Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) announced on Monday that it had repaired both lines on the Northern Corridor in KwaZulu-Natal following the derailment of a train two weeks ago.
TFR said most of the repair work to both lines had been completed ahead of schedule after teams had managed to clear them of 97 wagons of coal that were en route to Richards Bay when the train was derailed on November 8. The derailment occurred on the route between Bloubank and Nhlazatshe station, causing massive damage to the rail infrastructure and rolling stock.
“The first line was brought back into operation on Friday, November 18 at 07:43. The second line was back by Saturday morning at 09:30, a day sooner than had been anticipated. Our recovery teams have been working around the clock to ensure that this service line is restored to full operation efficiently and effectively,” TFR said.
“The focus will now be on clearing the staged trains and the backlog on the line, following which normal operations can commence. TFR would like to thank all stakeholders that have assisted in getting our line back and running in record time.”
