Return of Steam - Cape Central Railway - Ceres Rail Company - Part Four

The Worcester to Mossel Bay route is a branch line stooped in character and history dating back to its construction in the late 1800s. The Cape Central Railway was founded in 1883 with the line reaching Ashton in October 1887 the primary purpose being fresh farm produce from the Breede River Valley to Cape Town.

The CCR received stiff competition from ox wagons and soon the company was bankrupt with its assets being transferred to the New Cape Central Railway in 1893.

1906 finally saw the line being extended to Voorbaai and crossing the Gouritz river by means of the sharing the road bridge that was already in use. There was, however, strict weight limitation that continued until the line was absorbed into the South African Railways which lead to a multitude of improvements along the route. These improvements included the construction of the new bridge in 1931 and the laying 80lb rail.

Today this branch line is occasionally visited by two NBL built South African Class 19D steam locomotives. Consecutively numbered 3321 and 3322 were the first two of fifty 19Ds built by the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow, Scotland for the then South African Railways and Harbours.

These locomotives are now privately owned and operated by Ceres Rail Company that use them for scheduled day excursions, private charters and occasional overnight trips. This five-part series showcases these sister locomotives along the same route during two different CRC Voorbaai excursions.

Soul of a Railway - https://sites.google.com/site/soulora...
Ceres Rail Company - http://www.ceresrail.co.za/