Malmesbury Express

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Here is a train you probably will not see in Gauteng. The " Malmersbury Express". A special seven coach Metro set pulled by a Class 35 Diesel. The journey takes just over two hours. These photos were taken at Kalbaskraal. The junction for Saldhana Bay. Kalbaskraal is about 10 minutes train ride from Malmesbury. I battled to keep up with the train as the road is narrow and very bumpy and not made for going 85km/h, and this is on a branch line. Pleasingly the train was full.

[John Ashworth]

The only time we see anything like this around Pretoria is when the power is off. Then we see diesels hauling the Metro sets under the dead wire.

[Chris Janisch]

Looks like the locals were having a big party on board!
Interesting view of trains in the 21st century.

[John Ashworth]

In the UK there are many, many regular timetabled journeys where an EMU is hauled by diesel locomotives, because the overhead electrification doesn't cover many parts of the country, including major main lines. An EMU is rostered and runs under its own power under the wires, and then a diesel hooks on to take it the rest of the way. Equally wasteful are the routes where a DMU is rostered and runs for hundreds of kilometres under live wires using diesel power so as to be able to complete the last leg of the journey on a non-electrified route. Diesel locos are also seen hauling EMUs and electric locomotives almost every weekend during engineering possessions when electric trains are diverted over non-electrified lines.

Amongst railway enthusiasts in UK it's seen as a bit of a scandal, to judge from comments in the railway press and online - a sign of the prolonged underinvestment in the railways. What is particularly galling is that there are often fairly short non-electrified sections which many people argue should be electrified as links to alternative routes during diversions.

Yes, welcome to 21st century rail, where lack of investment makes this a commonplace sight - and congratulations to South Africa for only having one route where EMUs are regularly hauled by diesel, unlike UK where it is happening all the time all over the country!

[Chris Janisch]

I believe this scenario is also played out on the East London and PE suburbans. The ELs went over to electric when the AC catenary was completed, but shortage of 7Es has meant they have been worked by 33s and 34s for many years now. The PE-Uitenhage uses 34s.

[Nathan Berelowitz]

I wonder if the paint used on the Metro sets is the same quality as here. It looks like the coastal climate is not user friendly towards it. The diesel really looks smart!!

[Marc Russell]

Most awesome photos!!

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Nathan I don't think that the rolling stock including Locos are ever washed. When I see a clean 6E1 it is from up north. When we travelled to Joburg by train I noticed that 90% of th locos north of Kimberley were spotless and in good paint condition. The same can not be said for the Western Cape unfortunately. Even the photos I have seen of Metro's in the Gauteng area are clean on the outside.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

To give credit where it is due, here in Gauteng Metro work very hard on cleaning and painting their stock (and stations) on an on-going basis.

I drive past one of their facilities where they service coaches and motors every day and they have quite a high through-put judging by the daily changes.

Some of the statiions look really good now.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

An added photo to this section. Climbing up the bank to Abbotsdale

[Jez Smith]

Re: John Ashworth's comment about EMUs being hauled by diesels when not under the wires in the UK - this practice has ended with Virgin Trains now utilising 125mph DMUs for the WHOLE journey (four fifths of which are electrified!), rather than the previous method. I personally think it's madness - these long-distance DMU's are noisy, cramped, and vibrate passengers' hind-quarters into a state of extreme numbness. Bring back the EMU's - better still - bring back the Electric Locos and 11 coaches please!
At least in South Africa it is stil possible to see loco hauled passenger and freight all day, every day, even if steam has sadly gone. There are few locations where so many locomotive hauled trains can be found in the UK these days - just ask Stefan Andrzejewski about my videos from Acton Bridge, Cheshire - or better still, visit my website that cam be found on my profile - PLENTY of UK locomotive videos there!!

LONG LIVE SA LOCOMOTIVE HAULED TRAINS!!

[Derek Walker]

I am curious, in all the pics I have seen of Cape Town metro coaches they all have a square box mounted along the edge of the roof, I have never seen that in Johannesburg. Is this a peculiarity of Cape Town Metro Stock? is it an anti-surfing measure? I have cropped one of the pics and indicated it with an arrow...
Great pics BTW....

roof.jpg (21.88 KiB) Viewed 6271 times

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Jez must have 100 videos on you tube under the name of Prenton Pimp. Acton Bridge is great as the variety of Loco and stock that race through there is amazing. If that was a Monre Vista I would spend all my free time there. Guards or not.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Derek as far as I know the old Metros had a lip above the doors and windows. These were small gutters that when it rained passengers would not have an extra shower on them when entering and leaving a train. When trains were overcrowded the passengers would hang on these lips. The coverings you refer to were for covering these lips making it impossible to hang.

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

I found the photo I was looking for. This shows the old Metro roof with the lip. See Rapid Transport for the rest of this photo.