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Umgeni Steam Railway |
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Subsequent to a donation on the 16th September 1982, by llovo Sugar Mill, of a small standard gauge shunting locomotive, a group of enthusiasts from the Natal branch of the Railway Society of Southern Africa formed Umgeni Steam Railway, located near Durban, South Africa. Since then, other locomotives and coaching stock have been donated by the old South African Railways (SAR) or have been purchased from scrap yards or other bodies. The first public run took place in early 1984, with a total of 80 passengers for the day, from the old New Germany Power Station. Today, over 25-years after its foundation, Umgeni Steam Railway is still run by volunteers. Trains run from Kloof Station (Stokers Arms) to and from Inchanga Station, on the last Sunday of each month along the edge of the picturesque Valley of a 1000 Hills. Inchanga is a colonial station (built in 1895) & is 45 minutes ride away along the old main line. The line was built in the late 1800`s and is one of the oldest active railway lines in South Africa today.At Inchanga Station one will find the popular Inchanga Station Craft Market where many hand crafted items can be found. Numerous food outlets help to satisfy the weary traveller, including braai facilities for the 12:30 train. One can also join the train for the 10:30 departure from Inchanga for Kloof where one can sit down to fine pub fare and an ice cold beer at the Stokers Arms Station Restaurant, and still be in time for the 12:30 train returning to Inchanga. We also run trains from Pietermaritzburg to Baynesfield, Nottingham Road and Wartburg . From a small beginning we now carry up to 800 passengers each running day. We are registered as a Section-21 non-profit making organisation our surplus funds are used for the preservation of steam locomotives & "railwayana" in Kwa-Zulu Natal. To the official Homepage |