An opportunity to enjoy rail tourism and create jobs in the Northern Cape, lays hidden in steam trains. SteamNet 2000 NPC is a non-profit organisation (NPO) in Kimberley. Its volunteers have been restoring steam locomotives and carriages from the bygone days of the railways for more than 20 years.
However, SteamNet needs financial and government assistance to make opportunity a reality.
Volunteers and directors of SteamNet work at least two Saturdays a month to maintain two working locomotives. The one is 3437, a Class 25 NC steam locomotive. This locomotive has already been photographed by international photographers on private tours in winter, when steam hangs low over the locomotive and its freight cars.
This was done at photogenic locations such as bends on the railway line, bridges, and gorges in the Northern Cape and Free State.
Train enthusiast Bakang Seinolo is a volunteer, mechanical assistant, and a trainee steam locomotive operator. Seinolo, also known as King Gravity, studied Tourism Management at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in Kimberley. He is known for capturing South Africa’s most luxurious Blue Train, as well as Rovos Rail, and also passenger and freight trains on camera.
Enjoying heritage of railways
“It is important to me that every Northern Cape resident and South African experiences and enjoys the heritage of our railways. I want to approach the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism and the ministers of Arts and Culture and Tourism for official support and financial assistance.
“The Northern Cape economy is based on the railway from the Diamond Rush that made Kimberley one of the richest cities in the world. Transnet’s locomotives haul the Northern Cape iron ore trains to the ports, which is an economic boost.”
Seinolo is crazy about trains, all locomotives, from diesel to electric, and especially steam-driven.
“I dream of and think about trains every day.”
He attracts thousands of followers on Facebook (11 000), TikTok (4 000), and YouTube (2 000) with his photos and videos of trains.
“I want to photograph the Transnet Class 15E, the powerful electric locomotive that pulls the long Sishen iron ore train.”
The biggest obstacle of promoting rail tourism is having money available to maintain iron giants and to call in experts. It also takes patience and expertise to obtain permits to run on Transnet’s railway lines.
Recently, he was a volunteer who helped wash scale and rust from the boiler of 3437 in the railway yard in Beaconsfield. This was done with Peter Odell, a director of SteamNet. Other volunteers were William Higgo, Ian Mandy and his son Ian, and Oscar Sabatini, whose daughter, Sianni, owns the locomotive.
“I appeal to politicians, office bearers, donors and volunteers to help us,” says Seinolo. Call him on 063 944 9796.
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