Locomotives International - Issue 139, OctoberNovember 2022

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Issue 139
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Page 2 Locomotives International Issue 139

IN THIS ISSUE
SOUTH OF THE BORDER

Robin Barnes recalls the Southern Pacific de Mexico (P24)
BRATISLAVA TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Ron Smith is in Slovakia (P30)
WITH AN HG/S TO THE INDUS
Graham Vincent joins the recent Far Rail tour (P4) READERS’ REPORTS
What you’ve seen and where you’ve seen it! (P36)
CFD LOZÈRE
John Organ describes this French branch line (P10) ATHENS 1992
Jonathan James discovers a classical civilisation (P50)
ARCHIVE FOURSOME:
1970S TURKEY
More images through the lens of David Bott (P54)
THE DON RIVER RAILWAY

Michael Grimes goes “down under” (P56)
YING SHANGCAI, KENNETH CANTLIE

AND THE KF1 4-8-4
Anglo-Chinese engineering, by Rhys Owen (P18)
THE DRACHENFELS RAILWAY MADE IN MANCHESTER

Phil Barnes climbs a German mountain (P20) Allan C Baker and some Sharp Stewart products (P64)
BACK TRACK
Our feature following up items from previous issues (P62)
INFORMATION WANTED
More queries for our readers to solve.... (P64)
TAIL LAMP
Simple concept - put a quality picture at the end! (P66)
FRONT COVER
2-8-4T No. 0186 on shed at Regua in Portugal's Douro Valley
on 16th July 2022.
Ad van Sten
Locomotives International Issue 139 Page 3

WITH AN HG/S TO THE INDUS
by Graham Vincent
HG/S No. 2306 leaves the west end of the Attock Bridge with a charter freight, 8th December 2021.
All photographs by the Author
The modern state of Pakistan came into existence on 15 August for a while, until coal was received by rail & sea in Karachi”.
1947, following the partition of the Indian sub-continent into the “the North Western Railway had to face a serious shortage of
independent nations of Hindu- majority India and Muslim- coal and an orgy of communal riots. Both the NWR and the
majority Pakistan. It was accompanied by one of the largest Eastern Punjab Railway were called upon to maintain, in the
mass migrations in human history. As the provinces of Punjab face of man-made violence, the life of the community, and carry
and Bengal were effectively split in half by hastily drawn, millions of up-rooted humanity within and across Pakistan’s
arbitrary borders, around seven million Hindus & Sikhs, and borders ; the NWR ran no less than 1,550 special trains in four
about the same number of Muslims, found themselves in the months”.
wrong country. Cross-border connections between the two countries were
It was a time of unimaginable bloodshed, according to broken, and not restored for some years. Today, the Samjhauta
contemporary reports : Express, inaugurated in July 1976, runs a bi-weekly service
“millions made their way through the corpse-littered between New Delhi and Lahore, although the service has
landscape of the nascent India and Pakistan, and up to two sometimes been suspended when tensions between the two
million people lost their lives in the most horrific of manners. countries over disputed Kashmir have erupted. Further south,
The darkened landscape bore silent witness to trains laden with there is a second international rail link, connecting Jodhpur and
the dead, decapitated bodies, limbs strewn along the sides of Hyderabad. The Thar Express runs a weekly service between
roads, and wanton rape & pillaging”. Jodhpur and Karachi, taking thirteen hours to complete its
How did this huge upheaval affect the operation of the journey.
railways? At the time of independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited forty-
“since Lahore was seriously affected due to communal six narrow-gauge, twenty-eight metre- gauge and 653 broad-
disturbances, the railway staff were in great danger attending to gauge locomotives, a total steam fleet of 727 engines. Of the
their duties. Several trains had to be cancelled for want of broad-gauge locos, most were of the “British Engineering
crews. The cessation of coal supplies stopped all train services Standards Association” [BESA] designs, although there was

HG/S No. 2306 on a runpast over the Sakardara Bridge, on the Attock City - Basal Junction line, 7th December 2021.
also at least one “Indian Railway Standard”, or IRS design, the semaphore signal left” on the Peshawar-Attock-Rawalpindi-
XA Pacific, seventy six of which had been built for Indian Lahore-Hyderabad-Karachi line. Even the great railway bridges
Railways by the Vulcan Foundry between 1929 and 1935. across the Indus and other rivers are slated to be replaced,
Pakistan also received ninety-six Canadian-built Middle East potentially representing a huge loss of historic colonial
CWD 2-8-2s, constructed between 1943 and 1946 in Ontario infrastructure.
and Montreal, by CLC and MLW respectively. A total of 114 HG 2-8-0s, later fitted with superheaters and
As major coal supplies had fallen under Indian control, the designated HG/C, [Heavy Goods Converted] were built between
decision was made to convert all steam locomotives to oil-firing, 1908 and 1913 by Vulcan Foundry, North British & Beyer
although the coal-rails atop the PR steam locomotive tenders Peacock. Five of these, designated HG/C1 were fitted with Lentz
were never removed, and remain to this day! Broad-gauge locos valve gear upon rebuilding. The HG was a development of
were to survive in regular Pakistan Railways service for exactly earlier BESA 2-8-0 designs, Robert Stephenson having supplied
50 years, the last SP/S 4-4-0s and SG/S & SG/C 0-6-0s being a 2-8-0 goods locomotive to the Bengal-Nagpur Railway in
retired from the lines between Lala Musa, Faisalabad, Shorkot, 1903.112 HG/S 2-8-0s were constructed by four different
Khewra and Dandot, and centred on Malakwal, during 1997. builders-all but one locomotive, which was constructed by
Pakistan was the last place on earth where classic British- Rheinische Metallwaaren, Dusseldorf, having been British-built,
designed Edwardian engines could be seen on regular duties. by Kitson, William Beardmore & Co. and North British, between
Indeed, the BESA committee had included such illustrious 1920 and 1925. As well as the HG/S engines, other 2-8-0
names as William Dean, FW Webb and JF McIntosh. Metre- classes were being delivered around this time ; twenty five Class
gauge locomotives staggered on into the 21st century at Mirpur HX, very similar visually to the HG/S locomotives, originally
Khas, where steam finally finished in 2005, the last stamping ordered for the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, but delivered to
ground of the elegant BESA-design MS and SP Class 4-6-0s, the Bengal-Nagpur line, were constructed by North British in
built by Vulcan Foundry and Kerr Stuart respectively in 1921. 1920. After partition in 1947, a total of 133 HG/C and HG/S
This then is the background to the FarRail tour of December locos remained in what was then West Pakistan. By the late
2021, where three different HG/S [Heavy Goods Superheated] 1980s, there was little line work left for the Pakistan Railways
2-8-0s were used on authentic vintage rakes of both passenger HG/S locos, but they were observed on shunting duties by the
& freight vehicles. The tour used the triangle of lines bounded by author in various locations in early 1988. More recently, there
Attock Khurd, Rawalpindi and Basal Junction. An added have also been a number stationed at Peshawar, for working
attraction was perhaps the last chance to see the fine array of enthusiast special trains to the Khyber Pass, between Jamrud
colonial-era lower-quadrant semaphore signals controlling train and Landi Khotal, two locos being used, one at each end of the
movements, with traditional token working on the single-line train, to facilitate reversals. But following washouts of the track,
sections. Current plans are to upgrade & modernise the railway, the line has not been used for the last ten years. Fast-forward to
90% of which will be financed by China, which sees the route as 2021, and just five HG/S, numbers 2216, 2264, 2277, 2303 &
part of its Silk Road project, connecting the new port near 2306 survive, although the boiler of No. 2277 is written off, and
Karachi with Tibet. With its completion, there will be “not a single No. 2264 is awaiting overhaul. The FarRail tour saw the use of

HG/S No. 2306 leaves the
east end of the Attock Bridge
and enters Attock Khurd
station with a freight charter,
4th December 2021.
the other three locos, Nos. 2216, 2303 and 2306. the light faded, at a canal bridge, where opportunities for
Tour leader Bernd Seiler braved the monsoon season in the silhouettes completed a very satisfactory day.
summer of 2021 to inspect the available engines, and discuss Day three, 5 December, saw the group board a train of
with engineering managers the repairs needed to get the passenger coaches, smartly repainted in traditional PR green &
locomotives into reliable running condition. This work was done cream livery at Nur station, with locomotive No. 2216 at the
in the Moghalpura shops, Lahore. Nos. 2303 & 2306 were to be head of the train. Soon after departing Nur, the train took the
the main engines for the tour, with 2216 held as a reserve in Basal Junction line. Stops were made at Golra Sharif, where the
case of failures, although in the event No. 2216 did haul the train locos at the railway museum there were inspected, then further
on day three of the tour. In fact the engines performed quite runpasts were performed at Fateh Jang and Gagan, and, at
reliably, though the noticeable “blow-through” at the chimney sunset, between Gagan and Basal Junction, where the group
when the engines were working hard indicated that there was a detrained.
lot of steam leakage past piston rings and valve chests. A diesel An early start on 6 December by minibus took us to Attock
locomotive was attached at the rear end of the train at all times, City station, where tables had been set up on the platform for
in case of failures, or occasionally to offer rear-end assistance, breakfast! This was one of a number of most enjoyable and
but was removed for each “runpast”, and did not detract from the informal al fresco meals which the tour company Hunza
photographic opportunities that the tour presented. Adventure Tours, who looked after the domestic arrangements,
Seven days of special trains began on the morning of 3 had arranged for the group. Nos. 2303 and 2306 were both in
December, when Class PHA 20 diesel No. 8319, one of a class steam at the station, and with impressive signal gantries
of 23 built in 1989, hauled the train into Attock Khurd station, at controlling train movements, the scene here was a time-warp,
the east end of the Attock Bridge over the Indus. HG/S No. 2303 looking hardly different to fifty years ago. A number of false
was at the far end of the train. A number of runpasts were made departures from the station were made with a train of tank
of the demonstration freight crossing the Attock Bridge. The first wagons with No. 2303, then 2306 was turned on the Attock shed
Attock Bridge was opened in 1883, but increasing loads meant turntable, prior to heading out onto the Basal Junction line with
the original steelwork became over-stressed, requiring a 5mph an authentic mixed freight. Runpasts were staged on the
speed restriction ; some heavier classes were banned entirely. Nandana and Haro bridges, before the train returned in the
Reconstruction was started in 1927, the civil engineering evening to Attock City. As no power-van was attached to the
planning being assigned to Rendel, Palmer & Tritton of London, train, no train lights were available for nocturnal running, which
consulting engineers to the Indian State Railways. New therefore ran in total darkness!
steelwork was supplied by the Horsehay Company of Day five involved a return to the Attock City-Basal Junction
Shropshire, England, the work being completed in 1929. line, picking up from where day four had ended, with runpasts
It had been the original intention to stay in Attock City, but due over the impressive Sakardara Bridge, at a tunnel between
to security concerns, the group was unable to stay there, and Sakardara and Jhalar, followed by “false arrivals” at Jhalar and
had to endure a tiresome two hour drive to Golra Sharif for each Suleman Abad stations, in perfect afternoon light. The train then
overnight, then back the next morning to the Attock City area, returned to Attock City, the group then spending the following
where most of the steam activity was centred. The group two nights at Taxila, to reduce travel times at the start & end of
returned to Attock Khurd by minibus on the morning of 4 each day.
December, this time the “HG/S” loco being No. 2306.More Day six, 8 December, started early as usual, with minibus
runpasts were performed of the train coming off the Attock travel to Attock City station, arriving just after sunrise. No. 2306
Bridge. The group then entrained into two brakevans, for a ride was to head a mixed freight formation to Attock Khurd. A service
across the river bridge to the western end, where a runpast took train was passed at Rumian, before a false arrival at Attock
place near one of the tunnels east of Nowshera. With No. 2306 Khurd station. The group then took up positions at the top of the
at the head of the train, the group returned by train to Attock defensive tower, strategically built to defend the Attock Bridge,
City, photographic stops being made at Rumian station, then, as getting to which involved the climb of a near vertical ladder. Two

HG/S No. 2216 passes the mosque at Awanpur, on the Rawalpindi - Attock City line, with a passenger charter, 5th December
2021.
HG/S No. 2306 between Rumian & Attock City with the freight charter, at sunset on 4th December 2021.

HG/S No. 2306
heads a freight
charter past Rumian
West Cabin, on the
Attock Khurd - Attock
City line, 4th
December 2021.
false starts were made, before the group entrained for a hauled coaches.
crossing of the bridge. No. 2306 then made a number of The return flight from Lahore was made the following day,
crossings of the Indus, with photography possible at the west- with a nightmarish transit of the airport, with multiple bag
end defensive tower, or nearer the river itself. No. 2306 then searches, proof of Covid-19 negativity required, and finally a
took the train on, westwards, towards Peshawar, a final false swab test for explosives.
departure being made at sunset from Khairibad Kund station, What of the future for steam in Pakistan? There seems no
where the group detrained to join the minibuses to Taxila. reason why the HG/S 2-8-0s cannot continue running ; indeed
Day seven, our final day with the tour train, began with FarRail has already announced another tour for December
minibus travel to Basal Junction station, where a freight train 2022. The country provides some stunning landscape
with No. 2306 was joined for a run to Golra Sharif. Runpasts backdrops, and photographic opportunities are up there with the
were made at Basal Sharif, near Chauntra and at Gagan, where very best of them. Then there is an SP/S 4-4-0, currently
the group had lunch at the station. No. 2303 then arrived, light plinthed at Malakwal. Apparently, PR has quoted the quite
engine, at Gagan, the last few miles of the run being done in reasonable sum of 60,000 US dollars to get this loco into
style, double-headed by 2303 and 2306 to Fateh Jang, reached running order. With two different classes to haul authentic
at sunset with a final opportunity for a “glint” shot. The train then vintage consists, that really would be a tour worth waiting for!
terminated at Golra Sharif. Here the group was met by a high- Finally, thanks are due to Bernd Seiler of FarRail Tours, for
level Ministerial delegation from Pakistan Railways, who had the huge amount of work required to make this tour a reality,
arranged a buffet supper ; the press were invited, and the and for his leadership of the trip in often very difficult
opportunity was taken to toast the success of this tour, with a circumstances, with plans having to be revised at short notice to
view to promoting future tourism to the country. After lengthy take account of changing circumstances on the ground as the
speeches, the minibuses were again joined for a five-hour run to tour progressed . The loco crews, some of whom returned from
Lahore, not helped by one of them breaking down on the retirement to active footplate duties for the tour, did wonders in
motorway. Lahore was finally reached at 02.00 the following coaxing the best from their 100 year old locomotives.
morning, an interminably slow check-in at the hotel meaning that
we were not in our rooms until 02.30. References
The final day consisted of a visit to the Moghalpura Works in • Steam Locomotives in India, Part 2, Metre Gauge 1872-1940,
Lahore, much of which was still equipped with ageing British- Hugh Hughes
built machine tools. The remains of what was thought to be the • Steam Locomotives in India Part 3, Broad Gauge, Hugh
last surviving SG/C 0-6-0 was seen, but judging by the luxuriant Hughes
foliage surrounding it, it had clearly not moved in several • Indian Broad Gauge Steam Remembered, Lawrence G
decades. The group then visited the Changa Manga Forest Marshall
Railway, where a derailment, quickly dealt with, enlivened the • Pakistan Railways in Historical Perspective, Yasmeen Lari &
proceedings. The locomotive was 0-6-0 No. 21496, one of two Sami Ur Rahman
locomotives supplied by John Fowler of Leeds. • Tales of Asian Steam, Florian Schmidt, Bernd Seiler & Cyrill
For observers of the current railway scene, it was refreshing Basler
to see not a single multiple unit train during the whole tour, all • Fading Steam, Malcolm Holdsworth
trains on the lines visited being formed of traditional locomotive- • Continental Railway Journal, various issues

Edwardian elegance..... SP/S 4-4-0 No. 2964 makes a purposeful start from Malakwal with the 10.55 Lala Musa - Faisalabad,
17th February 1988.
By 1988 the HG/S 2-8-0s had little line work. Nos. 2294 and 2237 shunt the yard at Khanewal, 16th February 1988.

CFD LOZÈRE
by John Organ
De Dion type ND railcar no.201 was recorded at Florac prior to departure with a service to St.Cécile D’Andorge on 23rd July 1962.
Florac was the location of the principal station and depot of this railway through the Cèvennes.
D Trevor Rowe
During the late 19th and early 20th Century, many metre gauge climbed from Florac, in the shadow of the Causse Mejean
railways in France were constructed and operated by the Massif, via a series of ledges above the River Miment, a
Chemin de Fer Départementaux (CFD). Established in 1881 the tributary of the Tarn, to a summit tunnel beneath the 832m Col
company is still in operation today as a constructor and supplier de Jalcreste. There then followed a tortuous descent, including
of railcars and other railway equipment. The majority of the CFD another tunnel, above the valley of the River Gardon, a tributary
lines were operated as independent concerns. However a of the Gard, before crossing a curving six arch viaduct on the
notable exception was the CFD Lozère in the Cèvennes which approach to St.Cécile D’Andorge. At the eastern terminus, a
was operated as an isolated branch of the CFDs major concern number of sidings were established to allow for transshipment
the Réseau du Vivarais. Located about 100km (60miles) south of goods between the metre gauge and standard gauge
of its parent system, there was not surprisingly a regular vehicles.
transfer of motive power from Le Cheylard to Florac, usually for Operated for passenger and freight transport, the latter
short periods but also on a more permanent basis in certain primarily timber, the line saw extensive use until 1939. However
instances. following the turmoil of WW2 it suffered along with many of its
The Lozère was constructed between 1906 and its opening contemporaries from the increasing competition from road
in1909 with its headquarters and principal depot established at transport. The passenger service had been almost entirely
Florac. The 48km (30miles) long line traversed a curvaceous operated by railcars since their introduction in 1935, whilst
and steeply graded route to St.Cécile D’Andorge where diesel powered locomotives were introduced in 1952 to assist
connection was made with the SNCF, formerly PLM, line linking the remaining steam locomotives on freight duties. Along with
Clermont-Ferrand and Nîmes. Although 48km between termini its parent system to the north, 1968 saw the end of this sadly
by rail, they were in fact only 32km (20miles) apart as the crow missed railway, the Lozère passed into history on 1st April of
flies as a consequence of the topography of the route. The line that year, six months prior to the demise of the Vivarais.

A mixed train was viewed as it
departed from Florac. Passenger
accommodation was provided by
a De Dion type NE trailer car at
the rear of the rake of wagons in
this scene recorded on 11th July
1958.
BVA Collection
Locomotives And Railcars Following their introduction in 1935, the first railcars to arrive
at Florac were De Dion type ND nos 201 and 202, which were
The initial locomotives supplied for the commencement of followed a short time later by nos 204 and 205 from Le
services in 1909 were two SACM 2-4-4-0T Mallets, nos 324 and Cheylard. The single ended De Dions were relegated to minor
325, part of a batch of five supplied to the CFD. The remainder duties on the Vivarais following the arrival of the more flexible
nos 321-323 were initially supplied to Le Cheylard for the double ended Billards in 1938, thus allowing the additional pair
Vivarais, although nos 323 was transferred to Florac in 1911 on to be transferred. In addition to the De Dions based at Florac,
a permanent basis. In 1945 they were joined by no.322. All were two of the Billards also saw service on the Lozère between 1954
withdrawn from service after 1954 although no.325 remained in and 1968. A-80-D no.314 was in regular use from 1954 – 1961
store at Florac until 1965 – such a pity it could not have survived and a short spell from 1967 until closure the following year.
until 1968, it would surely have been saved for preservation. Between 1961 and 1967 the larger Billard A-150-D no.214 was
In addition to the Mallets, 1909 also saw the delivery of the used for the majority of passenger services, assisted by one of
unique Fives-Lille compound 2-6-2T no.251. Constructed in the De Dions if required.
1906, this prototype locomotive had been trialed on the La 1952 saw the arrival at Florac of two of the familiar CFD
Voulte – Le Cheylard branch of the Vivarais prior to its transfer Diesel powered locomotives, which were constructed from
to Florac, where it remained until its withdrawal in 1949, apart withdrawn steam locomotives. Nos 62 and 70 were transferred
from a spell of military service during WW1. For a short period from the recently closed CFD Charantes line in Western France,
the initial fleet of motive power was joined by a Pinguely 0-6-0T having been constructed in 1947. Both retained their original
no.81, one of three industrial locomotives used during the numbers, no.62 having originally been a Fives-Lille 2-6-0T,
construction of the upper sections of the Vivarais route between which was in fact one of the initial Vivarais locomotives of 1891.
1900 and 1902. In addition to the above locomotives, at various No.70 began life as a similar 2-6-0T constructed by Cail in 1895
times motive power was transferred from Le Cheylard to Florac as one of seven supplied to Charentes in that year. During the
usually for short periods to cover for those under overhaul. final decade of the Lozère’s existence, these two powerful
Notable among those sent south to assist were SLM 0-6-6-0T machines with their 180hp Willème motors were the principal
Mallet no.408 (1909-1911), and SACM 0-6-6-0T Mallets nos 409 work horses of the line, the remaining steam locomotives only
and 410 (1932-1942). making a token appearance if absolutely necessary.

The single ended De Dion units were
fitted with a jacking and turning device
which allowed them to be turned at
locations devoid of a turntable. No.
201 was in the process of being
turned on its jack at Rouve-Jalcreste
when viewed on 12th July 1958.
BVA Collection
Lozère Survivors And The Future transformed into a cycle path and footpath. Apart from some
short diversions as bridges were demolished in conjunction with
The two CFD Diesel locomotives nos 62 and 70 have since road improvement schemes on the adjacent N106, this
1970 been active in preservation operations. Initially they were admirable scheme allows the scenic attractions of the route to
acquired by the CFR for use on their proposed service between be still enjoyed – much as the closed sections of the Vivarais
Dunières and St.Agrève. Following the demise of the CFR route has been similarly converted
scheme they were retained by the VFV which has successfully However it is still possible to travel by train on a short section
taken over what the CFR failed to achieve. Until steam of the Lozère route. Since 2009 a 400mm gauge miniature line
locomotives arrived on the VFV in 2011, the two former Lozère has been laid for 2.5km alongside the cycle path between
Diesel powered machines were the principal work horses, much St.Cécile D’Andorge and St.Julian-Des-Points..Currently the
as they had been during their tenure at Florac. service is operated by a pair of freelance diesel locomotives
Three of the De Dion railcars were also acquired by the CFR, powered by Citroen engines, whilst two freelance steam
although only 204 was in working order. Having worked during locomotives are stored in the loco shed at St.Cécile for future
the early years of the CFR/VFV operation on the northern use. Unfortunately these were constructed to 382mm (15“)
section of the former Vivarais route, no.204 is currently in the gauge so will require re-gauging before they can be used.
throes of a volunteer led overhaul at St.Agrève. Following many Known as “Le TAC (Train de L’Andorge en Cévennes)”, this
years in store in poor condition at Tence, no.202 was sold in admirable operation has proved to be a very popular attraction
2002 to the MTVS museum line located north of Paris, where it since its inception. Although only operating at weekends and on
is being restored. No 201, following a long period stored in a public holidays, it traverses a very scenic section of the former
fairly decrepit condition at the Raucaules base of the VFV, is line, including the viaduct at St Cécile and a short tunnel near
now in the care of an enthusiast group based near Clermont- St.Julian.
Ferrand. (My thanks are acknowledged to Richard Clarke for
The majority of the former track bed on the line has been information regarding the TAC)
A typical example of the timber trains that

operated on the Lozère was recorded at
Rouve-Jalcreste hauled by diesel
locomotive no.62 on 22nd April 1965. This
locomotive began life in 1891 as a Fives-
Lille 2-6-0T that initially worked on the
Vivarais before being transferred to the
CFD Charantes line in Western France.
J.L. Rochaix

The same heavily loaded timber train
was witnessed as it climbed towards
the summit tunnel below the Col de
Jalcreste whilst en-route to St.Ceéile
D’Andorge. An indication of the
scenic attractions of the route can be
appreciated in this scene recorded in
April 1965.
J.L. Rochaix
In a scene typical of rural France

during the 1960s, two Citroen 2CVs
wait at a level crossing as De Dion
no.201 emerges from the tunnel
near St.Privet-de-Vallongue on 22nd
April 1965, whilst heading for the
western terminus of the line.
J.L. Rochaix
During the course of its journey from

Florac, no.201 was viewed at rest at
the intermediate station at St. Privet-
de-Vallongue. Alongside another De
Dion unit hauling a single axle trailer
was unloading some of its contents.
This characteristic scene was
captured on 23rd July 1962.
D Trevor Rowe

The typically French wayside station at
St.Hilaire-de-Lavit was the location of
this view as no.201 passes the timber
train hauled by no.62. Another scene
recorded on 22nd April 1965.
J.L. Rochaix
Shortly before the line terminated at

St.Cécile D’Andorge it crossed an
imposing viaduct spanning the the
River Gardon. Billard A-150-D railcar
no.214, on loan from Le Cheylard, was
recorded as it traversed the curving
structure near the completion of its
journey on 16th April 1966.
J. Wiseman
The joint station shared with the SNCF

at the eastern terminus of the Lozère
is featured in this view of Billard no.
214 alongside the metre gauge
platform, prior to returning to Florac on
9th August 1961.
BVA Collection

Introduced in 1909, the SACM
2-4-4-0T Mallets were originally
intended for passenger train duties
on both the Vivarais and Lozère
systems. Ultimately four of the five
locomotives supplied were based at
Florac for freight train haulage until
replaced by diesel power after 1952.
No.324 was recorded shunting at
Florac in 1951.
BVA Collection
Sister Mallet no.325 was viewed at

Florac on 12th July 1956. Withdrawn
in 1954, this impressive locomotive
remained in store in the depot for a
further decade. Such a pity that it
could not have remained there until
1968, it would almost certainly have
been saved for preservation.
BVA Collection
On a hot day at Le Collet de Dèze,

CFD diesel locomotive no.70 was
viewed with its bonnet side removed
to assist cooling of the 180hp
Willème engine in this scene
recorded on 9th July 1962.
J.L. Rochaix

The road vehicle ancestry of the De Dion type ND
railcars is clearly apparent in this view of no.202 at
Florac in another scene from 9th July 1962. The jack
and turning equipment can be seen under the centre of
the vehicle.
J.L. Rochaix
The Lozère in 2022. One of the Citroen diesel powered

locomotives was recorded arriving at St Julien des-
Points, the western terminus of the short 400mm gauge
TAC line that uses the former metre gauge track-bed at
the eastern extremity of the original route. This scene
was recorded on 17th April 2022.
R. Clarke

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139 iain@mainlineandmaritime.co.uk Page 53
YING SHANGCAI, KENNETH
CANTLIE AND THE KF1 4-8-4
by Rhys Owen
The KF1 (sometimes simply KF) 4-8-4 locomotives used by requirement was worked out beforehand and was ultimately the
China’s railways are well-known, one example surviving in York responsibility of whoever was the railway’s Chief Mechanical
Railway Museum and another in Beijing Railway Museum. The Engineer at the time. A CME’s involvement in the actual design
English language Wikipedia article for this class of locomotives could have ranged from practically none to full hands-on design.
names Kenneth Cantlie as the designer whereas some Chinese The detailed design would probably have been undertaken by the
sources state that Ying Shangcai was the leader of the design builders, in this case the Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows.
team. The exact distribution of design responsiblilities between Ying Shangcai’s visit to Britain would most likely have been made
Cantlie, Ying and the Vulcan Foundry is now unlikely to be to assist liaison between the Vulcan Foundry and China’s Railway
definitely known but it is possible to postulate some theories Ministry. Although the KF1 class is largely American in
about the origins of this class of 4-8-4 locomotives. conception the locomotives were constructed in the UK, probably
Kenneth Cantlie states in his book “The Railways of because the funds to pay for them were provided by the British
China” (reference 1) that he took up his appointment as an Boxer Indemnity Fund, a sum of money paid by China to the
adviser to the Chinese Ministry of Railways in June 1930. At this British following the Boxer Rebellion.
period the Minister of Railways was Sun Fo (also known as Sun According to Yan Jiesheng’s book (reference 2) the first six
Ke), who was the son of Sun Zhongshan, the provisional first KF1 locomotives (although the locomotive at the time were
president of the Republic of China. designated the 600 class) were delivered to Qingdao in January
Cantlie’s book gives an account of China’s railways and the 1936 and were given trials on the 胶济铁路四方至沦口，女姑口
difficulties they encountered in this period. Cantlie even lines (Sifang to Lunkou and Sifang to Nűgukou lines of the
describes how he himself had to repair works boilers owing to the Jiaonan-Jinan Railway), being later tried out on the 津浦铁路
shortage of experienced personel. (Tianjin to Pukou Railway)。In March 1936 a second batch of six
Later in the book, Cantlie describes his service on the locomotives was delivered to Shanghai while the remaining 12
Standards Committee, mentioning the committee’s Chairman Dr were, in accordance with the contract, delivered to Guangzhou.
Yen Te-ching (this is the original transliteration, rather than the The locomotives appear to have given every satisfaction on the
current PinYin transliteration). 株韶（Zhuzhou to Shaoguan）section of the YueHan
Cantlie only mentions the KF1 4-8-4 as part of his duties with (Guangzhou to Wuhan) Railway.
the Committee an he appears to have been involved in specifying Not long afterwards, the activities of the Imperial Japanese
the requirements for this class of locomotives. The locomotives Army meant that these locomotives career on the YueHan railway
had not only to be powerful but also able to meet stringent bridge was interrupted. Great pains were taken to keep these modern
weight limits. To quote Cantlie: “The hauling power required to engines out of Japanese hands. They eventually found their way
pull 600-ton trains up 1 in 30 gradients at 35 kilometres per hour to Guilin. When the Chinese Guomindang forces were about to
was calculated, revealing that with the limited axle-load retreat, the locomotives were sabotaged by exploding charges in
permissible, eight coupled wheels would be necessary. The the smokebox saddle because there was no time to move them.
steam required to produce this hauling power was calculated and According to Yan Jiesheng’s book, in April 1950 a team of
this indicated the amount of coal to be burned per hour. The technical specialist searching for locomotives to alleviate China’s
correct size of grate, using low grade coal with 30% ash, could shortage of motive power found about forty damaged locomotives
then be calculated and from the result it was clear that a four- dumped at a location some 30km from Guilin North station.
wheeled trailing truck and a mechanical stoker would be needed. These locomotives included 21 of the KF1 class and it was found
The final design showed a locomotive with four leading wheels, that, because the sabotage work had not been very thorough, the
eight driving wheels and four trailing wheels, with a very long locomotives could be repaired. Accordingly, these locomotives
tender to spread the weight over 28 metres. There was some were taken to Qishuyuan works, repaired and put to work on the
fear that the engine was a few tons too heavy for the bridges, but Shanghai to Nanjing line. What happened to the remaining three
after much calculation it was proved that with maximum speeds locomotives is not known, perhaps they served as sources of
limited to 80 kilometres per hour, light-weight reciprocating parts, spare parts.
hollow axles and other refinements, the locomotives were quite The later history of these locomotives is obscure but Yan states
acceptable on Cooper E-35 loadings”. that only in 1974, with the dieselisation of the Shanghai to Nanjing
Cantlie states that these were the first main-line locomotives to line, were these locomotives “gloriously retired from use”.
be designed in China. He certainly does not try to take any credit To return to the question of who was responsible for the design,
for the design. here are some points to consider:
Cantlie mentions that two of these locomotives were fitted with Ying Shangcai’s technical education and experience was
a four-wheel booster for fast freight duties (it is understood that basically American. He was a locomotive specialist.
this booster was fitted to the first tender bogie) and states that a Although built in the UK (because of the British Boxer
2-10-4 version was not proceeded with for lack of funds. A Indemnity Fund) the KF1 class is fundamentally American in
document on the internet, which appears to be based on Vulcan conception. The locomotives do not resemble those built in the
Foundry promotional literature (but has a photograph of a 4-6-2 UK for Argentina and India, the countries where Cantlie had
and the flag of the People’s Republic of China!), states that six of previous experience.
the locomotives had boosters but all were arranged so that a Kenneth Cantlie makes no attempt in his book to take credit for
booster could be fitted if required. Six seems more probable than any significant contribution to the design. It is worth quoting from
two in this case. the conclusion of Cantlie’s book which says “....everyone will
It would seem that, as with most locomotives, the general realise why politics and economics intruded to so great a degree

into the building of the Chinese railways. That they continued to Republic was established. During the period from 1912 to 1949
run so well as they did under the circumstances was, and is, a China was fought over by various armies, including warlord
great tribute to the quality and energy of the railwaymen who ran forces, the Japanese Imperial Army, the Nationalist Army and the
them. When China offered to build a railway in Africa the People’s Liberation Army.
question was frequently asked whether the Chinese were According to Yan Jiesheng’s book (ref. 2) Ying graduating from
technically capable of doing so. The author always laughed and the Tsinghua Academy in 1913 (Tsinghua Academy -清华学堂
said that they could do it blindfold and, of course, they did.” Qinghua Xuetang - this later became a part of Tsinghua
Let readers draw their own conclusions.... University, one of China’s leading universities). After graduating
from the Tsinghua Academy Ying went, at government expense,
Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Cantlie, C.Eng., F.I.Mech.E. to study in Ohio at Cleveland’s 凱斯工业技术大学 (the Chinese
Kenneth Cantlie was born in London in 1899, the son of Sir translates as Kai Si Industrial Technology University and this
James Cantlie and Lady Mabel Cantlie. Dr Sun Zhongshan was seems to be the Case School of Applied Science). Following his
his godfather so his connection with China started very early. Sun studies in Cleveland Ying spent six years working at the Baldwin
Zhongshan (also known as Sun Yat-sen and other names) had works and possibly elsewhere, returning to China in 1924 where
trained as a doctor under Sir James Cantlie, Kenneth’s father. In he entered the locomotive service department of the 津浦铁路
1896 Sir James and Lady Cantlie had helped secure Dr Sun’s (The JinPu Railway linking Tianjin and Pukou outside Nanjing)
release from the Chinese Legation in London after he had been and possibly elsewhere. In 1932 Ying was transferred to the 路
detained by agents of the Qing government. 政司 (this seems to mean Railway Government Department）of
The loss of his right eye in childhood meant that Cantlie was the Ministry of Railways of what was by now the Nationalist
not fit for military service in the First World War. He served an (Guomindang or KMT) government.
apprenticeship at Crewe Works, being a pupil of the London and Because China’s railways had developed in a piecemeal
North Western Railway’s Chief Mechanical Engineer C.J. Bowen fashion with various countries being involved, a major problem
Cooke. was the variation in standards such as loading gauge, coupler
Cantlie used to tell the tale of Bowen Cooke, having forgetten height, axleload and so on. Recognition of this problem led in
some paperwork necessary for a meeting in London, detailing 1917 to the establishment of the Railway Technical Committee
Cantlie to fetch it. This led to a fast run from London to Crewe which led, in 1922, to some standards for railway construction
and back in a saloon drawn by the locomotive Cornwall, a 2-2-2 being adopted.
“single” with 8’6” driving wheels, which reached speeds in excess During the period 1933 to 1936 Ying was involved in the design
of 80 mph doing so. of the KF1 mixed-traffic 4-8-4 locomotive and, in connection with
Following his apprenticeship Cantlie worked in Argentina from the production of this class of locomotive, visited the UK.
1920 to 1923 and then in India from 1924 to 1928. In 1929 he In 1937, Ying was sent abroad again to investigate the
was invited to represent his family at Dr Sun Zhongshan’s funeral, standardization of American railway locomotive technology. On
being later invited by Sun’s son, Sun Fo, the Minister of Railways, his return to China, he set to work to implement greater
to work for China’s Ministry of Railways. standardization. Following the absorption of the Ministry of
In 1930 Cantlie took up the post of Consulting Expert for Railways in 1938 by the Ministry of Communications, Ying
Standardisation of Equipment, in 1934 becoming Technical became the Technical Officer of the Railway Standards
Adviser to the Chinese Ministry of Railways. Cantlie’s book gives Committee, being also responsible for the overall work of the
details of the problems faced and the work he undertook but he Railway Locomotive Standards Design Office.
certainly does not claim to have designed the 600 series of 4-8-4 Because of the Japanese invasion of China, the Railway
locomotives that later became the KF1 class. Engineering Standards Design Office was forced successively to
Cantlie became a trustee of the Boxer Indemnity Fund and his move from Nanjing to Hankou in April 1938, then to Guiyang,
work was recognised by the award of the Order of the Brilliant eventually being transferred to Chongqing in February 1944.
Jade. In parallel with his professional responsibilities, Ying had a
In 1931 Cantlie married Phyllis Gage-Brown and, early in 1937 considerable academic career. From 1950 onwards he was a
the Cantlie family returned to the UK. The outbreak of hostilities professor in various parts of what is now Beijing Jiaotong
between Japanese and Chinese forces later that year meant that University (Jiaotong - 交通 in characters – means
Cantlie stayed in the UK, becoming an adviser to the Chinese “communications” or “transport”). He was also a member of the
Government Purchase Commission (part of the British Boxer Academic Committee of the Ministry of Railways’ Railway
Indemnity Fund) as well as holding various posts in industry. Science Research Institute, sitting also on a number of other
In 1939 Cantlie joined the British Army’s Royal Engineers, committees.
serving in various posts in the UK and abroad. Following the war Ying was active in fostering the development of the younger
he was involved in various commercial activities to do with generation of Chinese railway engineers, continuing to be an
railways. He continued his involvement with China, visiting a active lecturer up until 1964. He was also the editor in chief of the
number of times until the early 1980s. textbook “蒸汽机车构造理论与计算” (Steam locomotive Structure
Cantlie passed away early in 1986 at his home in London. Theory and Calculations), a book produced by staff from Beijing
Railway University, Tangshan Railway University and Dalian
Ying Shangcai Railway University.
A native of what is now Fenghua City in Zhejiang province, Ying Ying Shangcai passed away on 5th December 1982 at the age
Shangcai was born on 17th July 1896 in the closing years of the of 86.
Qing dynasty, which came to an end in 1912 when the Chinese
Bibliography
Ref. Title Author/Compiler Publisher Year
1 The Railways of China ISSN 0306-6665 Lt-Col Kenneth Cantlie The China Society, London 1981
汽笛声声闹九州 : 清末民初铁路历史 (Steam whistle

sounds disturb the Nine Regions: the history of
2 严介生 (Yan Jiesheng) 中国铁道出版社 ,北京
railways in the late Qing Dynasty and the early
Republic of China) ISBN 7-113-06691-7

THE DRACHENFELS RAILWAY
by Phil Barnes
One of the single cars ascends the Drachenfels Mountain on 24th July 2012.
The Drachenfelsbahn as it is known in Germany, was opened 1883 vintage, but during the 1920s the three Drachenfelsbahn
in July 1883 to link the Rhine town of Königswinter to the locos were replaced by four new machines which were
summit (289 metres high) of the nearby Drachenfels Mountain occasionally shared with the nearby Petersburgbahn via stock
(Drachenfels means Dragons Rock) and is one of only four rack transfers. In 1913 the line was purchased by Ferdinand
railways still in operation in Germany. Mulhens who also owned the aforementioned Petersburgbahn,
The initial operation was by steam with the locomotives which was a route that linked Königswinter and the Petersburg
pushing the carriages up the grade until the transition to electric mountain area, but by 1958 this line had closed. Steam
traction (railcars) took place in the 1950s; but always with the continued to dominate up to 1953, when the line was partially
purpose of moving tourists up to the castle and view points at converted to electric traction using a 750V dc overhead line
the top of the mountain, regardless of what traction was used! catenary system, with steam then only being used at peak
There are three stations along this 1.5 km line, which in times. The first electric car was converted from the 1883 built
sequence are: The base station is Königswinter carriage no. 3 during 1952 and numbered ET1. Thereafter the
Drachenfelsbahn, Drachenburg is the intermediate station and use of steam and electric traction was the norm up until
has a passing loop and Drachenfels is at the top. The railway September 1958, when a serious accident involving steam loco
was built to metre gauge and uses the Riggenbach rack system no. 3 of 1927 and passenger carriages 2 and 3 took place,
to climb to the summit, of which there is a height difference of killing 17 people and totally curtailing the further use of steam
220 metres between top and bottom stations and a maximum thereafter. Coincidentally, four new purpose built electric four
gradient of 20% or 1 in 5. wheeled cars were in build between 1955 and 1960 at a works
Originally the line was worked by three steam locomotives of in Ratstatt, so change was already planned. These cars were

Steam locomotive No. 2 (Esslingen 4185/27) on display outside the base station in its non authentic green livery.
unusual in only having doors down one side which matched the displayed outside the base station since 1968. At the time of the
platform siting at all three stations. This fleet of four double base station rebuild, this 0-4-2T rack loco went to Poland for
ended cars was increased by one in 1979, when the cosmetic restoration, returning to Germany for display in a non
Drachenfelsbahn itself built a fifth unit. As the cars aged, the authentic green livery!
fleet needed modernisation, which was carried out by SLM of During my visit in 2012, a ticket cost 9 Euros return. Also in
Winterthur in Switzerland between 1998 and 1999. 2012, development of the railway continued with work on the
Not only did the stock need an upgrade, but the base station summit station area very much in evidence. From the summit
was also showing its age. In January 2004 the idea of rebuilding station, you can easily access the restaurant or visit the castle
it was mooted and by October of that year a new station had ruin, alternatively you can simply just take in the views
been designed and work started, which was completed in overlooking the river Rhine etc before returning to the base
March 2005 at a price of 1.97million Euros. This multipurpose station.
building houses the base station, workshop, museum displays The Drachenfelsbahn runs throughout most of the year and
and an information centre. more information on its operation can be obtained by visiting
Returning briefly to the age of steam, locomotive no. 2, which https://www.drachenfelsbahn.de
was built by Esslingen in 1927 as works no. 4185, has been

A journey along the line, starting at the base station at
Königswinter (above), running through the passing loop at the
middle station, Drachenburg (left) and finishing at the Summit
(below).

Two close up views of the Riggenbach driving axle on display in the museum.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER
by Robin Barnes
The SP was a committed user of the comparatively rare 4-8-0, although its examples were modestly dimensioned and mostly to
be seen around the Portland Division in the north. They were built between 1882 and 1898 to a total of 98, 14 of which also
worked on the SPdeM. One of these is pictured here. Originally SP Pacific Lines 368 (Schenectady 2662/1888), it was
renumbered successively 1952 and 2810, before crossing the Border to Mexico in 1906, initially to the Cananea, Yaqui River &
Pacific. In 1912 it became SPdeM, No.401, but in 1942 was sold on to the independent FC Rio Mayo, No.4. Until the 1920s wood
was the primary fuel on the SPdeM, and this kind of extended tender was not uncommon. The basis is flat car No.4031, with a
locomotive tender body to carry water at the rear. One late user of this type was 4-6-0 No.201 (Schenectady 1338/1881), still so
equipped in summer 1924 (tender 4015), and by then used on engineering trains.
Author
The roots of what was to become the Southern Pacific cylinder 4-10-2s, which booster in action generated more than
Company (formally incorporated as such in March 1884) lay in 96,000 lb starting tractive effort. The SPdeM, as it will be
the Central Pacific Railroad, the historic line of railway which described, experienced hard times throughout much of its
fought its way over the Sierra, eastward out of California, to existence, suffering severe and extensive damage caused by
meet the Union Pacific at Promontory, Utah, on 10 May 1869. the various Revolutions and attacks by Yaqui Indians. These
From that beginning it grew into a multi-faceted business that factors, together with heavy tariffs imposed by the USA, which
operated not just main line and branch railways, but also decimated Mexico’s exports, led to what by the outbreak of
steamships, interurban and streetcar systems. The title World War 2 had become a system so run down its very future
‘Southern’ misleads, as it became a vast enterprise, a network was at risk. Wartime traffic helped to an extent, but the
of rails which stretched from Portland, Oregon, in the north, all subsequent intensive usage resulted in an even more severely
the way down the west coast of the United States, penetrating degraded infrastructure. The SPdeM staggered on until 1951,
far inland also, and as far south as Nogales. The town, two when, considering its continuance to be a social necessity, the
communities divided by a neutral zone, straddled the border Mexican Government purchased the entire property from the
with Mexico. Onward from that point, from the first decade of the Southern Pacific. The Ferrocarril del Pacifico (FCP), as it was
twentieth century until 1951, the SP operated a further 1,105 now titled, funded by the state, embarked on a massive
miles (1,778 km) of trackage, mostly along the coast, to programme of upgrading, of worn, light-weight rails in particular,
Guadalajana, Jalisco. This, which functioned under the title followed by a general modernisation and, unsurprisingly, the
Sud-Pacifico de Mexico, is the present object of our attention. In introduction of diesel power. Finally, in 1987, it was fully
all, the Southern Pacific Company owned at one time or another incorporated into the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico
some 16,000 miles (25,750 km) of track (of which 1,200 miles (NdeM). 24 miles (38 km) east of Nogales lies Agua Pietra,
were narrow gauge and 300 5ft 0in or 5ft 6in). Its steam opposite Douglas, Arizona. 78 miles (124 km) to the south of
locomotive stock ran the full gamut from single-wheelers to the that point is Nacozari, its surroundings rich in copper, gold,
great, world famous cab-first articulateds and the mighty three- silver and manganese. In order that the ore mined there could

Neither of this pair operated on SP lines in Mexico, but they do encapsulate neatly the great variety of steam locomotives owned
by the company over its history. One of the earliest was this insubstantial 2-2-0, No.1 San Gabriel of the Los Angeles and San
Pedro Railroad, the first railroad in Southern California. It was built at the Vulcan Iron Works, San Francisco, in 1868. The SP is
unlikely to have found anything useful for it do after acquisition in 1874, and it is believed to have been cut up two years later. SP
No.5004 on the other hand could not provide any greater contrast. A massive three-cylinder, derived valve gear 4-10-2, it was one
of 49 constructed by Alco over 1926-1927. They were delivered in three batches with variations, and classified SP-1 to SP-3.
Visually highly impressive, they were also powerful and seemingly reliable performers, working over the SP Pacific Lines for more
than a quarter of a century.
Both: Author’s Collection
easily reach smelters located across the US Border, in 1899 the Railroad. The former provided connection with the USA at the
Ferrocarril de Nacozari was incorporated by the Moctezuma border town of Nogales, from there running 263 miles (423 km)
Copper Company. Completed in May 1904, it passed into the south-west and south to the port city of Guaymas. Opened in
hands of the SP in 1924, but had no physical connection with 1882, it had been promoted by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
the SPdeM until 1967, when, funded by the state, rails were laid Fe Railway, Guaymas being closer to Kansas City, and easier
between Agua Pietra and Nogales. for it to reach, than San Francisco. The Santa Fe would thus
The SPdeM brought together two Mexican companies, the have excellent access to the Far East and Australia, but
Sonora Railway and the Cananea, Yaqui River & Pacific although the Sonora proved profitable, the benefit the Santa Fe

ultimately concluded was too marginal. In consequence, on 15 considerably, south along the fertile coastal area, crossing the
July 1898, through a 81-year leasing agreement, operation of Tropic of Cancer, to Mazatlán, and finally Guadalajara. South of
the Sonora was passed to an ambitious Southern Pacific Ruiz, the tracks turned away from the coast, climbing through
Company. Subsequently, on 30 June 1912, full title was difficult mountain territory. Construction, challenging enough
transferred to the SPdeM. Twelve of the Sonora’s twenty because of the geology of the southern section. was made
locomotives passed into SPdeM stock, though excluding considerably more so by the ongoing armed regional conflicts of
perhaps what had been the most interesting, No.18, a 1900 1910 to 1920, and the first through trains from Nogales to
Baldwin 4-6-0. This had already been sold to the Southern Guadalajara did not commence running until 19 April 1927. All
Pacific California Division as No.2282, where it became the only sixty-nine CYR&P locomotives transferred to the SPdeM. They
Mother Hubbard locomotive owned by the SP. It was rebuilt in were a mix of 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 4-6-0 and 2-8-0 types, plus fourteen
1906 with the cab at the firebox end and worked around Los 4-8-0s, eleven 4-4-2s by Alco Brooks and Baldwin, and some
Angeles until 1928. The first section of the Cananea, Yaqui small 0-6-0 tender engines. Finally, there was No.8, 4-4-0ST, a
River & Pacific was constructed over 1900-1902 by the 1908 rebuild of 4-4-0 No.59 (Rogers 2644/1880, the alteration
Cananea Consolidated Copper Company, a 38 mile (61 km) undertaken to provide a locomotive suitable for working around
cross-border line connecting Cananea with Naco, Arizona. the extensive workshops at Empalme.
Then, in 1905, the SP having acquired control of the CYR&P, The SPdeM never acquired a new steam locomotive. Apart
under that same title commenced construction of an extension, from the small number inherited from the two above-mentioned
separated by the Sonora Railway, from a junction at Empalme companies, the remainder all came from the Southern Pacific,
(north of Guaymas, Sonora Railway), southward to Navajoa, and there was considerable back and forth, cross border
which was reached by May 1907. The CYR&P functioned as a transfer. In all, it operated about two hundred locomotives, of
separate unit of the Southern Pacific Company until 24 June which 93 remained to be sold by the SP/SPdeM to the Mexican
1909, when title transferred to the SPdeM. Eventually the West Government in December 1951. The mix of wheel
Coast Route, as the SPdeM came to be known, was extended arrangements under the SPdeM remained more or less the

The Pickwick Duplex road coach, having two decks, or better perhaps interlaced levels, was the brainchild of Dwight Austin, a
design intended to revolutionise long distance travel. The initial version was the 26 passenger Nite-Coach of 1928, followed two
years later by the 53 seat Day-Coach. The photograph illustrates an example of the latter in road condition, running as Pickwick
Stage Lines No.87, and the painting one of five which passed into the hands of Pacific Electric, numbered 1902-1906, but is seen
after conversion for rail use as SPdeM M265 (ex-1902). The various alterations are detailed in the text, but the two illustrations
show how the main base structural member on the left side is straight between the wheel arches, but on the right dropped at the
passenger entrance. Train No.35 was the daily except Sundays service from Acaponeta to Mazatlán, the return working of No.34.
Author’s Collection / Author

same as before, other than a group of four 2-8-2s numbered adopted as its headquarters. From a simple San Diego – Los
850-853. SP 3211/3214/3218 and 3229, built by Baldwin Angeles service, Pickwick expanded into a considerable
1911-1913, they arrived on the SPdeM in May 1934, but had undertaking, eventually involving itself not only in road coach
returned north of the border by autumn 1942, regaining their service, but also with hotels, radio broadcasting and even air
original numbers. They were the largest steam locomotives to transport. Unfortunately, such was the extent and speed of
run on the Mexican lines, and because of their weight regular expansion, the Company overreached itself, succumbing all too
operation was restricted to the southernmost section between easily to the Great Depression, as a result its various functions
Barrancas and Guadalajara, where 90 lb rail was laid being sold off. The Pickwick Stage Lines Motor Coach Works at
(elsewhere the SPdeM trackage was mostly 65 lb). It should be San Diego shut down in 1932, two years later passing to the
mentioned that a considerable number of locomotives retained Northrop Division of Douglas Aircraft. In June 1929 Pickwick had
their SP numbering and lettering whilst operating in Mexico. merged with the Northland Transportation Company, which part
Until about 1923 the primary fuel used was wood, resulting in of the business, under the famous title Greyhound, survived and
some extraordinary tenders, as illustrated, although many prospered. As for the highly distinctive Pickwick coaches, they
locomotives ran with others, which although loaded with wood, were designed by Dwight D Austin, a competent and innovative
were unaltered. By 1930, oil firing was universal on the SPdeM. engineer, his skills learned through practical experience. He
Following the state takeover, diesel power was quickly joined the Company in 1923 as Superintendent of the Pickwick
introduced, initially in 1953 in the form of thirteen Alco RSD5 San Diego workshops. Austin’s first road coach to see the light
1600 hp C-C units numbered 801-813 (later increased to a total of day was the 1925 Inter City Parlour Car, which it was claimed
of 35). They were followed in 1954 by 901-905, Alco FPA2, of a introduced ‘Pullman convenience to highway transport.’ Three
family which over time has come to be regarded by many US were constructed providing steward and meal service, lavatories
and Mexican railfans as the most handsome of all passenger and toilets. Running between San Francisco and Los Angeles
diesel locomotives. they were considered exceptionally luxurious, and endorsed by
Steam, however, did not have SPdeM metals entirely to itself such star names as Clara Bow. In 1927 passengers were
before 1953. A small four-wheel gasoline–mechanical provided with an improved variant, whereas the driver was not.
locomotive built in 1927 by GCD Midwest was purchased for That unfortunate individual was forced to occupy an isolated
use at Barrancas, Jalisco. Originally on the 3ft (914mm) gauge almost aircraft-like single-seat cockpit at the front above the
system of the Missouri Bridge & Iron Co in Illinois, it was engine, recalled as claustrophobic, hot, noisy, uncomfortable
converted on arrival to standard. In addition there were ten and tiring.
railmotors, or railbuses, a wonderful, ramshackle collection of The double-deck, or interlaced deck, design, with which we
conversions from road to rail, carried out by the famous Pacific are dealing here, was introduced in 1928.This accommodated
Electric shops at Torrance, Los Angeles. The Pacific Electric 26 passengers with sleeping compartments. Again well received
Railway, owned by the Southern Pacific from 1901, at its peak by travellers, it was described as the Pickwick Duplex Nite-
was of its kind a massive undertaking, radiating from Los Coach. Two years later the Duplex Day-Coach followed, the
Angeles in every direction to well over one hundred cities and interior modified to carry 53 passengers (some sources quote
communities over four Southern Californian counties. The 60, but that seems excessive). The Duplex was stoutly built, the
Southern District even had a four-track main line which carried basis being two 7 inch steel channels running front to back
freight traffic, and in many ways much of the PER was either side, braced by fourteen cross-members and a series of
effectively an electrified suburban railway system. Traffic pressed steel uprights. These were further reinforced by
reached a peak in 1945, although abandonment of sections had additional front to back steel channels, the various sections
begun just prior to World War 2. Thereafter decline was swift, riveted together, the aim being to provide an exceptionally
sale to Metropolitan Coach Lines taking place in 1953, and on to robust structure. The body consisted of double-wall Duralumin
the LA Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1958. Streetcars ceased panels, the cavity filled with insulation in the form of
running in 1963, replaced by diesel buses, the final service Thermosote, a tar-impregnated wood fibre. Power was provided
being an all-night railfan excursion. Five of the conversions were by a Sterling Petrel or Hall-Scott six-cylinder gasoline engine,
of White Motor Coach Model 50 25-seat buses, the earliest rated as requested by the customer at between 150 and 175 hp.
dating back to 1923, purchased by the SPdeM during 1933., as This was mounted in a removable carrier frame, the drive taken
follows:- to the rear wheels via a shaft running through a steel tunnel.
SPdeM No. Passenger access was by steps from an entrance on the right-
M260/261 White 99660/99895 hand side, leading to a central aisle having a headroom of 7ft
Pacific Electric 69/7 acquired 6/1933 1in, with single steps up and down into compartments, each
M262/263 White 99623/99701 having four seats. It is believed around forty were completed
Pacific Electric 68/71 acquired 7/1933 over the years 1930-1932, but their service lives proved short. In
M264 White 99954 part this may have been because certain states, Missouri in
Pacific Electric 80 acquired 8/1933 1930 for example, outlawed what were considered oversized
The remaining five were the unusual and highly distinctive and overweight vehicles (there was a curious echo of the Duplex
double-deck 53 seat Pickwick Duplex Day-Coach type of 1930:- when in 1949 two four car third-rail electric units were built for
M265/266 Pickwick - British Railways Southern Region, Class 4DD. Similar in having
Pacific Electric 1902/1903 acquired 7/1937 a split-level layout, though not identical, both were the result of
M267/268/269 Pickwick - attempting to fit two levels of seating within tightly constrained
Pacific Electric 1904/1905/1906 external dimensions).
acquired 6-8/1938 Greyhound acquired eight of the Nite coaches, numbering
them 801-808, and eighteen Day, 675-693, but retained them
The FC de Nacozari also operated during the 1940s four only for a short time. In 1933 five of the latter were sold to the
1923 White coaches and a Fageol part open-top double decker Motor Transit Lines, then swiftly on to Pacific Electric, which
of 1927, which formerly had served Wilshire Boulevard in gave them the numbers 1902-1906. How much use they saw
Beverly Hills for the Los Angeles Motor Coach Company. Again, thereafter as road vehicles is not known to the author, but by
road to rail conversions were undertaken by PE at Torrance. summer 1937 all had passed to the SPdeM for conversion to rail
The Pickwick Stages System commenced operations in 1912, operation. The work was carried out at the Pacific Electric
naming itself after the former theatre in San Diego which it Torrance shops in Los Angeles, involving the replacement of

Dieselisation of the former SPdeM network followed swiftly after its takeover by the Mexican state, under the Ferrocarril del
Pacifico title. Alco became a favoured supplier, the FCP preferring three-axle bogie locomotives, but the two-axle No.521 was a
product of the NdeM San Luís Polosí workshops. Turned out in August 1963, it consisted of the body of an accident damaged
Alco RS 11 road switcher, with a new and rather smart front-end grafted on. Withdrawn by 1983, it was one of two similar, though
the other remained on the NdeM system proper.
Author
road by two flanged rail wheels of large diameter at the rear, Hermosillo and 34/35 between Mazatlán. and Acaponeta.
and four small in the form of a bogie at the front (it is possible Exactly when they were withdrawn from use is unclear. Some at
the bogies were not new-build, rather adaptions, but if so, of least worked through the World War, but by 1947 two of the
what is unknown). Other alterations were the provision of White vehicles and one Duplex were to be seen lying derelict to
windscreen visor, latches to the upper doors of the driver’s cab one side of the running shed at Mazatlán. It might be mentioned
to permit them to be kept partly open, and in another incidentally that the Sonora for a time operated one of the
concession to the Mexican climate, the passenger entrance distinctive, double-ended, pointed prow McKeen gasoline motor
door was removed. In addition, though it would appear not in all cars, number 50, together with an unpowered trailer, 50T. The
cases initially, a cowcatcher was fitted, while at some point the motor was sold to the SP itself in 1911, joining a group of 38
two road headlights were replaced by a single roof-level light. which worked secondary services throughout the US system
Further, although at first the front wheel arches were plated between 1908 and 1939. The trailer, for its part, is believed to
over, this arrangement quickly came to be regarded as have remained in Mexico. Its fate is not recorded, but something
inconvenient. Standard railroad marker lights were attached to very like it, off its wheels, survived many years at a wayside
the rear upper body corners. Window bars, fitted originally, at station, used as a store.
some point were removed. As may be seen from the illustration,
the headlight is hooded. This alteration was made following References
Mexico’s entry to the War on the Allied side in May 1942, in The Southern Pacific of Mexico and the West Coast Route (J R
consequence of the sinking that month by a German submarine Signor/J A Kirchner, Golden West Books, San Marino, 1987)
of two of the nation’s oil tankers, the Potrero de Llano and Faja A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives 1862-1962
de Oro. Much of the route SPdeM trains followed between (Third Edition; G L Dunscomb, The Train Shop, San Jose,
Guaymas and Rosario (south of Mazatlán) was close to the 1984)
shore of the Gulf of California and Pacific Ocean itself, in places Pacific Slope Railroads (G B Abdill, Superior Publishing,
within view of any enemy vessels lurking nearby. Seattle, 1959)
The conversions, which included the White single-deck
buses, autovías as all were known, handled local services both For a fascinating and thorough overview of the Pickwick Stage
on the main line and branches; for example, Trains 13/18 Lines and the Duplex coaches as road vehicles, see
between Corral and Navojoa, 24/25 between Nogales and http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/a/austin.htm

BRATISLAVA
TRANSPORT MUSEUM
by Ron Smith
”Bardotka” (named such because of the prominent front) 751132-2 built by CKD as part of a class built between 1964 and 1971.
All photographs by the Author on 18th August 2022
Bratislava Transport Museum (www.welcometobratislava.eu/ • A guard’s van and a couple of closed van goods wagons.
museum-of-transport) is not the railway museum, but it is These all appear to have been donated by the ZSSK Cargo
situated in the first railway station of Bratislava that opened in division of Slovenian Railways (Železničná spoločnosť
1848. It has two main, low long, halls, and is adjacent to the Slovensko, a. s. (ZSSK)
current main railway station. It is a branch of the Slovak Outside the main door is an anonymous blue 0-4-0 narrow
Technical Museum in Košice. The museum was opened on gauge loco.
24.6.1999. It is a little difficult to locate, and has a rather run Although railways are the minority displays, it does have
down look to it. Inside, there are around 100 cars and about large panels showing the development of Slovak railways,
three dozen old motorbikes. The railway section is on the tracks including the last steam worked train on 17.10.1980 from
alongside. These three sidings are a continuation of three Bratislava Filiálka to Leopoldov.
sidings currently in use by Slovak railways, and are separated Nearly all displays have explanatory panels in Slovak and
by only a temporary barrier, as used on building sites. English, but there are no guide books, postcards or cafe
Locomotives present are (August 2022) facilities, as you might expect to find in such an important
• Bo-Bo diesel “Bardotka” 751132-2 museum.
• Centre cab Bo-Bo electric 210012-1 Although railways are not the majority interest here, it is a
• Bo-Bo electric “Laminatka” 240040-6 “discovery” destination if you in or near Bratislava. It is good that
• A very rusty Bo-Bo centre cab diesel 771001-5 the old original station is being used and maintained, and it
• ASP400 057 Plasser & Theurer 2 axle tamper of 1983 certainly retains the atmosphere of an original historic station.

771001-5 built by SMZ in 1968.
210012-1, built by Skoda in 1972/73.
“Laminatka” (named because the

bodywork is laminated fibre glass)
240040-6, built by Skoda in 1968.

The anonymous shunter by the front door - readers’ suggestions to its identity are welcome..
Les Editions du Cabri viennent de publier un nouveau livre consacré au Chemin de

Fer de la Corse, ce livre coûte 68€ et continent 448 pages avec environ 1200
photos. Le but de ce livre est de voir l'évolution du réseau et du matériel depuis le
temps de la vapeur à aujourd'hui, donc depuis les 75 dernières années, beaucoup
des photos sont historiques et 90% des photos qui sont inédites. Il faut compter 8€
pour les frais de port et d'envoi. Un 2ème livre sur la Corse est prévu en 2024, vous
pouvez contacter l'auteur du livre qui est Marius d'Oriano à cette adresse mail :
mdcorse@hotmail.fr

To mark the 125th anniversary celebrations of the
Müngsten Bridge, the highest railway viaduct in Germany,
4-6-4T 78 468 ran Solingen - Remscheid - Wuppertal -
Solingen excursions on 27th and 28th August.
Ad van Sten
READERS’ REPORTS
Contributions for this section should be sent to the Editorial a more positive noted, the overhaul of 3BR class No. 1486 is
Office, with the following exceptions: progressing well with all the new large and small tubes installed
• Southern Africa - John Middleton, c/o Editorial Office. during August, it will be fantastic to see this 110 year old
Email: johnmiddleton3401@gmail.com locomotive pounding up to Inchange in due course.
• South America - Lionel Price, 9, Liverpool Road West,
Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1PE. Email: TFR There is currently a general shortage of locomotives
jldprice@btinternet.com caused in part by TFR’s inability to obtain spares from China for
• Spain & Portugal - Joan Carles Salmerón, c/o Editorial class 20E, 21E and 22E locomotives of which a significant
Office. Email: cet@terminus.cat number are currently stored awaiting repairs. This has resulted
Contributions which are primarily photographic in nature in the return to traffic of some older locomotives including Class
should all be sent to the Editorial Office to give the best choice 7E E7037 at De Aar, thought to be the only active member of
of material for covers etc. Similarly historical articles and the original 100 of the type. E7037 was noted in use on 16th
features should be sent to the Editor. The Editor’s contact August 2022. Not helping the situation were two further
details are inside the front cover. derailments, this time of ore trains in the Northern Cape. The
first accident was on May 17th near Kudamane Mine which
AFRICA resulted in the derailment of the locomotives (Class 23Es) and

several ore wagons. The second derailment appears to have
been the result of an ore train hitting a truck on a level crossing.
ANGOLA 23Es 23062 and 23064 and a large number of wagons were
derailed. The Durban flood damage repairs were still underway
CF Benguela A consortium led by Impala Terminals has been in late August with the Natal main line operating as a single line
awarded a 30 year concession to operate freight traffic on CFB. in places, the second track was expected to be back in traffic
Impala has been active on the route for some time, running at sometime during September.
least one train of copper concentrate from the Zambian / DRC
copperbelt to Lobito weekly for around the last five years. PRASA / Metrorail Limited suburban services were restarted
by mid-July in Port Elizabeth and East London using hired
MOZAMBIQUE Traxtion locomotives. Traxtion 2007 and 2010 (Class 33.2) were
Moatize - Beira / Moatize – Nampula (Vale) Some of the Vale worked light engine to East London in early June. This marks
locomotives appear to have absorbed by CFM. During August the return of the Class 33.2 “Brommers” to East London after an
photographs were posted on line showing a former Vale EMD absence of almost 30 years. It is thought there are two
GT26C Co-CoDE numbered D322. It is not known how many locomotives in each city but Traxtion 2010 was later noted
locomotives passed to CFM or whether the numbering starts at working in Port Elizabeth by mid July. Engineering teams have
D311 or D321 (following on from CFM’s EMD GT22s which are been active recently restoring the catenary on several sections
numbered D301-D310). where it was stolen during the pandemic.
Nex Xtrapolis set No. 100 was noted on delivery ex works on
7th July 2022. During June, sets 086, 087 and 089 were moved
SOUTH AFRICA to Cape Town.
Transnet Heritage (TH) In a surprise move, it appears that TH Main line PRASA services are gradually restarting, albeit
is going to start actively running steam specials again. Class 24 mostly with hired in locomotives. Noted working for PRASA in
2-8-4 No. 3632 based at Voorbaai is the locomotive involved. July and August were RM 3006, 3012 and 3013, GPR 3006 and
This had been overhauled at the depot a couple of years ago 3010, GND 001 and 003, all Grindrod 3000 HP type. On 31st
but not used. During July, it was pulled outside the workshop August the Bosvelder train from Johannesburg to Musina
and test steamed again. The plan appears to be to run between (formerly Messina) ran for the first time in over two years,
Hartenbos and Groot Brak River, a distance of 15 km. The first hauled by a very odd combination of Grindrod RM 30-12 and a
run is scheduled for the “Heritage Day” public holiday on Traxtion class 33.200. Also in late August, a special was laid on
September 24th. While such a short operation is a pale shadow in connection with the Comrades Marathon which is run
of former Hartenbos – George and George – Knysna workings, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. This was noted heading
at least it is returning active steam to the area. to Pietermaritzburg on 28th August hauled by PRASA’s own
18402+18406. The PRASA electric locomotives have been
Umgeni Steam Railway The railway was able to reopen after stored for the best part of two years
flood repairs between Inchanga and Botha’s Hill on 31st July
2022. Trains have been worked by 19D class 4-8-2 No. 2685. Railco suffered a runaway and derailment near Esigodini on the
The more seriously damaged section between Botha’s Hill and BBR in Zimbabwe in June. Locomotives GND004 and RM 3008
Kloof is still under repair for which there is an active fund raising ended up on their sides but appeared to have received relatively
programme. However, in a bid to raise money, the RSSA which minor damage.
owns two derelict locomotives stored at Masons Mill, is trying to
dispose of them (possibly for scrap) in order to raise funds. The Lafarge, Kaalfontein This cement distribution depot has two
locomotives are now in very poor condition having effectively 1949 built Porters (works numbers 8211 and 8214), both were
been abandoned for over 25 years, they are 15F class 4-8-2 rebuilt by LEGE ins 2013/14 but at 73 years old are still doing
No. 3149 and S2 class 0-8-0 No. 3778. Also at Masons Mill are pretty well. They are now named PLUTO A and PLUTO B.
GF class garratts 2380 and 2416 as well as 19D class 2637. On Contributors: Mel Turner, Peter Odell, Dylan Knott, Ashley Peter

READERS’ REPORTS - NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

USA
On July 2 – 3, 2022, at Western Pacific Railroad Museum, Portola, California, Western Pacific 0-6-0 No. 165 was in steam for the
first time hauling paid passengers around the museum grounds.
Thomas R Schutz
On July 9, 2022,
Reading, Blue
Mountain & Northern
425 operated a
special excursion
from Mountain Top
(Penobscot – where
the train is pictured)
to Jim Thorpe,
Pennsylvania and
return, a distance of
approximately 32
miles each way. This
trip was operated for
the benefit of the
Mountain Top Rotary
Club.
Thomas R Schutz

Taken at North Canal Street level crossing,
North of Union Station, Chicago is an
Amtrak Hiawatha service to Milwaukee
hauled by a Siemens “Charger” locomotive
introduced in 2017. New, long distance
versions of the Charger, numbered in the
300 series, are now being delivered to
replace Genesis locos on trains such as the
“Empire Builder” (already happened) and
“California Zephyr” (one Charger spotted in
Denver, probably on crew training).
0-6-0 switcher No 300 of the Columbia Steel

corperation (Baldwin 58379 of 1925) is on
static display at the Heber City station of the
Heber Valley tourist railroad in Utah. The
Railroad has been devoid of working steam
for several years while its ex Union Pacific
2-8-0 undergoes a protracted overhaul.
Services are presently in the hands of GP9
diesel locos.
Very close to the Mount Rushmore National

Memorial runs the Black Hills Central Tourist
Railroad. The line is 10 miles long on an old
Burlington branch line from Hill City to
Keystone. It is very steeply graded,
maximum 6%, and this requires powerful
locos to shift the heavy trains in summer. To
meet this need, the railway has purchased
and restored from static display, two
Baldwin 2-6-6-2 Mallet compound saddle
tanks, originally built for the logging
industry, The photo shows No 110, returned
to service in 2001, being prepared for
service outside the loco shed in Hill City, the
second Mallet, number 108 was returned to
steam as recently as 2020. These two locos
are certainly the “Big Boys” of industrial
steam!
All: Kevin Hoggett

The Black Hills Central’s third working
steam loco is a Baldwin 2-6-2ST, built 1926
for the Silver Falls Timber Co. She is used
in the late season when traffic is quieter.
The photo shows her outside Hill City loco
shed.
An A+B pair of ex Denver & Rio Grande

Western General Motors F9 Bo-Bo diesel
units preserved at the Colorado Railroad
Museum, Golden, just west of Denver.
Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge

Railroad 0-4-0T No. 3 leaving Cripple
Creek. No 3 was built by H.K. Porter in 1927
and worked at Avalos Zacetacus Zink Mines
in Mexico.
All: Kevin Hoggett

READERS’ REPORTS - SOUTH AMERICA
SOUTH AMERICA renewal of track between Tapiales and Gonzalez Catan, and
station and signalling improvement works.
Victoria Olmos, British Embassy, Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
News as to long distance passenger services in Argentina BRAZIL
includes the letting of a contract for the reconstruction of a On the light rail scene and as previewed in Issue 137, regular
major bridge near Tucuman, which spans the River Sali, which service between Parnamirim and Cajupiranga has duly begun,
was damaged by floods in 2019, preventing rail access to in fact on 9 May, with the nine pairs of weekday trains
Tucuman itself, and forcing services from Buenos Aires to mentioned in that issue now running between the latter place
terminate at Cevil Pozo, some 14km from the city, as mentioned through to Natal.
in Issue 132. On Saturdays, there are five train pairs, but no Sunday
The work includes the replacement of five piers of the 560 service.
metre long structure, and it is expected that the work will not be Volta O Trem via Samuel Rachdi and CBTU Natal
completed until sometime in 2023.
The current service between the capital and Tucuman (Cevil On the heritage railway scene in Brazil, good progress has been
Pozo) remains at two trains per week in each direction, with an made recently at the ABPF workshops at Cruzeiro on the
approximate journey time of 32 hours. overhaul of a locomotive we mentioned some years ago, 2-8-2
Other news as to long distance passenger services is that No.522 (Alco Schenectady 66747/1926), with fabrication of new
although somewhat later than previewed in Issue 133 the re- superheaters being successfully achieved; when the overhaul is
opening of the lengthy section of route from Rufino westward as complete, it isintened to put the locomotive to work of the Passa
far as Justo Daract in San Luis province, a distance of 233km, Quatro – Coronel Fulgencio line (“Trem da Serra da
took place on July 22, the weekly train from the capital having Mantiqueira”), to enable 2-8-2 No. 1424 (BLW 59712/1927) to
been extended, and a further extension of the service to be withdrawn for its own overhaul.
Mendoza in 2023 is now being talked of. In a related report, once the restoration to operation of the
The passenger service now leaves Buenos Aires on Fridays, route from Cruzeiro to Passa Quatro has been achieved
and Justo Daract on Sundays, with a journey time of around 15 throughout (a project on which we have reported in several
hours. issues), it is intended to market the trains on the route as
On the suburban rail scene in Buenos Aires, an extension to “Expresso Mantiqueira”, and a logo for the operation has
the destinations served by the Mitre group of routes out of already been designed.
Retiro terminus is in prospect, as on July 20 a train reached San Bruno Sanches (ABPF) via Tom Schultz
Antonio de Areco, some 40 kilometres beyond the current limit
of operation of the Victoria – Capilla del Senor line, for the first CHILE
time in 30 years, after many months of work on the overgrown
track. We reported in Issue 132 on the proposal to extend the
However, it is not planned that services will begin on the Valparaiso metro system from Limache northwards to La
extension until 2023, when the comprehensive renovation of the Calera, and now comes news that state railway EFE and the
Matheu to Los Cardales section of the existing line, which is government of Valparaiso region are proposing that once the
presently underway, has been completed. extension project is completed, the route from La Calera to Los
Volta O Trem via Samuel Rachdi and “Trenes Argentinos” Andes, via Llay Llay and San Felipe, should be reactivated,
sometime after 2026.
In other suburban rail news, the Argentine government has Volta O Trem via Samuel Rachdi
announced a scheme to modernise the Belgrano Sur lines in
Buenos Aires, including the electrification of part of the system, Edited by Lionel Price from sources mentioned
The boiler and chassis of No. 522 under

overhaul at the Cruzeiro workshops of
ABPF.
Felipe C Sanchez

READERS’ REPORTS - AUSTRALASIA
AUSTRALASIA late 2024 when the electrification is due to be completed. A new

Pukekohe station and storage area is being built for the EMU
service. The current Pukekohe station built in 1913 has been
NEW ZEALAND bought by a private heritage building collector at Matangi near
Hamilton. The original electrification of the Auckland suburban
To commemorate the just over 29 years of service that the ex network did not include the Papakura to Pukekohe section of
TransPerth Western Australia DMUs have given to Auckland rail the network. The ADL/ADC DMUs continued in service on the
commuters, Auckland Transport and the Glenbrook Vintage Pukekohe shuttle.
Railway (GVR) held an event celebrating the end of the DMU The first DMU service using the ADL/ADC ex Western
era over the weekend of the 23rd & 24th July 2022. The actual Australia DMUs ran in June 1993. The ADL/ADCs were built for
date the DMUs finished running was the 12th August however TransPerth by A Goninan & Co, Newcastle, Australia in two
this July weekend was the only one available as most weekends batches of five in 1982 & 1985. The DMUs were purchased by
there is a block of line for electrification work to be undertaken. the then NZ Rail and were sold to the then Auckland Regional
Auckland Transport put on a free fun event at Papakura to Council in October 1993 when NZ Rail was privatised. The
entertain passengers before they purchased a ticket to ride the Auckland Regional Council had the DMUs upgraded in 2002.
DMUs out to Pukekohe, transferring to the GVR diesel hauled Eight of the ten ADL/ADCs were used on the shuttle with the
train for a ride on the Mission Bush branch. All DMU services on two ADL/ADCs not in use being transferred to the Glenbrook
both days were double DMUs and the two GVR trains each day Vintage Railway in 2020 for storage to free up space at
on the Mission Bush branch were sold out. Henderson for the second batch of EMUs then entering service.
To enable the electrification work to be undertaken the Robert Sweet
Pukekohe DMU shuttle has been replaced by a free bus until
ADL 802 & 807 at Pukekohe on 24th July 2022.

Robert Sweet

READERS’ REPORTS - EUROPE
An empty train approaching the derelict halt at Tsapatagh at 08:17 hauled by VL10-575. The water body in the background is
Sevan lake.
Peter Bruce-Jones
EUROPE
ARMENIA
I recently enjoyed a non-railway holiday in Armenia and for a
couple of nights found myself staying at Tsapatagh, very close
to the freight-only single-track line to the gold mines at Sotk. We
were only at the hotel for the first part of the morning and in the
evenings but saw or heard a number of these trains, all
consisting of 30 open bogie ore wagons (full northbound, empty
southbound) hauled by class VL10 twin-unit electric
locomotives.
I had no prior knowledge of Armenian railways and all I have
now learned is from the Bradt guide to Armenia and on-line
sources. From these I gather that they are operated by the
South Caucasus Railway which is part of Russian Railways.
According to Wikipedia, the class VL10 Bo’Bo’+ Bo’Bo’ locos
were built between 1961 and 2005, with production split
between Tbilisi and Novocherkassk. I understand that the gold General view of the main platform No 1 at Yerevan. The end of
ore is processed at Ararat town, south of Yerevan. The terrain the platform and adjacent shed is in use as a thriving
on what would otherwise be the most direct route south of vegetable market, hence the people! There are only six/seven
Sevan Lake is very mountainous and the railway skirts round trains per day - the train to Tbilisi in Georgia (on to Batumi in
the north of Sevan lake making for a very long journey. Formerly the summer) only operating four days per week. Places served
the line did have passenger trains as well as freight but the daily being Gyumri (four trains per day), Ararat (one train per
passenger service from Yerevan is now only to Hrazdan, day), Araks (one train per day). Sadly, the whole system is on
extended to Sevan in summer. its last legs with no sign of any rolling stock.
Peter Bruce-Jones Alan Woof

On the Coni’fer line on 22 July, “Tigerli” No.5 is

refuelled during the layover at Fontaine Ronde,
before the return journey to Les Hopitaux Neufs.
Lionel Price
FRANCE be no ban on the use of steam despite the heat wave.

Although the train was largely made up of gaily painted 4
In eastern France, close to the border with Switzerland, the wheel vehicles converted to provide semi-open accommodation,
“Train Touristique du Haut-Doubs” (otherwise known as “Le two traditional bogie vehicles had been added to the train for a
Coni’fer”) operates over the 8km between Les Hopitaux-Neufs group from The Railway Touring Company, giving a somewhat
and Fontaine Ronde, a short stretch of the former route from more conventional appearance to the ensemble.
Pontarlier in France to Vallorbe, just inside the Swiss border, The line’s recently restored Kriegslok was seen at Les
originally built by PLM. Hopitaux-Neufs, awaiting its next turn of duty. On the Coni’fer
During most of July and August, the line operates daily, and a line it is designated Y150.
visit on a very hot 22 July found SLM built “Tigerli” 0-6-0T No. 5 Quite unusually, the operating locomotive was using wood as
(2538/1915) hauling the service train, with a diesel at the rear of fuel, a resource readily available in the region in which the line
the train, probably a sensible decision, since a considerable part is situated.
of the line runs through forests, even though there appeared to Lionel Price
HUNGARY
The 150 Years of the Zvolen-Vrútky line, part of the coal railway linking Silesia with Budapest, was marked with the running of
special trains behind nos. 486.007 and 556.036 on 20 August 2022. The green 4-8-2 was photographed at Jazernica
accompanied by the inevitable drone.
Keith Chester

LATVIA
The Latvia Railway History Museum

in Riga was opened on 30th August
1994, and as well as a number of
diesel, electric.rolling stock and small
items, it has three steam locomotives
on display. These are:
S.Z.D. 2-10-0 no. L-0312 (Kolomna
8714/1948) outside museum.
S.Z.D. 2-10-0 no. TE-036 (D.R.

52.036) (Henschel 26954/1942)
outside museum.
600mm gauge Papierfabrik Ligatue

Bei Riga 0-8-0T no. ML-657 (HF
2305), Esslingen 3887/1918) inside
the museum.
All: David Gillis

NORWAY
A Go Ahead Nordic class 73 multiple unit enters Lunde station, Telemark, on the 1325 Oslo - Stavanger on 22nd August 2022.
Note that the goods yard at Lunde is still used for wagonload timber traffic.
Graham Fairhurst
SPAIN
Left: Metre gauge 2-6-2T Alcoy-Gandia No.7 COCENTAINA (BP 3282/1891) plinthed in Gandia Station Square on 4th August.
Right: Fellow metre gauge 2-6-2T Alcoy-Gandia No.2 VILLALONGA (BP 3277/1890) plinthed at Alcoy on the same date.
Both: David Gillis

Clockwise from top left: 1674mm gauge 2-8-2 RENFE 141F-2295 (Eus. 345/55) plinthed at Valencia University on 4th August
2022; 1674mm gauge 2-8-2 RENFE 141F-2351 (MTM 715/58) plinthed at Elche on 5th August 2022; 1067mm gauge 0-4-0T
Buitron No.1 Victoria (Hawthorn /1868) plinthed at Murcia on 5th August 2022; 1674mm gauge 2-6-0 RENFE 130-2124 AGUILAS
(Neilson 3846/1889) plinthed at Aguilas on 5th August 2022.
Below: 650mm gauge 0-4-0T Hunosa No. 27 MARQUES DE BOLARQUE (Bor. 8978/14) plinthed at Los Alcazares on 5th August
2022.
All: David Gillis

On 19 July, Mallet 0-4-4-0T E164 has arrived at La Chaux-de-Fonds on the CF du Jura with its charter train from Pre-Petitjean.
Lionel Price
was by-passed when a base tunnel was built between Realp
SWITZERLAND and Oberwald, and is well known for operating several steam
Cantons Jura and Neuchatel locomotives original to the route which were repatriated from
Not very far “as the crow flies” from the French “Coni’fer” line Vietnam some years ago.
reported above, the Chemins de Fer du Jura operate an The railway only operates four days a week, from Thursday
electrified 73 km long metre gauge system through the very to Sundays, and only from the end of June until the end of
attractive scenery of that part of the Jura mountains which lie September, and a visit on 21 July saw two steam locomotives in
within Switzerland, using modern rolling stock, and running a use, although because of the high temperatures prevailing at
fairly frequent service connecting the mainly small communities the time steam was not running over the section from Gletsch to
lying along the line. Oberwald, which lies in the canton of Valais , which had
The “main line” of the system runs from Glovelier to La imposed a steam ban due to fire risk.
Chaux-de- Fonds, with a branch from Le Noirmont to Tavannes, The railway is a spectacular ride, with superb views of the
connecting at all three points with the remainder of the Alps and what remains of the Rhone Glacier.
extensive Swiss rail system. Lionel Price
Steam operates on the system on an occasional basis, under
the auspices of the volunteer run “La Traction”, which is
marketed as the “Train a Vapeur des Franches-Montagnes”,
and on 19 July a steam hauled train was chartered by the
Railway Touring Company for an excursion from Pre-Petitjean,
the location of the base for the steam locomotives running on
the line, to La Chaux-de-Fonds and return to Le Noirmont, using
0-4-4-0T E164 (Henschel 7022/1905), one of the two ex-CP
Mallets which are the principal steam locomotives in use.
Although by far the greater part of the Jura system is rural, in
La Chaux-de-Fonds the final portion of the route before the
terminus has a length of street running, and it is therefore
possible on the right day to see a steam worked train in what is
nowadays an unusual operating environment.
Cantons Uri and Valais On 21 July, a “motorrail” train of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
In the alpine area of Switzerland, the “Furka Bergstrecke” is the loads vehicles before departure from Realp to traverse the
heritage line created on the section of the former Furka Oberalp Furka base tunnel.
route (now operated as the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) which Lionel Price

TCDD 2-10-2 no. 57009 (Hens. 22159-1933) on display at Dokuma Parl in Antalya on 1st September 2022.
David Gillis
TURKEY
There has been recent movements of stored steam locomotives

to new locations. Former railtour locomotive 57009 was moved
from the scrap line at Usak to the Dokuma Park in Antalya, in
2019, where it has been repainted and plinthed.
Camlik Railway Museum

1st July 2022. 35 locomotives on display. 600mm Narrow Gauge
0-4-0T 140 (Henschel 16062/1918) was moved from the
confines of the museum to a plinth alongside the southbound D.
550 main road through Camlik in 2019, possibly to raise
attention to the museum’s location, in the absence of any
signposts proclaiming its existence!
Selcuk Station
57010 at the old Seydikoy station in Izmir - 1st July 2022.
1st July 2022. 2-6-0 34054 (Nohab 1841/1930) – Plinthed. This
confirms my LI 112 correction to UWR Casebourne’s statement
34054 at Selcuk station on 1st July 2022.
in LI 111 that this locomotive is still at Selcuk station.
Both: David Gillis
Old Seydikoy Station, Izmir
1st July 2022. 2-10-2 57010 (Henschel 221609/1933) –
Plinthed. Previously stored at Alasehir.
Kara Tren Parki, Efeler, Aydin

1st July 2022. 2-10-0 56149 (Skoda 1998/1949) – Plinthed.
Previously stored at Soma.
Alsancak Station, Izmir

1st July 2022. 600mm Narrow Gauge 0-4-0T 97 (Henschel
15944/1918) – Plinthed.
Alsancak Depot, Izmir

1st July 2022. 0-8-0 44062 (?/1912) – Stored. 56508 and 56548
previously reported here were not present.
David Gillis

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49
ATHENS 1992
by Jonathan James
Mitsubishi diesel locomotive 9410 at the Peloponnese station on 12 September 1992.

My first trip to Greece was in summer 1992, when I travelled to Peloponnese. Sadly the station has now closed along with much
Athens with three friends using Air 2000. Whilst most of the time of the Peloponnese rail network.
was spent sightseeing, I was able to spend some time visiting On the 15 September, I travelled on the Athens to Piraeus
the local railways. Electric Railway, which links Kifissia, with central Athens and
My first visit was to the Mount Lycabettus (Likavitos) funicular the port of Piraeus. The railway opened in 1869 between Athens
on 7 September 1992, which has two stops and is 210 metres and Piraeus and was later extended in a cut-and-cover tunnel to
(689 feet) long. Two cars were in use with a loop half way along Omonia Square. The railway was electrified in 1904 and in the
the line. 1920s converted from metre gauge to standard gauge. Further
A few days later on 12 September, I visited Athens Larissa extensions followed to Attiki in 1948 and Kifissia in 1958. These
station, where main line trains to Thessaloniki departed. The days it operates as Line 1 of the Athens Metro. Once in Piraeus
service was diesel operated when I visited, but has since been I visited the rather quiet Peloponnese station.
electrified and the station modernised. On 16 September 1992 I visited the Athens Railway Museum,
Across the road was the Peloponnese station, which provided which was located in central Athens but has now moved to
diesel hauled metre gauge services to Piraeus and the Piraeus. It was situated alongside the railway line.

A carriage from a first generation
Athens - Piraeus Electric Railway
EMU on display at a park in Piraeus
on 15 September 1992.
A second generation train departing

from Monastiraki station on the
750volt DC Athens to Piraeus
Electric Railway on 15 September
1992.
A third generation train MAN/

Siemens EMU near Thissio, with
the Acropolis on the hill behind, on
the 15 September 1992.

The Mount Lycabettus (Likavitos) funicular was opened in
1965 and travels to the top of Mount Lycabettus providing
amazing views over the city of Athens. The top station is seen
here on 7 September 1992. These vehicles have since been
replaced following an extensive refurbishment in 2002.
MAN/EIS standard gauge tram number 63 from the former

Piraeus Harbour Tramway at the Athens Railway Museum on
16 September 1992.

An AEG Class 520 DMU at Athens Larissa station on 12 September 1992.
A selection of narrow gauge steam locomotives outside the Athens Railway Museum on 16 September 1992.

ARCHIVE FOURSOME:
1970S TURKEY
by David Bott

Upper Left: 2-8-0 45042 (Nohab 1931/1934) at Havza with freight to Sivas on 12th April 1976.
Lower Left: 0-10-0 55044 (BMAG 8348/1924) shunting at Karakuyu 22nd September 1978.
Above: 0-6-0T 3302 (Henschel 15637/1918) shunting at Samsun 18th March 1978.
Below: 2-8-2 46231 (Alco 70118/1942) dep. Diyarbakir 17.45 to Kurtalan 17th September 1978.

THE DON RIVER RAILWAY
by Michael Grimes
The diesel fleet has an unusual U6 built in 1960 by Malcolm Moore, a Melbourne engineering firm that built the greatest number of
small industrial locomotives produced in Victoria.
In 1904, a Royal Commission considered the Don Valley as a this section closed about 1928. The Melrose-Paloona section
route for railway access to the Sheffield district but decided was officially closed on 16th July, 1935. The Don Junction to
against it in favour of a shorter line from Railton to Roland. That Melrose line remained open but by 1957 there were only three
would probably have been the end of the railway history of the trips per week, and complete closure took place in 1963. A year
area if Broken Hill Proprietary had not decided to work the later the track was lifted between Melrose and Don Township
valley’s limestone deposits. crossing before the rebuilding of the Bass Highway. The
As the company planned to take a very large quantity of remaining 3.5km of line back to Don Junction became
limestone to supply its Newcastle steelworks, a railway was increasingly overgrown and derelict.
needed to transport it to Devonport. The Government agreed to The volunteer operated Don River Railway commenced
build a branch to the quarry which kept to the east bank of the running in November 1976. The line from Don to Coles Junction
Don. The line opened on 27th May, 1916. Traffic from the is 3.1 km (1.9 m) long and the gauge is 1,067 mm (3’6”). There
quarries reached a peak of 161,135 tons in 1926-27, requiring is an extensive museum and workshops which guests are
the running of three or four trains each weekday. However there invited to visit. Trains generally leave Don at 1000, 1100, 1200,
was minimal passenger and general goods traffic. 1300, 1400 and 1500 Thursday to Sunday. The museum is
The line was extended to Paloona and Barrington in 1922 but open 0900 to 1600 Thursday to Sunday.

No. 8 HEEMSKIRK, is a 4-8-0, built by the Dubs & Co. in 1900 for the Emu Bay Railway Co. It worked the West Coaster, a
passenger service on the EBR, between Oct. 1960 and Nov. 1963: for this duty, No. 8 and all the other engines were in service
they were taken out of storage, overhauled, fitted with valences and smoke deflectors, painted in EBR’s ‘Two Blues’ livery and
converted to oil firing. It was moved to the Don River Railway where it was restored to running order in October of 1997 and
converted back to burning coal but as of 2019, the locomotive is currently out of service. It is seen here at Coles Beach.
In October 1951, the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) took delivery of eight H locomotives from the Vulcan Foundry,
Newton-le-Willows built at the same time and basic design as the Gold Coast Railway ‘248’ class in Ghana. They were delivered
in a new emerald green livery, four were later repainted red. H7 is pictured above, alongside M5.

1948 Drewry Vulcan No. V2.
1886 built Fowler 0-6-0T in the workshops.

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MADE IN MANCHESTER
by Allan C Baker
The four locomotives

illustrated here, were built
by Sharp Stewart &
Company at the Atlas
Works in Manchester,
before the firm moved its
manufacturing facilities to
Glasgow. They are taken
from an old catalogue
where the tenders are
illustrated separately.
This outside cylinder
4-4-0 tender engine,
CATAMARCA, makers’
number 3248 of 1885,
was the last of a batch of
eight, 3241-3248, fleet
numbers 35-42, for the
5ft 6in gauge Central
Railway of Argentina -
otherwise the Ferrocarril
Central Argentino. The
order number was E868.
Cylinders 17x24, driving wheel diameter 6ft 1½in, fixed wheelbase 8ft and the total, 20ft 1in, with a weight in working order of 39
tons. It was later renumbered 224. Notice the twin sets of safety valves. There is a set of the Salter spring balance type in the
dome arrangement in front of the cab, along with a set of Ramsbottom design, in a most unusual place on the boiler barrel.
Another outside cylinder 4-4-0, makers’ number 3098, DEAN FUNES. This was one of a batch of five, numbers 3095-3099 of
1882, for the 5ft 6in gauge Buenos Aires Western Railway – Ferrocarril Oeste de Buenos Aires - fleet numbers 43-47. The order
number was E827. Cylinders 16½x24, driving wheel diameter 6ft 0½in, fixed wheelbase 8ft3in and total, 21ft, with a weight in
working order of 36½ tons.

While this is yet another outside cylinder 4-4-0, apart from the wheel arrangement, it bears no resemblance to the other two. Built
in its entirety, to North American design principles, complete with bar frames, along with all the other characteristics of that design
school. The makers’ number is 3083 and the engine was built in 1882, for the standard gauge Canadian St John’s & Maine
Railroad. As the only one built, perhaps the railway company wanted to see what sort of a job a British builder would make and
one wonders, if Sharp Stewart were supplied with the drawings. The order number was E820. Cylinders 17x24, driving wheel
diameter 5ft 3in, fixed wheelbase 8ft 6in and total 22ft 5in. The weight in working order was 34½ tons. It is not clear exactly how
the inside Stephenson’s Link Motion operated the outside valves, as while the outside valve rod can clearly be seen, the rocking
shaft driving it, is directly in line with the eccentrics. No more it is clear, what the function is, of the circular device just in front of
the leading coupled wheel.
In 1885, the Buenos Aires & Ensenada Port Railway, had two engine of this 5ft 6in gauge outside cylinder 4-6-0 design, maker’s
numbers 3229 and 3230, fleet numbers 32 and 33. The order number was E863. Cylinders 18x24, driving wheel diameter 4ft 6in,
fixed wheelbase 11ft 9in and the total, 21ft 6in; weight in working order 42½ tons. Fitted with Joy valve gear, I think that the
wording cast on the cover over part of the curved guide, relates to Joy’s patent. These locomotives were later part of the fleet of
the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway – Ferrocarril Gran Sud de Buenos Aires – when, in 1898, it took over the port railway,
renumbering them as 162 and 163. While the large chimney, large bell and large headlamp, make an interesting study, I am not
at-all sure what the device is, with what looks like a flywheel, just in front of the cab. I doubt if it is a boiler feed water pump
because, as can be observed, the engine has a crosshead driven one. Answers on a postcard to the Editor - please!
All photographs from the Author’s Collection

BACK TRACK
Borsig of Berlin - Part 2, Issue 137
& subsequent Back Track
Jim Ballantyne writes:
The 2-6-0s, Borsig 6444 - 8/08 mentioned were intended for the
Beira Alta but instead were delivered to the Spanish Norte
railway as Norte 1491 - 1495 later becoming RENFE 130 -
2101 - 2105. The loco illustrated is however a 4-cylinder
compound, Borsig 5240/03, one of a series delivered to the Sul
e Sueste Railway in Portugal later becoming CP 223.
Demolition at Bastia, Issue 138

Marius d’Oriano has contacted us to point out that two of the
photos in his article on the demolition of Bastia depot, those at
the top of page 46 and bottom of page 47, were by John
Sloane, not himself. A further error was that the photo at the top
of page 46 is of 202, not 232 as stated. Our sincere apologies
for these errors to all concerned.
Java, May 1977, Issue 138

worked in Washington before preservation but the Silver Creek
Rob Dickinson writes:
Logging Co, whose name it carries, was a nearby Washington
By 1977 there were no major workshops as such in Bandung, logging operation set up in 1951 by Lowell Thomas (Tom)
the pictures would have been taken in the area in front of the Murray, the man behind the Mount Rainier Scenic RR. He died
large shed which of course was equipped to do some repairs on 5th July 2017. The MRSR had by then been sold to American
etc. Heritage Railways, who run the Durango line, but was closed in
However, in all my many visits to Java, I never saw a D52 at May 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now appears to be
Bandung. defunct. It is to be hoped that this important loco will survive.
D52075 was based at Yogya at the time and I photographed Those wanting to know more about Heisler 1252 are
it at nearby Lempujangan in April 1977. I think the picture was recommended to look at Martin E Hansen’s excellent notes at
actually likely taken on shed at Yogya which was on the north www.sierrascalemodels.com/Gallery/Rainier/Heisler.htm.
side of the line west of the station..These locos were often used
on oil tanker trains (as seen in the background). See Loco Uap
page 75 which gives the D52 allocations for Central Java. In
Readers’ Reports - Turkey, Issue 138
general, the D52s were not used in mountainous areas. David Gillis writes:
The picture of C1007 was not taken between Bandung and
Further to Alan Prior’s report of 23004 at the Rahmi M Koc
Cibatu, it was actually taken at Cibatu station.
museum in Istanbul, readers may be interested to know that a
full size replica of the locomotive stands at the Haydarpasha
A Heisler on a Plinth, Issue 138 Palace Hotel in Alanya (below).
Tim Edmonds writes:
The locomotive at Elbe WA, shown in David Thornber’s photos,
is an interesting one but clearly in need of some care and
attention. I visited Elbe on 12th January 1983 and have no
record of seeing this loco, but I did photograph another 3-truck
Heisler there under active restoration (photo below). This was
one of the ‘Pacific West Coast Special’ type, builder’s number
1595 of 1929, whereas the loco in David’s photo is significantly
smaller.
Tracking down the history of logging locos like this is
notoriously difficult due to changes of ownership and numbering
during and after their working lives, but digging around in my
library and online indicates that what David photographed is the
first successful 3-truck Heisler, 1252 of 1912. It spent its
working life in West Virginia and California before being rescued
from a scrapyard for preservation in 1967 on the Klamath &
Hopper Valley RR in California. It was bought by the Mount
Rainier Scenic RR in 1982, so may not yet have arrived by the
time of my visit or may have been in store. This loco never

I acquired this further image of the Gombos ferry just a few days after LI 138 was published. It shows the new bridge over the
Danube in the latter stages of construction, which dates the photograph to about 1910.
Keith Chester
Tim Edmonds writes: of TCDD 56327! I commend John for his recollection of the
details; I’d forgotten that we’d had to push start the dolmus!
In his update on TCCD 2-4-0 No 23004 Alan Prior notes that The tour John referred to took place in April 1976, when there
this loco, minus tender, was cosmetically restored and plinthed was still much to learn about Turkey and its railways. Kirikkale
outside Haydarpaşa Gar ‘sometime around the 1990s’. The was an important location on the TCDD network, with industrial
move from Yedikule Works took place much earlier than that, steam as well as main line.
possibly c1980. I photographed it (below) at Haydarpaşa on 6 Following our evening meal soon after our arrival in the town,
April 1985. I went looking for some steam action with Tony Pountain, one of
the tour group. It was cold and dark, with nothing moving. We
were invited onto the footplate of no.45002, the ex-TCDD loco
no.45210, which was standing in the station sidings. The driver
signed my notebook, giving his details as an employee of
M.K.E., which meant nothing to me on my first visit to the
country. After a short while, the crew departed for a brew, I
expect, leaving the two of us alone on the loco. We were now in
a ‘knees knocking’ situation, since we were at the mercy of
anyone who should see us. The crew eventually returned after
what seemed an age, so we made our excuses and returned to
the hotel.
Early next morning I returned to the shunting yard with three
other members of the group, whereupon we were taken on the
mystery tour, magical only in retrospect! When we returned to
the hotel I was carrying a ball of cotton waste which I’d retained
from the ‘Skyliner’. I tossed it onto Tony’s breakfast table with
the words ‘Guess where that came from!’ His reply was
On the Footplate, unrepeatable; we have been good friends ever since, and he
still has that cotton waste. The group returned to the station in
Issue 134 & Subsequent Back Track time to see no.45002 departing with a train to the M.K.E.
factory.
David Bott writes:
It must have been during the following year, 1977, when I
I am most grateful for John Berry’s information in LI138 discovered the purpose of the M.K.E. establishment. It was a
regarding the last steam workings over the Erzberg line. When I weapons and munitions factory, and not a place where one
continued to read his letter, I experienced a moment of total would hang around with a camera, and most certainly not at
amazement - I was one of his three companions on the footplate night, sitting in one of their locos!

In September 1976 I made a private tour of western Turkey my hotel room, which I was sharing with the late Dr.Brian Veitch.
with Tony and another group member. We had the good fortune I shouted a version of ‘go away’ to the would-be intruder and
to see no.56327 once again, at Hisarönu, just south of went back to sleep. The next morning I discovered that the
Zonguldak. intruder was a policeman who was searching for our Turkish
Forward to April 1978, when I was with the same gricing guide, Ergin, who was required to explain what several
outfit on a tour of eastern Turkey. Since our first overnight stop Englishmen were up to near the M.K.E. factory in the pitch dark!
after landing at Ankara was to be Kirikkale once again, I took it Ergin was most annoyed, and breakfast was eaten in a sombre
upon myself to announce to the dozen or so participants that on mood, thankfully by all of the group’s members. Ergin did,
no account should they visit the station yard that night, and however, arrange internal flights and hotel bookings for my next
why. At around 11pm I was awoken by a banging on the door of trip to Turkey later that year. I gave Kirikkale a miss on that one!
45002 departing Kirikkale station

with a train to the M.K.E. factory,
14th April 1976.
56327 and crew at Yahsihan with

above train, 13th April 1976.
INFORMATION WANTED
I’m writing a book about railways in Myanmar (formerly Burma), likely to contain relevant materials, I’d love to discuss them with
which will be published by Penguin Press in early 2024, and I’m you - I’ve found the material (survey documents,
interested in anything relating to railway building by the British correspondence etc.) held at the British Library and National
colonial administration in Burma. If any readers know whether Archives very helpful, but there are still some big gaps in my
there are collections in Britain, either private or public, that are research! My email is clarehammond@protonmail.com

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On 2nd July 2022, a westbound double stacked container train headed by four locos, a mix of EMD and GE power, pulls away
past the old passenger depot at Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is now a museum. A fifth loco was cut in to the middle of the train.
Kevin Hoggett

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Locomotives International - Issue 139, OctoberNovember 2022

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Locomotives International - Issue 139, OctoberNovember 2022

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October - November 2022

Featuring: ATHENS - CHINESE KF1 CLASS - DRACHENFELSBAHN

1. Calendars. These were advertised in the last

2. Gift Subscriptions. Give the gift of LI to your

Locomotives International Copyright © 2022

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ALL OUR

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SOUTH OF THE BORDER

BRATISLAVA TRANSPORT MUSEUM

THE DON RIVER RAILWAY

YING SHANGCAI, KENNETH CANTLIE

THE DRACHENFELS RAILWAY MADE IN MANCHESTER

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A typical example of the timber trains that

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In a scene typical of rural France

During the course of its journey from

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Shortly before the line terminated at

The joint station shared with the SNCF

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Sister Mallet no.325 was viewed at

On a hot day at Le Collet de Dèze,

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The Lozère in 2022. One of the Citroen diesel powered

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汽笛声声闹九州 : 清末民初铁路历史 (Steam whistle

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210012-1, built by Skoda in 1972/73.

“Laminatka” (named because the

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Les Editions du Cabri viennent de publier un nouveau livre consacré au Chemin de

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AFRICA resulted in the derailment of the locomotives (Class 23Es) and

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NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

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0-6-0 switcher No 300 of the Columbia Steel

Very close to the Mount Rushmore National

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An A+B pair of ex Denver & Rio Grande

Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge

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The boiler and chassis of No. 522 under