BEB09_6th_reverse_tunnel.jpg (109258 bytes)

BEB9_6th_reverse_tunnel. Steam in Southern Africa 1973 - 1999. The 98 mile (157km) branch line from Aliwal North to Barkly East in the Cape Eastern section, was unusual in South Africa. Built close to the mountainous border with Lesotho (formerly Basutoland), between 1903 and 1930, the branch’s route entailed the crossing of two rivers, each in a deep gorge, with high veld before, between and after. To effect the crossing of the Karringmelkspruit, trains had to negotiate six reverses - zig-zags - down and up the valley-sides, while nearing the Barkly East end of the line, two further reverses were necessary for descending to cross the Kraairivier. This difficult railway was never an economic success, but it did open access to small communities that otherwise were poorly served by other means of transport. Not suprisingly then, the building of new roads allowed the branch to be closed in 2002, though recent surveys show the track still in place. When the Aliwal North to Barkly East branch was being built there was a plan for a 230 foot (70m) tunnel to be driven from the end of Reverse 6. That would connect via a steel girder bridge over the river, with a track laid from Reverse 1 to the other side of the valley. In that way Reverse 1 - 6 would have been by-passed, but the bridge which, at 318 feet (97m) in height, would have been the highest on South African Railways, was not built. However, the Reverse 6 tunnel was, and it is seen here with the 1911 completion date clearly marked in the capstone. Never used, the tunnel was a refuge for among other creatures, scorpions and snakes! roger.griffiths@hotmail.com