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Pietermaritzburg-Donnybrook-Franklin Branch LineThis 221 km branch line is the longest in KwaZulu-Natal
and one
of the most difficult to operate, since it crosses three
main watersheds and two deep valleys. Opened to Donnybrook
in 1905, it was extended to Franklin in sections between
1906 and 1912. It was nicknamed the Cape-Natal branch as
the intention was to link it to Umtata in the Eastern
Cape. The extension to Kokstad and Matatiele was opened in
1924.
The line has a 1 in 40 compensated ruling gradient with an
18,5 ton axle-load, and the curves are not as sharp as on
the Greytown line. Because of this, train loads in the
Franklin direction are 1,920 tons for four Class 35
diesels. The train load for a single diesel can be
increased from 480 tons to 790 tons on trains between
Donnybrook and Pietermaritzburg.
In 1925 the line carried over 27,000 tons of traffic,
and this increased to over 40,000 tons by 1928. During the
post World War Two period traffic grew rapidly,
particularly
after the establishment of forest plantations in the area
during the 1950s. Traffic over the route was nearly
340,000 tons in 2005/2006, of which about 160,000
originated
on the Underberg branch and the balance from loading
points along the line itself. This compares to 2002/2003
when only 95,000 tons originated on the Underberg branch
and 131,000 tons on the line itself. This a significant
increase in forestry traffic, but it is yet to be
determined
if
it is sustainable. At the same time, over 32,000 tons of
liquid fuel traffic to Creighton and Cedarville went to
road, and other general traffic was lost as well. Finally,
the cessation of freight operations on the Matatiele and
Kokstad branches has had a negative effect on the line. For Details of
Volumes and Commodities Received
and Forwarded [Table 6]CLICK HERE
Creighton Station
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Off-loading pulpwood at Umhlongonek
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