| STEAM IN JAVA 3 Whilst there are probably not enough steam operations left in Java to suit the hardened 'gricer' there is still so much to see and do which is over and above simply photographing locomotives. The country is rich in tradition and history with a predominantly Dutch influence still remaining. Then of course there are the many temples, beaches and sites of natural beauty. Not convinced? Then take a look inside many of the mills where steam driven machinery is still to be found at work. These are fascinating survivors of what is almost a bygone industrail age and are certainly worth looking out for. Whilst no mill would want a visitor to be injured, there is not the preoccupation with Health and Safety which bedevils much of life in Britain and so freedom to wander inside the mills is permitted so long as the visitor takes reasonable care of his own welfare. Common sense is all that is required and most of the mill workers are delighted that an interest is being shown in their place of employment. |
| Purwodadi (20) This 700mm gauge mill is a few miles south of the city of Ngawi and was one of my favourite mills in terms of both the unusual method of operation and for the intensity of activity during my morning visit. Once again the steam operation is limited to moving loaded wagons bewten the road delivery yard and the main mill yard but this includes taking trains over a large viaduct. The method of operation is as follows ...... one of the locomotives attaches itself to the train with the boiler facing inwards. The train then leaves the road delivery yard, crosses the Ngawi to Madiun road and then stops on the viaduct. A second locomotive follows the train from the road delivery yard and attaches itself to the rear of the train while the front locomotive is uncoupled and moved onto an adjacent siding. The train is then pushed into the main mill yard by the second locomotive. The nature of the operation requires lots of locomotive movements ....... hence the high degree of activity. |
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| Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T No.15 (built 1920) about to cross the Ngawi to Madiun road at the level crossing. The locomotive is heading back to the road delivery yard after having propelling a loaded train into the mill. Friday 13th August was certainly not an unlucky day to be visiting Purwodadi mill! |
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| Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T No.11 (built 1912) stands in front of No.15 in the road delivery yard. The large shade trees which dominate the yard are intended to prevent the cut cane from drying out in the intense heat. |
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| All is not what it at first seems! Although at first sight O & K No.15 appears to be hauling the loaded train across the viaduct it is in fact propelling a train originally brought from the road delivery yard by O & K No.11 |
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| Another fine pair ..... this time Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T No.10 (built 1910) stands next to No.11 on the mill side of the viaduct. O&K No.11 has just propelled the loaded wagons which were brought onto the viaduct by No.10. |
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| Close up view of Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0 No.11. The light blue livery seems well suited to these delightful little engines. |
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| Back to the road delivery yard and the arrival of the fourth Orenstein and Koppel engine at work that morning. Although an 0-8-0T like the other three, No.16 (built 1910) does not have a bagasse trailer and looks more like a traditional tank locomotive. |
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| Although at a quick glance Nos. 10, 11 and 15 appear identical, a more studied look reveals a considerable number of variations. Here No.10 waits for the gates to be lowered before returning to the road delivery yard. |
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| No.16 stands under the shade trees in the road delivery yard having just brought an enormous train of empty loris back to the yard from the mill. |
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| A final shot of Purwodadi as No.11 propels another loaded train back across the viaduct. During a three hour session at the mill I was fortunate enough to see six train loads moved from the delivery yard into the mill. |
| Kanigoro (22) and Pagottan (23) Both of these mills are located just to the south of Madiun and operate 700mm gauge lines. On the day I visited Kanigoro only one locomotive was in steam and that was not scheduled to start work until late in the afternoon. A little further down the road Pagottan had two engines in steam including their 0-10-0 Orenstein and Koppel Luttermoller-type locomovive. I received a particularly friendly welcome at Pagottan (although everywhere I visited in Java was unreservedly friendly) and quickly found myself invited to partake of limitless amounts of hot sweet tea stored in a large drum outside the enginemens bothy! Pagottan engines are also used solely between the road delivery yard and the mill yard and propel loaded trains making boiler-first shots of engines hauling trains impossible. |
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| My visit to Kanigoro mill was doubly disappointing in so much as there was little action but the one active locomotive itself would have looked particularly attractive in action. Instead Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T No.6 (built 1921) stood outside the shed building up steam pressure. |
| In 2004 only one locomotive was being used, resulting in this rather attractive little Borsig 0-6-0T No.1 (built 1907) being left to deteriorate in front of the main shed. No.6 can just be seen in the background. |
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| When I first told people that I was intending to travel to Java a number of them questioned whether it was wise to be on one's own in a Muslim country in the post 9/11 era. Throughout my time in the country I was greeted with enthusiasm by everyone and at no time did I feel at risk or uneasy - least of all in the enginemen's 'bothy' in the main mill yard at Pagottan where tea was readily and freely available. |
| Like most industrial loctions the locomotives at Pagottan spend a great deal of their time simply standing around waiting for the next job. At rest the locomotives make almost no noise and I almost missed seeing Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T No.1 (built 1909). The obliging crew moved the locomotive for me in order that I could take my picture. |
| Orenstein and Koppel 0-10-0 No.6 (built 1923) is another example of the use of Luttermoller articulation to ensure it can negotiate the tight curves to be found on the sugar railways, However its appearance could havdly be less like the 'Beast Of Tasik Madu' and it bears a much greater resemblence to the smaller No.1 (right and below) |
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| The diagram above shows how the Luttermoller style of articulation operates, allowing No.6 to negotiate tight bends |