Down The Line - Gary Hirson
We found this book advertised on the Metrorail website, and we had to get our hands on a few copies. Gary Hirson managed to get permits to shoot for over two weeks on the Simonstown to Cape Town stretch, and came out with an amazing documentation of all kinds of life on the daily commute along our Southern Suburbs line. He personally came in and signed a few copies for us. Below is just a preview of the 174 page book.
He had this to say from his site:
"The diversity and paradoxes of the Southern Line are glaring. The trains run through some of the most beautiful land and seascapes, yet some of the windows are too old to open, scratched and dirty, so that passengers can’t view the spectacular scenery. Affluent travellers page through international travel guides while blind evangelical singers squeeze between commuters hoping to hear the sound of coins dropping into their battered cups. Sometimes the trains run silently, empty enough to sprawl out on the seats. At other times, passengers hang onto the sides of the trains, squeeze between open doors and lodge between the carriages. At times punctual, and at others hopelessly late, stopping for no apparent reason between stations, frustrating the clueless commuters"