Further Progress on Lounge Car
Now that the Kalahari Sunrise event is behind us our team is able to concentrate on the construction and fitting out of our Lounge car.
This Lounge car is not based on any design that was inherited from any other railway. We would love to have built an Otavi wagon but that meant it would have been out of character with the rest of our passenger stock. The Lounge car started live as a Guards Van and will retain the same roof. The configuration is a proper lounge with good quality upholstery with 3 windows on either side and one at the end. This will be very comfortable and warm during the high altitude Free State winters. The other half of the Lounge car is an open balcony section which is more for standing on but a few easy chairs might well be deployed.
The photograph below shows the end of the open balcony section looking into Sandstone’s main running shop. The sides will have brass gates with a brass railing at the end. Access will be from both sides.
The photograph below shows the interior of the Lounge car. We have some very nice interior design features which will be incorporated. It will be partly panelled and partly wall papered.
Wouter Jubileus has been doing all the work. He is standing in the open balcony section which leads into the closed lounge area.
