The South-East connection

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Periodical article

Title:	The South-East connection
Author:	Taylor, R.D.
Year:	2005
Periodical:	Heritage of Zimbabwe (ISSN 0556-9605)
Issue:	24
Pages:	81-93
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Zambia Mozambique Zimbabwe Southern Africa
Subjects:	rail transport 1950-1999 History, Archaeology history Railroads
Abstract:	At the end of World War II, large orders were placed for new locomotives and rolling stock in order to meet the anticipated demands of the rapidly growing economies of the then Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe). The railway planners of Rhodesia Railways realized that once they had sufficient motive power and rolling stock, the limiting factor in moving all the traffic to and from the coast would be the capacity of the line between what was then Salisbury and Beira in Portuguese East Africa. This paper examines choices made between various possible routes; the construction of the various lines; the first official goods train (on 1 August 1955) and the first passenger trains in 1956; sugar transport by rail in the Lowveld which began in the 1960s; Bulawayo-Lowveld and Beit Bridge passenger services and trains; and - briefly - locomotives and iron ore liner trains. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract]