Train Travel

From Kampala to Mombassa on the Lunatic Express

The Uganda Railway was built in an age of Empire. Built using imported cheap labour from India as well as local workers the line was driven through inhospitable country. Many of the labourers died from disease and if they survived that there was always the danger from man eating lions and accidents. The line was completed in 1892 and helped to open up the interior of the country providing a conduit for the products of a developing economy.

The line gained it's unfortunate nickname early in it's life when the cost of the undertaking was weighed against the potential benefits. However the line has survived despite decades of negligence and the corruption of local Governments. Now it is hoped that new owners will give the railway an invigorated lease of life. In November a consortium from South African bought the line and plan to invest £150 million to turn the line into an efficient operation.

But the task ahead of them is not small. I took my trip just before the buy out and what I experienced would daunt even the most experienced traveller. At first glance the train still shows some of it's former elegance. A very 1930s style that would do justice to a whodunnit novel. However on close inspection it is clear that very little has been done to maintain the rolling stock and the interiors are very shabby. The light in my cabin does not work but the steward assures me this is normal. Most of the carriages do not have electricity. The waiters in the restaurant car dress in white jackets but again these only look good at a distance as a closer inspection reveals the stains that inadequate laundering has been unable to remove. A visit to the lavatory unveils yet another shortcoming!

I was lucky, the train departed on time which according to some of the regular passengers is quite a rare event. Problems with the locomotives or carriages are frequent and as the rest of the railway is in a similar condition even if your train is working you often get delayed by problems further up the line. For long stretches we are on a single track so any problem delays all trains.

It's not only the engineering that can cause you hassle. Stories abound of thieves clambering onto the train to commit opportunistic robberies and we are advised not to leave valuables on view. I sleep with my wallet and watch under my pillow. Night time reveals yet another hazard as the insects that have been sheltering from the heat of the day come out to play. You lie in the dark listening to the buzzing and scratchings as the stowaways use the darkness to search for a meal.

The problems can be forgotten at times though as the train rumbles across unspoiled country. Occasional glimpses of the local fauna among the trees elicit gasps from the first time travellers as they fumble for cameras and binoculars. Even some of the unscheduled stops can have their charm. Local children take the opportunity to make friends with the passengers while we wait to move on. Once on the move again we marvel at the landscape of the Great Rift valley. Our stop start odessy continues and after a while the charms starts to disappear. The brochure said 13 hours city to city but as our journey reaches the 20th all we want to do it get off. Not everyone is as patient as me and several passengers use the stops to commandeer local taxis or to hitch rides on trucks in an attempt to beat the train. However even the longest journey must come to an end and we finally draw into Monbassa just 10 hours late. I wish the new owners well and hope thay can make a go of it but this is one lunatic who won't be taking a second trip on this train!