Malcolm Craik
Railway Viaduct at Skukuza
Construction of this viaduct began in 1894 but did not get underway properly until 1910, so 2010 is it's commissioning centenary. It doesn't look as though anyone cares much about this bridge anymore and it is being allowed to decay into a rusty wreck. It was originally painted blue I understand from pictures in the Skukuza Restaurant.
The bridge was built for the Selati Line and was completed in 1912 though construction of the rail line, from Komatipoort to the Transvaal Gold Fields on the Selati River, began in the early 1890's. The line from Komatipoort, on the Mozambique border covers 80 kilometers to Skukuza. It was built by the Belgian Oppenheimer Brothers. With little gold being found the line ended at Skukuza without the bridge being completed and the company went into liquidation in 1894 owing almost one million Rand. With the Boer War intervening construction of the bridge did no began again until 1909.
According to local guides I understand that the line was mostly used for mineral and fruit transportation in it's later years.
For some excellent information, maps and pictures about this railway please visit:
steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2008/06/skuku...
Railway Viaduct at Skukuza
Construction of this viaduct began in 1894 but did not get underway properly until 1910, so 2010 is it's commissioning centenary. It doesn't look as though anyone cares much about this bridge anymore and it is being allowed to decay into a rusty wreck. It was originally painted blue I understand from pictures in the Skukuza Restaurant.
The bridge was built for the Selati Line and was completed in 1912 though construction of the rail line, from Komatipoort to the Transvaal Gold Fields on the Selati River, began in the early 1890's. The line from Komatipoort, on the Mozambique border covers 80 kilometers to Skukuza. It was built by the Belgian Oppenheimer Brothers. With little gold being found the line ended at Skukuza without the bridge being completed and the company went into liquidation in 1894 owing almost one million Rand. With the Boer War intervening construction of the bridge did no began again until 1909.
According to local guides I understand that the line was mostly used for mineral and fruit transportation in it's later years.
For some excellent information, maps and pictures about this railway please visit:
steam-locomotives-south-africa.blogspot.com/2008/06/skuku...