1986: Rohan Vos, founder of Rovos Rail, received the first letter of permission to run a train on the national rail network.
1987: Major activity occurs while rebuilding loco 2702 Bianca and the seven carriages that were to depart on the first journey.
1988: Dramatically increased coach-building activity took place, plus the arrival and rebuild of loco 439, an 1839 6 Class. Furthermore, the first video was shot and initial publicity photographs were taken. And Joy Hayward became Rovos Rail’s first employee in the marketing department.
1989: In 1989, the original 1893 railway hotel, the Victoria Hotel, was restored as the new head office, staff quarters, training depot and departure point for the inaugural trip to Transvaal.
1990: To celebrate Rovos Rail’s first birthday in April, a full steam-hauled Pride of Africa journeyed to Cape Town on a four-day trip. As well as this, a succession of breakfast, lunch and dinner trips were run between Cape Town and Simon’s Town for the travel industry, press and corporates.
1991: In 1991, Rovos Rail launched the monthly Pretoria to Cape Town return trip - now the most regular journey on the schedule. Loco 3360, a 19D, was launched in May after a nine-month rebuild.
1992: A few trips were run to Maputo in Mozambique but due to the uncertain security situation and wreckage strewn along the track, it was deemed an unattractive route. Later, Rohan piloted his twin-engined plane into the airport at Dar es Salaam - it was the first South African private aircraft to arrive there in 30 years. The first rooms in the Victoria Hotel were opened after three years of restoration.
1993: The first Rovos train trundled into Dar es Salaam in 1993 and the trip has taken place every year since then.
1994: When tourism was at its lowest ebb in years, Rovos Rail committed to extending the route from Pretoria to Victoria Falls - now one of the most popular routes that has gained worldwide status. A significant milestone was reached when Rovos Rail purchased 38 redundant carriages from the railways, which was quite an achievement after nearly going bust a year earlier.
1995: Coach 15021, an engineer’s caboose, was overhauled and positioned in the V&A Waterfront to be used as a Cape Town office. Eight rebuilt carriages were also launched.
1996: For the first time, two trains departed on the same day from the Pretoria yard - one to the Eastern Transavaal and the other to Cape Town. The first journey from Cape Town to George was also run in this month. In a year of frenzied activity, 15 rebuilt coaches, which were used to create the second train, were put into service.
1997: Propnet (Transnet’s property arm) signed the lease over the Capital Park property - 12 acres at the time, now grown to 60 acres. Today, this is a shining example of a private railway yard of world-beating standard.
1998: The workshop equipment was moved to Capital Park and construction started on the station, platform, crew rooms and other facilities. Rovos Rail reunited South Africa and Namibia by rail with a seven-day 3,400-kilometre journey from Pretoria via Kimberley, Upington and the Fish River Canyon to Windhoek, and finally to the Atlantic coast at Swakopmund.
1999: The official opening of the new Rovos Rail Station coincided with the 10th anniversary, on which occasion Rohan’s mother, Mrs Marjorie Vos, formally launched the 25NC locomotive 3484.
2000: Due to severe flooding, twelve coaches derailed in Bulawayo so Rovos Rail made the decision to change the Victoria Falls route to Polokwane with a flight to Victoria Falls. This year, a new safari was introduced between Pretoria and Durban including game drives in Kruger National Park, Mkhaya Reserve in Swaziland and Hluhluwe Reserve in Zululand.
2001: Rovos Air began developing with the purchase of two 1954 Convair 440 aircraft. They were used to convey train passengers from Polokwane to Victoria Falls in Zambia and were also available for charter anywhere in Southern Africa. A panoramic nine-day Africa Colalge around South Africa was introduced and a nine-day Golf Safari (which includes five top-class courses with optional excursions for non-playing guests now operating three to four times a year) ran for the first time.
2002: The 13-day Southern Africa Air Safari was introduced including an optional two-night journey on the train and two nights at six outstanding venues in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. Also, a 1944 DC3 was added to the Rovos Air fleet.
2003: The building programme was once again accelerated with the purchase of a further 14 coaches from the railways.
2004: Discussions were ongoing about possibly traversing Zimbabwe again.
2005: In early 2005, Rovos Rail started building 15 carriages. In October, the first departure from the company's new lounge at 1 Adderley Street in Cape Town, took place. The Club Lounge and Pullman accommodations were also launched this year.
2006: A direct journey between Pretoria and Victoria Falls was reintroduced travelling via Botswana.
2007: 2007 was a busy year, kicking off with the purchase of a nine-coach train from Spier Wine Estate which was to be converted into a function and excursion train. A train was also rebuilt for Bushtracks and delivered to Livingstone. A diesel blower conversion on coal-firing 25NC loco Marjorie increased the range to 400 kilometres. Lastly, the 237 Observation Car was launched alongside Rovos Rail’s first motor vehicle carrier.
2008: The inaugural four Cape-to-Cairo itineraries were successfully completed. Disaster struck in May when 12 frontline carriages were destroyed by a fire in the yard. A new boardroom and educational facility were opened in the old restaurant building on Rovos Rail’s western border at Rovos Rail Station.
2009: 2009 was another jam-packed year. Not only was it Rovos Rail’s 20th anniversary, celebrated with the launch of the newly rebuilt eight-coach excursion train, but March saw the arrival of a historic 35-ton steam crane. Alongside this, Rovos Rail purchased a house in Cape Town named The Homestead, with a view to turn it into a guesthouse. In October, the station was expanded by 3 acres and Rovos Rail took a lease on the restaurant and auctioneer premises in order to create financial offices, a boardroom and training facilities. In November, the Commonwealth bogie modification to the Zimbabwe coaches was approved by the railways.
2010: Coaches 3444 and 3863 launched in February. Zimbabwe coach 4098 undertook its first journey with the Commonwealth bogies. In April, Rovos Rail opened its first guesthouse in Cape Town, the St James Manor, and the train from Cape Town was involved in a derailment at Centurion Station. In May, the refurbished financial offices, boardroom and training facilities were opened and Lounge 3277, Pullman 3438 and Diner 6447 were launched. In December, Rovos Rail purchased Seaforth House with a view to converting it into a guesthouse.
2011: In January, Diner 5274 (fondly known as the Rust Bucket), Guards Van 3964, Observation Car 6329 and the last of the coaches damaged in the derailment were launched. In February, DC3 Delaney was brought back from Windhoek to Pretoria and in April, Seaforth House was opened.
2012: The rebuilding of St James Homestead in Cape Town began in May with six spacious rooms to add to the nine of the Manor and Seaforth already in operation. The first pillared dining car 3463 was launched in December.
2013: DC3 Delaney went out on a 20-day Southern Africa Air Safari, two more pillared dining cars and an observation car were launched and in December, St James Homestead was opened.
2014: In February, Rovos Rail purchased five 1973 diesel locos and after their arrival in Pretoria in late June, work began on their major overhaul. Two more Namibia departures were added to the schedule and a new Victoria Falls itinerary commenced. Lastly, the rebuilding of ten coaches for the fourth train began.
2015: Mia Bella and Camilla, Nguni heifers, arrived at Rovos Rail Station, the Dar es Salaam journey was extended to 15 days and Rohan travelled to Congo and Angola to negotiate traversing rights. In December, the Shongololo Express was purchased.
2016: In January, the first Rovos Rail diesel locos hauled the train to Dar es Salaam, by February, the first Shongololo Express journey departed and, later in the year, Tulip and Alfie were born to Mia Bella and Camilla, respectively.
2017: Once again, the train travelled through Beitbridge on the Victoria Falls journey, five diesel locos were purchased while four were sent to the depot in Musina and a lifting station was commissioned at Rovos Rail Station in April.
2019: Rovos Rail celebrated its 30th year of operation in April and in July, the maiden voyage of the Trail of Two Oceans set off from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania for its 15-day sojourn to Lobito.
Future: We can’t wait to see what’s in store for Rovos Rail!
