24/04/2024
What's the story?
More about Cogmanskloof pass and some history highlights...
Cogmanskloof Pass
The pass traverses a poort through the Langeberg mountains between Ashton and Montagu.
The earliest route through the kloof followed the river where 8 dangerous drifts of deep sand and boulder-strewn beds had to be crossed. Wagons had to travel around Kalkoenkrantz in the stream itself – a hazardous undertaking in a Karoo river where flash floods occurred.Flooding destroyed the route and cut Montagu off from civilization for long periods, causing great hardship. When 12 people lost their lives in such a flood in 1867 parliament finally acted.
Construction of a pass through the kloof was approved but came to a standstill after completion of the first road section in 1872. Brilliant road engineer Thomas Bain was called in to complete the pass in 1873. He decided to construct a tunnel through Kalkoenkrantz to avoid 2 dangerous drifts in the river.
Bain’s tunnel – Although the unlined tunnel with its 5 metre high arch was only 16 metres in length, it took long to complete. The rock under the krantz was extremely hard and folded into almost vertical beds in places. When blasting occurred the explosions lost their force because of the weak zones between these beds.It was a very difficult undertaking as Bain only had a small amount of the powerful new explosive dynamite. Most blasting had to be done using the much more dangerous gunpowder.
In 1877 Cogmaskloof pass was completed and Mr Frederick Hodges, Robertson magistrate performed the opening ceremony while his daughter christened the tunnel.
Toll house – As with all passes toll had to be paid for upkeep of the road. The old kloof toll house was situated about a kilometre before the tunnel on land belonging to Jan de Pasquale who was the toll keeper for many years. Today only the foundations of the house remain.
Plaque – In 1931 the tarring of the road through the kloof was completed. A plaque commemorating this momentous occasion was unveiled by the Administrator of the Cape Province.
Plaque – In September 1978 - just more than 100 years later – Thomas Bain’s granddaughter unveiled a plaque in his honour, celebrating the centenary of the opening of the pass.
Cogmanskloof pass was exceptionally well constructed. Bain’s words that the pass would not be subject to much damage by heavy rains were prophetic. When the modern road through the kloof was all but destroyed in the disastrous flood of January 1981 it was Bain’s old road that carried all traffic for weeks until the new road had been repaired.
The stonework was impeccable and the impressive 5 metre high dry-stone retaining wall before the entrance of the tunnel that supported the road against the slope of the mountain, can still be seen today.
