The Nostalgia of Steam - The Union Ltd. There are many things you might fondly remember if you travel on The Union Limited: the thickly lacquered wood panels, your bed made up strictly according to railways regulations, the shudder of the coaches in motion .. the rhythmic clickety-clack of wheels and, up ahead, in double time, the urgent puffing as the locomotive gathers speed. Leaning ecstatically out of the window with the front coaches curving into invisibility you might be reminded of being cautioned, as a child, “Don’t lean out the side the smoke is coming from you’ll get coal dust in your eye ...” Travelling across a countryside gradually transforming itself, it is almost peculiar to sit in the dining saloon, drinking a glass of wine or two, and observing the most peaceful scene in a valley below. It brings to mind a Turner landscape, of cows grazing in green pastures, a patchwork of tidy meadows and a dark silent river. In a fast train this would all be a blur, of course, but The Union Limited is not a fast train. It travels with intoxicating slowness, stopping for a barbecue and wine tasting at Porterville, followed by several stops along the Garden Route, the principal destination being Knysna, where the train halts for at least 24 hours. At the major stops, a coach will take you to see the local sights. You sleep on the train, and have your meals there. The waiters are calm and professional. Most have decades of experience. They don’t resemble waiters the way you’d imagine them, sleek and slim and charming - and perhaps a little dubious. They look like railway clerks, instead, but don’t be fooled by appearances. They will not put a foot wrong, and more importantly, they are very likeable, these fellows. But what about the food? Well, the food is good. It is not nouvelle cuisine but it is honest food. I had the best crumbed pork chop ever and on the first night, knowing this would signal things to come for the next seven days, I somewhat hesitantly ordered the fillet Cafe de Paris and was relieved to discover it delicious. I am not an authority on pudding but, as one tends to stretch dinner on The Union Line, I always tried them. Like so many things, the whistling of the train, the chugging of the locomotive, the old-fashioned butterscotch and marshmallow pudding lulled me into an earlier, and perhaps more pleasant time. It is not a glamorous five-star hotel in motion, of course. It is still a train, and by definition it is not for the impatient for the young and restless. Sometimes an hour can seem much longer, so take a book along, or a travelling companion, unless you prefer solitude. I would recommend going in spring if you want to see the wheat field in the Swartland area, still green but on the verge of ripening. It is quite a sight, especially when a breeze ripples through. The Union Limited is for those who love trains, or the railways for what it once was: a proud institution that represented the principal form of travel and, in a way that was admirable, strove to provide the best. - Back -    - Menu -    - Contact -