The Tramways of Zanzibar

rogerfarnworth · **Joined:** Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:25 am **Posts:** 554

The featured image in the linked article shows a horse-drawn/mule-drawn tram in Zanzibar before the turn of the 20th century.

Zanzibar hosted two early rail systems, with a mule-drawn tramway operating from 1879 to 1888 between Stone Town and Chukwani, which later used a steam locomotive. A second, more notable 7-mile line known as the Bububu Railway ran from 1905 to 1930, connecting Stone Town to Bububu, featuring passenger service and, briefly, electric street lighting.

Quote:

"The First Line (1879–1888): Built by Sultan Barghash bin Said, this, one of the first, tracks in sub-Saharan Africa. The 2ft-gauge line ran from the Sultan’s palace at Stone Town to Chukwani. Initially the two coaches were hauled by mules but in 1881 the Sultan ordered an 0-4-0T locomotive from the English locomotive builders Bagnall, this was named ‘Sultanee’. The railway saw service until the Sultan died in 1888 when the track and locomotive were scrapped."

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/02/23/th ... f-zanzibar