Steam & Excursion > Meulspruit 1985 and 2007

While sorting through my South African steam pix, I noticed these two somewhat similar views, both taken from the same hillside above the Meulspruit bridge on the line between Bloemfontein and Bethlehem. The first was taken of a regular Bethlehem to Bloemfontein passenger back in November 1985, the second on a David Rogers steam charter in May 2007, 22 years later. Oh the changes. Back in 1985 the SAR was a busy rapidly modernizing well maintained system. By 2007 Transnet was a shadow of the former SAR. Many lines have been abandoned, service cut back, much of the traffic moved to highways. But the 2007 picture also shows the big advantage of a chartered train for photography.....David could arrange for the train to be there when the sun was right, and for the fireman to provide a bit of smoke instead of the perfect economy haze in the first image.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/13 20:59 by jbwest.

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Nice. I managed a similar image in 1983.

Great comparison, John!

Cheers,
Jack