Two foot gauge railways in South Africa

At the beginning of the 20th century, 2 ft (610 mm) narrow-gauge railway lines started playing a significant role in South Africa. They facilitated the transport of various agricultural and mineral produce from locations hardly accessible by road. They therefore enabled many communities to become prosperous.

These lines featured the largest and most powerful locomotives ever in existence on two-foot-gauge railways worldwide.

All two-foot railways were operated isolated from each other. However, this did not prevent standardization and interchangeability of and locomotives.

The larger railway lines operated their own workshops performing minor to major and/or repairs. For the purpose of major overhauls and interchangeability, rolling stock could be transported piggyback on Cape gauge rolling stock by means of a special access ramp on the break of gauge at Cape gauge junctions available on most of the two-foot lines.

Their decline started in the 1980s, the last commercial line ceased operations in the 1990s. Only a few tourist, agricultural and/or heritage railways survive. Many defunct locomotives are plinthed at various former railway station sites or performing their duties on the Welsh Highland Railway and other heritage railways in and outside South Africa.

It is common for South Africans to consider anything less than 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in, Cape gauge) as a narrow-gauge railway and are accustomed referring to "standard gauge" when they actually mean "Cape gauge".

Overview

Port Elizabeth–Avontuur / Patensie

The Avontuur Railway was built from 1890 to 1905 and is 285 kilometres (177 mi) long. Extension to Patensie completed in 1914.

The Apple Express, a tourist train, ceased operations in December 2010.

The Port Shepstone–Harding line was operated from 1911 to 2006 and is 122 kilometres (76 mi) long. Closed by South African Railways in 1986 and then leased to the Alfred County Railway which went bankrupt in 2004. The Banana Express continued under Patons Country Narrow Gauge Railway operations having a temporary permit from Transnet and ceased operations in 2005. On 18 June 2008 a storm ruined the railway in the coastal area. A limited diesel locomotive hauled service is being operated between Paddock and Plains stations.

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Wikipedia