Rovos Rail

Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa.

Rovos Rail
Train about to depart from Capital Park Station
Main route(s)Cape Town to Dar es Salaam
Pretoria to Swakopmund
Pretoria to Cape Town
Pretoria to Durban
Pretoria to Victoria Falls
Other
Websitewww.rovos.co.za

Rovos Rail runs its train-hotel to a regular schedule on various routes throughout Southern Africa, from South Africa to Namibia and Tanzania. The trains consist of restored Rhodesia Railways (NRZ) coaches with two lounges, two restaurant cars, and private sleeping compartments, each with private ensuite facilities.

The train has three types of accommodation on board, the smallest being a Pullman, at 76 square feet; the largest being the Royal Suite, which is half a train car, and 172 square feet. All types of cabins have ensuite shower, sink, and toilet. The Royal Suite also has a Victorian-style bathtub.

The company was started in 1989 by Rohan Vos [1] and is still family owned. Rovos Rail employs a staff of 210, from the on-board staff to those working to restore carriages in the company's Capital Park depot.[2]

Routes
Entering a tunnel on the TAZARA line in southern Tanzania

Rovos Rail operates the following routes:[3]

as well as golf safaris and private train charters.

Every two years Rovos Rail runs a Cape to Cairo route (using private chartered aircraft and lake cruiser for parts of the journey). This was offered for the first time in 2008. [4]

Steam locomotives

Rovos Rail owns 7 steam locomotives purchased between 1987 and 2007. The oldest steam locomotive was built by Dübs & Company in Glasgow in 1893. It is a 6 Class locomotive which Rovos Rail named 439 TIFFANY (after the youngest daughter of Rohan Vos). The remaining locomotives are Class 19Ds and Class 25NCs built by Borsig Lokomotiv Werke, Henschel & Son and North British Locomotive Company. 2701 BRENDA, 2702 BIANCA and 3360 SHAUN are named after the other three children. They are Class 19D Locomotives, all built during the 1930s. All three locomotives were saved from scrap-metal dealers and, after extensive restoration, were put back into service in 1989. Loco 3484 MARJORIE – named after Rohan’s mother – is a Class 25NC locomotive built in 1954 by North British in Glasgow. Due to the difficulties in running steam over long distances the decision was made to convert this loco from a coal- to a more efficient oil-fired engine. A further two Class 25NC locomotives have been restored and added to the fleet: 3442 ANTHEA, built in 1953 by Henschel of Germany is named after Rohan’s wife; 3533 KING ZOG is named after Rohan’s late Dalmatian.[5]

Derailment
Main article: 2010 Pretoria train accident

A Rovos Rail train derailed on 21 April 2010 near Pretoria. Three people were killed and several passengers were injured. The owner of Rovos Rail said that the train’s nineteen carriages were uncoupled from the locomotive during a changeover at Centurion Station when they freewheeled out of control, crashing back at Pretoria station. Approximately half of the 55 passengers were on board along with some of the thirty staff.[6]

  • Dining Car
  • Deluxe Suite
  • Observation car
  • Number plate

See also

References
  1. "Rovos Rail Official Website". Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  2. "Rovos Rail: The most luxurious train in the world" (in German). 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  3. "Rovos Rail Journeys". Rovos Rail Official Website. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. "Cape to Cairo with Rovos Rail". Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  5. A Twenty Year Journey: Rovos Rail. 2009.
  6. Thom, Liezl; Nicolaides, Gia (2010-04-21). "Two dead in luxury train accident". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
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