Garden Route Steam Train - Bye bye Outeniqua Choo Tjoe

by Alison
(Cape Town)

Very sadly, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe runs no longer.

Our famous Garden Route steam train route has had its ups and down in the lst few years - or rather, its downs and downs, and now the service has been discontinued entirely.

This is a huge loss to us and to other visitors to the region, because it was a great day excursion as well as a living peek through the window of railway history for our kids.

The beginning of the end came in the torrential rains in 2006. Flood water caused a huge mudslide which damaged the Knysna-to-George ection of the railroad beyond viable repair. The Kaaimans River bridge was also affected.

The train service had to be curtailed and since then has only run east from George to Mossel Bay and back.

This year a little more of the historical magic was lost when the drought-stricken region found it could no longer spare enough water to fill the boiler of the steam engine, leading to its replacement by a modern diesel.

And finally on Friday 17 September 2010, the Choo Tjoe took its last journey before being discontinued forever.

We wish it a nostalgic farewell.

The George Railway Museum is still open and well worth a visit. It has fascinating displays, particularly the Royal Train carriages which were used in 1947 when the British Royal family toured South Africa.