Sandstone Estates

Sandstone Estates (Pty) Ltd is a large commercial agricultural enterprise covering over 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres), located on the border with Lesotho in South Africa's Eastern Free State province, close to the Maluti Mountains. The nearest town is Ficksburg, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) away on the R26. Bought by entrepreneur Wilfred Mole in 1995, today it is also a hub of transport preservation.

History

The farm was built up by the Wille family from the 1830s, who were originally German missionaries. Mole bought the complex with his wife Linda in 1995 after making his money from becoming the owner of the Nokia franchise for South Africa.[1] 100% organic since 2005, producing wheat, soya beans, maize, and sunflowers, it is today held as part of a portfolio of international agri-businesses.

Sandstone Heritage Trust

Like many farms in South Africa, it had no narrow gauge railway to transport produce direct from the fields to the main shipping ports. Mole, a dedicated railway enthusiast paid for one to be built with his own capital.

As a steam enthusiast, in the mid-1990s Mole was approached by Alan Clarke of Transnet Heritage Foundation, who realised the foundation did not have the resources to rescue the collapsing Midmar Museum in KwaZulu-Natal.[1] The collection formed the basis of what became the Sandstone Heritage Trust. Today, the trust's main collection is still based around the railway transport of Southern Africa, but also covers an extensive global road transport and military vehicle collection.[2]

The annual "Stars of Sandstone" 10 day event every March, April or May attracts 1,000s of visitors, 70% of whom are from overseas.[2]

Falcon Engine works number 232/1895, restored as Beira Railway number 7, April 2006
Henschel-built South African Railways NG15 2-8-2 No.17 leaves a station at Sandstone Estates, February 2005

Agricultural machinery

Old tractors which had been on the farm for many years were retained, and added to by donated items. Today the collection runs to over 700 tractors, all were slowly restored to operation.[2]

Railways

The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway runs from Grootdraai in the south, for some 26 kilometres (16 mi) northwards to the main farm at Hoekfontein, onwards via Mooihoek to a large loop at Vailima sidings/Ficksburg and the farm's main depot at Vailima.[3] Today the collection of 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock is one of the most numerous in the world.[2]

During the 1990s the Trust took occupancy of the old South African Railways steam workshops at Ficksburg, located alongside the Transnet Freight Rail Bethlehem to Bloemfontein line. As well as acting as a collection and restoration point, it also acts as a training college for local young people, who are trained through the restoration process. The Ficksburg site is also the hub of a short 3 ft (914 mm) gauge line, where the locomotives included artist David Shepherd's North British Locomotive Company 15F, and the standard gauge workshops.

The Trust presently has 22 locomotives in use on the estate, with another 5 currently under restoration in Bloemfontein.

Military

The Trust formed a joint-venture with the South African Army's School of Armour Museum in Bloemfontein, which led to the development of a significant collection of South African military vehicles. The collection is built around educating visitors on conflicts which have taken place since World War 2, in which South African troops have taken part.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Sandstone Steam Railroad – the first ten years" (PDF). The Times. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lindi van Rooyen (28 June 2013). "Locomotive collector and his toys". Farmers Weekly. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Narrow Gauge Garratts and More". farrail.com. Retrieved 2009-07-10.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandstone Estates.

Coordinates: 28°50′42″S 28°00′09″E / 28.8449°S 28.0024°E