Flooding causes extensive damage to Umgeni Steam Railway track.
The vicious flooding of recent weeks has left its mark on the Old Main Line between Kloof and Inchanga, severely undermining the train tracks and causing hundreds of thousands of Rands worth of damage – suspending the Umgeni Steam Railway trips for the foreseeable future.
Parts of the track have been severely undermined and are requiring round the clock extensive (and expensive) rehabilitation. It is a monumental task involving large teams of workers and hundreds of tons of landfill material to rectify..
There are various stretches of the track which have been damaged. Four sections in particular – two in the vicinity of Horseshoe Bend between Drummond and Inchanga, another on Botha’s Hill and a third near Gillitts, require major interventions. Progress is being made levelling the first landslip on Horsheshoe Bend using recycled old railway sleepers to build a retaining wall.
Public wanting to help can support the project financially: rehabilitation will cost in excess of R1 million – a crippling amount for USR to come up with.
USR is looking for additional landfill material, sand, rock and clean builders rubble. If anyone can help – they are welcome to dump landfill material at Inchanga Station off Thousand Hills Road / MR485 Rd opposite D732.
The USR volunteers would also really welcome the use of a TLB, Bobcat or similar on select days to help with the process.
For updates and info on the track rehabilitation, please visit Umgeni Steam Railway on FB or visit www.umgenisteamrailway.com
If you can offer support – please contact Marc Bouchier on 083 252 2912.
