Inchanga

Inchanga

Inchanga train station
Inchanga
Inchanga
Inchanga

 Inchanga shown within KwaZulu-Natal

Coordinates: 29°44′27″S 30°40′42″E / 29.74083°S 30.67833°E / -29.74083; 30.67833Coordinates: 29°44′27″S 30°40′42″E / 29.74083°S 30.67833°E / -29.74083; 30.67833
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
Municipality eThekwini
Area[1]
 • Total 3.29 km2 (1.27 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,008
 • Density 310/km2 (790/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 19.5%
 • Coloured 1.2%
 • Indian/Asian 2.4%
 • White 76.3%
 • Other 0.6%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • English 77.2%
 • Zulu 13.4%
 • Afrikaans 6.3%
 • Other 3.2%
Postal code (street) 3610
PO box 3706
Area code 031

Inchanga is a village in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, approximately halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

History

Inchanga was noted as the location of a 27 meters (89 ft) tall rail viaduct that was poorly constructed and required extremely slow crossing (10km/h), and if the wind speed exceeded 15km/h the passengers were made to walk across the bridge, after which the train followed.[2]

Inchanga viaduct, c. 1880

An alternate route around the ravine made the bridge obsolete in 1892, and a train station was built nearby in 1895.[3] A hotel was built near the train station in 1903,[4] but 20 years later a new rail line was built some distance away and business suffered. Both the hotel and the train station have been restored and are operating in their original function. The station serves as the midpoint on the excursion trips of the Umgeni Steam Railway.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Inchanga". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ http://www.fad.co.za/Resources/foster/inchanga.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za/AboutUs.php
  4. ↑ http://www.inchangahotel.co.za/history.htm
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