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Franco-Ethiopian
Railway from Addis Ababa and South Africa's famous
Blue Train and the Elegant Rovos Rail
by
Jerry W. Bird
 Sometimes
I feel like Casey Jones, as if "Railways of the
World" a series I launched in 1989, started a
'renaissance ' in rail travel. Perhaps it was ESP,
because since then, many famous routes have been
upgraded or restored, and new lines installed, as
countless visitors rediscover the romance of the
rails. Like me, these folks savor the fact that
getting there is more than half the
fun.
Given
Aladdin's 3 wishes, I would restore Emperor Haile
Sellasie's 'Lion of Judah' railway engine, hook it
up to the prized set of French and British coaches,
and operate luxury excursion tours on the
Franco-Ethiopian Railway line. Built in the 1930s,
the 482 mile route stretches from Addis Ababa, via
Nazaret, the Rift Valley and Dire Dawa, to
Djibouti, a French protectorate on the Gulf of
Aden. Photo of Haile Selassie's Lion of Judah
engiine (below) by Muguette Goufrani. In a 5-minute
BBC interview, hoping my message would cause a
spark, I said, "Think of the much needed income
such a tour would generate for the Ethiopian
economy." I've followed the last decade's amazing
railway renaissance.
 After
a visit to Emperor Selassie's palace and Holy
Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa's ornate railway
station (gare) is the ideal venue for such an
historic journey. Yes, the lordly Lion of Judah's
engine lacks wheels, and the dust covered coaches
shows neglect from being shunted aside during the
Marxist regime. However, with some good old
fashioned TLC (tender loving care) each museum
piece would soon be in shining order. The Emperor's
train is still not widely available for public
view; fortunately we and our BBC friend received
special permission.
Cape Town to
Pretoria on Rovos Rail, Pride of Africa
by Jerry
W. Bird
"The design of
the train has given us suites considerably larger
than the world's famous trains such as the Orient
Express, the Blue Train, Royal Scotsman in England
and El Andalus in Spain." Rohan Vos
One of the first
lessons one learns on entering the wonderful world
of Rovos Rail is that this "travel opportunity of a
lifetime" is not just a South African experience --
its routes extend to five
other
countries
on a network of steel rails. For example, there's
an annual excursion to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
which many rave about. On this cool January
morning, however, the destination is Pretoria,
South Africa's capital city and headquarters of
Rovos Rail, the Pride of Africa. Our leisurely two
and a half day trip north through the country's
heartland, allows ample time to relax, lay back,
sip the wine, smell the roses, think lofty thoughts
and get to know some interesting people.
Daniel
Dunn,
one of the Western Cape's best informed tour
guides, drove us to the Cape Town station, where
Rovos Rail's owner Rohan Vos and Sales Manager
David Patrick greeted us, as our baggage was
whisked away in a flash
What a way to
celebrate the New Year: As we joined the other
passengers assembled on the red-carpeted platform,
a traditional toast of South African champagne and
orange juice set the mood, while a trio of
violinists provided soft, soothing classical musi
-- a fitting background for such a memorable send
off. At the microphone Mr. Vos gave a hearty and
humorous "bon voyage," announcing each guest's name
in turn as we boarded the train. Many nations were
represented that morning - the UK, Norway, Italy,
Australia, USA, Switzerland, Spain, Germany,
France, South Africa and Canada. These vintage
coaches have carried royalty on past tours, and we
soon discovered there was a European countess among
us, which reflects the company's claim "the most
luxurious train in the world. A mild thunderstorm
was brewing above Table Mountain, and as rain began
to beat on the windows, the train pulled away from
Cape Town station. Have no fear, I had a feeling
that the trip would be even more enjoyable, looking
out from our cozy cocoon on wheels. My intuition
proved to be quite true. Continued
on our Africa Travel web
site.
Blue
Train with 'White Glove' Service?
Only in South Africa!
by
Muguette M. Goufrani
For years I had
read that South Africa held many pleasures for
those of an adventurous or romantic nature, so one
summer, taking a month's vacation from my job as a
travel agent in West Africa, I headed south. Here
at last was my chance to spend some leisurely, laid
back weeks getting to know that fascinating
country. While the sights and delights were many
and varied, the epitome was my experience aboard
the famous Blue Train. It was like the finest
luxury cruise, sailing across a sea of
ever-changing landscapes . Yet there was time and
space to savor every waking moment.
I managed to read
some pamphlets about the line's history, which
spans over 50 years. Back in 1928, it became the
first luxury train in South Africa, operating on a
line between Cape Town and Johannesburg. The
trademark was its attractive bright sapphire-blue
fleet of carriages. Originally known as the 'Union
Limited' and 'Union Express' , a legend began when
folks started calling them 'the Blue Trains'. Prior
to this occasions trains on the famous route were
involved in the discovery of gold and diamonds, and
in the Boer War of the 1890s. Those cold, soot
laden coaches were a far cry from those operating
today.
More to
come
Question:
What about a
return to Historic Street Cars as a year-round
tourist attraction and revenue generator? See our
series Streetcars & Street Scenes. It makes
street sense.
http://www.airhighways.com/adventure_rails.htm,
E-mail: africa@dowco.com
Watch
for more Africa Railway profiles,
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