With a primary focus on working steam
on real trains, this DVD covers the final steam workings in Burma on
mixed trains (from Bago and Pyuntaza) and block freight trains of
stone, salt and sugar cane (various locations) on the national network
now know as Myanmar Railways (formerly Burma Railways) as well as steam
locos on the Burma Mines Railway and (briefly) stationary steam engines
in use in rice mills. Footage was filmed in 1999 with additional
footage from 1998 (non-digital) and 2006 (Burma Mines footage by Martin
Wollmann).
Contents
Insein Works, Rangoon
Bago Shed
Bago Nyuangkashe Mixed
Mokpalin Shed
Mokpalin Bago Stone Train
Pyuntaza Shed
Pyuntaza Madauk Mixed
Stationary steam in the rice mills
Mottama Bago Salt Train
Sugar Cane Trains
Cab riding on classes YB and YC
Burma Mines Railway No. 13 and No. 42
Total Running Time: 107 mins
(1998 17 mins, 1999 65 mins, Burma Mines 25 mins)
Locos seen include classes
YB, YC, YD locos in action, class D MAWD 2-8-2, ST class 2-6-4T, GC
Garratt and SL3 0-6-0ST out of use or plinthed and Kerr Stuart Huxley
Class No. 13 and Bagnall No. 42 both in use on the 2ft Burma Mines
Railway. In addition, permanent way vehicles (including a Wickham
armoured railcar) MR diesels and railcars (with final drive using
rubber tyres) also appear.
This DVD attempts to
capture the visual spectacle of real steam in Burma. You cant really
write exciting in the context of Burmese steam as, in recent years,
steam trains typically shuffled along flat branches and main lines with
plenty of clanking but little chuff. However, the English signal
boxes and signals, the bucolic rural surroundings and the local people
in traditional dress make for some visually very attractive scenes.
The steam-hauled mixed
trains, stone trains, sugar cane and salt trains are now mainly a thing
of the past. Steam survives (just) on some freight trains centred on
Bago with perhaps more running on the Bago Yangon section than in the
past (see http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/burma11.htm
for the latest report I am aware of dated June 2007). Charters on the
Burma Mines Railway with No. 13 and No. 42 are also still possible. Farrail
has the latest report on a visit to Burma Mines in 2007.
