The SA Airforce Museum in Port Elizabeth must be one of the best kept secrets (which is a pity) the city has to offer. The museum is housed in the original 42-Air School Air Gunnery Training Centre behind the Port Elizabeth Airport. The building was part of the 42 Air School Complex, one of the largest of the RAF/SAAF Training Bases in South Africa during World War II. After successful negotiations between the Museum Board and The Friends of The…
My favorite magazine is Weg, South Africa's biggest travel magazine. I had a huge surprise a month or two ago when the deputy editor of Weg's sister publication go! (the English version), e-mailed me asking for permission to use a picture of the Apple Express she had seen on Port Elizabeth Daily Photo. I have said before that when I go professional one day I would love to have my photos (and perhaps articles) published in these magazines, so it…
As our round trip day outing via the Swartberg Pass to Prince Albert and back through Meiringspoort was coming to an end, we made a quick stop in the town of De Rust. Named such as it was a place to outspan the oxen to rest before or after a journey through Meiringspoort, the town is quaint place with a couple of interesting shops and eateries along its main drag. As we were coming into town I noticed a donkey…
The Port Elizabeth Model Locomotive Society runs their minituare trains at Londt Park every first Sunday of the month. It is a very popular morning outing for anybody with little kids, but enjoyed just as much by the big kids (if you know what I'm saying).
I decided to add another post to the Random ... list and today's is Random Steel Wheels The wheels on one of the canons on display in Bayworld, Port Elizabeth, salvaged from a shipwreck in Algoa Bay The wheels on one of the steam trains on display at the Uitenhage Old Railway Station Museum Wheels on a mine cart on display outside the Cullinan Diamond mine near Johannesburg
One of the most unlikely things you may expect to find in the little village of Storms River in the Tsitsikamma on the Garden Route is a Cadillac museum. The Cadillac Shack is a small privately owned collection of these magnificent cars which can be viewed by prior appointment when in the area. Michael Caine might tell you that the Big Three Cadillac's are the '58, '59 and '60 as they have the biggest fins of all the Cadillac's. The…
The town of George at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains was founded in 1811 and was the first town to be established in South Africa by the British. It was named after King George III. The town is the main commercial town on the Garden Route and is often just used by tourists as a stop over. It is also where visitors will find the Outeniqua Railway Museum where the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train is based. Unfortunately the…
The Random ... theme for today is train stations. I'm going to be quiet on the blog for a little while as I am heading to Johannesburg for the next two weeks. The organisation I am working for is exhibiting during the Confederations Cup and I am co-ordinating the stand at Sandton City. See you in a couple of weeks time again. The old Humewood Narrow Gauge station in Port Elizabeth. It gets used by the historic Apple Express but…
Going on a photographic expedition for a project we are doing at work, I got to visit a couple of the museums and attractions around Port Elizabeth last week. I just realised again how many interesting places there are to visit. The problem is that most of these places don't have the funds to be really marketed to the extend that they need to. So I will do my bit and feature them in my blog. The South African Airforce…
The historic little Apple Express steam train that puffs out of Port Elizabeth most weekends on a day trip to Thornhill has really been struggling for the last couple of years. Not just do the Apple Express Society struggle financially, but their steam engine has been out of commission for about two years now. The have been working on restoring the engine and about three or so weeks ago they took her out on a trial run. I just got…