Mzanzitravel Magazine - Issue 9

Discover Discover South Africa
Vintage farm truck - Leonard Hugo / Pixabay
The huge collection on the estate now includes a vast collection of steam trains,
some of which take visitors on a ride on the 2ft narrow gauge railway running
around the estate; military vehicles and aircraft of every description, including a
World War II Sherman tank; a vast collection of tractors and other agricultural
machines; many vintage stationery machines used in factories and on farms; and
many classic and vintage cars, buses and trucks, all immaculately restored to their
original running condition. Many of the restored vintage vehicles are in daily use
on the estate.
The collection came about when the current and second owner of the farm in its
170-year history found very old working tractors in daily use here when he bought
the farm in 1995. Then the Midmar Museum, which was a joint venture between
the KwaZulu-Natal Parks Department and the heritage section of the national
railways, was dissolved in 1997 and the owner of Sandstone was able to purchase
on auction a selection of narrow gauge assets including the railway line.
Sandstone was suddenly the owner of enough components to create a small
narrow gauge railway. A track was laid on the estate and one of old NGG16
Garratt steam locomotives was put back to work. And from there the collection just
took off, gaining fame among visitors as well as engine buffs all over the world.
The 2 ft narrow gauge railway runs from Grootdraai in the south, for some 26
kilometres northwards to the main farm and main depot at Hoekfontein, onwards
via Mooihoek to Vailima Sidings/Ficksburg and the a large loop at Vailima Village.
Today the collection of 2 ft narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock is one of
the largest in the world.
Work is currently underway on the estate to prepare one of the biggest heritage
events in the Southern Hemisphere planned for 4 to 14 April 2019 – the Stars
of Sandstone 2019 that will feature the 2-ft Narrow Gauge Railway with over 30
operating locomotives, aircraft from WWII overflying the event and vintage cars,
trucks, tractors, traction engines, military vehicles and much more on the ground.
There is also a restaurant and many other facilities on the estate.
For more information, go to the Sandstone website at www.sandstone-estates.
com/index.php/contact-us or for the Stars of Sandstone 2019 event go to
www.starsofsandstone.com/index.php/info-booking/southern-african-residents.
An old Harvard plane and vintage steam tractor -
Leonard Hugo / Pixabay
Vintage car - Leonard Hugo / Pixabay