2024 African Safari Plus: Rovos Rail A (6/12/2024)

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 (continued)

From Johannesburg, our driver transported us to the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria, South Africa.

First we visited the Rovos Rail Museum with a vast
collection of railroad paraphernalia

Vintage wardrobe trunk

Toy train sets (KSS)

HO model railroad layout

HO model Rovos Rail train

Rovos Rail Station (1948)

We donned safety vests for a facilities tour
given by the founder of Rovos Rail,
Rohan Vos, including the maintenance shed

The carpentry department creates all the woodwork to
make any rail car body into a"vintage" passenger car

Even locomotives are renovated with new Volvo Penta engines

Although it is no longer feasible to use steam locomotives
for the long journeys, they are regularly overhauled
and used for local excursions

Diesel locomotive #1562; although
Mr Vos almost went bankrupt in starting
this company, he now seems able to
purchase a half dozen surplus locomotives
or random passenger cars from around
the world, which he rebuilds to his standards

What?! They are putting us on motor coaches?

Rovos Rail is a private railroad, and it is dependent on the South Africa government-controlled track network. We were informed that our planned route from Pretoria into Zimbabwe was undergoing track maintenance. We needed to be bussed 45-minutes to the Krugersdorp Station to board the train that would then take us through Botswana.

Our Pullman suite (includes en suite bathroom)

Pullman bathroom

Pullman shower 

Dinners on Rovos Rail required formal dress;
since the dining cars were pre-1940, I opted
for the Roaring 20s look, every night...

Pillared dining car

Table setting

At dinner we learned that there had been a train derailment, blocking our way to Botswana. That meant the tracks being maintained had to be reopened for northbound rail traffic. Thus, we left Krugersdorf heading northward back to Pretoria, then continued on the original route, but very much delayed.

Turndown service includes turning the seat into a bed,
and an elephant sculpture?

Next: Rovos Rail B.