South Africa part 1

Here are some photos of my first South African trip

While it is getting colder and darker in Europe, Southern hemisphere is getting ready for the summer

uMhlanga near Durban

Visiting Umgeni River bird park in Durban 

The park has many exotic birds, some of which are from other parts of the world, like this toucan from South America

Or this kookaburra from Australia

Big African Crow

There are non flying animals here too

There is a show also

What about trains? Here is one just outside Durban and it looks abandoned

Former railway

On my way to Johannesburg I can spot a train

The Spoornet Class 18E, is a South African electric locomotive. The 3 kV DC Class 6E1 electric locomotive was built for the South African Railways (SAR) by Union Carriage & Wagon (UCW) in Nigel, Transvaal, with the electrical equipment supplied by the General Electric Company (GEC). Eleven series of Class 6E1 were delivered between 1969 and 1984, with a total of 960 units built. (Wikipedia)

Jacaranda trees in full bloom in Johannesburg

The trip back in premium economy, Swiss

Bingen, Oberwesel, Boppard-Hirzenach, Boppard, Rhens, Koblenz-Lützel

I'm on my way to South Africa, with a stopover in FRA. I have all day here, but still almost missing my long-distance flight due to "Stellwerksausfall."

I'm arriving here the evening before, staying at a hotel in Mainz

Railway bridge in Mainz

A street in Mainz

Mainz Hbf

I'm heading north to Koblenz. At Bingen, there is a longer stop, and I have time for some trainspotting

193 657

193 726

187 192

185 281

Oberwesel

193 531

Hochen Marke

482 019

1293 103

152 005

187 188

193 596

Boppard Hirzenach

Underpass to Rhine river

At Hirzenach I can spot boats too

A long ICE-T train

187 181

Still all freight trains are using west Rhine railway

193 815

188 063

CFL Cargo loco with D, L, PL country approval

Clip transport wagons

Renault vehicles

186 117

A real retro train is approaching

103 245 was manufactured in 1974

Today it is preserved as a museum locomotive, managed by the Munich Locomotive Club (Münchner Lokomotiven Verein e.V.) since 2009

On the other side, there are only few regional trains

More retro trains, now at Boppard Hbf

The DRG Class 52 goods train locomotive, 52 4867, was built in 1943 and was left in Austria after the Second World War. In 1980 it was acquired by the Historic Railway, Frankfurt, from the Graz-Köflacher Eisenbahn- und Bergbaugesellschaft.

It's impressive that this railway can accomodate both passenger, freight and retro trains

193 710

Another retro train

DB Class 798

And there are many of them, 6 units coupled together

This is also almost a retro one, 218 396 with a Kirow crane transport

TECHNE KIROW railway cranes are multi-purpose devices for switch construction, track and bridge construction, and accident recovery. The Multi Tasker can carry heavy loads in front of its buffers and slew sideways, without encroaching on neighboring rails.

193 817

189 088

482 007

Rhens

193 564

1193 901

Koblenz-Lützel

7193 302

186 507

186 297

193 453

185 281

My return journey to FRA took an abrupt end at Hirzenach station. Due to "Stellweksausfahll" - signal failure on the line, all trains were stopped

After waiting here for about 2 hours, without getting any information on when the traffic can be resumed, I started to worry that I would miss my overnight flight. Luckily, I found a guy who was going to drive to Mainz and I could share the ride with hom and get to the airport from there. 

I made it just in time

Boeing 747 will be withdrawn from service in 2027, so this is the last chance to fly one of those

My seat is on the 2nd floor

With an e-voucher from Miles&More I managed to upgrade myself to Business class

So, this is my seat