Hermanstad as seen by Dick Manton

[John Ashworth]

Photos by Dick Manton, March 2013

[Nathan Berelowitz]

So nice and peacefull when there are no trains!

[Zane de Lange]

I am amazed at the progress of this site as we compare these pictures to the pictures taken in 2008. A working train station build from scratch by volunteers and in a difficult economic climate. Well done!

[Steve Appleton]

Thanks, Zane. It's not been easy and there is still a massive lot more to do to make into the fully functioning depot we so desperately need. Many more tracks to lay, inspection pits to build, ash pit, coaling bunker, shed and workshops, you name it.

[Nathan Berelowitz]

A lot lies ahead and with all help from Members and time we can truly be wonderfully self sufficient and a landmark.

[M. Hardy-Randall]

May I please ask, as somebody who is over 8,000 Kms away [as a sober Crow flies], for a little bit of background information on this project?

[John Ashworth]

Malcolm, since its inception more than 25 years ago FOTR had been based in the huge old locomotive depot at Capital Park. When Rovos Rail took over the lease of the old depot, FOTR moved to one small section of the depot, where we had an inspection pit, a few sidings, some buildings and stores, and access to watering and coaling facilities (but no shed to store and work on the locos under cover). A few years ago Rovos Rail indicated that they want to expand and asked FOTR to seek other accommodation.

After looking at several sites we settled on a part of the Hercules marshalling yard, which we call Hermanstad to distinguish it from Hercules. We have leased from Transnet a decent-sized piece of land which had a goods shed and a platform and three or four sidings but virtually nothing else. Gradually we have turned it into what can now be seen in the photos. It has been a major operation - fencing, clearing vegetation, levelling the ground, laying new track and fixing up the old track, rehabilitating buildings, sorting out water and electricity, and much more. As you can imagine, that has been very expensive, and very difficult given our very small number of active "hands on" volunteer members. If you look back under this Hermanstad sub-forum you'll find pictures of the site as it was and of a lot of the work that was done to clear it and build it up to what it is now.

We have now reached the point where Hermanstad is our departure point for all our trips, where we pick up passengers, have open days, and store most of our rolling stock as well as our dead locomotives (such as the ones photographed here by Dick). However the operational locomotives cannot be based at Hermanstad because we have no inspection pit nor coaling facilities, so they are still based at Capital Park. The loco normally runs from Capital Park to Hermanstad the evening before a train and stands there overnight to be ready for the morning train and to do any shunting that is necessary.

It is still FOTR's intention to move everything to Hermanstad as soon as possible, but the inspection pit is a major and expensive item which remains to be done. Coaling and ash disposal facilities, and probably better watering facilities, are also high on the agenda, as well as laying more track to accommodate the remaining locomotives and rolling stock. A longer-term desire is to have a covered area so that we can work on the locos out of the sun and rain.

One very positive development in the last year or so is a collaboration between FOTR and SANRASM. FOTR will store and display some of SANRASM's extensive collection of locos and rolling stock, and SANRASM has agreed to provide some funding for the Hermanstad site.

I'm sure others can add more, but I hope that begins to answer your question.

[M. Hardy-Randall]

Many thanks for that comprehensive reply. As you can imagine, it is difficult to get the overall picture when you are far away. As I have now entered my eighties I am not sure if I will ever get the chance to come out there, but my thoughts and best wishes are with you all. Please keep the photos coming.

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Malcolm. I've just followed my own advice and gone back to look at some of the early photos, which really brings back memories!

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... f=89&t=401: The earliest photos of the site, as it was when we first discovered it (2006?)

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... f=89&t=402; Some of the earliest work on the site, salvaging track (2006).

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... f=89&t=403: Earth-moving (2006).