Pietermaritzburg - Capital of the Zulu Kingdom

Railway Tourism - Full Steam Ahead in Creighton

The Mercury today reports KwaZulu-Natal has a brand new railway station in Creighton, southern KZN. The beautiful new station, built in the traditional Natal Veranda style at a cost of R4.6 million, doubles as the civic offices of the Ingwe Municipality and a tourist information centre.

The Bushveld Safari charter train stops regularly at the town on its way to Kokstad and Matatiele in East Griqualand. Ingwe Municipality is to spend another R4 million on a three-coach train to run excursions between Himeville and Underberg in the KwaSani Municipality, and Creighton.

Ingwe Mayor, Innocent Miya, says, 'We saw an opportunity in railway tourism to create econimic benefits for our people. We also needed civic offices, so it made sense to construct them right here on the railway platform and create an attraction right away.' In a complementary development, the adjacent Ubuhlebezwe Municipality, Ixopo, plans to restore a Garrett G11 narrow- guage steam locomotive to draw the Paton Express, which is already operatine with a diesel-drawn locomotive, in the hill country immortalised by author, Alan Paton, in his novel 'Cry the Beloved Country'.

Ingwe Municipality also plans to build a raised boardwalk at the Little Creighton Wetland, which is within distance of the station and where rare bird species such as the marsh owl and the African snipe can be seen. The area is also the habitat of the rare Cape parrot.

The old Creighton station - a wood-and-iron colonial building - is to be converted into a museum. The old post office, also on the station platform, is to become the tourist information centre.

A shaded boma and braai facilities for tourists are being constructed on the platform and the area is to be attractively landscaped with indigenous trees and shrubs.

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