page_title: Overberg branch line
section_title: Route
hierarchical_section_title: Overberg branch line / Route
caption_attribution_description: Sir Lowry's Pass, Hottentots-Holland, South Africa
context_page_description: The Overberg branch line is a railway line in the Western Cape, South Africa, that runs from Cape Town through Somerset West and Caledon to Bredasdorp.
context_section_description: The line branches from the Bellville–Stellenbosch line at Eerste River, from which it runs through Faure and Firgrove to Somerset West. From Van der Stel station in Somerset West a short line branches to the right to Strand. After leaving Somerset West the line passes through Sir Lowry's Pass Village and climbs Sir Lowry's Pass. At the summit of the pass the line reaches an elevation of 415 metres (1,362 ft); the summit tunnel is 217 metres (712 ft) long. The line passes through the fruit-farming area of Elgin before descending the Jakkals River valley to Botrivier. From Botrivier it runs across the Overberg plain through Caledon to a junction at Klipdale. From Klipdale one line continues east to Protem, while another goes south to Bredasdorp. Trains from Cape Town to Bredasdorp (or vice versa) cannot pass directly through the junction at Klipdale, but must first pass around a balloon loop. Bredasdorp is the southernmost railway station in Africa.
  The line is single-track, and electrified only as far as Strand. Metrorail services of the Northern Line operate from Cape Town through Bellville to Strand; the rest of the line has no regular passenger service.
caption: The line passing under the N2 national road on Sir Lowry's Pass
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