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The First Public Railway in South Africa: the Point to Durban Railway of 1860

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The first public railway in South Africa: The Point to Durban railway of 1860 ailways are very much the by the rapid development of this mode product of 19th century of transport in Britain, Europe and all Rinnovation, with the harnessing the continents. Egypt built Africa’s of steam-power for a more efficient first railway, which opened in 1856 form of transportation with improved between Alexandria and Cairo. This speed and carrying capacity for the was followed by the Point to Durban movement of people, raw materials railway, which opened on 26 June and processed goods. They served to 1860, and that between Cape Town facilitate the industrial revolution, and Wellington on 4 November 1863. accelerate development and extend The first railway in South Africa, frontiers (Cottrell, 1957). Fawcett albeit not with steel rails and a steam (1953) highlights this in two locomotive, was also in Durban – the sentences: ‘The railway revolutionised 1856-57 Bluff wooden railway. It was land transport. It became possible linked to harbour development and is to organise the human and natural described in an article in Natalia 26 resources of far larger geographical (Hutson, 1997). bases.’ It is remarkable that, in 1860, The world’s first public steam a small town like Durban had the railway in Britain between Stockton distinction of operating the first public and Darlington in 1825 was followed steam railway in South Africa. The 20 Natalia 40 (2010), Michael Cottrell pp. 20 – 31 Natalia 40 (2010) Copyright © Natal Society Foundation 2010 The first public railway in South Africa: The Point to Durban railway of 1860 population of Durban in 1863 was with bull head rails mounted on 4 313, which included 1 593 Africans ‘potlid’ sleepers. Russell (1899) and 153 Indians (Goetzsche, 1966). mistakenly records that the gauge was Few Africans were urbanised and the 3ft 6in. From Point Road it followed first indentured Indian labourers for what is now Kearsney Road, across the sugar farms were only to arrive on Smith and West Streets and along the 17 November 1860. While there were northern side of Pine Terrace. The primary schools in Natal, there was Point Station was on the wharf built not yet a secondary school, the first at a deeper part of the harbour where opening in Pietermaritzburg in 1863 the present B and C Sheds are located. and in Durban in 1866. This is not to be confused with the later The economy was somewhat Natal Government Railways station, limited to service industries such in Point Road, which opened in 1891 as blacksmithing, carpentry, wagon as a single storey building and with building, transport riding and inn- a second added by 1911. Passenger keeping. The sugar industry was still in services to it from the central Durban its infancy, but it was expanding, with Station ceased in 1927. It is currently about 8 000 tons produced in 1860. By used by the harbour authority. 1862 sugar became Natal’s principal Russell (1899) gives details of the export (Brookes and Webb, 1967). rolling stock, which included, apart Transport by ox-wagon was from two jib cranes, six four-wheeled expensive and slow, taking some freight trucks and one four-wheeled three or more days from the port to passenger carriage. This had one Pietermaritzburg. Heydenrych and carpeted First Class compartment Martin (1992) mention that the cost which seated up to 10 on cane seats of haulage per ton from Durban to and two Second Class compartments Pietermaritzburg was higher than the in varnished oak, which together freightage from England to Durban. seated 20 passengers. Roads were exceptionally poor and the Robert Legg of London is credited streets of Durban sandy tracks, making as being the builder of the ‘Natal’ the railway an extremely desirable locomotive, but MacDonald (2010) option for development. has evidence that it was manufactured by Carrett Marshall in Leeds. The 24 The Natal Railway Company horse-powered locomotive with a In January 1859 the Natal Railway 0-4-0 wheel arrangement was brought Company was formed to build a by the brig Cadiz on 13 May 1860 three-kilometre railway from the in broken-down form and assembled harbour at the Point to the north of the by Henry Jacobs, the Locomotive Durban Market Square where the old Superintendent, fitter and driver, in Durban Station is located. The Natal the engine shed at the Market Square Legislative Council passed a private Station. It was somewhat rustic, with law which granted the Company the no covered cab for the protection sole right to provide railway transport of the driver, who particularly felt for 14 years. the weather on the windy day of Early in 1860 work started on the the opening ceremony. However, building the 4ft 8½in gauge railway locomotives of this type were common 21 Natalia 40 (2010) Copyright © Natal Society Foundation 2010 The first public railway in South Africa:ThePointtoDurbanrailwayof1860 The firstpublicrailwayinSouth 22 Plan and section of the Road & bridge NATAL RAILWAY 100 FEET Cut, stream through swamp Proposed line as drawn to accompany WEST ST. Proposed terminus Cato's Bridge Erven Bill of Legislation to Executive and Legislative Councils 4 acres Zeederberg SMITH ST. Boundary of Town Lands May 1859 RIGHT OF WAY RESERVED FORT O PUBLIC W N O F D' U R B A N T O W N L A N D S English Church Cato's Natalia Flag Staff LENGTH OF LINE ABOUT 2 MILES 40(2010) Copyright © NatalSociety Foundation 2010 H A R B O U R R E S E R V E N B A Y O F N A T A L E W S O R D N A N C E R E S E R V E Boundary of Harbour Reserve OrdnanceCustom Boundary House & Pier English Chuch Proposed Railway Pier Cato's Pier Cut, stream&bridge B.O. Beacon Bridge &road Line crossesroad 300 ft. Harbour Board Pier Harbour Board B.O. Beacon S E C T I O N Cato's Pier Utmost gradient 1 in 186 Pier SURFACE OF RAILS High water mark Datum line 0 10 20 30 40 50 Chains Adapted from a tracing of the original plan (M2460, S.A. Archives, Cape Town) by Theo J. Espitalier, 10/2/1943. B. Martin, 11/2009. The first public railway in South Africa: The Point to Durban railway of 1860 in Europe and Britain at this time, for (1899) stated that it was assembled example those built for the London with its head to the Point and, as there to Chatham and Dover Railway from was no turntable or turning triangle, 1862 until 1899 and which lasted until it would have pulled this official train 1906 (Salmon, 1972). running forwards to the Point. Tatham’s The plaque on the ‘Natal’ painting shows the locomotive facing locomotive displayed on the concourse the other way, which meant that it of the present Durban Railway Station would have hauled it backwards. states: ‘The first train in South Africa Russell, as the Station Agent at Market operated between the Point and Durban Square Station, would surely have on 23 June 1860. This locomotive is a known. Likewise, one would expect reconstruction of the original chassis Tatham as the Manager of the Natal and wheels which were recovered in Railway Company to paint it correctly. the Umzimvubu River near Port St Who was correct? Copies of all the Johns.’ images in my possession indicate that This first journey, as opposed to the the locomotive ran backwards towards Official Opening on 26 June, was a test the Point. run which took place on Saturday, 23 In the background of the painting June 1860. Russell (1899) mentions is the original St Paul’s Anglican that the train had five freight trucks Church with only one other building containing 40 tons of sugar mill visible, for this was the vast Market machinery, carried a few passengers Square. There was no station building and on the footplate were William apart from a platform on which stood Smerdon and Edmund Tatham, the official guests including the chairman and secretary respectively of acting Lieutenant-Governor, Major the Natal Railway Company. Williamson, members of the Natal Legislative Council, the Mayor of The first official steam train Durban, Cllr W. Hartley, the Mayor journey on 26 June 1860 of Pietermaritzburg, Cllr J. Ackerman, A watercolour painting by Robert Bishop Colenso and clergy, the Tatham, Manager of the Natal Railway Railway Directors and the Royal Company, of the official opening Durban Rangers. In the foreground gives an interesting glimpse of this of the painting on the left is the 85th important occasion at the Market Regiment and on the right is a group of Square Station. On the left is the ‘Natal’ onlookers, including intrigued African locomotive, described by Russell people. One is carrying firewood on (1899) as ‘blowing off steam in fretful her or his head. impatience’, waiting for driver Jacobs George Russell was an avid to connect to the only passenger coach commentator on life and happenings for the important guests and, pictured in Durban from 1850 to 1860 (Russell, on the right, a freight truck that Russell 1899). He gave an account of the converted temporarily to provide opening, extracts of which follow: additional passenger accommodation. The inauguration took place at There is an interesting discrepancy 11 o’clock by His Excellency, Major in the way in which the ‘Natal’ Williamson after the Rangers and the locomotive was orientated. Russell 85th Regiment presented arms, while 23 Natalia 40 (2010) Copyright © Natal Society Foundation 2010 The first public railway in South Africa: The Point to Durban railway of 1860 the band played the national anthem.
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