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Introduction: Every time I am in South Africa I make my pilgrimage to Capital Park and spend at least one full day meandering around the grounds. Capital Park is where I spent many a weekends just walking around to look over the steam, diesel, and electric locomotives. At one point during the 1980's, the electric depot was also home for some of the e.m.u Metro trainsets. The Capital Park facility has changed for the better since my last visit during April of 1997. The following images in this section only pertain to the old electric locomotive depot and the goods yards. The former steam and diesel shed has been taken over by Rovos Rail and Friends of the Rail. My photographs for that portion of Capital Park are located on the Capital Park: Rovos Rail and the Capital Park: Friends of the Rail (FOTR) pages. The Spoornet operated yard at Capital Park is not very busy as compared to what I remember during the mid 1980's. I realize that the nearby classification yard, Sentrarand, has taken away the major sorting duties, but the effect of lost rail traffic is noticeable. No longer do the 8E electrics hum along all day. Times have indeed changed.... Summary of walk through: My wanderings began at the locomotive depot. I signed in at the main office and made my rounds of the diesel and electric locos parked on the ready tracks. I then walked (north) down into the yards where I first ventured east up a shunting neck to see some abandoned rolling stock. In the process, I found two 8E electric locos parked. No shunting during this part of the day. Then I walked straight through the yard from east to west. This covered the entire length of the yard from shunting necks east to shunting necks west. During this walk through, I photographed many different forms of tank wagons. Lighting was far from perfect as the sun was high in the sky. Eventually, I reached the connection to the main line on the west end of the yard and I then turned east and walked back up to the locomotive depot. I was able to photo one Metro-Rail commuter train while walking back up to the loco depot. Please note that I have included images that are back-lit and otherwise awful. However, I hope that such images will provide further insight into the trackage layout of Capital Park as the weeds seem to be covering the evidence that this yard was indeed once a busy place. Yes, I do have one quick snap of steam traction passing by the electric locomotive depot. I heard the steam locos coming at me but I refused to believe what I was hearing was indeed a set of steam locos running light. By the time I snapped out of the state of surprise, I was only able to take a side photograph through a maize patch. The following images were taken by me during my April 2001 visit to South Africa. All images taken with an Olympus E-10 digital camera.

The first five (5) rows show photographs taken at the locomotive ready tracks. This used to be the electric (only) loco depot.

Walking northward and following goods yard lead into the goods yard.

While standing on the yard leads, I decided to create something of a panaorama view. This row is looking west toward the main office.

This row is looking east toward the main entrance and auto garage.

Changing the camera settings to show in a better light the parking garage for the trainmen. Good for keeping the hired car out of the direct sunlight.

Resuming the walk westward and into goods yards. I decided to follow the main shunting neck eastward to get photographs of the two 8E shunting locos.

I spotted some wagons and decided to walk as far eastward as the rails would take me. The land of the weeds can be seen.

The first photograph is the furthest east that the yard extends to. This is the vary end of the shunting neck. I then walked straight out and into the yard and continued photographing. Goodbye weeds.

Standing in front of the shunters office and looking eastward.

Years ago there was a reason for a foot bridge at the location of a grade crossing! This used to be a busy place and trainmen would walk over the bridge as opposed to crawling under the trains.

Land of the Weeds on the west end and the connection to the mainline.

Being alone and I began noticing quite a few trespassers walking the railway line down by the road underpass, I decided to call it quits and I began walking back to the electric loco depot.