Businesswoman’s
EXPLORING THE COUNTRYSIDE AND COASTAL PARTS OF KZN BY TRAIN IS NOT SOMETHING MANY OF US ARE USED TO. BUT ONE ENTREPRENEUR IS DETERMINED TO CHANGE OLD PERCEPTIONS, WRITES
TLIZ CLARKE
HREE years ago, if you had asked KZN business entrepreneur Angela Whittle what she envisaged her next career move to be, the last thing she would have come up with would have been promoting train travel.
In fact, walking through a surreally empty railway concourse at Durban’s new station one day last week, you would think that train travel had come to a standstill.
The place is like a ghost town – the old museum engine being the only relic that tells you travelling by train was once hugely popular. A few stalls bravely show off their wares with attendants hoping that one day soon things will get better.
But don’t give up. Go on walking and at the end of the concourse, you will find the very nicely appointed Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s premier lounge.
There you will meet the Holiday Express founder Angela Whittle and her chief steward, Nomthi Ndlovu, who are waiting with a hot cup of coffee.
You quickly realise that train travel is not dead – it’s simply changed its format to suit the modern needs of a busy city.
“People love trains; it’s as simple as that,” says Whittle. “There is something nostalgic about travelling through the city and out into the country using rail travel. I just needed to figure out a way of making train travel a safe and enjoyable option.”
The rail agency’s offer to lease two of their most modern trains for her original business development project was just the beginning.
“I knew very well that I was taking a huge leap of faith and my train dream may just come to nothing, but something inside me said I must try. It was different. It was exciting – a really big challenge.”
Whittle admits that this sort of venture is not for the faint-hearted. She has years of experience running her own events management company. But this was small fry compared to promoting the fun side of trains.
“People were a bit wary of trains – let’s face it, they have had their fair share of negative publicity. My mission has been to change those negative perceptions and come up with something new and exciting for KZN.”
Her “something new” is a corporate targeted strategy using train travel as a way of incentivising staff working in the corporate sector.
“Look at JK Rowling. She got most of her inspiration for her Harry Potter books travelling on a train,” she says with a smile.
“My idea is to use exclusive train journeys around the scenic areas of KZN to inspire new ideas, particularly in the business world. There is no reason you couldn’t run a business conference on one of our private trains, or to take your executives to a destination of choice.”
For those who think this might be the way to go, Whittle’s two yellow and grey leased trains are the newest ones of the fleet, built in 2014, with ultra-comfortable seating and all the modern mod cons including TV screens, plug points and wi-fi.
Each train has 12 carriages, including refreshment stations and bars.
The newer trains were originally meant to transport government officials between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. However, when road emerged as the more popular mode of transport, they were available for leasing.
Privacy and safety, says Whittle, were two boxes that needed ticking.
“We have safe parking immediately adjacent to the lounge entrance on top of the station complex and a designated lounge and coffee station, where tickets and bookings are processed,” she says.
The lounge also has its own escalators, which take guests to the awaiting carriages for the start of their journey.
“Most of our routes take about an hour to an hour-and-a-half,” says Ndlovu, who accompanies the guests onto the train and ensures the service side runs smoothly.
In most cases there is a destination venue where executives can attend to the business of the day in a relaxed and neutral environment and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Then it’s simply the homeward journey and back to the private lounge.
Whittle believes that KZN has some of the most scenic and historic train routes in the country.
“Think of the magnificent coastal route to Port Shepstone, the meandering route to Shongweni and its Saturday market, the coastal bush of the North Coast or the historic route to Pietermaritzburg.
“Part of our new strategy is to promote tourism more actively by introducing an informative tour guide programme as part of the train journey experience.”
And like all entrepreneurs, Whittle has a lot more ideas in her sights.
“Once we have the business programme fully up and running, the next phase is to introduce the province’s first party and special occasion train. I think that is going to be loads of fun. Perhaps we could even host the first train wedding.”
She has a final nudge for chief executives: “Be adventurous. Get in touch with us and we will give you a memorable train presentation to whet the appetite.”
lizclarke4@gmail.com For more information:
E-mail: bookings@theholidayexpress. co.za
Phone 082 7304917 or go to www.theholidayexpress.co.za