Somerset West Station

[Dylan Knott]

Somerset West station was controlled via a mechanical lever frame and had semaphore signals up until 2003. Thereafter, the semaphores were removed, lever frame mothballed and loop lines disconnected.

As of yesterday the loop line has been reconnected. Point indicators and manually operated points have been installed. Oddly, Van Schoor tablet system is still in use and the TCO needs to conduct a lot of cycling to change points and exchange tablets. The former signal cabin has been reopened, but the frame is no longer used.

A second platform will be built to enable to trains to cross, without one having to set back into the loop line. The formers goodsyard has all but been removed.

A new Premium Express service will be launched next week and looks identical to the Soweto Express. 10M stock to be used and makes a nice change to the everyday 5M2A stock we normally see. This new service will run from Strand - Somerset West - Firgrove - Eersterivier - Kuilsrivier - Mutual - Cape Town. 06:20 departure from Strand and 17:00 from CT.

By 2010 the section from Faure - Van der Stel will be converted to colour lights and CTC or local panel operation. The idea is to increase the number of pax trains on this section. Freight runs mostly at night anyway, as no need to cross metro trains at those times.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Interesting. Nice there is some development.