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was obtained. The works closed in 1905 but in the meantime, during the Anglo-Boer War, a 3ft

6ins gauge spur was laid along the same alignment and was used for the test-firing of rail-
mounted big guns out into False Bay.

From 1903 until about 1930 there was a private line that ran parallel to the CGR from Fish Hoek
toward Kalk Bay and across the Silvermine Stream where it turned inland to Clovelly where a

developer named Colyn was establishing a village called Mayville. Colyn also had a quarry in the

same vicinity and he used this line to carry stone down to Fish Hoek. It is not clear how long
Colyn used this line but by 1920 the CGR was using it as far as the Silvermine Stream, near

where they were dumping the surplus sand from Fish Hoek Station.

Conclusion

In concluding let us not forget the “Picnic Line” (Figs. 3.5 & 3.6) on which 11,500 tickets to
Muizenberg / St James / Kalk Bay were sold in one month in 1893, in the days when the

Railways were passenger-friendly and keen to improve their business by arranging excursion

tickets (Fig. 3.7) with fireworks displays and concerts at the bandstand at St James (Fig. 3.8),
where there was also the Aquarium. The beach at Muizenberg was well publicised by Railway

posters and Kalk Bay offered boat trips from the beach.

Today we have the enterprising and privately run Bigsie’s Buffet Car which shuttles, rather

surreptitiously, back and forth between Cape Town and Simon’s Town and provides a very

pleasant and unique way of travelling along the spectacular coastline for those who happen to
know about it.

Times and circumstances have changed but a backward glance sometimes provides ideas for the
future.