza#p9040

[Steve Appleton]

Gosh, I am amazed that she hasn't yet been stripped of her copper and brass. Now if only the rails between Skukuza and FOTR had not been torn up and also TFR allowed steam on the main lines back up to Pretoria. We could light her fire and put her to some very good use! Give number 3664 a well-earned rest -- which incidently, she is getting right now anyway, having her crank and con-rod bushes renewed as I speak.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

What is the condition of the Boiler and all the inside parts. I suppose it would cost a fortune to transport her to the nearest working line, or laying down a line just to get her out?

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

The inside parts are all fine as far as I can see (but I am not a technical fundi) - no rust and nothing missing. And all the cab bits are there.

I guess a lowloader would be the best bet.

But quite honestly I think it is best off where it is - it is being well looked after for posterity and at least is not in a state of decay and rust!

[Steve Appleton]

I do not know the intimate technical condition of this loco.
To get her out by rail southwards, you would need to relay about 80km of track plus install a couple (about 70 to 80 metres) of missing steel spans and, if memory serves me correctly, rebuild a bridge pier on the Crocodile River rail bridge. To go northwards would require relaying about 30 to 40 km of track and re-routing the trackbed around an extension of the Skikuza Airport runway!
Weighing about 80 tonnes, it would be easier to get her out by road.

[Derek Walker]

Its almost unbelievable... maybe one day she will be the only one of her kind, stranded far from anybody with a cutting torch. What coaching stock is there with her?