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 Train about to depart from Capital Park Station | |
| Main route(s) | Cape Town toDar es Salaam Pretoria toSwakopmund Pretoria to Cape Town Pretoria toDurban Pretoria toVictoria Falls |
|---|---|
| Other | |
| Website | rovos |
Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station inPretoria, South Africa.
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 over 430, from the on-board staff to those working to restore carriages in the company's Capital Park depot.[2]
Rovos Rail operates the following routes:[3]
Rovos Rail owns 7steam locomotives purchased between 1987 and 2007. The oldest steam locomotive was built byDübs & Company in Glasgow in 1893. It is aClass 6 locomotive which Rovos Rail named 439Tiffany (after the youngest daughter of Rohan Vos). The remaining locomotives areClass 19Ds andClass 25NCs built byBorsig Lokomotiv Werke,Henschel & Son andNorth British Locomotive Company. 2701Brenda, 2702Bianca and 3360Shaun, named after the other three children, are Class 19D locomotives built during the 1930s. All three were saved from scrap metal dealers and, after extensive restoration, were put back into service in 1989. Locomotive 3484Marjorie – 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 locomotive from a coal to a more efficient oil-fired engine. A further two Class 25NC locomotives have been restored and added to the fleet: 3442Anthea, built in 1953 byHenschel & Son of Germany, is named after Rohan's wife; 3533King Zog is named after Rohan's lateDalmatian.[4]
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 atCenturion 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.[5]
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25°43′03″S28°11′26″E / 25.7176°S 28.1906°E /-25.7176; 28.1906
