Cape Government Railways
Encyclopedia
The Cape Government Railways (CGR) was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony
from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1910.
in 1859, reaching Eerste Rivier
by 1862 and Wellington
by 1865. Meanwhile, by 1864 the Wynberg Railway Company had connected Cape Town
and Wynberg
. For the moment, railway development at the Cape did not continue eastwards beyond Wellington because of the barrier presented by the mountains of the Cape Fold Belt
.
that started in 1871, gave impetus to the development of railways in South Africa. In 1873 the government of the Cape Colony decided to standardise railway development on the "Cape gauge
" of , to ease construction of railways through the mountains. In the following year the railways were taken over by the government and the Cape Government Railways was created.
In 1886 gold was discovered in the South African Republic
(the Transvaal), setting off the Witwatersrand Gold Rush
. The Cape government and the government of the Orange Free State
(OFS) reached an agreement by which the CGR would build and operate a railway line through the OFS to the rapidly-growing city of Johannesburg
. This line reached Bloemfontein
(the capital of the OFS) in 1890, and the first trains operated from Cape Town to Johannesburg in 1892. In 1897 the OFS government took over control of its portion of the line.
. After the war, when the Union of South Africa
was formed in 1910, all railways in South Africa, including the CGR, the Natal Government Railways
and the Central South African Railways
, were taken over by the newly-formed South African Railways (SAR).
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1910.
Private railways
The first railways at the Cape were privately owned. The Cape Town Railway and Dock Company started construction from Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in 1859, reaching Eerste Rivier
Eerste Rivier, Cape Town
Eerste Rivier is a suburb of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It forms part of the Oosterberg subregion of the city, situated behind the Stellenbosch/Vlae berg Hills on the Strand/Van Riebeeck Road...
by 1862 and Wellington
Wellington, Western Cape
Wellington is a town in the Western Cape Winelands 45 minutes from Cape Town, in South Africa with a population of approximately 58,300. Wellington's economy is centered around agriculture such as wine, table grapes, citrus fruit and a brandy industry. The town is located 75 km north-east of...
by 1865. Meanwhile, by 1864 the Wynberg Railway Company had connected Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
and Wynberg
Wynberg, Cape Town
Wynberg is a southern suburb of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated between Plumstead and Kenilworth, and is a main transport hub for the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.- Geography :...
. For the moment, railway development at the Cape did not continue eastwards beyond Wellington because of the barrier presented by the mountains of the Cape Fold Belt
Cape Fold Belt
The Cape Fold Belt is the folded sedimentary sequence of rocks in the southwestern corner of South Africa. It is related to the Ventana Mountains near Bahía Blanca in Argentina...
.
Formation of CGR
The discovery of diamonds, and the consequent rush to KimberleyKimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
that started in 1871, gave impetus to the development of railways in South Africa. In 1873 the government of the Cape Colony decided to standardise railway development on the "Cape gauge
Cape gauge
Cape gauge is a track gauge of between the inside of the rail heads and is classified as narrow gauge. It has installations of around .The gauge was first used by Norwegian engineer Carl Abraham Pihl and the first line was opened in 1862.- Nomenclature :...
" of , to ease construction of railways through the mountains. In the following year the railways were taken over by the government and the Cape Government Railways was created.
Expansion
Railway lines were built towards Kimberley from the three ports of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London; these three lines became known as the "Cape Western", "Cape Midland" and "Cape Eastern" lines respectively. By 1885 the separate sections were connected and the Cape Western line reached Kimberley.In 1886 gold was discovered in the South African Republic
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
(the Transvaal), setting off the Witwatersrand Gold Rush
Witwatersrand Gold Rush
The Witwatersrand Gold Rush was a gold rush in 1886 that led to the establishment of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was part of the Mineral Revolution....
. The Cape government and the government of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
(OFS) reached an agreement by which the CGR would build and operate a railway line through the OFS to the rapidly-growing city of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. This line reached Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
(the capital of the OFS) in 1890, and the first trains operated from Cape Town to Johannesburg in 1892. In 1897 the OFS government took over control of its portion of the line.
Formation of SAR
The Cape railway network played a significant role in supporting and supplying the British forces during the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. After the war, when the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
was formed in 1910, all railways in South Africa, including the CGR, the Natal Government Railways
Natal government railways
The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...
and the Central South African Railways
Central South African Railways
From 1902 to 1904, the area of power of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Girouard later also included the lines of The Netherlands-South African Railway Company; together this dominion covered all lines in the Transvaal that belonged to NZASM ....
, were taken over by the newly-formed South African Railways (SAR).