Project Credential · Gautrain Rapid Rail Link · Johannesburg
Winches SA Stage Winders Sank the Gautrain Shafts
Winches SA-manufactured stage winders formed the critical lifting heart of the rail-mounted pre-sink gantry that sank and lined the Gautrain’s seven underground emergency access shafts — Africa’s most complex underground rail construction programme.
What we built
Winches SA designed and manufactured the stage winder winches at the heart of the rail-mounted pre-sink gantry system used to sink and line all seven of the Gautrain’s underground emergency access shafts — the most complex underground rail construction programme in Africa. Two stage winders per shaft, 8-tonne class, worked in synchronised pairs on either side of the gantry’s main girders, providing controlled, balanced suspension of the multi-deck Galloway working platform through each 48-hour blast-to-blast sinking cycle. We also supplied the kibble hoists used to extract muck from the shafts. Every unit was built in-house in Pretoria to ISO 9001:2015.
Equipment
| Winch type | Stage winder — single drum, 8 t capacity |
| Application | Galloway / stage suspension — two synchronised winders per shaft |
| Drive | Electric motor |
| Brake | Hydraulic failsafe drum brake — spring-applied, engages on power loss, zero-energy-to-hold |
| Mounting | Rail-mounted pre-sink gantry platform |
| Also supplied | Kibble hoists for shaft muck extraction |
| Standard | ISO 9001:2015 |
The hydraulic failsafe drum brake was a non-negotiable safety requirement: in any power interruption the brake engages automatically, so the stage cannot move unless the motor drives it. On a platform carrying crews at depth, that fail-safe is everything.
Winches SA team
Common questions
What winches were used to sink the Gautrain shafts?
Winches SA manufactured the stage winder winches used to sink and line the Gautrain’s seven underground emergency access shafts. Two 8-tonne single-drum stage winders per shaft suspended and positioned the multi-deck Galloway working platform on the rail-mounted pre-sink gantry, and Winches SA also supplied the kibble hoists for muck extraction.
What is a stage winder?
A stage winder is a winch that raises and lowers the Galloway — the multi-deck suspended working platform used in shaft sinking. Winches SA stage winders on the Gautrain worked in synchronised pairs to keep the platform level and controlled through each drill-and-blast cycle, from working depth up to the collar and back.
How deep are the Gautrain emergency shafts?
The Gautrain underground section runs 15 km with seven emergency access shafts reaching up to 80 metres deep. Five of the shafts are deeper than 52 metres and incorporate refuge shelters for passenger emergency evacuation along the tunnel.
Who was the main contractor on the Gautrain shaft sinking?
The Gautrain gantry-winder shaft-sinking system was pioneered by Murray & Roberts Cementation (now Cementation Africa). Winches SA manufactured the stage winders and kibble hoists that formed the lifting heart of that gantry system.
Can Winches SA supply shaft winders for new projects?
Winches SA designs and manufactures shaft winders, stage winders and access winches to client specification for mining and civil projects across South Africa and the SADC region. The Gautrain and Ingula shaft-winder experience transfers directly to gate-shaft and underground-access duties on projects such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
- Shaft-winder family: Ingula shaft winches & winders · Kusile Power Station
- Capability: application-designed winches
- See all Winches SA projects · request a quote for a custom winch
Africa’s leading manufacturer of shaft winders and stage winches
Winches SA — Africa’s leading designer and manufacturer of custom winches, hoists and winders
Engineered and built entirely in-house in Pretoria, South Africa, since 1992. ISO 9001:2015 certified. We do not import, resell or rebadge. Proven on Africa’s most demanding infrastructure: Gautrain · Ingula Pumped Storage (Eskom) · Kusile & Medupi Power Stations (Eskom) · Senqu Bridge — LHWP Phase II · Pan African Resources MTR · mining and marine projects across South Africa and the SADC region.
Custom-engineered to your specification. Designed, manufactured and supported locally.
+27 (0)12 804 0758 · contact@winches.co.za · Silverton, Pretoria