South Africa Post will issue on the 25th June 2010 a spectacular railway set of stamps to commemorate the 150 years of Railway (1860-2010) in the country.

The stamps illustrations are of high quality and feautred on the stamps are the very early trains used over a century ago and the new state-of-the art trains currently in operation throughout the country.  

• 1860 “Natal” – the first locomotive to run in South Africa. (Preserved on Durban station)
• 1937 Class NGG16 Garratt – the most important class on numerous narrow-gauge lines, with 34 built between 1937 and 1968. Many are running today in Wales, Australia and the USA, following closure of South Africa’s once extensive narrow-gauge empire.
• 1948 Class 24 – the ultimate power on branch lines all over South Africa (except Natal).
• 1952 Class GMAM Garratt. South Africa was the largest user of the Garratt principle and these engines were the ultimate development of this concept.
• 1954 Class 25 Condensor. These 90 engines – the largest non-articulated steam locomotives in the world – were designed to re-use their water and savings up to 85% were recorded. No other country employed condensing engines on a scale as large as this.
• 1981 Class 26. The only example, a rebuilt class 25 4-8-4 known as the “Red Devil”, was used as an experiment to modernise steam traction. Although some 30% saving in water and coal use was recorded, no other conversions were made but the knowledge gained was used in China where steam engines were still being built as recently as 2002.
• 1981 Class 35 diesel-electric. These units spelled the end of steam traction on branch lines.
• 1982 Class 9E electric units, 50kV AC. The most powerful electric units on Cape gauge, they haul heavy iron ore trains between Sishen and Saldanha.
• 2009 Class 19E. These powerful dual-voltage electric locomotives are the latest development of traction power on the Transnet system.
• 2010 The Gautrain high-speed train running on brand-new, standard-gauge track represents the latest milepost in the development of railways in South Africa.

Rail transport in South Africa is arguably the most important piece of the country’s transportation infrastructure. All major cities are connected by rail, and  South Africa’s railway system is the most highly developed in the continent od Africa. The South African rail industry is publicly owned and will put into great use during the World Cup events that takes place within the next weeks.

The current railway system has come a long waysince the first track for steam-powered locomotives, about 2 miles (3.2 km) linking the Town of Durban with harbour point was opened on the 26th June 1860, exactly 150 years before the issue date of the stamps

Kind permission given by the South African Post Office  to use the stamps images and for some issue details within the article

published May 23rd, 2010