SA's Kimberley town
The historic diamond town of Kimberley looks like a place where time has stood still, thanks to a recent 6 million-dollar restoration by the De Beers Mining Group. Visitors to this former diamond rush town in South Africa, now have the opportunity to step back in time to the late 19th century. CCTV's Trevor Ombija has the details.
The Big Hole, Kimberley Diamond Mine in South Africa - Bonus Clip | THE UNJUST & US
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During our journey back from Nairobi to Cape Town, we stopped to check out The Big Hole, a diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa. This deleted scene gives a more detailed look at our visit to this unique place.
The Big Hole, Open Mine, Kimberley Mine or Tim Kuilmine is an open-pit and underground mine, and claimed to be the deepest hole excavated by hand, although this claim is disputed.
The first diamonds here were found by Erasmus Jacobs on Colesberg Kopje by members of the Red Cap Party from Colesberg on the farm Vooruitzigt belonging to the De Beers brothers, in 1871. The ensuing scramble for claims led to the place being called New Rush, later renamed Kimberley in 1873. From mid-July 1871 to 1914 up to 50,000 miners dug the hole with picks and shovels, yielding 2,720 kilograms (6,000 lb; 13,600,000 carats) of diamonds.
Since the early 2000s, an effort to register the Big Hole as a World Heritage Site has been underway.
In 1872, one year after digging started, the population of the camp of diggers grew to around 50,000. As digging progressed, many men met their deaths in mining accidents. The unsanitary conditions, scarcity of water and fresh vegetables as well as the intense heat in the summer, also took their toll. On 13 March 1888 the leaders of the various mines decided to amalgamate the separate diggings into one big mine and one big company known as De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, with life governors such as Cecil John Rhodes, Alfred Beit, and Barney Barnato. This huge company further worked on the Big Hole until it came to the depth of 215 metres, with a surface area of about 17 hectares and perimeter of 1.6 kilometres. By 14 August 1914, when over 22 million tons of earth had been excavated, yielding 3,000 kilograms (14,504,566 carats) of diamonds, work on the mine ceased after it was considered the largest hand-dug excavation on earth. By 2005, however, it was reported that a researcher had re-examined mine records and found that the hand-dug portions of the Jagersfontein and Bultfontein diamond mines, also in South Africa, may have been deeper and/or larger in excavated volume. There are other, larger, mine excavations, but these were created using earth-moving equipment rather than manual labour.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is a global diamond certification system. The certification scheme was adopted on 1 January 2003 and renders any global trade of diamonds without government issued certificate as illegal. The efficacy of the Kimberley Process is dependent on its state-led border controls however, these are being undermined by weaker national governments. Organizations such as the Global Witness pulled out of the scheme on 5 December 2011, claiming that the scheme does not provide markets with certainty that the diamonds are not conflict diamonds. Both the Kimberley Process and the US Clean Diamond Trade Act aim to ensure that purchased diamonds are 'morally clean' and are not associated with any foul play. Leonardo DiCaprio's movie Blood Diamond reveals the foul play that can exist in diamond trade and a reference to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is made at the end of the film.
With mining operations closed down in 1914, the open pit became an attraction for visitors to the city. By the 1960s, a gathering together of relics of Kimberley's early days, including old buildings and sundry memorabilia, began to be organised into a formal museum and tourist attraction. In 1965 De Beers appointed Basil Humphreys as museum consultant, with the museum being substantially upgraded as an open-air representation of early Kimberley. These upgrades included streetscapes, dioramas, and exhibits of mining technology and transport. There was an official opening during the Kimberley centenary celebrations in 1971. One of the attractions was the Diamond Hall. The Mine Museum went through subsequent upgrades. Between 2002 and 2005 De Beers invested R50 million in developing the Big Hole into a tourism facility, based on the idea of creating a lasting legacy for the people of Kimberley. The new facility, the Big Hole Kimberley, and its theme of 'Diamonds and Destiny', was expected to double visitor numbers to the Big Hole.
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Kimberley Tram
Tourists from KUGA Tours enjoy a ride on the vintage Tram at the Big Hole Museum in Kimberley. This tram's first trip started in 1887.
37688/57007 @Kimberley Station
37688 opens up the taps through Kimberley station with 57007 on the rear for the Mid Norfolk Spring Gala. 01/05/17
KIMBERLEY TRAM
KUGA Tours from Germany was touring through South-Africa during Nov 2017. Here is a short video of the group's ride on the Tram at the Big Hole Museum in Kimberley on 11 Nov 2017.
Accommodation Kimberley - Ambassador Lodge
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Go to Ambassador Lodge on Tripadvisor
Welcome to AMBASSADOR LODGE
Ambassadors Lodge is a 4 star guest house situated in Kimberley, South-Africa.
With 15 luxurious and individually furnished rooms, all equipped with DSTV and Air-conditioning, the lodge offers every visitor a comfortable stay.
Besides our accomodation facilities, we also offer function facilities which is perfect for weddings, corporate functions or year end functions.
With a great atmosphere, and trained chefs, you will have an unforgettable function!
If you have any requests or need general information, please call or send us an email, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
We pride ourselves in offering the following quality services and amenities:
Transport to and from the airport.
Full conference facilities.
Top class catering for private functions.
Presidential and Honeymoon Suites.
Single, Double and Family Rooms.
Private Bar.
Full Breakfast served every day.
Come and relax under our thatched lapa surrounded by Koi ponds, waterfalls and a sparkling swimming pool while our Chefs cater to your personal needs.
TripAdvisor reviews
Very accomodative and flexible
Hosts are hospitable and flexible. Beautiful pool and bar area. The rooms are spacious having stayed in two different types of rooms on two occasions. All amenities you can find in a good lodge or hotel. The staff is polite and there is very good...More
Good size rooms, keen price, nice dining area, good B&B breakfast, nice staff, friendly
A lot better than your average B&B lodge. Price p.p. very good, Large rooms with DST and large bathroom. Good pub and dining area by a small artificial lake/pool. Close to all attractions, stadium, big ~hole etc.Recommended.
Welcoming guesthouse in Kimberley
Ambassador Lodge in Kimberley is very well situated, within easy distance of the Diamond Pavillion Mall and easy access to town and The Big Hole. Great spacious rooms, well styled and comfortable, very friendly and helpful staff and a great dinner spot and pup.
Wonderful experience
A wonderful experience with wonderful, friendly people. Room was comfy. Food was good and good prices. The only negative (as with 99% of B&B's) is not enough lighting in the bathroom. Can really recommend this place.
A gem in the Karoo
The hospitality was fantastic and the rooms are very good and clean and airy. The food was priced well and savoury. if you are going to be staying in Kimberly this is the place to be. Management is was very helpful in all aspects.
Kimberley Sullivan Underground Mine Tour
Out camping near the town of Kimberley British Columbia, famous for its mining history. Purchaced a couple ticket to take a tour of the Sullivan mine- one of the greatest producing mines at the time. Lots of minerals came out of this mine, Gold, Silver, Zinc, Lead to name just a few. In all it was really fun for me and I wanted to share part of the experience. If you are ever around Kimberley I highly recommend doing this tour. The guide is non other then a mining vetren Bill Roberts. I ended up buying his book. The stories will be just like the ones my Grandfather used to tell me about the mining industry.
See you out there!
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Racing steam part 2 Kimberley to De Aar
Here we again see a few more clips of steam on the race track railway between Kimberley and De Aar which had steam locos working along it right up until the final day on 3 April 1992. It was a fantastic time of my life working these mighty big locomotives through the Karoo desert with massive trains. What made it even better was that each crew had their own regular locomotive and due to this we all took great pride in our locomotives as will be seen here in this clip.
Many of the clips also have loads of black smoke pouring out the engines exhaust. This was not normal but most photographers wanted it for their photos and video clips and so us as firemen would simply turn up the speed of the stoker feed into the firebox to make black smoke.
Again most of the footage in this clip was taken by my old friend Ron Cousins who I have not seen since steam ended in 1992
Rovos Rail arrives in Kimberly, Orange Free State, South Africa
Rovos Rail Luxury Passenger service arrives at Kimberly train station. Sorry for the poor video quality, I almost did not catch this at all.
The Union Limited Zambezi - Northern Transvaal towards Kimberley - Part 6
Part 6: Continuation of the Union Zambezi Limited steam excursion from Capetown to Victoria Falls and back in 1996. Part 6 includes scenes from the ride in Northern Transvaal (Soutpansberg Mountain Range) to Northern Cape Province near Kimberley. On the way, the train is passing the Gauteng Area with Pretoria and Johannisburg.
KUGA TOURS: KIMBERLEY TRAM
KUGA Tours from Germany was touring through South-Africa during Nov 2018. Here is a short video of the group's ride on the Tram at the Big Hole Museum in Kimberley on 08 Nov 2018. They also visited the Kamfersdam on the outskirts of Kimberley to view the thousands of Lessor Flamingo.
Working The Orange Express with steam
Until 3-04-92 the Durban to Cape Town and return express train was worked between Kimberley and De Aar using class 25NC steam locomotives. These mighty big 4-8-4s could easily handle the 21 or so coaches of these heavy trains and hammered along through the Karoo desert at speeds in excess of 70mph. Sadly on 3-04-92 the end finally came and with Englishman John Gilberthorpe as driver and myself as fireman we prepared double chimney 25NC no 3454 for the last Southbound express. Our load was only 20 coaches but 3454 took it all in her stride. Even though the loco was not up to her usual good standards of steaming due to a few blocked tubes we still arrived into De Aar 14 minutes ahead of schedule. Sadly there was no load on return so we ended up light engine all the way back to Kimberley and that was the end of regular steam on the famous double track mainline in the Northern Cape of South Africa.
Again the quality is poor but watchable
SA STEAM #1
Double Steam Locos pull an vintage excursion train across the Garden Route in South Africa April 2000
South African Railways steam locomotives around Kimberley 1990
Here we take a look at what was steaming around Kimberley in the 1990s. First we see the poor steaming 25NC no 3501 on a goods leaving Kimberley for De Aar. The driver hanging out the cab was commonly known as Lead Plug. Then we see green painted 15F 2928 on a goods to Bloemfontein and after that it is 25NCs on the Kimberley to De Aar line, inc some footage of no 3533 which is now preserved with Rovos Rail in Pretoria.
SPOOR: Kimberley Tram (full insert)
In the late 1800's Kimberley's tramways were a popular means of transport. Now for tourists, it still takes you back to the heyday of diamond digging.
South African Railways 25NC 3501 Kimberley to De Aar 1992,MPG
This clip was taken while working train no 5534 from Kimberley to De Aar in 1992. The locomotive was my last ever regular locomotive 25NC no 3501 Enchantress. As we approach Belmont we pass sister loco no 3411 on a load of empties returning to Kimberley. This was to be one of 3501s last workings before being converted to oil burning for museum use. Now 2009, 3411 stands plinthed on Kimberley station but as for 3501 she lies in stripped condition in Kimberley shed.
SAR Bloemfontein, Pretoria and Johannesburg Stations, Jan 1981, 720p
South African Railways, Jan 1981. + 722 views of the former low resolution version
- 2 Departures from Bloemfontein, first hauled by a 15F, sec. by a 25.
- Pretoria Station and Yard.
- Return to Johannesburg.
- Passenger train to Rhodesia.
- Views of Johannesburg.
See also my pictures on Flickr:
Bezoek Big Hole en Magersfontein Kimberley
Walterbosch project 2017. De groep bezoek de Big Hole en Magersfontien in Kimberley. Eye For Others projecten.
Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway
The Kimberley mining railway has been in existence, in one form or another, for 28 years and over that time has developed into a unique tourist attraction!