Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The ‘Union Limited Zambezi’ train arrived at Victoria Falls, the main highlight of the tour, around mid-day on 3rd. August 1992, where the tour train was stabled in Victoria Falls station for two nights.  A ‘Garrat’ locomotive and short train was positioned on the Victoria Falls bridge for several hours and for a small charge it was possible to walk over the bridge to photograph the train.  Light aircraft flights over the falls and bridge were also organised for those interested—something not be missed.

The following day, the 4th. August, was a free day and everyone went for views of the falls and did touristy things.

The tour train departed Victoria Falls the day after that, 5th. August, to start the journey back to Bulawayo.

NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' steam locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle') at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, with the 'Union Limited Zambezi'


1-of-8)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) has arrived in Victoria Falls with the 'Union Limited Zambezi' tour train, Zimbabwe, 3rd August 1992.
The passengers have disembarked after being told the golden rule: “Keep the windows closed otherwise the local baboons will soon be in and will take things!”

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Zambia Railways type U20C Co-Co diesel-electric locomotive no. 0.019 at Victoria Falls station


2-of-8)  Zambia Railways type U20C Co-Co diesel-electric locomotive no. 0.019 (built by General Electric in the period 1967-75) approaching Victoria Falls station with a passenger train for Zambia, 3rd August 1992.  This may have been an empty-coaching-stock move into Victoria Falls station for a departure northwards to Livingstone, across the Zambezi.

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 376 'Ingulungundu' passing through Victoria Falls station, Zimbabwe, with a freight train for Zambia


3-of-8)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 376 'Ingulungundu' ('Bush Pig', built by Beyer Peacock in 1948/49) passing through Victoria Falls station, Zimbabwe, with a freight train for Zambia, 3rd August 1992.

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Aerial photograph of Victoria Falls with a train on the bridge


4-of-8)  Aerial photograph of Victoria Falls with National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) positioned with a train on the Victoria Falls bridge, Zimbabwe, 3rd August 1992.  Zimbabwe is in the foreground with Zambia across the Zambezi River.

The members of the ‘Union Limited Zambezi’ tour had the opportunity of a light aircraft flight over the Victoria Falls and the train parked on the Victoria Falls bridge.  The flight was a bit bumpy, probably due to thermals, while the aircraft performed two circuits clockwise and two anti-clockwise so that all passengers could get an excellent view of the bridge and falls.

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Aerial photograph of NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' on Victoria Falls bridge


5-of-8)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) positioned with a train on the Victoria Falls bridge, Zimbabwe, 3rd August 1992.  Zimbabwe to the left, Zambia to the right, Zambezi River below, Victoria Falls in the background.  This photograph only shows part of the Victoria Falls, in the background—the main water flow was off to the left as can be seen in the previous photograph.

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' on Victoria Falls bridge


6-of-8)  National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) has been positioned for photographic purposes with a short train on Victoria Falls bridge for a couple of hours, 3rd August 1992.

A small fee bought a pass to walk onto the bridge, which can be seen to also have a road and a footpath.  Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe is behind the train which is facing towards Zambia, the Zambezi River is below, and Victoria Falls is away to the right.  There was a steady stream of vehicles and pedestrians across the bridge, and a few trains (when this train was not there!).

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NRZ 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' on Victoria Falls bridge from the Zambian side


7-of-8)  View from the Zambian side of the Zambezi river, National Railways of Zimbabwe 15A class 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' locomotive no. 407 'Ukhozi' ('Eagle', built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) poses with a short train on Victoria Falls bridge for photography, 3rd August 1992.

The actual border to Zambia was a couple of hundred yards from the river so it was possible to walk across the bridge from Zimbabwe and carefully find a spot to photograph the train from the Zambian side on the bank above the Zambezi River.

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Zambia Railways type U20C Co-Co diesel-electric locomotive no. 0.019 near Victoria Falls station with a freight train from Zambia


8-of-8)  Zambia Railways type U20C Co-Co diesel-electric locomotive no. 0.019 (built by General Electric in the period 1967-75) returning to Victoria Falls station, this time with a freight train from Zambia, 3rd August 1992.

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88px-CC-BY-SA_icon.svgThe 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: Victoria Falls