S1 - Ep 177 - Nelspoort - A Small Community in the Karoo on the old Defunct N1!

[@deonnimb9505]

These were mainline stations providing a service to the whole country, maybe not the best service, but reasonably good. Today all that capital is just left to rust away and the overflow traffic is just too much for the roads to handle. Seen through the eyes of an old Spoorie, this is just too sad, we had so much.

[@DustBugsTravel]

You clearly have first-hand experience and we can only imagine how sad it must be for you to see the decay of all the old stations and railway lines. 😥 We've developed quite an interest in stations since we happened upon one in the Overberg a few months ago and, although all the abandoned ones are very sad, we often sit there and imagine the stories that people like yourself can tell about them. They seemed to have been the lifeblood of many a community. 🚂

[@stuff0music]

My dad was also a spoorie and us kids had the privilege to travel past some of those stations from Jo’burg to Cape Town several times in our lives. Sad to see them now.

[@mikereeler9021]

As always, what a great trip, thank you kindly for sharing. Commentary on Tweedside though hardly complete without a mention of James Douglas Logan - b.1857, who having started out as a railway porter before advancing himself to become the Superintendent of the railway section between Hex River to Prince Albert, in the Karoo. Acquiring the farm Tweedside he went on to successfully farm there - livestock, wheat and fruit orchards - this made possible with his discovery there of what was SA’s first ‘artesian well’ borehole. His attention turning to Matjiesfontein, hitherto an inconspicuous railway siding north of River Touws, he acquiring surrounding land and set about developing it into what we know today. It was here, in March 1884 that Logan was awarded a contract to open a refreshment room for the passing railway travelers. With time he went on to corner all the railway catering and refreshment concessions spread over 2,250 miles of rail track between Cape Town and Bulawayo. Some of these being obtained by what has been described as ‘devious means’, the subsequent scandal that broke rocking the government of the day. As to the rest, the various halts and sidings, fondly remembered as once proud little railway establishments - these the lifeline for the surrounding communities - the platforms spick and span, set out too with neatly tendered flowerbeds and gardens. In stark contrast to those memories, the places today without any ‘soul’, having gone to ‘hell in a hand basket’.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, glad you enjoy our videos. 😊 Our goal is not to provide the complete history of any particular place of interest since we simply don't always know the history. We stop at places we happen upon and enjoy them for what they are in the moment. We count on those who watch like yourself to fill in the blanks, so thank you for sharing the very interesting info about and history of Tweedside. 👌🏻

[@mikereeler9021]

@@DustBugsTravel - Happy that you did not mind my adding the 2c worth. The history and its characters I find fascinating.

[@charlietreston4035]

Love your videos when I lived in South Africa back in the 70s I was priverlidged to travel along gravel tracks in the transvaal saw some querky places putting up TV antennas I also put antenna on Jan smuts tin House best of luck from Kent England

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you! I bet you saw some amazing places. People everywhere had a TV, so you must've been in high demand! 🖥️

[@annawitter5161]

We stopped at Tweedside station on our way up north. There used to be a locomotive watering fixture there. Prince Albert road was once a busy station. Dit was toeka se dae! Thanks for showing us that. So Beaufort west turned into Beaufort Wet!! Yes, I remember how the old road went through Nelspoort. It was a recovery place for TB sufferers. So sad to see what happened o the old hospital. Looking at all the delapidated old buildings, I feel so old and left behind in the past. Three Sisters used to be a major train station.

[@DustBugsTravel]

You know the area well! It was all new to us, off the N1 at least. We just knew the Ultra City before this trip. Just proved again what lies just a few hundred metres from the major highways. 🛣️

[@ebrahimhoosain617]

Leka road trips !!! Thanks for the vids ....Enjoy

[@DustBugsTravel]

Road trips are just the best! 🤩🚗

[@debbiekruger9414]

What a great trip. Very sad to see the human destruction of such beautiful old buildings. And the stations break my heart. What a waste. Thank you, once again for taking us with you.

[@DustBugsTravel]

It's hard to believe that these destroyed buildings were once equipped to deal with seriously-ill patients and there is almost nothing left of them now. 😥 A very big positive is that the current hospital looks extensive and is hopefully sufficient for the health requirements of the community. 🏨

[@johnfarley4201]

Fascinating pioneering by you both unravelling the present and the past. So enjoy your filming. Thank you both.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, that means so much. 😊 It really was a fascinating trip down the past.

[@seanchallenge]

Awesome thanks 😊

[@DustBugsTravel]

Anytime! 🚗

[@dolan4709]

Dankie vir julle. Dit is wonderlik om saam te ry.

[@DustBugsTravel]

And it's fantastic to have you on board! 🚗 Thank you so much for watching!

[@1812nico]

Great trip once again, thanks you two people! So sad that all that remain of some of these beautiful places is remains. Keep well and safe!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Indeed, very well put. And the remains were scattered absolutely everywhere. 😢

[@aginn9506]

Glad to see many more views happening, keep it up I,m spreading the word. Wish television had shows like yours, I,m not so tech savy. But glad you take us on these excursions. I want to stay in some of the places you,ve been, its great being shown some hidden gems to stay in. We would probably never have found tnx

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much for watching and telling folks about our channel! 😁 Don't sell yourself short on the tech side. If you can watch, subscribe, like and comment, you're all sorted! 👌🏻👨🏻‍💻

[@aginn9506]

@@DustBugsTravel thankyou I guess you are right. Though I turn to my wife or kids for the much more technical stuff. Keep safe and well

[@mzansistreets8027]

Just discovered your channel and am enjoying it so much. Thank you for the trips. Brings back nostalgia and good memories. I have always thought back to the discovery of the Three Sisters on a college trip from Pretoria to Cape Town. I am also reminded of family trips with my dad. We used to travel so much with him discovering new places when I grew up and he always documented everything we came across. Thanks so much.

[@DustBugsTravel]

You're so very welcome and we're so happy you joined us on our travels! 😊 Your family trips sound amazing and it's great that our videos remind you of those wonderful times. My wife's father also loved documenting trips and she also has such fond memories of her trips with him and the rest of her family, just like you. Appreciate you sharing that with us. 😁🚗

[@mzansistreets8027]

Thanks so much

[@deonzar]

I just always stand amazed at how destructive we are..if all those buildings could tell their story of all the TB patients that came through there.. Seeing that you are in that part of the world I really hope that Nieu Bethesda was on your visiting list...

[@DustBugsTravel]

Nieu-Bethesda wasn't on our route this time around, no. 😏 So many places, so little time! 😁 The destruction of those buildings in Nelspoort are a sad reminder of the times we live in. 😢

[@deonzar]

@@DustBugsTravel Pity but maybe Nieu Bethesda will feature in another trip...

[@flodillon991]

Load shedding it seems to becoming a normal thing here. At least the birds enjoyed the early morning there songs are lovely. How many more deserted station, everyone seems to be moving to the big cities pity just leaving ghost towns left. So sorry about that. At one time there were people there. Heartsore.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Let me rather stay mum on the subject of loadshedding. 🤐 We're also surprised by the countless stations in and around these small towns and to think they were all operational at some point. 🚂

[@munesumangava9751]

Beautiful horses hey!!!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Absolutely gorgeous! And even more so because they were wild! 🐎🤩

[@jankemarais6387]

Ek en my man reis deur SA en neem al die stasienaamborde af. Baie dankie dat julle ook die stasies afneem. Dit help ons ook baie om te weet daar is nog naamborde.

[@DustBugsTravel]

You're very welcome! What an interesting hobby you have! 🚆 We developed a little fascination with old and abandoned stations a few months ago when we happened upon our first one and now they're everywhere! Have fun on the road, I'm sure you'll have a great time. There is certainly no shortage of station boards for you to film and photograph. 😁

[@jankemarais6387]

We love it and we love trains. The stations have a special place in our hearts. We are glad you and your wife enjoy them too.

[@kambrose1549]

That little padstal at Tweedside used to have a striped awning. It was pretty and eye-catching

[@DustBugsTravel]

We still saw what was left of the awning, I can just imagine how awesome it must've looked when it was still brightly-coloured. We love that little building! 😍

[@johanvanwyk3803]

I started school in Nelspoort. The school was about half an hour walk from home. Apparently, when the station was built, the original owner of the farm agreed on condition that all passenger trains should stop there. This included the White Train which transported the State President between Cape Town and Pretoria at the time. We bought fresh milk and bread at the sanatorium.

[@munesumangava9751]

Wow! The Three Sisters 👌

[@nerinemartin5901]

Hi now u r almost in my hometown ...Prince Albert. ..❤😊😢

[@willieexplore]

So sad to see those derelict and abandoned buildings. With progress, in this case the new N1, there will always be those who are left behind. Alternatively put - in life, you will get winners and losers.

[@DustBugsTravel]

As we were driving through the town, we couldn't help but wonder what it looked like when the N1 was still going past there. The community must've once prospered. 'Left behind' is a very apt way to describe this town. Everyone drove away to the new N1 and left the town behind. Sad. 🛣️😥

[@walterfick157]

Geniet die trip 🛣️

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thanks, we're back already! And now the editing starts! 😁

[@shanewaldeck1116]

Tweedside station. Farmers in remote areas had their own station, halt or siding. The present station belongs Rawson Trust who maintains it.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you for sharing this interesting info, we had no idea. 👌🏻

[@RyanDH]

Why would they divert the N1 from Nelspoort? Safety issues? I know they almost did that with N3 to try and get away from Van Reneens pass, but the idea was eventually scrapped because it would've killed the town of Harrismith. That old hospital looks like it was a victim of looting and riots

[@DustBugsTravel]

For sure a lot of vandalism at that old hospital, it's all but completely destroyed. 😢🏨 I couldn't find the reason why the N1 was rerouted, perhaps a shorter route. 🤔

[@pieterbeukes1411]

Daardie Jaffels lyk lekker! probleempie!, hoe gemaak en waar om testop in Boufort, vir iets lekkers, on the go? gee so n biekkie meer inligtig,ons sal wardeer. Dit help ook om Ma & Pa se besighede bene talaat ondwikkel. Ons waedeer.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We always stop at the purple place on the right-hand side of the main road, as you drive through from Cape Town. It's called Waterwiel Bakhuis. Delicious take-away food, give them a try next time! 😁🥪

[@mk-xq1tt]

You have really criss-crossed the WC so much that you will have to relocate to another province soon, otherwise you will spend a whole week to reach your destination.....🙂🙂

[@DustBugsTravel]

😁 I hear you loud and clear! We still work full-time, so won't relocate anytime soon. We might think of adding a travel day, and eventually two, to make up for having to travel further from home. 🚗

[@AndrewJohnClive]

Hou vas. The change is coming…

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm hanging on tight. 🤞🏻

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Used to be that is the opperative😢.🙃👍🙏

[@munesumangava9751]

Did someone stack those rocks in that river😳 or maybe nature!!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

I love it that you ask the same questions we do! I think Someone did, yes! 😍🗻

[@munesumangava9751]

Total vandalism to structures that could have been salvages for a different purpose! Sad😢

[@SnowyPe]

I was wrong too..😁😁😁

[@johannaslabbert7738]

My broer Jerimy le Roux was jare terug stasiemeester op Drie susters

[@DustBugsTravel]

That's interesting, it must've looked quite different back then. 🚆🤔

[@danievandenberg867]

Wees getrou

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm not sure, but your comment seems incomplete to me. 🤔