Pretoria, known as "Jacaranda City" because of the thousands of Jacaranda trees that line the wide streets that was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Wessels Pretorius. 
The train begins a slow ascent due south, stopping at Centurion Station to switch locomotives before passing through the picturesque village of Irene - made famous as the residence of General Smuts,South Aftrica's Prime Minister.
Over the years, more vintage coaches have been added to the Rovos fleet, now one of the biggest private collecions in the world.
The coaches have been purchased and are vintage from 1911 to 1956.
In the early 1920's the dining cars served all the top trains but after the advent of newer types in the 1930's they were gradually relegted to lesser trains.
Rovos Rail operated four trains of these superbly restored and converted coaches, which accommodates up to 72 passengers in style and comfort. 
Each train has a lounge car, a unique glass-ended, open-balcony observation car, a smoking club 
lounge and one or two dining cars - either a 1920's period piece with romantic teak pillars or a more modern 1930's example with large traditional windows offering guests a panormic view of the landscape. 
All suites are air conditioned yet the windows can be opened to allow viewing the passing landscape. Each suite accommodates two people with the option of twin or double beds; en-suite bathrooms in which original fittings are combined with the modern technology of hot showers,hair dryers and shave plugs.
KIMBERLEY
Diamonds were found in this area in 1867. Then the discovery of a diamond 'pipe' where the Big Hole now yawns . In 1871 the diamond rush was triggered. The creation of diamonds happened about 120 miles inside the earth under unimaginable heat and pressure.
Barney Barnato and Cecil John Rhodes stamped themselves forcefully on the diamond trade in Kimberly. Both men agreed that the supply of diamonds had to be controlled. De Beers bought out Barnato's holdings in 1888 and promptly made Barnato a Life Governor of the new De Beers Diamond Mines.
These are the people that the prospectors took the land from ...they were the early buschmen....
The company still dominated the world's supply of diamonds and the life of Kimberly.
These are the people that the prospectors took the land from ...they were the early buschmen....MATJIESFONTEIN
This is an entirely Victorian village, envisaged and build by the enterprise of one man, the Scotsman Jimmy Logan. An official of the Cape Government Railways he arrived in Matjiesfontein in 1890 to recuperate from chest complaints. 
He found his transfer to the Karoo beneficial and bought a farm and settled down. The railway line was built to run parallel to the Main Street. This area was headquarters of the Cape Command and hosted 12,000 British troops. 
Olive Schreiner, the town's most famous resient was writer and feminist. Her first novel, "Story of an African Farm" was set in the Karoo and gained immediate international recognition. 
She became friends with William Gladstone,George Bernard Shaw and Havelock Ellis. She had advanced views on social justice and feminism which were very controversial for her time. Havelock Ellis's 7 volume work, "Studies in the Psychology of Sex" shocked Victorian England.
People from the train station.......who live a "normal life" in South Africa 
Looking across the KAROO
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