Return From Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

On 5th August 1992 the ‘Union Limited Zambezi’ train departed Victoria Falls for the return southwards to Bulawayo.  The journey was broken at Dete where the train stayed overnight.  The next day, the 6th, after a quick check on the railway operation at Dete, a trip into Hwange National Park was arranged to search out and view the wildlife.   Early the following morning, the 7th, the train continued on the final leg to Bulawayo.

5th August 1992, Victoria Falls to Dete

NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 409 'Inkakha' at Matetsi, Zimbabwe


1-of-11)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 409 'Inkakha' (‘Pangolin', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) waiting at Matetsi between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, with a freight train, 5th August 1992.

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' with the 'Union Limited Zambezi' tour train between Victoria Falls and Thomson Junction


2-of-11)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi' tour train between Victoria Falls and Thomson Junction on the way back to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 5th August 1992.

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Wankie Colliery Co. Ltd. steam locomotive 4-8-2 no. 3 at Thomson Junction, Zimbabwe


3-of-11)  In the shadow of its own black exhaust, Wankie Colliery Co. Ltd. steam locomotive 4-8-2 no. 3 (built by North British Locomotive Co. in 1955) heads a train of empty wagons from the exchange sidings at Thomson Junction to the colliery, Zimbabwe, 5th August 1992.  This was one of four similar locomotives, based on the Rhodesian Railways 19th class, which worked at Wankie Colliery.

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NRZ 20A class 4-8-2+2-8-4 'Garratt' no.737 'Ingubo' at Thomson Junction locomotive shed, Zimbabwe


4-of-11)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 20A class 4-8-2+2-8-4 'Garratt' no.737 'Ingubo' (built by Beyer Peacock in 1957) at Thomson Junction locomotive shed, Zimbabwe, 5th August 1992.

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NRZ 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 being prepared at Thomson Junction, Zimbabwe


5-of-11)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 (built by Beyer Peacock in 1952-53) being prepared at Thomson Junction, Zimbabwe, to take the 'Union Limited Zambezi' tour train to Bulawayo, 5th August 1992.  While the tank is being filled with water the boiler is being blown down to clear out sediment.

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NRZ 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train just south of Thomson Junction, Zimbabwe


6-of-11) National Railways of Zimbabwe 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 (built by Beyer Peacock in 1952-53) performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train just south of Thomson Junction, Zimbabwe, on the way from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, 5th August 1992.

In the background is Hwange Thermal Power Station, the biggest power plant in Zimbabwe.  It is linked by a 3.5 kilometre conveyor belt bringing coal from Wankie Colliery and by a 44 kilometre long pipeline to the Zambezi River bringing in cooling water.

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NRZ 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train just south of Hwange, Zimbabwe


7-of-11) National Railways of Zimbabwe 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 (built by Beyer Peacock in 1952-53) performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train south of Hwange, Zimbabwe, on the way from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, 5th August 1992.

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NRZ 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' no. 612 performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train south of Hwange, Zimbabwe


8-of-11) National Railways of Zimbabwe 16A class 2-8-2+2-8-2 'Garratt' locomotive no. 612 (built by Beyer Peacock in 1952-53) performs a run-past with the 'Union Limited Zambezi tour train in the late afternoon, south of Hwange, Zimbabwe, on the way from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo, 5th August 1992.

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6th August 1992, Dete

NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' steam locomotive no. 389 'Umziki' with a freight train at Dete, Zimbabwe


9-of-11) The ‘Union Limited Zambezi’ tour train was staged at Dete, Zimbabwe, for two nights, giving a day for visiting Hwange National Park to observe the wild life.  Before setting off to the national park there was time to observe the railway operation at Dete.  Here National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 389 'Umziki' ('Reed Buck', built by Beyer Peacock in 1949-50), in work-weary condition, is in charge of a freight train between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, 6th August 1992.

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' steam locomotive no. 389 'Umziki' & 397 'Inyathi' with freight trains at Dete, Zimbabwe


10-of-11) National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 'Garratt' 4-6-4+4-6-4  no. 389 'Umziki' ('Reed Buck') and classmate no. 397 'Inyathi' ('Buffalo'), both built by Beyer Peacock in 1949-50, with freight trains at Dete, between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 6th August 1992.  In the distance is diesel-electric Co-Co no. 1041 (built by General Motors-Canada in 1982).

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4  'Garratt' locomotive no. 397 'Inyathi' departs with a freight train from Dete, Zimbabwe


11-of-11) National Railways of Zimbabwe15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4  'Garratt' locomotive no. 397 'Inyathi' ('Buffalo' built by Beyer Peacock in 1949-50) departs with a freight train from Dete, between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 6th August 1992.  At the front there are wagons loaded with coal so, presumably, this is coal from Wankie Colliery heading south to Bulawayo.

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88px-CC-BY-SA_icon.svgMany of the photographs in these railway photograph galleries are available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.  Attribution should include a link to www.nigeltout.com.

Zimbabwe: Return to Bulawayo