update (24 August 2016): The
Knysna-Plett Herald wrote on 11 Aug 2016 (online edition)
that teams of people (are) clearing the railway line between the Knysna station and Keytersnek and
that a team of engineers have been in Knysna this week (wk 32) to inspect the bridges over the Knysna estuary! Fantastic news!
According to various news reports,
Classic Rail Garden Route, a private initiative to preserve classic rail in
South Africa's Garden Route and
Klein Karoo, has received the green light from
Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to start restoring the
Outeniqua Choo Tjoe train service between
George and
Knysna. In the first phase, the track line between
Knysna and
Keytersnek, near the Rheenendal turnoff on the N2, will get repaired and four dining carriages and two freight cars, which will be converted to open viewing carriages, will get restored. It is expected that the
Knysna Dinner Train, one of the
Classic Rail Garden Route's first projects, will be running between
Knysna and
Keytersnek by December 2016.
Once the first phase of the development is up and running, work on the second and the third phase will begin. These will include the reopening of the track line all the way from
Knysna to
George for the
New Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, as well as for other tourist trains and, ultimately, freight trains by 2020. The
George <>
Knysna railway line has been out of commission since 2006, when flood damage forced the closure of the popular
Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train between
Knysna and
George. We'll keep you posted!
