737:
810:
onto a
Spoornet train consisting of 13 wagons, having flexible connecting bridges. This eliminated the trans-shipping of timber at Port Shepstone and reduced transfer time from 14 hours to two hours. A further endeavour was the "Timbertainer," an intermodal system where pulpwood could be loaded into an open container at a plantation and taken through to the mill. Plans were in place for a similar initiative for sugar cane shipments.
610:
724:(PSACR) was granted an operational and maintenance lease for a period of 199 years. The company inherited 25 steam locomotives - of which only one, an NG G16, was operational - plus rolling stock. The company announced a business plan expected to win back lucrative business from farmers and timber growers. In March 1988, the PSACR raised funds by offering 1.8 million shares for sale at one
474:
261:
42:
449:
427:
402:
380:
355:
330:
308:
286:
701:
As South Africa's farmers re-entered the global markets in the late 1980s, the quality of produce going to markets became increasingly important. As handling is a key issue in the retail quality of bananas in particular, the farmers were in favour of reviving the Alfred County
Railway, to reduce the
809:
In 1991 Spoornet acquired one-million shares in PSACR, equivalent to a 28% shareholding, which gave users greater confidence in the PSACR service. The "Narrow Arrow" piggyback train was introduced for supply to the Port
Shepstone pulp mill, where an entire train of 26 narrow gauge wagons was ramped
813:
However, by the mid-1990s the effects of transport deregulation began to impact of the profitability of the PSACR as larger, often overloaded, road trucks becoming ever more competitive. Although
Spoornet made representations to the government, transport regulations were further relaxed to allow a
817:
As a result, Spoornet began to lose general freight traffic, and PSACR's reliance on trans-shipment increased transport times and costs. The railway began a gradual decline, eventually failing in 2001 when it lost the key Port
Shepstone "Narrow Arrow" wood pulping contract, due to unreliability
566:
Before well maintained and reliable access roads had been developed, narrow gauge railways were used extensively by South
African farmers to move produce from their large farms to central sorting and packing points on their own land. As a result, entrepreneurial business people created linking
814:
higher gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 56 tonnes (55 long tons; 62 short tons), a higher axle load from 8.2 and 9.0 long tons (8.3 and 9.1 t), together with a 5% overload tolerance: the highest heavy vehicle mass with unlimited access to the roads of any country in the world.
562:
South Africa, rich in natural resources and fertile lands, has many areas that are ideal for agricultural production. However, the steep mountainous terrain between the resource rich areas in the high veld and the coastal ports presented a transport challenge.
752:, including GPCS, Lempor exhaust, an improved spark arrestor, lightweight multi-ring articulated piston valves, improved valve events and improved mechanical lubrication. Two locomotives were modified: No. 141 in 1989 and No. 155 in 1990, and reclassified to
845:
Before reaching
Shelley Beach the railway traversed several river bridges along the Hibiscus Coast. The train then veered inland and chugged up through banana plantations and cane fields towards Izotsha, passed through lush sub-tropical native forests and
875:
The service is known as the Hamba
Wehelle Express (or Humba Weheli Express) and was operated in conjunction with the Gorgez View Bed and Breakfast/Conference Centre/Coffee Shop at Paddock however by 2016 the service was suspended
838:(PCNGR) was granted a temporary permit to continue running the Banana Express, from Port Shepstone to Paddock. The company had three locomotives available to it: NGG16 Nos.151 and 127; plus an ex-sugar estate 0-4-0T, SAR NG UVE2.
841:
With a 6-hour journey totally devoted to tourism and enabling access to local attractions and businesses, it again became very popular with tourists because of both the scenery and the access to local businesses.
768:, the Banana Express, had always been steam powered, while the advantages of power and a short wheelbase meant that PSACR decided to lease SAR 91 Class diesels to provide hauling for commercial freight services.
821:
Suspending freight operations, the line continued to operate the Banana
Express, but accumulated huge debts to Spoornet. As a result of these increasing debts, Transnet decided to legally force the venture into
567:
railways to transport the produce from the sorting and packing points to the coastal ports. Their choice of gauge was determined by the gauge that was being used in each local area and varied between the early
871:
In 2015 a short section of the railway line - between
Paddock and Plains - was in use and a limited tourist service was being provided using a light weight carriage and an industrial Hunslet diesel locomotive
675:'s longer routes, which were more powerful. Also, being shorter in chassis length, these diesel-electric locomotives were able to access the growers' farms. Therefore, the SAR decided to transfer the
860:. This damaged many of the railway's bridges along the Hibiscus Coast so that they were considered to be beyond economic repair, and washed most of the Izotsha rail bridges away.
853:
Although PCNGR had proposals to reopen the line to Harding, in December 2005 Transnet shut the Banana Express, after they decreed a lease did not exist between SAR and PCNGR.
764:
Initially, the venture lost money heavily, but after making profits from year three, the venture decided to try to return to an all-steam powered railway. The tourism based
1104:
648:
of 1 in 37 / 2.7% for 20 miles or 32 kilometres after leaving the coast), the NG4s and their replacements were often double-headed to haul the diverse freight traffic of
924:
1291:
1276:
756:. In comparative testing No. 141 gave a fuel saving of 25% compared to a standard SAR Class NG G16 Garratt, and was easily maintained in regular service.
753:
905:
745:
680:
676:
1281:
1144:
775:'s second largest customer at Port Shepstone. This was driven by the operations of Kulu Lime and the Natal Portland Cement, plus pulpwood,
1286:
835:
1200:
709:
announced it would gradually put into private hands its huge state-owned corporations, including the state electricity corporation,
1052:
693:
Due to underinvestment, the Alfred County Railway became increasingly unreliable, and was closed to operations by the SAR in 1986.
1108:
932:
644:
The route of the Alfred County Railway had some curves of 45 metres (147.6 ft), but with gradients of up to 3 in 100 / 3% (
1174:
638:
634:
517:
124:
84:
720:
In reality, SAR/Transnet still owned the line, infrastructure and the stock as a nationally strategic asset; while the new
1250:
242:
1078:
1019:
736:
790:, and manufactured wooden items from Harding. North bound inland traffic was general cargo for the farmers, such as
900:
706:
668:
968:
863:
Several steam locomotives and several carriages that were used on the Banana Express are stored at Paddock
388:
1226:
1204:
895:
672:
551:
272:
69:
717:
which owned SAR. The Alfred County Railway was hence chosen as the pilot railway privatisation project.
547:
413:
744:
As part of their development to keep the railway competitive, the PSACR upgraded two of their existing
664:
locomotives, because their longer wheelbase would make access to the sugar cane fields more difficult.
527:
1261:
1152:
806:, farm implements and water tanks and small parcels. The company also revived the Banana Express.
725:
954:
1148:
928:
890:
749:
660:
to Port Shepstone. The line's management decided against purchasing more powerful articulated
316:
341:
885:
850:-dotted hillsides, before stopping in Paddock for lunch and then the direct return journey.
435:
1130:
294:
765:
1056:
787:
687:
626:
535:
485:
65:
609:
1270:
645:
625:
grown in the agricultural Harding district to Port Shepstone, the NGR commissioned
539:
531:
55:
1178:
994:
857:
776:
630:
366:
856:
On 18 June 2008 a huge storm hit the coast, which resulted in large amounts of
1255:
823:
795:
653:
618:
617:
Designed as part of the Natal Government Railways' (NGR) project to transport
590:
41:
17:
740:
Class NG G16A 141 & 155 on the climb from Bongwana to Nqabeni, circa 1992
1082:
1023:
228:
1105:"WorldRailFans :: View topic - Alfred County Railway , South Africa"
847:
784:
772:
714:
106:
1262:
Narrow Gauge World Magazine May - June 2010 - Article about this railway
683:
661:
543:
460:
803:
657:
622:
791:
780:
735:
710:
1055:. Railroad Association of South Africa. July 1990. Archived from
748:
locomotives. The engineers incorporated developments proposed by
799:
649:
955:"2ft gauge Little Titans for the Welsh Highland - the 'NGG16s'"
818:
problems resulting from labour relation issues at Spoornet.
705:
To raise funds and reduce government expenditure, the
702:amount of handling from banana plantation to port.
219:
211:
203:
195:
187:
179:
171:
163:
158:
150:
142:
137:
120:
112:
102:
97:
80:
75:
61:
51:
34:
534:, which runs from the southern transport hub of
1201:"Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum - Message Index"
8:
167:Transnet and PS&ACR sign lease agreement
1053:"Alfred County Railway two years on (1990)"
1251:Press Release re closure of Banana Express
834:After the termination of the PSACR lease,
667:From the mid-1970s, steam was replaced by
250:
31:
925:"South African Railways Class NG4 4-6-2T"
722:Port Shepstone and Alfred County Railway
697:Port Shepstone and Alfred County Railway
608:
223:Storm wrecks bridges along Hibicus Coast
1047:
1045:
1043:
1041:
1014:
1012:
916:
906:Two foot gauge railways in South Africa
191:PCNGR contracted to run Banana Express
7:
637:tank locomotives, based on the 1907
183:Transnet terminates PS&ACR lease
1292:1917 establishments in South Africa
1277:2 ft gauge railways in South Africa
931:. 12 September 2006. Archived from
836:Patons Country Narrow Gauge Railway
671:diesel-electric locomotives on the
550:for 122 kilometres (76 mi) to
25:
1177:. futurenet.co.za. Archived from
175:PS&ACR freight services start
686:to the Alfred County Railway in
472:
447:
425:
400:
378:
353:
328:
306:
284:
259:
40:
473:
260:
215:Transnet terminates PCNGR lease
199:Transnet auctions excess stock.
207:Last running of Banana Express
1:
1282:Railway lines in South Africa
448:
426:
401:
379:
354:
329:
307:
285:
969:"South Africa Rail Offering"
613:Map of Alfred County Railway
456:13 kilometres (8.1 mi)
268:122 kilometres (76 mi)
116:122 kilometres (76 mi)
1308:
1287:Transport in KwaZulu-Natal
901:South African Class 91-000
707:Government of South Africa
409:39 kilometres (24 mi)
362:59 kilometres (37 mi)
337:75 kilometres (47 mi)
771:The revived PSACR became
484:
466:
459:
441:
434:
419:
412:
394:
387:
372:
365:
347:
340:
322:
315:
300:
293:
278:
271:
253:
39:
760:Demise to road transport
599:3 ft 6 in
481:0 kilometres (0 mi)
1258:of the railway in 1991.
27:Railway in South Africa
1079:"Steam in Africa 2008"
896:Welsh Highland Railway
741:
614:
552:Harding, KwaZulu-Natal
70:Harding, KwaZulu-Natal
1145:"Banana Express tour"
867:Hamba Wehelle Express
739:
715:SA Transport Services
612:
514:Alfred County Railway
234:Alfred County Railway
76:Commercial operations
46:Alfred County Railway
35:Alfred County Railway
1111:on 27 September 2007
1059:on 26 September 2007
159:Preservation history
98:Preserved operations
605:Original operations
1229:. SouthCoast.co.za
1181:on 16 January 2010
973:The New York Times
742:
615:
138:Commercial history
1155:on 28 August 2005
1149:Sandstone Estates
1020:"Steam in Africa"
929:Sandstone Estates
891:Sandstone Estates
511:
510:
507:
506:
227:
226:
16:(Redirected from
1299:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1234:
1227:"Banana Express"
1223:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1212:
1203:. Archived from
1197:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1186:
1175:"Banana Express"
1171:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1160:
1151:. Archived from
1141:
1135:
1134:
1127:
1121:
1120:
1118:
1116:
1107:. Archived from
1101:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1090:
1081:. Archived from
1075:
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1049:
1036:
1035:
1033:
1031:
1022:. Archived from
1016:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1002:
991:
985:
984:
982:
980:
965:
959:
958:
951:
945:
944:
942:
940:
921:
886:Avontuur Railway
639:Class NG3 4-6-2T
635:Class NG4 4-6-2T
600:
596:
588:
584:
582:
581:
577:
574:
525:
520:
516:is an abandoned
476:
475:
451:
450:
429:
428:
404:
403:
382:
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357:
356:
332:
331:
310:
309:
288:
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263:
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188:14 December 2004
132:
127:
92:
87:
44:
32:
21:
1307:
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1300:
1298:
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1296:
1267:
1266:
1247:
1242:
1232:
1230:
1225:
1224:
1220:
1210:
1208:
1207:on 4 April 2005
1199:
1198:
1194:
1184:
1182:
1173:
1172:
1168:
1158:
1156:
1143:
1142:
1138:
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1128:
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1114:
1112:
1103:
1102:
1098:
1088:
1086:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1062:
1060:
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1039:
1029:
1027:
1018:
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1000:
998:
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988:
978:
976:
975:. 28 March 1988
967:
966:
962:
953:
952:
948:
938:
936:
923:
922:
918:
914:
882:
832:
788:telegraph poles
766:passenger train
762:
734:
699:
633:to build seven
607:
598:
594:
589:) to the later
586:
579:
575:
572:
570:
569:1 ft
568:
560:
523:
518:
482:
477:
457:
452:
430:
410:
405:
383:
363:
358:
338:
333:
311:
289:
269:
264:
245:
236:
235:
164:3 December 1987
130:
125:
121:Preserved gauge
90:
85:
47:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1305:
1303:
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1294:
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1245:External links
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1218:
1192:
1166:
1136:
1122:
1096:
1085:on 7 June 2011
1070:
1037:
1026:on 7 June 2011
1008:
997:. trainweb.org
986:
960:
946:
935:on 2 July 2007
915:
913:
910:
909:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
881:
878:
858:flash flooding
831:
830:Banana Express
828:
761:
758:
733:
730:
698:
695:
627:Stoke-on-Trent
606:
603:
559:
556:
536:Port Shepstone
509:
508:
505:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
489:
488:
486:Port Shepstone
483:
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196:September 2005
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135:
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122:
118:
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114:
110:
109:
104:
100:
99:
95:
94:
82:
81:Original gauge
78:
77:
73:
72:
66:Port Shepstone
63:
59:
58:
53:
49:
48:
45:
37:
36:
26:
24:
18:Banana Express
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1304:
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1288:
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1256:Youtube Video
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1196:
1193:
1180:
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1167:
1154:
1150:
1146:
1140:
1137:
1132:
1131:"The Mercury"
1126:
1123:
1110:
1106:
1100:
1097:
1084:
1080:
1074:
1071:
1058:
1054:
1048:
1046:
1044:
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1038:
1025:
1021:
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1009:
996:
995:"girdlestone"
990:
987:
974:
970:
964:
961:
956:
950:
947:
934:
930:
926:
920:
917:
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904:
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849:
843:
839:
837:
829:
827:
825:
819:
815:
811:
807:
805:
801:
797:
793:
789:
786:
782:
778:
774:
769:
767:
759:
757:
755:
754:Class NG G16A
751:
747:
738:
732:Class NG G16A
731:
729:
727:
723:
718:
716:
712:
708:
703:
696:
694:
691:
689:
685:
682:
678:
674:
670:
665:
663:
659:
655:
651:
647:
642:
640:
636:
632:
628:
624:
620:
611:
604:
602:
595:1,067 mm
592:
564:
557:
555:
553:
549:
545:
541:
537:
533:
529:
521:
515:
503:
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487:
479:
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468:
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437:
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407:
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385:
376:
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371:
368:
360:
351:
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343:
335:
326:
324:
321:
318:
313:
304:
302:
299:
296:
291:
282:
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277:
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266:
257:
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252:
249:
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244:
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231:
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222:
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214:
212:20 April 2006
210:
206:
204:December 2005
202:
198:
194:
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186:
182:
178:
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166:
162:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
136:
128:
123:
119:
115:
111:
108:
105:
101:
96:
88:
83:
79:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57:
54:
50:
43:
38:
33:
30:
19:
1231:. Retrieved
1221:
1209:. Retrieved
1205:the original
1195:
1183:. Retrieved
1179:the original
1169:
1157:. Retrieved
1153:the original
1139:
1125:
1113:. Retrieved
1109:the original
1099:
1087:. Retrieved
1083:the original
1073:
1061:. Retrieved
1057:the original
1028:. Retrieved
1024:the original
999:. Retrieved
989:
977:. Retrieved
972:
963:
949:
937:. Retrieved
933:the original
919:
874:
870:
866:
865:
862:
855:
852:
844:
840:
833:
820:
816:
812:
808:
770:
763:
746:Class NG G16
743:
721:
719:
704:
700:
692:
669:Class 91-000
666:
646:ruling grade
643:
616:
565:
561:
540:Indian Ocean
532:South Africa
528:narrow gauge
513:
512:
220:18 June 2008
180:15 June 2004
56:South Africa
29:
631:Kerr Stuart
587:597 mm
530:railway in
524:610 mm
367:Izingolweni
131:610 mm
91:610 mm
1271:Categories
912:References
824:bankruptcy
796:fertilizer
779:logs (for
750:L.D. Porta
654:sugar cane
619:sugar cane
591:Cape gauge
558:Background
172:April 1988
826:in 2004.
785:creosoted
781:matchwood
519:2 ft
126:2 ft
86:2 ft
880:See also
848:rondavel
773:Spoornet
684:Garratts
583: in
317:Bongwana
107:Transnet
103:Owned by
62:Terminus
1233:10 July
1211:11 July
1185:10 July
1159:10 July
1115:11 July
1089:11 July
1063:10 July
1030:11 July
1001:10 July
979:10 July
939:10 July
662:Garratt
658:bananas
623:bananas
578:⁄
548:Paddock
544:Izotsha
538:on the
461:Izotsha
414:Paddock
389:Kalwana
342:Nqabeni
273:Harding
804:cement
777:poplar
728:each.
713:, and
681:NG G16
677:NG G13
629:based
542:, via
436:Bomela
243:Legend
151:Closed
143:Opened
113:Length
52:Locale
792:maize
711:Eskom
688:Natal
295:Hluku
1235:2009
1213:2009
1187:2009
1161:2009
1117:2009
1091:2009
1065:2009
1032:2009
1003:2009
981:2009
941:2009
800:salt
726:rand
679:and
656:and
650:wood
621:and
546:and
154:1986
146:1917
783:),
673:SAR
601:).
593:of
68:to
1273::
1147:.
1040:^
1011:^
971:.
927:.
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