Zimfest - Zimbabwe Steam Festival 2001

Geoff Cooke, one of the prime movers for this event has sent me this May update. The festival is organised by Railway Safaris (Pvt) Ltd, P O Box 2536, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Dated: Monday, 21 May 2001

It is possible to register for Zimfest and make your own transport and accommodation arrangements. This is in keeping with the principle of a Railway Festival, which should offer more than a tour. However, it is also possible to book a package that includes registration, accommodation and transport. This package will use the train coaches for accommodation at Dete. The train will comprise a 1920's balcony dining car, the 1928 ex-General Manager's Private Saloon and wood panelled first class accommodation. It will be staffed by local enthusiasts, with Juliet Rickwood running the dining car and Chas Rickwood organising runpasts. It should be great fun!

Success this year will persuade service providers like hotels and touring companies of the value of Zimfest. This will make it possible to look for sponsorship in future, and sponsorship can result in lower registration fees. This will not happen if we run Zimfest 2001 with a minimum number of participants.

Don't miss this chance join the first Zimfest! Tourism is low in Zimbabwe this year, and this has impacted on the numbers expected to attend. You will receive a warm welcome, will be perfectly safe, and there will probably never be another Zimfest with so few participants in the photo line-ups. It may also be the only one that will benefit from a working steam motive power depot.

SHURUGWI

The management at the Shurugwi Mine has changed, and although the pervious General Manager agreed to our visit in writing, the incoming General Manager is hesitant. Permission remains to visit the mine, and to travel on their trains. However, permission to run steam has been rescinded for the time being.

A number of participants have expressed a particular interest in the Industrial aspects of Zimfest, and consequently I have prepared two alternatives to replace the Shurugwi option.

Option One;

Remain in the same area as Shurugwi, and still visit the mine. However, we will also organise visits to other industrial locations in the area, possibly including Zisco Steel at Redcliffe, the Zimasco smelters and Lancashire Steel at Kwe Kwe, Sable Chemicals near Kwe Kwe and the cement works at Lalapansi, near Gweru. Visits can also be made to the Mining Museum at Kwe Kwe and the Military and Aircraft Museum at Gweru, both of which have items of transport and steam interest. All of the industrial railways have diesels.

Option Two;

A two day trip to Selebe Phikwe in Botswana to see the 19th Class 4-8-2's and Class 14A 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratts. The transport and accommodation costs of this option will be advised soon.

This option can also be taken at the end of Zimfest, on July 18 & 19. This allows all options to be included.

I hope that these two options will adequately replace the original Shurugwi one.

THE BULAWAYO - BEIT BRIDGE RAILWAY

It was planned that the Railway Touring Company 'Zambezi Express' tour would run from Beit Bridge to Bulawayo over this railway, using both a South African Class 25NC and NRZ Garratts. Zimfest trains from Bulawayo would run as far as Gwanda.

Spoornet, who operate the line on contract, have decided that these trains would be outside of their agreement with BBR, and that the agreement would have to be re-negotiated to make the tours possible. It would appear that the original agreement only covers normal freight movements.

Although we will continue to deal with this issue in the expectation that the necessary contractual changes can be implemented for future tours, we cannot be sure that this can be finalised by July. Consequently the 'Zambezi Express' has been re-routed to run from Beit Bridge to Bulawayo via the NRZ Rutenga route. Zimfest will still include this train in its programme.

TIMETABLE

The Zimfest timetable has been altered to accommodate these changes and a revised timetable appears below.

Harare Transfers

It is expected that most of the International participants will arrive in Harare and will need to be transferred to Gweru if they choose option 1 on July 05. Those choosing option 2 would have to fly to Bulawayo in order to arrive in time for the transfer to Botswana.

Thursday & Friday. July 05 & 06.

Option 1:

July 05

Guided tour of Midlands industrial railways including the scenic 2ft Gauge Shurugwi Peak Railway.

Transport will be available this morning from Harare, including a stop en-route at the Kadoma Steam Collection to inspect 14th Class No 500, 15th Class No 350 and a 2 ft Peckett ex- Shurugwi Peak Mine Railway. Transport will also be available from Bulawayo. Both groups will meet up in Kwe Kwe where they will visit industrial locations in the town. Lunch will be at Kwe Kwe. Visit the Mining Museum before driving to Gweru. Visit the Military and Aircraft Museum and overnight in Gweru.

July 06

This morning, visit Shurugwi Mine. You will have the chance to ride onE of their normal trains that take workers to the Peak Mine, and children to and from school. You will also be free to visit the yards to photograph and record the numerous diesel locomotives on site. Return to Gweru for lunch before visiting other Gweru industrial locations. If there is an interest, we can include the NRZ Dabuka Electric Motive Power Depot and hump yard. Drive to Bulawayo where we will overnight.

As an alternative to the day in Gweru, you can book a day trip to Great Zimbabwe, returning to Bulawayo to join the rest of the party. This will depend upon adequate bookings being received. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Option 2:

July 05

Guided tour from Bulawayo to Selebe Phikwe in Botswana where Bamangwato Concessions Ltd uses ex SAR 19B's, as well as ex NRZ 19th Class, 19B and 14A Garratts. Departure will be after breakfast and it can be arranged to collect you from Bulawayo airport, off the morning Air Zimbabwe Harare flight. You will travel via Plumtree to Botswana and on to Selebe Phikwe, stopping off at Francistown station to see 15th Class No 352, mounted on the platform. Visit the Mine during the afternoon and evening. Overnight in Selebe Phikwe.

July 06

Visit the mine this morning. Have lunch at Selebe Phikwe before returning to Bulawayo. Overnight in Bulawayo.

The above options are offered as packages including transport and accommodation. A local railway enthusiast who is familiar with the location will accompany them both. The Selebe Phikwe option can be repeated at the end of Zimfest if there is adequate demand.

Saturday. July 07

Two trains will run from Bulawayo to Plumtree this morning. The first one will be a freight train and the second will be a passenger train that will convey passengers from Bulawayo on a day trip. Both will be hauled by 20th Class 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratts. Lunch and activities in Plumtree are being arranged with the Plumtree High School. This is one of Zimbabwe's most prestigious boy's high schools and has always had strong links with the railway and the Railway Mission. After lunch both locomotives will bring the passenger train back to Bulawayo. Plumtree is 102 km from Bulawayo. The scenery is attractive, but not dramatic. Runpasts will not be included because this would be dangerous for a train with many non-enthusiast passengers. The main tar road runs parallel to the line and there will be an option to chase the trains by road. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Sunday. July 08

Transfer from your hotel to the station. This morning, a train will run from Bulawayo to Dete with a North British built 12th Class 4-8-2. Runpasts will be arranged at Tenela, Sawmills, Gwaai and in the Hwange Game Reserve. Arrive in Dete mid afternoon. An optional game drive will start on arrival, at around 1530. Hwange is one of the largest game reserves in the world, about the size of Belgium. Animals, including elephant, are commonly seen from the train. The train will comprise NRZ Museum stock that will include a 1920's wood bodied balcony ended dining car that will provide refreshments en-route. Overnight at Dete.

Monday. July 09

Drive from Dete to Hwange Town this morning to visit Wankie Colliery. If it is still open, we will stop at the well known Baobab Hotel for lunch. Return to Dete late afternoon.

For non-enthusiast partners, there will be an optional day visit to Hwange National Park. Overnight at Dete.

Tuesday. July 10

This morning the train will run from Dete to Bulawayo with the 12th Class locomotive. Runpasts will be arranged where appropriate. On arrival, there will be an evening Barbecue at the NRZ Steam Depot hosted by the NRZ Management and organised by their catering department. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Wednesday. July 11

We will leave Bulawayo early this morning and travel by road to meet the Union Limited Train and to follow it as it makes the run from Bannockburn to Bulawayo behind the South African Class 25NC. This will be the first time that a Class 25NC has worked in Zimbabwe. The Union Limited is running in association with Zimfest, and there should be good reciprocity between the train and Zimfest - no towels out of windows, etc!!

There will be a non-railfan option of a full day Matopos tour including visits to Cecil Rhodes grave, ancient cave painting sites and a game reserve that features black and white rhino as well as other game. A picnic lunch will be included. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Thursday. July 12

This morning we will chase the Cement Shuttle from Bulawayo to Cement Station. This is the last regular steam working outside of Bulawayo on the NRZ. A Class 16A Garratt has been requested for today. Later, join a mixed train from Bulawayo to Figtree with the 9B Class 4-8-0 No 115, the oldest working locomotive in Zimbabwe. Photo opportunities should be enhanced with runpasts featuring vintage cars at the level crossings at both ends of the station. Figtree is the first watering station out of Bulawayo on the line to Botswana, about 40 km distant.

For non-railfans, there will be an optional tour of the City, Museum and the famous Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage.

This evening there will be a function with the Friends of the Bulawayo Railway Museum at the Railway Museum. Dinner will be included. The Union Limited passengers will be invited to join us, this could be the largest enthusiast gathering Bulawayo has ever seen! The Museum and Museum shop will be open. There will be a nominal charge for this event, with proceeds going towards Museum preservation. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Friday. July 13

Transfer to the station for a train from Bulawayo to Dete. This will be a mixed train with a Class 15A Garratt. It will run about one hour behind the Union Limited. Runpasts will be organised. Overnight at Dete.

Saturday. July 14

Today the train will run from Dete to Victoria Falls. We will again run about one hour behind the Union Limited, but this time we will use the Class 25NC and they will use the Class 15A Garratt. There will be an option to follow the train by road as an optional extra, subject to adequate bookings being received. However, some runpast locations are inaccessible by road. Today sees some of the best lineside scenery in Zimbabwe. Runpasts will be organised at Zanguja Bank and Dibangombie, amongst others. Overnight at Victoria Falls.

Sunday. July 15

This morning, join the Victoria Falls Safari Express to Siavongo. During the afternoon a train will be placed on the bridge for photographs with the Class 15A Garratt.

There will be a non-railfan option that will include a guided tour of the Victoria Falls rain forest and a visit to the traditional and craft village. Other activities can be booked, including sunset boat cruises, helicopter flights, bungi jumps off the railway bridge and elephant rides. Overnight at Victoria Falls.

Monday. July 16

The train will leave Victoria Falls early this morning for Bulawayo with the Class 25NC. You may chase the train by road as an optional extra. We will meet the Union Limited at Dete, where locomotives will be swapped. From there we will run behind the Union Limited. Transfer to your hotel on arrival in Bulawayo.

Tuesday. July 17

Leave Bulawayo early by road to chase the Union Limited train from Bannockburn to Beit Bridge. Overnight in Bulawayo.

Wednesday & Thursday. July 18 & 19

The Selebe Phikwe option offered on July 5 & 6 will be repeated, allowing both options one and two to be enjoyed.