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NZASM South-Eastern Line
Tshwane (Pretoria) district, Gauteng

NZASM: Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij: Architect
Date:1894-1896
Client:NZASM
Type:Railway Line
Style:Industrial Archaeology
Status:Extant but altered

This was the line connecting the Witwatersrand to the Durban Harbour

It required a co-operative agreement of the NZASM with the NATAL GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS which undertook its commitments to the project as a matter independent of its Natal headquarters.

The first portion to be completed was the short section between Charlestown and the ZAR border, undertaken by HS SMITH as contractor.

The line between Border Spruit and Heidelberg was divided into twelve sections. The line between Heidelberg and Elsburg into two sections. The first was awarded to PJ MOSTERT and TJ ATTERBURY for earthworks and masonry for the first section and DONALDSON & FAWCUS (also involved on the Eastern Line) for the second.

In September 1894 when all abutments and piers of most bridges from Volksrust to Heidelberg were ready the contract for the steel superstructures was awarded to Mitcheson & Kollbrunner. On the Heidelberg to Elsburg Section this contract was awarded to Th WINTER. by 2 January 1896 the whole line was opened for traffic.

All towns along the line were provisioned with station building, namely (from south to north):

 Volksrust Station
 Zandspruit Station
 Markgraafspruit Station
 Platrand Station
Kraal Station
Standerton Station
Vlaklaagte Station
Val Station
Greylingstad Station
Vlakfontein Station
Heidelberg Station
Rietveld Station
Roodekop Station

Bridges constructed along the line were (from south to north):

 Border Bridge (Convention Bridge)
 Vaal River Bridge
No image Bridge over the Van der Schief [Scheef] Spruit
 Katbosch Spruit Bridge
 Sassen (Waterval) Spruit Bridge
 Brak Spruit Bridge
 Sand Spruit Bridge
Leonards Spruit Bridge
Groot Spruit Bridge
Silverbank Bridge
Bridge east of Greylingstad 1
Bridge east of Greylingstad 2
Bridge west of Balfour
Suikerbosrand Bridge
Bridge over Blesbok Spruit 1
Bridge over Blesbok Spruit 2
Bridge west of Blesbok Spruit
Rietspruit Bridge?
Waterval Bridge

Other structures constructed along the line were (from south to north):

 Culvert Approaching Volksrust
 Culvert between Markgraafspruit and Platrand
 Culvert between Holmdene and Brak River
 Culvert between Val and Greylingstad
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 1
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 2
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 3
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 4
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 5
 Culvert east of Greylingstad 6
 Culvert west of Balfour
 Suikerbosrand cutting
 Culvert west of Blesbok Spruit

Buildings constructed along the line were (from south to north):

 Recreation Hall, Volksrust
 School, Volksrust
 Semi-detached houses, Volksrust
 Gangers Cottage, Volksrust
 Gangers Cottage, Sandspruit
 Station Cottage, Sandspruit
 House, Markgraafspruit
 Station Cottage, Platrand
 Semi-detached houses, Standerton
 Gangers Cottage, Balfour
 Staff Cottages, Balfour
 Semi-detached houses, Heidelberg


Books that reference NZASM South-Eastern Line

Anonymous [Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaanse Spoorwegmaatschappij]. [c.1909]. In Memoriam N.Z.A.S.M. Amsterdam: JH De Bussy. pg 17, 37-42
Clarke, Nicholas J, Fisher, Roger C & Simelane, Siphiwe . 2016. NZASM-footsteps along the tracks : the identified extant built residue of the Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (1887-1902). Pretoria: Visual Books. pg 109-141
De Jong, RC, Van der Waal, GM & Heydenrych, DH. 1988. NZASM 100 : 1887-1899, the buildings, steam engines and structures of the Netherlands South African Railway Company. Pretoria: C. Van Rensburg Publications on behalf of the Human Sciences Research Council. pg 176 ill., 177-197