Steamy Java 2010 Blog Part 3
Updated 28 August
30 July |
31 July Semboro, Olean |
1 August Wringinanom, Panji & Asembagus |
Part 1 | Part 2 | |
Steamy Java 2010
DVD  |
Tour Overview | Future Tours |
TC was able to arrange steam on a field train at Olean as a replacement for Semboro which was originally planned for today. The journey from Probolinggo was quicker than expected and we were able to have a break at Pasir Putih.
Our visit to Olean found No. 1 working with diesel No. 1 in the yard with diesel No. 2 out with the empties.
Steam No. 1 with diesel No. 1 in front of the mill train
Loco No. 2 on the right with No. 4 outside the shed
After lunch, we came back to find No. 4 being steamed for our afternoon field train. That means that No. 1 was real but No. 4 was plastic.
No. 4 being steamed for its afternoon turn
Welding art seat outside the shed
The line being worked was to the west.
After No. 4 returned to the mill, we were able to catch No. 1 in the last of the sun
31 July 2010, Semboro and Olean
With headquarters in touch and willing to grant access to Semboro, most of our group (15) headed for Semboro in the morning. We passed Prajakan mill in both directions and saw locos roadside both times.
This a train consisting of 3 mollases wagons.
Here we see locos on empty and full loris.
Our group had a short visit to Semboro just to see the fireless. Others stayed longer to see the steam shed and the diesels. Two locos had been prepared for a special train which we hadn't ordered. The group did at least see them in steam and moving. They were the usual mallet No. 15 and Jung loco No. 29 which we were told have been repaired.
We needed to get back for the afternoon field trains at Olean which had both seen diesel replaced by steam today by request. The loading was still on the west line making photography a challenge into the sun. These two pics are of No. 1 which didn't go out to the fields yesterday. As yesterday, No. 4 was the other loco and No. 7 is spare in the shed. No. 5 is being cannabilized to keep the others going.
Here we see No. 1 light engine heading for the fields.
A shot I've never tried before as No. 1 hauls its field train back to the mill.
1 August 2010, Wringinanom, Panji and Asembagus
The last day of the main tour and while TC led a group to Asembagus for a box van charter in the morning (only one box van but everyone got some good shots), I led some loco tour people to two other mills before we went to Asembagus in the afternoon.
Wringinanom
The last two steam locos (6 & 7) are still in the shed but have not moved since around 2005.
No. 6 is still in its Mickey Mouse livery than upset us so much the last time we chartered it with No. 7 behind
One of the big Japanese diesels for the full trains from the fields
An interesting contrast in loco shapes and sizes. We arrived to find everything near the shed but at 8:30, crews arrived and the action for the day started
Panji
As this has been a diesel-only mill for many years, I'd never visited so it was my priority for the day.
This 600mm 0-6-0T is one of several that survive in the shed
Otherwise, the shed is home to a bat colony
That's them to the left of the window and the crack in the wall
On the shed running road, one of the current diesel fleet was not in use
In the mill, is an artist arrangement of out-of-use steam equipment
Loco No. 5 was in charge of preparing trains of empty lori for the field lines
Asembagus
When we arrived, loco No. 10 was in steam from the morning and being prepared to work a cane train in the afternoon.
The other remaining steam loco in the active fleet was under repair
We chased No. 10 by bus and were rewarded with a very tropical scene
After watching the fulls coming off the temporary track behind oxen, we did a bit of hand tramming to assemble a train just as the sun dropped. It may have been an arranged recreation of how things once were but satisfying nonetheless.
The final shot of the main tour and my favourite of the trip so far
With that, the main tour concluded. You will be able to read about the post-tour return to Jakarta shortly.
To see where we are going next on the tour, check out:
http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/tours/java2010s.htm
for the main tour, and
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~jraby/posttour.html
for the Post-Tour return to Jakarta.
Rob Dickinson will also be blogging the Java tour but as he is leading the mill tour, it should be somewhat different.
http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/tours/change2010.htm
John Browning one of our Australian participants will be at it too. To get another viewpoint see http://trainrover.blogspot.com/
You can see my 2008 Java blog here.