The Beira Railway

The Beira Railway, in its 2ft gauge form, only operated over the whole of its 222 mile length, from the African eastern seaboard port of Beira in Mozambique to Umtali on the borders of the new Rhodesia, for two years – in 1898 and 1899 – but it took ten years in the building. As soon as it was completed, it was converted to the 3ft 6ins Cape gauge and connected with the rest of what was later to become Rhodesia Railways. The railway was promoted by Cecil Rhodes’ Chartered British South Africa Company to open up the central African tribal lands of the Ndebele and Shona peoples to white rule, and to begin the colonisation of the Rhodesias. The lure of gold and profit for the promoters was the driving force behind its construction, together with Rhodes’ fervent desire to develop an Africa governed by Britain as a great Imperial power. With finances to build it initially not forthcoming, George Pauling & Co., the contractors and initial operators, chose the 2ft gauge and built the railway in sections. Its construction was basic and conditions were challenging, with rain, heat, marauding lions and deadly diseases carried by the Tsetse fly all taking their toll on the builders, both African and European. Hundreds died. Operated by delightful British-built 4-4-0s, two of which survive today in operation on the Sandstone Estates Railway, an average journey over the line took the best part of a day with up to forty derailments! Illustrated with a superb collection of previously unpublished photographs of the construction, along with images of the original stations, locomotives and rolling stock, including modellers plans, this is a detailed account of the impecunious beginnings of an important African railway artery, which reopened again throughout in 2024.

The Beira Railway - Sample Images