NZASM Memorials and Plaques

Pic 1: Memorial plaque to all those that lost their lives in the construction of the NZASM Eastern Line, located on the platform of the Waterval Boven Railway Station.

Pic 2: An unusual feature of the Heidelberg Station building, found at no other NZASM station building, is a commemorative stone laid on 24 September 1894 by Section Engineer H Westenberg.

Pic 3: Grave of JE Van Ysendyk, one of the five engineers of the NZASM who left the Netherlands for the ZAR on 28 July 1887, they being Groll, Steinmetz, van der Meulen, Van Ysendyk and Van Lennep. He and van der Meulen died of malaria and are buried in the cemetery at Komatipoort which is now incorporated into the golf course.

Pic 4: Most NZASM office buildings were concentrated in Pretoria, the seat of the company's headquarters. Typically NZASM buildings and staff quarters were situated across the railway on the side away from the town on higher ground. However, the NZASM administrative office was dislocated from the noise and smoke by situating the building two blocks away on the corner of Paul Kruger and Minnaar Streets next to the Managing Director's residence. The first building to be constructed here (1888) was a red brick house (by architect Klaas van Rijsse), used as a residence by the chief engineer, later converted into an office building. After two years a structure for photo-mechanical reproduction was added (by Gerrit Pierneef), another office building was completed in 1895 with W A de Rapper as contractor. One year later the Roads and Works Department moved into its new accommodation. Two more office buildings were added to the complex in 1899. At this stage five separate office buildings were spread across the site. Having become inadequate for the railways, they were demolished in 1961 and replaced by the present seven-storeyed NZASM Building, which was completed in 1963.