2009-06-18: Maintenance Train comes in to Bellville Yard

10:32AM: Quite a surprise to see a train coming in from Stikland in the left lane line, and then switching across to right-most track to come into the cutting on the north side in order get access to Bellville Yard. The probable reason for this was that work was being done to the normal southern side track going into the goods yard.


The normal position is that trains usually go out to Stikland from the Yard via this line, and not come into the yard via down this line as is shown here.


The train is headed by 35-471 and 35-003.






Obviously wagons which can carry lengths of rail.


The yellow machine has the markings TCR-V and GC1 and the company name "Lennings Rail Services"


An assortment of housing


Followed by water tanks ..


EOT marker = End of train !!!

2011-07-31: Coal Train at Wintervogel on way to Saldanha

16:12 This train has just passed the Wintervogel siding and in the original image some 33 wagons carrying anthracite coal for the smelters at Saldanha can be counted. This photo courtesy Elna Conradie.


This photo courtesy Elna Conradie.




The consist numbers are 35-029, 35-039, 35-037 and 35-061, This photo courtesy Elna Conradie.




This gives some idea of the size of the "arrow" coal wagons. This photo courtesy Elna Conradie.


The CCR "arrow" wagons have a capacity of 67 cubic metres, and each one can carry 58,000 kg coal. The Steel smelter at Saldanha requires 675,000 tons of anthracite per annum - this boils down to some 11637 wagons of coal of this type - or an average of 32 wagons per day all year round! [Source for tonnage here.]


In about 5 minutes the train will reach Kalbaskraal from where it will branch off the Malmesbury line towards Darling and beyond. This photo courtesy Elna Conradie.

Transporting Granite Quarry Blocks

2009-06-18: Triple-Headed train transporting granite quarry blocks


09:39AM: 35-415, 35-449 and 35-413 arrive from Stikland station with a load of granite quarry blocks and stay on the mainline into Bellville station.









2009-06-29: Double-Headed train transporting granite quarry blocks


09:56AM: 35-494 and 35-003 arrive from Stikland station with a load of granite quarry blocks and descends into the cutting to go into the Bellville Yard.

2009-06-29: Hot Rolled Steel Coils traffic around Bellville

9:41AM: This heavy tripple-header train is departing Bellville Yard with a load of hot rolled steel coils which presumably were manufactured in ARCELORMITTAL'S Vanderbijlpark Steel plant, and which is now destined for Saldanha to be shipped abroad together with similar (different thickness) coils from ARCELORMITTAL'S Saldanha plant.




The train is headed by units 35-029, 35-449 and 35-004






According to a Mittal datasheet, these coils could weigh between 17 and 31 tons each and be up to 2 meter in diameter.








Working against the incline.


EOT-marker @ End-Of-Train !!! ;-)

ANOTHER CONSIGNMENT OF COILS ARRIVES FROM ARCELORMITTAL'S VANDERBIJLPARK STEEL PLANT.

19:52AM on 2009-07-10


Descending into the cutting to enter Bellville Yard.

2009-07-07: Cement Tanks shunted on Strand line

9:25AM: Shunter 36-013 departs Bellville station with 4 cement tank wagon and the shunter's wagon onto the line direction Strand.




Curiously a flight from Europe is coming in to land ...




The shunter's assistant is visible in the cab wearing his yellow safety top.


Both variations of these XBJ cement tanks make up this little train.




Detail of the shunter's wagon marked with "BELLVILLE" as its base.