FAR RAIL TOURS
Zimbabwe. August 2005
In August 2005 Geoff Cooke planned and co-hosted a tour to Zimbabwe for FarRail Tours.
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Report and photographs are Copyright to Geoff Cooke
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24 August. Wednesday
The group flew into Harare around midday, and spent the
afternoon visiting Harare station and the Lochinvar
Diesel and Electric Depot.
Of interest to some at the station was the goods train
waiting to depart for Mutare and Beira behind
Mozambique diesel # 305.
Lochinvar stables both DE9 and DE10 locomotives, as
well as being the turn around point for Class EL1
Electrics.
We travelled overnight to Bulawayo on the Mail Train,
arriving late as expected at lunchtime.
25 August. Thursday
This afternoon we drove to Hwange, spending the night
at the Baobab Hotel, sadly a shadow of its former self.
Harare Station. 24 August 2005
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Lochinvar MPD. 24 August 2005
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26 August. Friday
Today was spent at the Hwange Colliery. Wagons were
being loaded at the Liner Train silos and then being
shunted back to the Colliery for weighing prior to shipping.
This involved the unusual sight of loaded coal wagons
being brought from Thomson Junction to the Processing
Plant. 15th Class # 12 was in charge, bringing up 8 loaded
wagons at a time.
#12 between Thomson Jct and the Colliery.
26 August 2005
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Thomson Jct steam depot.
26 August 2005
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Near Victoria Falls Station
27 August 2005
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27 August. Saturday
This morning we rode the Victoria Falls Safari Express
train behind their Class 14A # 512. A number of runpasts
were organised on the way down to the bridge, as well
as over the bridge itself.
We rejoined the train to ride to Livingstone and on to the
Transport Museum before returning to Victoria Falls.
#512 entering Livingstone Station
27 August 2005
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#512 crossing the Vic Falls Bridge
27 August 2005
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28 August. Sunday
This morning Hwange Colliery # 11 ran a special goods
train from Thomson Junction over the NRZ main line to
New Hwange Station, and from there back to Thomson
Junction on the old main line.
This route includes some of the best scenery in
Zimbabwe, not to be missed.
After lunch we drove back to Bulawayo via the Hwange
Game Reserve, with time to view some more of
Zimbabwe's big boys.
#11 near Tajintunda
28 August 2005
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#11 at the Baobab bridge
28 August 2005
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Alternative big game at Hwange Game Reserve
28 August 2005
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29 August. Monday
The early morning visit to the Bulawayo steam depot
was rewarded with perfect light and a good lineup of
locomotives, including Museum locos 115, 190 and
730.
15th Class Garratt # 416, recently overhauled, was the
locomotive for our special goods train to Sawmills.
All photographs copyright: Geoff Cooke
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Bulawayo steam depot
29 August 2005
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