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RETURN OF THE GREAT STEAM SAFARI |  Kenya’s colonial past has been brought back to life with the return of steam train safaris along one of the world’s most famous railroads- the “Lunatic Line”. On Saturday November 23rd the steam engine the Mount Gelai the largest operational steam engine in Africa, was flagged off from Nairobi station, carrying a full complement of tourists, international rail enthusiasts and local history buffs- beginning an adventure dubbed the “Great Steam Safari”.
As this pioneering journey was declared a great success- organizers were assured that this will by no means be the last such journey- and that the latest addition to Kenya’s wide range of safaris will continue to offer visitors the ultimate combination of history, culture, wildlife and adventure.
Most of the passengers who gathered on the platform of Nairobi’s old colonial railway station were aware of the great historical significance of their journey.
 For train travelers, the line between Nairobi Mombasa is one of the most famous tracks on earth- a great railway journey comparable to Europe’s Orient Express, Australia’s Ghan Train, or India’s Raj era Palace on Wheels.
The building of the great Uganda railway at the dawn of the 20th century was regarded as folly by many people- a desperate attempt by the British to gain control of East Africa and the Suez canal. To try and construct a railway line 900 miles into high altitude wilderness and beyond into the great unexplored interior seemed insane. It was this dissension that led to the project being dubbed the “Lunatic Line”.
The four year construction project became a popular adventure story- a battle against time, the elements and nature itself. Local chiefs in the Tsavo area had long ago prophesized that a great iron snake would one day emerge from the coast to invade their land. When their predictions came true, the construction was faced with a foe that rose from local folklore and became an enduring legend. Two massive lionesses, possessed of seemingly supernatural powers and cunning began to  predate on the rail workers- mostly Indian labourers. During a year of terror they halted work on the line and are believed to have killed more than a hundred people. Colonel James Patterson, an Engineer working on the Tsavo bridge finally managed to shoot both lions, and his book The Maneaters of Tsavo became a major bestseller.
The line finally reached Port Florence, on the shores of Lake Victoria on December 20th 1901. The tiny outpost of Nairobi at first known only as Mile 329, where the workers had stopped to rest- became the new Nation’s capital, and the “Lunatic Line” became the gateway through which the world’s adventurers arrived to experience Africa’s ultimate safari destination.
The railway became an icon of the golden age of safaris- and anyone who has seen the opening scene’s of the much loved 1985 film of Karen Blixen’s Out of Africa will recall the unforgettable image of a steam train traveling across the vast plains of Tsavo.
 The arrival of diesel engines brought about an end of Kenya’s steam safaris, and the Mount Gelai engine left active service in 1979, spending her days in Nairobi’s excellent railway museum. But now she has returned to the rails, and by doing so, brought the past back to life.
This has been a labor of love for Kenya Railways staff and the safari organizers, Kevin Patience and Roger Tanner. For Kevin, who traveled on this railway as a child, it was “a long and very satisfying project”.
This has been great news for railway devotees around the world. For Stuart Tait, it was a dream come true. Stuart , from Hampshire in the UK, grew up in Kenya and had fond memories of seeing steam engines roll past his family home at Morendat in the 1950’s. “This railway is in my blood” he explained, recalling traveling back and forth to school aboard the trains.
Stuart was at home in England when he heard news of the new Steam Safari, just three days before the pioneering launch. He spent a frantic day making phone calls, arranging leave and booking plane tickets. “This..” he said “I could never miss”. He arrived in Nairobi on the morning of the launch, just in time to climb aboard.
 The engine was flagged off by the Managing Director of the Kenya Tourist Board, Beatrice Buyu, and with a wailing whistle and the dull thud of its engines shaking the earth, hauled out of the station right on time.
As the train cleared the Nairobi suburbs, it was soon steaming its way across green savannah, with herds of eland zebra and buffalo grazing beneath the distant Ngong Hills. Passengers from all over the world gathered in the dining cars to prepare for the historic journey. The train would take 2 days to cross the vast plains of Tsavo- a wilderness larger than Jamaica. The daylight journey would see them descending from 1800 metres to sea level, with an overnight stop at Kibwezi, spent on board in sleeper compartments.
Along the way, there would be on board lectures from the Safari organizers and writer Bryan Harris, and Kenya Railway staff such as Engineer and Technical G.M. Jasiel Njue would be on hand to answer questions.
 Stops would be made at the scene of the hunt for the Maneaters of Tsavo, and also at the place where a lesser known Maneater “The Kima Killer” once hauled an unfortunate engineer called Ryall from a rail carriage. Also along for the ride were the original claws of the Kima Killer, taken from their exhibit at the Nairobi Railway Museum by curator John Sinai for use in the lectures.
Safari organizers Kevin and Roger were thrilled with the success of the venture: “This was very much a test run, a pioneer trip, but seeing how well everything has gone, we now see a future for these safaris”.
Kenya Railways MD Andrew Wanyande couldn’t agree more, “This is a positive step for us, we are offering something new to visitors to Kenya, which will definitely prove to be very popular, and not just with train-lovers”.
 For rail pilgrim Andrew Tait, sitting in the dining compartment with his wife Sheila, everything was perfect. “This is just brilliant, I can’t believe it” he says, taking in the view as the train whistle rings through the air “This is more than just Out of Africa….this is Out of this World”.
Another Steam Safari is planned for Valentine’s Day 2003. Stay tuned for a full feature report on magicalkenya.com.
If you are interested in joining a Steam Safari, please email Roger Tanner |
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