Monday 19 July Cirebon to Tegal and Sumberharjo Mill

It was another long road trip to Sumberharjo Mill via Tegal, where we are staying for three nights.
Sumberharjo was a complete contrast to yesterday, with seven steam locomotives in use, more than on the 2008 visit.
Sumberharjo is one of the few mills left in Indonesia to operate field lines. The area is low-lying and obviously flood-prone, with extensive drainage works having built through what were once swamps, so the future of these tramways is quite optimistic.

We were able to see locomotives working on the field lines. Empties are taken out in the mid to late morning and the loco then sits for an extended period of time awaiting full trucks to return to the mill. This means that the loaded trains operate while it is dark.

We went to a spot where domestic water buffalo were being used to haul cane trucks over temporary track laid into the fields (although we didn’t actually see them hauling any trucks).

We had lunch at a roadside staff near the mill weighbridge and very nice it was too – peanut biscuits, ginger tea, and fried green banana fritters.

We also saw some action at the mill.