Apple Express Train: Back on Track!

Описание: The Apple Express is back! Watch as the drone captures incredible footage of this train as it departs from King’s Beach and makes its way to the Nelson Mandela Bay Harbour traveling through Humewood Station to its current final destination being Port Elizabeth International Airport.

This narrow gauge train which for many years have been a symbol and tourist attraction of Port Elizabeth has reopened for the public and is back on track.

The Apple Express, which is one of only nine heritage rail operators in South Africa stopped running, on 29 December 2010. It reopened during December 2017.

The Port Elizabeth-Avontuur Narrow Gauge line was authorised in 1899, with construction starting in 1902. In late 1906, it reached the end point at Avontuur and officially opened early in 1907. A main line track covers a length of 177 miles (284kms) from Port Elizabeth to Avontuur – this is the longest narrow gauge railway line in the world, crossing Van Stadens Railway Bridge, the highest narrow gauge railway bridge in the world. In 1914, the 30km Branch Line, from Gamtoos Station to Hankey and Patensie was opened to serve this rich irrigation farming area. Both freight and heritage operations successfully operated on line.

This heritage rail icon, running on the world’s longest narrow gauge line still open to the public and crossing the highest narrow gauge railway bridge – Van Stadens Railway Bridge – in the world has been revered by steam rail enthusiasts, preservationists and photographers worldwide for more than 100 years. In 2009 the Apple Express was selected as one of the top six narrow gauge rail operations worldwide.

When the Apple Express stopped running, on 29 December 2010, Nelson Bay and the region lost a lot more than a train. They lost a unique tourism icon – it is truly irreplaceable.