Welcome to the Sandstone Estates website! Click on “About Us” to learn more about Sandstone and the Heritage collection. Please note we do not accept cash payments at Sandstone, only Debit Cards, Credit Cards, EFT payments & mobile application payments.
A LIMITED SPECIAL OFFER ON SEB’S HEART OF AFRICA RAILWAY!
For a limited period only, we can offer a steam hauled trip on Seb’s Heart of Africa Railway for 20 people for just R8500 including VAT! That is a huge saving, so book now while the offer lasts! As an added attraction we can offer a Walking Tour at a special price of just R275 including VAT per head if you take the Seb’s train offer! - Contact usfor more information
John Batwell, who was the Editor of the latest Sandstone book, sadly passed away recently. John was a personal friend of mine and a major contributor to railway preservation in Southern Africa. He was an acknowledged expert on Rhodesia Railways and its locomotives as well as a senior editor at SA Rail magazine. John also covered preservation matters with Railways Africa magazine. He edited a number of books on railways and was my first choice to edit Sandstone’s second book, The Sandstone Steam Railway, the story continues. John had retired from teaching at Redhill School in Johannesburg some time ago.
John had not been well for some time but was pleased to take on the task. We spent over four months from late 2021 into 2022 having weekly meetings and finally we had a finished manuscript. John’s attention to detail was impressive and he certainly added immense value to the quality of presentation in the book. As time progressed I could see and feel that his health was failing and after a short bout of pneumonia he passed away peacefully in late August. He did, however, see the finished product of the Sandstone book as he was presented with one of the first copies from the print run. I was extremely pleased that he did see the results of his hard work. My thoughts and condolences are with his widow, Pam.
His memory will stay with me and the Sandstone book is a fitting tribute to his skills. John Batwell (seated) and author, David Richardson take a look at the final proof copy of the new Sandstone book.
Sandstone has acquired a Ford/FMC fire engine which was built in the USA but spent its working life in South Africa. Read the full storyand enjoy the picture gallery here.
The Sandstone Visitor Management team, led by Mariette Palmer, has been strengthened by new arrival, Sam Gilson. Sam has experience in tourism management and is currently studying Hospitality Management and will be a welcome addition to the team. Mariette has singlehandedly managed all visitor enquiries and walking tours as well as accommodation bookings for nearly two years and is most appreciative of some assistance! Our Visitor Experiences will certainly be enhanced by Sam’s arrival. We wish her all the very best in her new role.
Caption; The Sandstone Visitor Management Team, left, new member Sam Gilson and right, Mariette Palmer.
Visitors to our 2022 Easter Steam event will remember the Donkey Cart that provided so many great pictures alongside the railway line to Grootdraai. We have now introduced a new Donkey Cart of more modern design that can be used as executive transport, much cheaper than a diesel bakkie!, and will also offer rides at the forthcoming Cherry Steam Festival event on November 18th and 19th 2022.
Our picture, by Leon Hugo, shows the Donkey Cart at Easter just before the heavy rains came and our video, a recent staff test drive for the new cart! Click the image below to watch the video :
An exciting new book on The Sandstone Steam Railway. The Sandstone Steam Railway-the story continues This 220-page hard-back coffee table book in landscape format encapsulates in words and photographs the Sandstone Heritage Trust collection that nestles in the vast, rich agricultural grain and cattle Landscape of South Africa’s Eastern Free State. This new publication illustrates the grit, determination and vision of the founders to save a representative cross section of the transport history of Southern Africa. By virtue of its location this living collection complements the beauty of the area with its 3.5 million old Sandstone cliffs, lakes and snow-covered, cosmos-clad farmlands in the winter months.
The book documents the history of the Sandstone Heritage collection of transport relics from the days of European imperialism and empire-building. Almost a generation back, the need by the then Transnet Heritage Foundation to secure a safe home for resources at a collapsing museum in KwaZulu-Natal saw Sandstone Estates being approached to rescue the exhibits. The embryo was ‘alive’. Over nine chapters, the glossy publication looks meticulously at the history of every single locomotive (both narrow and Cape gauge) as well as each piece of acquired rolling stock, coaches and dining cars together with other complementary heritage categories such as Military vehicles, Cars, Trucks and Buses, Vintage Tractors, Earth-moving equipment all surrounded by the crops, flora and fauna of the extensive Modern Farming operation at Sandstone Estates.
The text is rich in recollections and memories of challenging expeditions to rescue artefacts throughout South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The time consuming negotiations that typifies African politics, the topography and relocation under tough conditions of representatives of British and German locomotive engineering for example in post conflict zones, makes this book more than a catalogue of assets. Almost without exception Heritage items saved would otherwise have seen the cutting torch or been lost to pervasive rust and neglect. The book also deals with the significant challenge of moving heavy items on poor roads over long distances. Sandstone’s most recent innovative challenge was to move by road two massive Garratts and other heavy locomotives representing the old days of the renowned South African Railways.
The Sandstone Heritage Trust has facilitated skills training to young South Africans of all creeds in active workshops in both Bloemfontein and at the estates. The collection has contributed to South Africa’s tourist industry and community development in the local Free State area. European tour operators have brought locomotive enthusiasts and other transport buffs to experience the live, working railway on the farm by way of regular shows and open days. Huge agricultural fairs, record-breaking ploughing competitions and what has become known as the ‘Sandstone experience’ are featured in the book.
Time to get a copy of the book, the second but much grander production on the Sandstone story, and enjoy......
In the UK the book costs £29 including post and packing. In South Africa the cost is R795-00 including VAT and delivery. The book is available in the USA at US$34. Delivery on quotation.
“The Sandstone Steam Railway, the story continues”. Compiled by David Richardson. Hard Cover, 340mm x 280mm. Published by Sandstone Heritage Trust, 2022. ISBN 978-0-620-95820-2
One of our frequent overseas visitors to Sandstone is Fabrice Lanoue who has written a book, “Passeport pour la vapeur”, on his worldwide steam travels over the last 35 years, in which Sandstone is featured. Our pictures show the cover of the book and the Sandstone section plus the French language text. An English translation of the text is below.
