Travel: Africa by train - Cape Town to Dar es Salaam

Named after one of the daughters of her current owner, “Tiffany’s” father is buried in Glasgow Necropolis.

Tiffany still has a great body and undercarriage, a shapely 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, weighs 76 tons and boasts a Belpaire firebox-type boiler. She is now retired but makes the occasional cameo appearance.

The owner of one the world’s largest private train collections, Rohan Vos bought her in 1987. He named all his steam engines after family members. “Shaun” was also built in Scotland by the North British Locomotive Company in 1948. He also has an engine called “Zog”, named after his pet Dalmatian.

You learn all this on “Rovos Rail’s” epic, £11000 pp, 3568 miles, 15-day ultimate bucket list “Pride of Africa” train journey up the spine of Africa from Cape Town to Dar Salaam through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania.

Via Kimberley diamond mine, the Victoria Falls Hotel, Madikwe Game Reserve, Lusaka , the Chinese- built “Tazara line”, Great Rift Valley and Selous game reserve.

At its first stop in the Karoo desert ( “The Land of Thirst” ) you learn that South Africa has even more to thank the Scots for.

A Scotsman gave the country its first flushing toilet, electric lighting and artesian well. And introduced “the ‘boks” to cricket.

Matjiesfontein station was built in 1878. The stop was named after sedge used by the local “Khoekhoen” for mats. It was a water depot for the Cape Town to Kimberley steam train. Soda water and ginger beer were also sold to passengers. The man behind it was the son of a Northern British Railway ticket clerk.

James Douglas Logan was born in Reston. Berwickshire. En route to Australia, his ship found shelter at Simonstown. He jumped ship, ending up stationmaster of Cape Town station and then superintendant of the Prince Albert Road track. He bought land around Matjiesfontein (“fountain of little reeds”), called his farm “Tweedside” and , in 1889 , hosted the first cricket match between South Africa and England who lost. He also sponsored an overseas tour. His team played Scotland.

Elvis impersonator and local pastor Johnny “Showtime” Thennison , tells you all this over a “Kudu” lager” in the 130-year-old “Laird’s Arms” , named after Logan.

The town was used by TB suffers and as a military hospital. The old jail contains the world’s largest private collection of Boer War memorabilia including an impressive and very nostalgic array of turn-of-the-century commodes, bed pans and chamber pots.

The next stop is Pretoria, the “Rovos” work yards and an audience with “Tiffany”. And a buffet lunch on the platform. Plus a city tour and chance to be photographed under Nelson Mandela’s crotch by the 1913 Union government buildings on Meintjieskop.

Rohan Vos, who made his money through auto parts, was determined to fulfil Cecil Rhodes dream of a line connecting the Mother City with Cairo. Vos achieved this. Not to transport copper ore. But punters.

The “Pride of Africa” is his flagship route. “Rovos” also runs trips throughout southern Africa and into Namibia.

For £1,100 pp a day, you get the finest South African food and wine and bottled water; 24/7 laundry; air conditioning; an open-balconied observation deck; two lounges with wingback chairs and sofas, a smoking lounge; clawback bathtubs or en suite showers; complimentary biltong, tea and coffee, gateaux and three-tier cake stands; top-of-the-range select and very Instagrammable” toilet rolls, “Africology” grooming products; premium sparkling wine welcoming moist towelettes returning from off-train excursions; an executive chef; two sous chefs; waiters; personal maids ; discreet armed bodyguards , an on-board hair stylist and doctor and all the visas and border formalities sorted.

As well as a pair of goggles. So you can stick your head out of the train. Tunnels and thornveld permitting. There is a doctor on board. For decapitations. And such like.

It’s all in. Except the visas, jabs , malaria tablets ,off-train booze and bunjee-jumping from Victoria Falls bridge.

Out of the forty-six on board only three attempted it – a Swiss air ambulance nurse and Japanese newlyweds.

Sixteen nationalities were represented so I got the opportunity to forge friendships with a former scaffolder from Bedford, two Russian lady lawyers and personal friends of the major of Moscow, several American doctors, an Argentinian doctor, some CEOs , a South African nougat mogul ( South Africans make up 6% of guests) and an Australian sawmill magnate.

And, last but not least, a total Count.

Nicholas Schofield, whose grandfathers were from Bradford and the Isle of Man, has been the resident “Rovos Rail ” historian for twenty-five years, clocking up over “450,000 klicks of clackety-clack”.

He is called the Count because he counts guests out and totals them in from off-train excursions. As to Zambia’s Chisimba Falls on the river Luombe.

He can walk you up and down the train telling the history of the continent just by the cabin names - Mafeking , Shaka ( Zulu Chief) and Madiba ( Nelson Mandela’s clan name from a Thembu tribal chief ). His middle name was Rolihahla ( Xhosa for troublemaker).

With the exception of two nights at the “Tau Game Lodge” on the Botswanan border and one at the Victoria Falls Hotel, four-course fixed menu meals are served in the lovingly and meticulously re-furbed nearly a hundred years old cherry-panelled, teakwood pillared “Belle Epoque” restaurant with its “singing” cut crystal wine glasses, starched linen napery, solid silver cutlery and tassel-tied curtains.

Passengers are summoned by a mini, “Sooty”- like xylophone. The gong has been retired.

It’s a dressy affair. Jacket and tie a bare minimum. Cummerbunds and tiaras are not compulsory. National costumes are acceptable. The Japanese bride came in a kimono and received an ovation. The train doctor came in his clan “Gunn” tartan.

Allan the Aussie came half-mast and received a reprimand from his Kiwi wife, Jan.

Ostrich, croc tails and filet of springbok are some of the delicacies served with the best Huguenot cheeses. And best Paarl and Stellenbosch terroir wines. Chef Otto Hank’s signature dish is chocolate fondant.

“I have to tell the drivers to slow down when I plate up.”

The South African “Irish Bailey’s Cream” , “Amarula” – made from the super-fruit of the “elephant” or “wedding tree” - is a popular digestif.

Says Otto : “ It’s excellent with ice and a great view.”

“Elegant conversation” is encouraged. Cell phone and laptop use discouraged. Signals are occasional and intermittent.

Dr Susana Dennis lives in Buenos Aires. She did her PhD in Clinical Pharmacology” at Edinburgh University. “Frankly I found the travelling over the high to medium bush somewhat boring. I was shocked by Lusaka and people living in rubbish tips. But it was a great adventure. And the people made it. Outside and inside. It is a route barely travelled. It conjures back the romance of rail.”

Says Schofield : “ The operational challenges are immense. We get to see a little-known part of Africa. My favourite part is between Makambako and Mimba the train drops over 1000m through matted jungle. You see the Udzungwas Mountains of Tanzania. The train brushes the side of the forest and you feel you can stretch out and touch the mountain. A rival to the Hex River mountains outside Cape Town. Glorious.”

You also get the chance to be photobombed by Australian timber man in front of the David Livingstone statue at Victoria Falls.

And learn that the famous Scottish explorer was found dead kneeling in prayer by his camp bed.

And that one ostrich egg can make a 28-egg omelette.

You learn much travelling with “Rovos”. Where else would you get the chance to go to Africa, in classic old-world comfort and the tightest of modern security, and start talking about the Glasgow Necropolis?

And Scotland’s contribution to water-borne sewerage around the world? To a nougat magnate?

For further information about Rovos tours , contact www.wexas.com

www.emirates.com fly to Cape Town via Dubai with year round fares of £869/From Dar Es Salaam to Glasgow £829 but special fares are available depending on date of travel

Return flights from London to Cape Town start from £725 return /Return flights from London to Johannesburg start from £642 return ( www.ba.com)

Recommended stopover hotels: The Silo, Cape Town ( www.the royalportfolio.com) and Leeu Estates , Franschhoek in Cape Winelands 50mins from CT airport www.Leeucollection.com)