General Manager and Executive Officials, Cape Government Railways

• CGR

In 1872 the Cape Government commenced the construction of railways under the control of the Public Works Department. On 1 January 1873 the Railway Department was constituted and works of construction were proceeded with vigorously. A Secretary to the Department was appointed in the person of H Beard who was the immediate head of the whole Department. On 2 August 1873 WG Brounger was appointed Railway Engineer.

The Department was divided into three divisions, Cape Town to Wellington (including Wynberg), Port Elizabeth and East London to Queenstown. In 1875 the position of Secretary was abolished and the Railway Engineer now acted as a consulting engineer in the Colony. By this time, each of the three divisions, which eventually became known as the Western, Midland and Eastern Systems, were headed by Resident Engineers who were stationed respectively at Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London.

The Department was from 1875 – 1880 practically without a head. By an order dated 13 May 1880, a select committee was appointed to consider the management and working of the Colonial Railways. Resulting from the report of this committee, a General Manager of Railways was appointed on 16 December 1880. On the pensioning of Brounger in May 1884 the post of Railway Engineer was abolished and a new post of Engineer-in-Chief was created. In addition to the General Manager’s office and the Engineer’s Department, the Locomotive, Traffic, Accounting, Stores, Education and Refreshment Departments functioned within the organisation of the Cape Government Railway Department.

The Department was also responsible for constructing and working railways in the Orange Free State until 1 January 1897 when these lines were taken over by the Government of the Orange Free State. As a result of an agreement between the Cape Government and the Bechuanaland Railway Company, the Rhodesia System came into existence. This line extended between Vryburg and Mafeking. The South African Railways and Harbours administration was established in 1910 when the four colonies amalgamated to form the Union of South Africa. The final merger of the independent colonial railways took place in 1916.

• English

• Latin