Here is an interesting and historical article, from the Newsletter August 1972.
It's all about the last train at CDM.
Remember well when they took out the last of the old line to the screening plants.
When I worked at 4 plant used to watch the coco-pans tipping into the big bins under the lines.
Malcolm
How far North did the actual rail run for?
Were they connected to the rails that were in town, just to the west of the mine store?
I think the line ran at least as far as Uubvlei and probably down to 50G.
I'm not sure where the locomotive workshop were. Possibly close to town?
Malcolm
I think the locomotive workshop is where driver training offices are today, I did google the rail lines a few times there's no evedince of lines north of Uubvley.
You can still see today the heaps of ground where the line's where . Starting at Uubvley running south crossing the east cliff road going under our HT line past the main substation turning slightly south west passing Mooimiesies turning west and south again in the area where the bucket wheel worked then they stop you can pick up the heaps again near 4 plant.
Did they not turn into town after passing 50G I recall our GPS showing rail lins heading for Town and if I'm not mistaken there are tracks at the mine store
Alfred
I wonder if there is actually a map on the railway lines somewhere in a dusty room ..... the old timers always documented everything..... would be nice to see a map of where the lines actually ran...... I remember as a kid the railway lines coming into the west side of the mine store and then a single line crossing over into the carpenter workshops....
I Googled the heaps where the old tracks where
During my time, which ended in '67, the line ran from 120M, a screening plant just north of Mittag workshops, via Uubvley to the HMS (I think later No. 4 Plant) and then past the Loco Shed next to North Electrical workshops to 20G, a screening plant just south of Central Fields. A spur line ran from the HMS to an old screening and crushing plant behind Gemsbok worshops at 50G. There was no connection to the township.
That explains - All the heaps north of Uubvley where removed by the S800 Bucket Wheel and the section between U0 and 4 Plant with the S400 Bucket Wheel
I know that the line connected all the screening plants. So I think definitely to 50G, but not sure how far north or what the last screening plant was. Anybody know the locations of the screening plants? There were 13 of them, that's all I know.
Malcolm
Hi Malcolm
There were 18 Field Screening Plants in total.In the south were 32G;65G(Dry inland plant); 68G: 103G (dry inland plant);100G; 122G; 2U;42U;142U;6M and 120M which is as far as the rail line went to the best of my recollection.50G was a clay sampling plant. The railway line did not extend further south of the HMS at 4Plant and so the screening plant concentrates from 32G;65G;68G and 103G were transported to the HMS on Mercedes Benz tipper trucks.
Kind Regards
Gordon
Gordon, When I was an appie in 89, I am pretty sure that when we drove to Appie Training , south of 4 plant, we took the tarred Uubvley north road and turned off just south of 4 plant heading down towards the haul road, I am almost certain there were a line of cocopans on rails just south of the east west road joining the tar road to the haul road, thus leaving the lines south of 4 plant,
Did'nt somebody mention on another post awhile back that Training was the original train sheds?
How do we explain the rails in town?
ANyone?
The train track ended inside the mine store/magazine ... goods could be loaded there for transport to the mine.
Thanks for that Gordon - I was hoping someone would know all the screening plant numbers.
So the line may have gone as far as 120M. Still think the line went south of 4 plant, but memory is too dim now . . .
Malcolm
I wonder if anyone is in contact with Tony Dunster? In the cape Town area I should guess. He will know about the loco systems. You there Dieter??? Maybe someone can contact him?
John
Guys
Found an old map of the mine with the railways well highlighted. You quite right Mike the track originates in town and goes all the way through to Central Fields at 44G. It shows a spur line to the 32G Screening Plant but this doesn't go north to the HMS. I worked at each one of those plants 32G;68G;65G and 103G between 1968 and1973 and neither had a rail link to the HMS. All gravels were transported by road. Where the road from town turns north toward North Hostel the rail track followed all the way to North Hostel. There it turned west toward the HMS and from there north again past 100G and onward along the coast as far as the 66M Screening Plant where the line terminated.Strangely enough the plan also shows a spur line from the HMS to the 68G Screening Plant but no such line was there when I arrived to work on that plant in June 1968.
Kind regards
Gordon
Gordon, what is the date on the plan?
Mike 1972
Gordon
I think it was around 1972-73 that they started lifting the old lines. The line to 4 plant must have come from the northern screening plants. When I worked at 66M HMS (68-69) I couldnt remember any line nearby.
Can you scan that map Gordon and send me a copy or put it up on the Forrum? Would be great to get a copy.
Malcolm
interesting topic
The rail lines have always interested me I spent many hrs marking the old tracks arround E-Bay, Pamona area on google earth
Gordon a map would be interesting
Hi John, Uncle Tony lives around the corner from me, I'll try to get hold of him and pick his brain...He had a stroke a while back but is still as bright as a button (85 years young). He stopped smoking many years ago, but it still looks odd seeing him without his pipe!
Hi Alfie
If you really want to see where the old narrow-guage lines were in the northern Sperrgebiet, then check the old German maps of 1913 - the "Karte des Sperrgebietes". They show all the old railway lines. It is a set of 10 sheets with amazing detail for its time. It shows the lines from Luderitz to Kolmanskop, Pomona, E Bay, Grillenthal and all the way down to Bogenfels.
Malcolm
Can anybody tell me if these loco's were also on the same line you are talking about? It's a link to a topic where I posted an old photo a while ago:
http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1703.msg35971#msg35971
@Bertie, I reckon it is, although we must'nt confuse the rail lines from the Northern areas with the ones down south in Omund...
I recall my father saying, that one Bob Stirling was the person who actually had the task of dismantling the last Loco..... there is a tale on the forum somewhere about how he mounted the signal lamps from that loco onto the sides of his front door on 7th avenue....
Quote from: mbertoni on November 01, 2010, 10:57:43 AM
Hi Alfie
If you really want to see where the old narrow-guage lines were in the northern Sperrgebiet, then check the old German maps of 1913 - the "Karte des Sperrgebietes". They show all the old railway lines. It is a set of 10 sheets with amazing detail for its time. It shows the lines from Luderitz to Kolmanskop, Pomona, E Bay, Grillenthal and all the way down to Bogenfels.
Malcolm
These must be the lines my grand father helped build. A whole bunch of photo's posted somewhere on here by Leon Sumter.
Hi Ricky
If you have a phone number for Tony I would like to phone him. You can email via the forum if you have one. Many thanks.
John
Hi John,
Tony Dunster's number is 021 556 0224 (Table View, Cape Town). Although his mind is as sharp as ever, sometimes he can't get all the words out, so be patient!
Ok! For those of you history buffs following this interesting topic, Gordon has forwarded us a copy of the mine plan from 1972, the last days of the railway lines, the image was very large, so I split it into 3 sections. The key to the maps are on the copy marked Uubvley.
For those of you still resident in Omund, a very similar map is mounted on the wall of the hospital ..... near the doors to the theatre, not too sure why it is placed here, but it makes interesting reading....
Thanks Gordon..... we are still looking for more info on the rails that came into the town itself....and photo's.....
LINK UUBVLEY AREA: www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/Maps/UubvleyArea.jpg 4,7meg
LINK KERBEHUK AREA: www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/Maps/KerbehukArea.jpg 2,6 meg
LINK AFFENRUCKEN AREA: www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/Maps/AffenruckenArea.jpg 1,89 meg
About 13 years ago I had to pass an envelope of pictures with captions on to someone. The pics were of all the old loco's and some technical specs too.
What I can remember is that most were built between 1911 and 1920ish and many were rebuilt after the WWII '49-'55 somewhere.
@Mike A the dump you are thinking of with the pans on the side en route to the appie school is G68 plant. Those pans disappeared from there when B&E retreated (screened) the tailings dump I guess late '90's.
There was a huge yard of tracks and track plates etc, stacked behind Mooimeisies along with a flat decked carriage with the name "Uubvley tracklayer" painted along the side of it. This was cleared away a couple of years ago and unfortunately no pics taken then. The spot is still visible on Google Earth.
"In 1950 a railway line with a 30kv overhead transmission line was constructed to connect Mittag in the North to Oranjemund, some 54km apart.
On a daily basis the trains transported some 860 people to their place of work, supplies to the hostels and workshops, and 1500 cubic metres of gravel to the screening plants."
Source:"Treasures of the Diamond Coast ~ A Century of Diamond Mining in Namibia by Gabi Schneider"
ISBN 978-99916-0-968-3
There is a lot more to the book, facts about the number and types of carriages and engines on these historical rails, but I think you will have to buy this book to read more...
As stated on another topic, I initially thought that the price of the book was quite steep, but now I am going to ask Michele to buy me my own copy..... well worth it......
Mike bought my copy of Treasures of the Diamond Coast from
NETBOOKS CC
Milnerton, Cape Town
Tel. 021 551 4248
Fax. 021 552 9504
Email. books@netbooks.co.za
The Price was R265 including vat.
Kind regards
Gordon
Thanks for that Gordon, On their site, they claim the book is going for R499.
Think you were lucky to get the book at the price you did, they must have slipped up.... grab(1)
I took the library book back this morning, the nice lady extended the due date till next year, seeing that the library is so quiet....
pls
Dear Mike, I still have NETBOOK'S Tax Invoice made out for R232.46 plus VAT of R32.54.
Can forward a copy if you like for onward dispatch to NETBOOKS as proof they were selling Treasures of the Diamond Coast for R265.Worth a try!
Merry Xmas to you and your family
Gordon
I contacted NETBooks in Milnerton while in CT No Stock will order going for R400
Compliments of Tuys De Wet, one can see the rail lines west of the mine store....
Not sure if this is late 60's or early 70's......