Magalies Branch - overgrown

[Gabor Kovacs]

Looking west, away from Hercules Junction, the Magliesburg Branch is badly over-grown in many places, even trees now grown between the sleepers, with the line suspended in mid air as wooden sleepers have rotten away, and in many places steel sleepers have "disappeared"!

[Nathan Berelowitz]

A time warp indeed.

[Lee Gates]

Is the signal live, dead or blanked?

I used to go to Church camps in the area and the Magaliesburg branch ran across the bottom of the property. Seeing the 19D's (I think) running by with a day trip train was always a treat.

Major cash injection, I think, to get that line operating again.

[Gabor Kovacs]

Lee,

The signal is still very much alive and well, unfortunately just not in use. CLICK HERE to see the front of the above photgraphed signal.

[Lee Gates]

So the abandonned soldier still shines....

Has this signal ever been observed to change aspect?

[Steve Appleton]

The sad part is that this state of affairs need never have come about. This line could have been an operational "heritage" line, with regular steam and other trains running over it. The guys at Dam Rail have been trying for many years now to get a lease on the line, so far without any sign of success. In their early days, They cleared many kilometres of track and most of most of the remainder was still reasonably intact and rehabilitateable, probably at not too much cost. They even had the promise of a grant and money set aside by the North West Government. We at FOTR had major dreams of running over it. Now, I really doubt it's future. The Dam Rail guys have been sapped. There is no will-power by the various "powers-that-be" to facilitate this.

[Gabor Kovacs]

Lee,

I last observed this signal at "yellow" with a route, when FotR returned from their very last outing along this particular line.! If my memory is correct FotRs' Class 24 was used, and I also saw the driver hand back for the last time the "Hercules - Sandpits" Wooden Train Staff to the Yard Official at Hercules.
Since the lines' closure the Wooden Staff and it's box has been remove from the Hercules Yard office building!

[Lee Gates]

When was this line closed then?

Somehow an abandonned signal that has been glowing red for years is symbolic.

I agree with Steve ... what a wasted opportunity and it's not like there was much infrastructure to pay for in terms of maintenance on that line.

[Gabor Kovacs]

If, again, my memory serves me correctly, FotR ran the last train on the Magalies Branch in September of either 1993 or 1994.

Nathan, please correct me here if I am wrong?

[Nathan Berelowitz]

Last train was when the 24 class derailed after the bad rains. There were still the odd diesel turns for a while. Remember too that the Rovos Rail used to operate over the line to Magaliesburg, with double 19d up to Meerhof and then the diesel took over.