28 November 1885
Cape railway reaches Kimberley
The Cape railway reached Kimberley, tying the diamond fields into the colonial port economy and accelerating inland transport.
established
infrastructure
The Cape railway reached Kimberley on 28 November 1885, tying the diamond fields into the colonial port economy and accelerating inland transport.
Significance
Rail access transformed diamond exports, migration and the logistics that later supported the Witwatersrand gold economy.
Why it matters
Rail access transformed diamond exports, migration and the logistics that later supported the Witwatersrand gold economy.