USR Banner
  HOME :: Date Goes Here Time Goes Here  

Welcome to Umgeni Steam Railway

Grain Train

THE NEXT TRAIN: SUNDAY 26th MAY 2013

THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PAX PER TRAIN IS 315 SO BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT


Our Fundraising Gauge for "Maureen" Class-3BR Bolier Refurbishment and General Loco Restoration

Currency Levels Shown are in South African Rand (ZAR)

       



Our thanks go to our latest sponsor, Mantech Electronics, who have kindly donated all the LEDs for the lighting of the bar coach No.5588

We thank Manny Moutinho (CEO/MD) and his staff for making this possible

LED Lighting

Mantech Electronics are an internationally recognised component distributor
and a leading South African supplier of electronic components and electronic systems,
they have branches in Johannesburg, Capetown and Durban

Mantech


Whilst at Inchanga please don't forget to visit the Inchanga Tea Garden and Museum.

Not only can you enjoy some of their home made cruisine but they do offer personalised "one-on-one" tours of the museum and the railway yard. Tours are offered during the week and the weekend, except the days when the train is running.

Their website is found at www.inchangarailwaymuseum.info


Dianne Abate has submitted these for the enthusiast to enjoy.
We thank her for her submissions and would remind all visitors who want to "copy" these that Copyright exists on them :)

If you have a good photograph that you would like to be displayed here please send to the webmaster

Dianne Abate (1)


A very rare pic of "Wesley" the 19D No.2685 heading the Garratt GF "Billy" No.2380 at Inchanga Station

Dianne Abate (2)


Greg Hart and Ryan Fincham have submitted these photographs to share.

Class 19D "Wesley" pulling an empty "ballast train" back to Inchanga - Sunday 25th November 2012
The ballast had been used to re-stock the line south of Bothas Hill, the train and then continued to Kloof
This is the first time a train has run on the line since end of January 2012

Ballast Train(1)

Class-18 in a power failure situation between Hidcote and Mooi River

Class-18 

Notties platform


Facebook
WHY NOT JOIN OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

You will be able to receive updates on train operation, special trains, competitions, special offers etc.
Mareen 2010

Maureen - February 2012

"Maureen" - taking empty stock back to Inchanga from Kloof on her last outing February 2012
Copyright 2012 and Courtesy of Robert Sugden


Ryan's 3BR
Courtesy of Ryan Fincham - "Maureen" Class-3BR No.1486, near Alverstone, January 2012

Normal Kloof-Inchanga-Kloof trains departing at 08h30 and 12h30 and Inchanga-Kloof-Inchanga trains departing at 10h30 and 15h00
or Inchanga-Kloof (one way) at
06h30 or Kloof-Inchanga (one way) at 16h15 (make your own return transport arrangements)

Catch the
06h30 departure from Inchanga to Kloof, have a Wimpy breakfast [now open from 07h00] at the Kloof Wimpy across the road from Kloof Station and be back on board by 08h15 for the return trip departing Kloof at 08h30 for a 09h30 arrival at Inchanga.
Then you can visit the Inchanga Craft Market before making your way back home.

"Early Bird" - Inchanga-Kloof-Inchanga at
06h30 (telephone booking only)
You will have to make your own arrangements for your collection from Kloof or Inchanga.

For Pietermaritzburg travelers why not take the Inchanga-Kloof-Inchanga trains, they depart
10h30 and 15h00
lenty of safe parking at Inchanga

Prices for normal Kloof-Inchanga-Kloof or Inchanga-Koloof-Inchanga running day trains
Adults R170.00, Children (2-12) R130.00 and Pensioners (over 65) R130.00

Due to the ever increasing price of coal and other resources we reserve the right to change the price of fares as circumstances arise

For any USR website problems or booking enquiries phone Robbie on 087 808 7715

SEE PICTURES HERE OF A RECENT UMGENI STEAM TRAIN TRIP TAKEN BY A PASSENGER

AerialServ
Look like a model railway but it is the real thing !
Our train entering the old Hillcrest Station (now Station Masters Arms)
Courtesy and Copyright 2010 of Steve McCurrach of Airserv

CLICK ON THIS LINK, OR THE DATE, TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE BOOKINGS PAGE

Booking Form Here

INCHANGA TEA GARDEN AND RAILWAY MUSEUM

 
Have a breakfast at the Inchanga Tea Garden, open from 09h30, or have a buffet lunch, served from 11h30 onwards, at the Inchanga Tea Garden and take the 15h00 to finish off the day

 Or book with them directly:
 INCHANGA MUSEUM AND TEA GARDEN Contact Beverly on 031-563-7248 or 083-226-1024 See their website here

 You can also book on the 08h30 Inchanga Tea Garden Breakfast Train or the 12h30 Inchanga Tea Garden Lunch Train and have your
 breakfast / lunch requirements pre-booked.

 PLEASE NOTE that the breakfast / lunch payments are due directly to the Tea Garden and are NOT included in the train ticket price


OUTENIQUA CHOO-TJOE

Visitors to Capetown might like to see the Atlantic Rail schedule for their steam train excursions - download their 2011 timetable here
or visit them at www.atlanticrail.co.za

OUTENIQUA CHOO-TJOE:

A comment from the Treasurer of the Friends of the Choo-Tjoe - Allan Waterston - "The major hurdle at present is the transfer of the railway assets from Transnet to the Western Cape Provincial Government.  Province have recognized the tourism benefit in this line and are spearheading the transfer. We have been told on numerous occasions that this is about to happen but I will only believe this when I see it.

If this process stalls then the only other option to save the line is to approach Transnet directly to explore the possibility of the assets being acquired by a private concern and run commercially.  The hunt will then be on for an a willing funder.  The longer the assets are left standing the greater threat that there will be nothing left to rescue."

Support the resurection of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, otherwise known as the George-Kynsna line, by visiting them at:

Our GPS co-ordinates for Kloof Station are: S29° 47’ 29.1” E030° 50’ 00.2” and
Inchanga Station: S29° 44’ 32.2” E030° 39’ 46.8”

MAP CANVAS

These are on the POI list for the GARMIN® series of GPS systems to make it easier for you to find us !


Celebrating 150 Years of Railways in South Africa" - the first STEAM train 26th June 1860 - Durban Market Square to Point Station.

Link here to the pages of the celebration of 150-Years of South African Railways

Why not advertise with us and help raise those needed fund to maintain this website.
We have 1000's of visitors per month and your income will also help us with our loco preservation fund
Our adverts are sold on a "pitch", pay-per-pixel basis, see our rates here

Andmar
Sunflower Fund
CMR Projects
Andmar Logistics
For all your container movements
Umgeni Steam Railway supports
The Sunflower Fund

www.sunflowerfund.org.za
CMR Projects (Pty) Ltd.
MyGate credit card systems integrators
for this website

Scottys

Our heavy duty plant used at Masons Mill is lent to us free of charge by Scotty's Plant Hire (PMB Branch)



Bell Equipment sponsor

Our coach lights are powered by batteries kindly donated by BELL EQUIPMENT



Cato Ridge Electrical
CATO RIDGE ELECTRICAL

CATO Ridge Electrical have sponsored floodlights for all the lighting systems for Inchanga Station,
Station Masters Buildings and the loco shed

Please contact them on +27 (0) 31 783 4389 for all of your industrial electrical requirement



LMV SWITCHGEAR CC

LMV Switchgear CC have provided invaluable support in supplying essential electrical parts for the correct operation of the coach electrical system

For all your industrial electrical enquiries contact Wayne Palmer or Heather Crabtree on +27 (0) 31 700 4691


East Coast Radio

Tell the world on hellopeter.com
"Maureen", the 1912 built Class 3BR, exhausts steam from the cylinder cocks as she pulls out of Kloof
on her first trip after being out of service for 3-months - Sunday May 3rd 2009
Copyright and courtesy Trevor Steenkamp (2009)

19D No.2685
3BR
"Wesley" Class 19D No.2685 near Alvestone
December 2007
Copyright and courtesy Brendon Anderson (2007)
"Maureen" Class 3BR No.1486 at Inchanga Station
May 2008
Copyright and courtesy Graham Gillett (2008)

Drivers Kit

Umgeni Steam Railway is a dedicated non-profit making organisation (Registered Section-21) whose focus is to preserve steam locomotion in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. The company is run by a team of volunteers and relies solely on ticket sales for its income.

As a member of "Steam-In-Action" we are proud to be pursuing our mission statement for heritage preservation.

Our fleet of steam locomotives includes a Class 3BR, Class 12R, Class 14R, two Class 19D's, a Garratt GF and a Garratt GMAM, along with the locomotive that the company was started with - namely a 1892 vintage Dübs Class-A.

We currently operate our trains on the last Sunday of each and every month throughout the year between Kloof and Inchanga.

The 1-hour trip from Kloof Station takes you up some of the steepest railway gradients in South Africa (1:30 and 1:50), through one of the oldest running tunnels, Drummond Tunnel - built around 1880, and around the hills overlooking the Valley of 1000 Hills to Inchanga Station.

Our locomotives vary in age from 1892 through to 1954 and most of our coaches date back to the early 40's, one coach being built in 1908, and so we offer a unique steam experience for all tourists, enthusiast or not, and for those who have never traveled on a steam train.

We are visited annually from visitors as far afield as USA and Canada to our west and Australia, China and New Zealand to our east, and from all parts of Europe - mostly from UK, Austria, Germany and France .

If you experience any problems with this website please contact the webmaster at the address at the bottom of this page.

You should find everything on our site you want to see:

  • Fares
  • Up to date calendar of events - with a database so that you can be keep informed of new trips
  • Calendar of events
  • Special events
  • Booking application forms - from Kloof and Pietermaritzburg to Baynesfield, Crammond/Bon Accord, Inchanga, Nottingham Road and Wartburg - now automatic so that you can "BOOK ONLY" or "BOOK and PAY"
  • On-line credit card payments for manual payments "PAY ONLY"
  • Donation payments - to help us with our preservation
  • Function hire for birthdays, wedding anniversaries, company functions and special events
  • Corporate enquiries for events such as year end functions, product launches, award programs and team building
  • For the steam loco enthusiast we will cover picture gallery's of rolling stock and tours and history, visit our enthusiast page
  • Umgeni Steam Railway membership - for downloading application forms
  • RSSA member section for RSSA news
  • Links to other steam preservation and associated web sites and other links to tourism venues in Kwa-Zulu Natal

Did you know that "NATAL" 0-4-0 was the first steam locomotive to haul a passenger train in South Africa
It ran between Market Square, Durban and the Point (3.2 Kilometers) on 26th June, 1860

"BLACKIE" 0-4-2 hauled the first train between Cape Town and Eersterivier on 13th February, 1862.



Since 11th September 2011
free counters
Free counters