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On 28 September 2024, Heidelberg station in South Africa became the stage for an extraordinary spectacle. A Rovos Rail steam locomotive and a cavalcade of historic cars, motorcycles, and even aircraft came together as part of the annual Great Train Race. Participants staged a theatrical "rivalry" in the format of a reconstructed episode, after which the programme moved to the nearby Heidelberg Airfield, where vehicle displays and aviation performances continued.

The Arrival at the Platform as the Day's Defining Image

The centrepiece of the event was the arrival of the Rovos Rail train at the Heidelberg platform. As the steam locomotive pulled into the station, dozens of vintage cars simultaneously lined up alongside the train, creating the impression of a race between different technologies of the past. The station itself became the point of convergence for all participants and the symbolic heart of the occasion.

The organisers placed the emphasis not on the outcome of any competition, but on recreating the atmosphere of an era when trains and automobiles genuinely vied for the attention of travellers.

How It Looked Through the Eyes of Spectators

Photographs from the event show vintage cars moving parallel to the train along the railway tracks, with crowds gathered by the rails. The scale of the occasion is evident even from the images: the shots capture dense crowds of onlookers, the gleam of chrome bonnets, and clouds of steam rising above the locomotive. The overall scene resembled a cinematic production far more than an ordinary automotive festival.

The Wager That Started a Legend

The origins of the Great Train Race trace back to 1930. British racing driver Wolf Barnato made a wager and set off from Cannes to Calais at the wheel of a Bentley Speed Six, challenging the French luxury train Le Train Bleu. While passengers enjoyed the comfort of the rail journey, the car crossed France along ordinary roads.

This story became one of the defining symbols of the rivalry between the automobile and the train in the first half of the twentieth century, and later served as the inspiration for the South African event.

It is believed that Barnato staked £200 on his victory, though none of those present accepted the wager, so technically no bet was ever placed. In 2024, the Heidelberg event was a staged reconstruction, and no wagers between participants were reported. Nevertheless, the betting industry has long taken notice of such novelty events. Among the examples of novelty bets accepted by online bookmakers, the authors of the review site bookabet.co.cm, whom we consulted, highlight several: the Australian Puffing Billy Great Train Race, where runners compete against a historic steam locomotive, and Joe McGrath's run from Manchester Piccadilly to Deansgate against a Metrolink tram.

Such events demonstrate that the age-old contest between human and machine continues to capture interest well beyond museum exhibitions. The South African Great Train Race fits squarely within that tradition, though it places its emphasis on spectacle rather than outcome.

A South African Take on a Classic Rivalry

The Great Train Race in Heidelberg does not recreate the European route of 1930. The essence of the event is different: it is a spectacular "meeting" of machinery from various modes of transport gathered in one place. The organisers describe the format as a tribute to the legendary episode involving Bentley and Le Train Bleu, but reinterpreted through the lens of a show.

Instead of an actual race, spectators witness the joint appearance of historic cars, motorcycles, aircraft, and a steam locomotive — a gathering that evokes the era when each of these modes of transport embodied progress.

Rovos Rail and the Aesthetic of the Golden Age of Rail Travel

Rovos Rail is renowned as an operator of luxury trains travelling across southern Africa. The company's aesthetic draws on the first half of the twentieth century:

• wooden panelling throughout the carriage interiors;
• a dining car with classic table settings;
• lounge cars for relaxation;
• an observation car with an open-air deck.

This approach to travel makes the brand a natural participant in any retro event. A Rovos Rail train looks like an artefact of a bygone era in its own right, while remaining a fully operational mode of transport.

Without a Steam Locomotive, the "Race" Might Have Existed in Name Only

Prior to 2020, the organisers of the Great Train Race used a different steam locomotive. However, after that locomotive was taken out of service, the event — with its ambitious name — faced an existential threat: a "train race" risked losing its key railway participant. The solution was found by Rovos Rail owner Rohan Vos, who joined the project, provided his own steam locomotive, and arranged its arrival in Heidelberg well in advance.

This fundamentally changed the programme. The train ceased to be a backdrop and became the central element of the event. The entire "rivalry" began to be built around the moment of the train's arrival and the simultaneous appearance of vintage cars and motorcycles alongside it.

What the 2024 Programme Included

The automotive element extended well beyond a handful of cars at the platform. In 2024, a full cavalcade of historic vehicles was organised, encompassing automobiles from various decades, motorcycles, and even aircraft. The diversity of machinery on display offered a sweeping cross-section of twentieth-century transport history, all in one place and on a single day.

Two Venues, One Day

The action unfolded sequentially across two venues. Spectators first witnessed the opening scene at Heidelberg station, after which the programme moved to Heidelberg Airfield. At the airfield, displays of vintage machinery continued alongside aviation elements that complemented the railway and automotive portions of the event.

The Enchanting Story of a Virtual Race

The story of the rivalry between a train and an automobile is so captivating that it has been brought into the world of virtual racing. In Forza Horizon 4, a player in a chosen car competes against The Flying Scotsman — the very historic locomotive known to audiences as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter film series.

In this virtual contest, one can win or lose. However, as the experts at the online bookmaker review site book-a-bet.co.za point out, placing a bet on such a race is not possible, since Forza Horizon 4 is not an esports title. Gamers, for their part, say that the goal of this race is not victory but enjoyment of the experience itself — much like in the real world.

A Tribute to the Culture of Speed Rather Than a Contest for Results

The Great Train Race presents the long-standing rivalry between train and automobile not as a competition measured by a stopwatch, but as a theatrical tribute to the culture of speed and luxury of the first half of the twentieth century. Bentley no longer attempts to outrun a train, and Rovos Rail makes no effort to outpace a car. They appear side by side at the same station, and it is precisely this that transforms a historic race into a celebration of technology.

The centrepiece of the reconstruction is, moreover, not a museum exhibit behind glass, but a working steam locomotive that, within hours of the show's finale, will continue its journey along the rails of southern Africa.