It has arrived! That much-anticipated, gleaming, “flying” machine

It stopped traffic as it was transported through the streets of Durban in South Africa, having been unloaded with great care at Durban harbour.

Shining in its super modern sleakness, the Gautrain – its engine and two 46 t carriages – gleamed aboard low bed trailers.

It may have progressed slowly through the streets of Durban and on the highway up to the new depot in Midrand (Gauteng), but Gautrain will catapult South Africa into first world transportation mode when it streaks along the R25-billion, 80 km rapid rail network being built between Tshwane, Johannesburg and OR Tambo Airport at 160 km per hour.

“Wire, prestressed concrete strand and rod have been supplied by the Scaw Metals Group for the development of this rail network,” says Winston Lottering, export marketing and logistics manager for Wire and Strand. “Construction began three years ago and will be completed in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.”

He adds, “This, the first Gautrain shipment, arrived in Durban from Derby, UK, in December, courtesy of MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping, who also ship Scaw’s wire and strand products. Another rail car arrived in Durban in February.”

The Gautrain system will have 24 train sets, each consisting of four cars. Of the 96 rail cars, ten will be especially cus-tomised for use on the OR Tambo Airport Link.

Before entering into commercial service, each train-set will be subjected to a rigorous testing and commissioning process.

This process entails progressively more onerous tests on all systems and sub-systems from brakes and power, to air-conditioning and communications.

From Durban Harbour through the city of Durban and up to Johannesburg, the Gautrain engine and two of its carriages were handled with kid gloves as they were transported as abnormal load.