At least a dozen special trains operated from various parts of the country to the city of Bloemfontein for the ANC's 100th birthday celebrations on 8th January (ANC = African National Congress - South Africa's governing party). The various trains left Bloemfontein late on Sunday night and at 06:48 on Monday morning, the luxury Blue Train is seen running through Viljoensdrif station on the Free State main line, heading to Pretoria. The train is passing the signal cabin on the platform at this semaphore signalled station. The locomotives are brand new 18E's, rebuilt from ageing 6E1's and sporting the new Transnet Freight Rail livery. Note the video camera mounted on the front of the loco below the left cab window, transmitting pictures of the road ahead via cable to the on board closed circuit TV system.
