Friends of the Rail Forum

Making tracks to Africa's ore by Paul Ash

ASK an iron ore miner what he thinks of West Africa in 2012 and the answer will likely be "boom time"...

The boom - during which almost 5000km of railway lines and almost a dozen new ports will be built or repaired - has not been seen in these parts since the colonial powers first divided up the continent during the Scramble for Africa at the end of the 19th century.

Then, as now, the railways were built to extract wealth...

The same morning I read Paul's comment:

Then, as now, the railways were built to extract wealth

I also read on the East_African_Steam Yahoo group a similar comment from Tony Craddock, who has been doing a great job putting old East African Railways & Harbours magazines online:

these magazines are wonderful historical documents and really speak to the main raison d'etre of the then colonies - the exporting of goods, commodities and materials.