The BlueTrain of South Africa - Meeting At First

As a little boy, living on a Highveld farm in the 1960's, the sight of a train always was exciting and even a freight train drawn by a Class 15E “Bonghol” steam engine could not go unnoticed. One day, we saw a passenger train, my first, before I was school-going age. Great was my surprise when I learned that two of my uncles were drivers of such trains.

Shrouded in mysticism, the elusive White Train then the preserve of the State President, as well as the first of The Blue Train, had my imagination going. Details were sketchy and speculation was rife among cousins. By end of 1968, we have relocated to Worcester and passengers trains, including the occasional original The Blue Train were sighted frequently.

Then came 1974 and we had a phone call from my aunt in Beaufort West. She told my mother that her husband, the late Mr Herman De Vries, had just driven the brand new version of The Blue Train from Kimberly or De Aar to Beaufort West, where they lived. Moreover, his brother-in-law, the late Mr Willy Roper, took over and brought the new opulent serpentine to Cape Town. We were advised to travel to Monument Station at Cape Town, where we were allowed to peep through the windows of The Blue Train, yet were told not to let as much as a nose leave a mark on the shiny new double-glazed windows.


We were taken into the electric locomotive and had short lecture followed by a live demonstration of raising and lowering the pantograph. That is the device that connects the locomotive with the overhead power lines.

Pantograph

As a twelve year old boy, this had made a huge impression upon me. Fully laden, it weighed approximately five hundred metric tons.

It had taken me well over forty years to see my dream fulfilled, which was to step on board The Blue Train and get a closer look. It may be many years before I can afford a journey, yet I will not easily forget my first visit to this superlative work of art that is so much more than just rolling stock.

March 1, 2017 saw me step on board thus über opulent, indulgent train, the best in its class in Africa.

In my next article, I will share more information and photographs.

For now, let me just give you a foretaste of things to come. Guests are greeted and welcomed upon arrival, by Mr Francois Geldenhuys, Financial Manager and also by Mr Leon Du Toit, Food and Beverage Manager.

The Blue Train Welcome You

The Blue Train Concierge Desk

The Blue Train Lounge - Cape Town

Appetising?

In the next article, you will be given a full tour of the luxurious The Blue Train. I will be writing a full article and share many more photographs, interesting facts and figures, yet not bore you. 

A little consolation comes in the form of a scale model, past of a memento set that can be bought in a beautiful wooden display cabinet at a reasonable price.

This is where I sign off, with the firm promise to be back with a full article. Thank you for reading and please do leave your comments in the space below.