Park Station the beginnings

In 1886 the discovery of the richest gold deposits in the world on the Witwatersrand changed the fortunes of Southern Africa forever. Situated in the landlocked Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) it catapulted a rural population composed of black and mostly Dutch-speaking white people headlong into a mineral and industrial revolution. Johannesburg mushroomed on a dusty, dry watershed 600km from the closest harbour, the Portuguese-controlled Delagoa Bay (Maputo), 1 500km from Cape Town and hundreds of kilometres from the closest railhead.

Prior to the establishment of a rail link with the coast, the goldfields could only be reached by means of animal-drawn transport, ox wagon, stage coach, on horseback or on foot. Contrary to the belief of the ZAR government and its state president, Paul Kruger, that the gold deposits would not last, the development of deep level mining a decade later firmly established Johannesburg as the new financial hub of Southern Africa. Park Station, as the principal station of Johannesburg, became the gateway and first port of call for all newcomers to the Witwatersrand who could afford the price of a train ticket.

Ever since its inception the ZAR cherished the dream of a rail link which would be built and operated outside the British sphere of influence. The obvious choice was Delagoa Bay (Maputo).

The choice for the building of this ambitious railway station through the Portuguese territory of Mozambique to the port of Maputo was a Dutch concern, the Netherlands South African Railway Company (NZASM), which operated by way of a concession granted by the State. While all this planning to build a railway to the coast was in progress, Johannesburg was booming: huge mining machines and equipment were being hauled piecemeal from the coast (mostly Durban) and railed to Ladysmith, the railhead, from where the ox wagon took over. In addition, the coal to fuel the furnaces of the new industrial age on the Reef had also to come from afar. These difficulties made mining very expensive, but not for long, since it soon proved that the old Transvaal had many more treasures hidden under her lap. In 1887 coal was discovered almost in the backyard of Johannesburg - a mere 27km away at Boksburg - and the obvious choice for bringing the two together was a railway.

The Republican government, not without some strong opposition mainly from transport riders, approved the building of a railway to connect the East Rand coal fields with Johannesburg and appointed the NZASM to manage the operation once complete. Officially it was called the Rand Tram, which indicated that it was intended to be a very light railway line. Everything needed to build the railway, from rolling stock to permanent way, came from Holland, landed at Durban, was discharged at Ladysmith and from there was transported to Johannesburg by ox wagon.

Contrary to the usual fete and fanfare which accompany railway inaugurations, the Rand Tram commenced operations between Johannesburg and Boksburg on 17 March 1890 almost unannounced.

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