Heritage Cases

The author was contracted to undertake a heritage assessment of proposed activities for the new Heysterkrand Railway Loop north of Rustenburg in order to identify possible areas of heritage sensitivity and constraints that would affect the development, and provide recommendations as to potential mitigation and management of such heritage receptors. The scope of the project includes the construction of the new loop of 1.4km along the railway line. The scope includes the construction of track work, required for doubling of the existing line. The loop is located on the railway network between Rustenburg and Thabazimbi. The loop construction will be undertaken within the Transnet servitude, however land will be acquired (lease agreement) for the purpose of stockpiling material and site camp establishment. A loop is a place on a railway line where trains travelling in opposite directions can pass each other. A loop is usually double ended and connected to the main track at both ends . Construction works for the project will include the following: - Civil Construction of a 1.4 kilometer long loop of 20t axle loading with formation layers according to the S410 specification for railway earthworks. The construction of the new loop will traverse through flat terrain between km points 159.55 to 160.95. - Perway The perway scope includes the 1,4km of track comprising of 6okg UIC60 rails on PY sleepers, 1:20 RH set at km 159.55 and a 1:20 LH set at km 160.95. - Signalling Install a localized remote control system to enable the Train Driver to remotely operate the 1:20 tangential point sets on both sides of the loop; The system uses a radio control to operate the both will be self-normalise and ML Track circuits to detect the train presence. - Structures There is one (1) box culvert which will be extended in order to accommodate the new loop. The culvert opening will be kept unchanged and the length of the culverts will be extended to suit the new loop line.