Franklin-Kokstad Branch LineThis 41 km branch line was opened in 1924 as the first
step
in
the intended through route to Umtata. This never
materialised, although there has been recent talk by the
Eastern Cape government of completing the link. In spite
of the extension not materialising, agricultural traffic
grew and in later years Kokstad developed into a
major interchange point for general freight traffic
arriving by rail and being transferred to road for
destinations in the Eastern Cape.
The branch has not been operating for freight traffic since
the deregulation of transport led to general
freight traffic moving to road and the former railway
administration closed the RMT (Road Motor Transport)
operation in the early 1990s. During 2007 the
branch was
reopened to accommodate the Transnet 'Phelophepa'Health
Care Train, and it would be possible to utilise it
for freight traffic again. This possibility requires
urgent
evaluation. For Details of
Volumes and Commodities Received
and Forwarded [Table 6]CLICK HERE
kokstad general view
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