The Rotary gtr
aka the greatest train race

A charity road running race as co-hosting PBO organization founded in 1987 between Emalahleni (Witbank) Rotary and Middelburg Rotary Clubs with special partners the Mpumalanga Railway Company and Eskom Athletics Club. Open to young and old participants with aim of raising funds for local community projects and NPOs for the less fortunate. 

Three Rotary Clubs - Coalfields, Witbank and Cycad Middelburg - have joined forces with Elektra Marathon Club to organize the 1992 Greatest Train Race. This relay race on Oct 17 will see teams of five runners trying to beat a steam train from Middelburg Municipal Offices along a 34km route to Witbank railway station. The race starts at 11:00, and competition is open to employees of corporations, private companies or government departments, students at schools, technikons or universities, and members of sports or social clubs. 

Train Race Chugs its Way into the Records

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The Greatest Train Race on Saturday 23 August, drew the support of 603 relay team, 127 long-distance athletes and 350 passengers. This was the largest entry seen to date by the Rotary Project since its inception 11 years ago. Oostelijn Steam Club supplied two 15F class locomotives to pull the 188 carriages and, despite a slight start disadvantage, managed to catch up with the athletes. Top coal was generously made available by the INGWE Group from their Optimum Collery.