The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, the Garden Route's iconic steam train, will return to service on October 19.
"The service was suspended for a while for necessary maintenance, but the Western Cape's Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, and about 60 invited guests will commemorate its return with a ride from George to Mossel Bay, where they'll enjoy refreshments as the guest of our Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira," said Mossel Bay Tourism's Marcia Holm.
Holm said some "unfortunate" uncertainty had arisen during the maintenance period, but that she was delighted the service would be resumed in time for the coming summer holidays.
"We're not yet sure what the timetable will be, but we hope that the Choo Tjoe will again run three times a week in the quieter periods, and once a day in season.
"This will have to be confirmed by Transnet, and we will communicate with the tourism industry as soon as we have the final programme," she said.
According to Neels Zietzman, chairman of Mossel Bay Tourism, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe suffered a serious set-back when floods damaged the George-Knysna line a few years back.
"Fortunately, though, and at the suggestion of Mossel Bay Tourism, the train was re-routed to the George-Mossel Bay line, and was thus preserved as a tourism attraction for the country as a whole.
"In the process, Mossel Bay Tourism paid for the construction of platforms at the Dias Museum, and, with the train ride starting and ending at the Transport Museum in George, began marketing the unique Museum-to-Museum Tour."
Members of the public wishing to travel on the train on October 19 will be able to buy one-way tickets from Mossel Bay to George in the usual way.
The train's timetable will be published on www.visitmosselbay.co.za as soon as it becomes available.
Photo sourced from: SA Tourism
"The service was suspended for a while for necessary maintenance, but the Western Cape's Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, and about 60 invited guests will commemorate its return with a ride from George to Mossel Bay, where they'll enjoy refreshments as the guest of our Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira," said Mossel Bay Tourism's Marcia Holm.
Holm said some "unfortunate" uncertainty had arisen during the maintenance period, but that she was delighted the service would be resumed in time for the coming summer holidays.
"We're not yet sure what the timetable will be, but we hope that the Choo Tjoe will again run three times a week in the quieter periods, and once a day in season.
"This will have to be confirmed by Transnet, and we will communicate with the tourism industry as soon as we have the final programme," she said.
According to Neels Zietzman, chairman of Mossel Bay Tourism, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe suffered a serious set-back when floods damaged the George-Knysna line a few years back.
"Fortunately, though, and at the suggestion of Mossel Bay Tourism, the train was re-routed to the George-Mossel Bay line, and was thus preserved as a tourism attraction for the country as a whole.
"In the process, Mossel Bay Tourism paid for the construction of platforms at the Dias Museum, and, with the train ride starting and ending at the Transport Museum in George, began marketing the unique Museum-to-Museum Tour."
Members of the public wishing to travel on the train on October 19 will be able to buy one-way tickets from Mossel Bay to George in the usual way.
The train's timetable will be published on www.visitmosselbay.co.za as soon as it becomes available.
Photo sourced from: SA Tourism
Jeanette Phillips
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