Sunday 25 July Solo to Madiun via Purowodadi

This morning had an early departure  to ride a special steam-hauled train that travelled down the main street (and right past our hotel) in the city of Solo.

 

The broad avenue is closed to motor vehicles with more than three wheels every Sunday morning from 5am to 9am so there was a carnival atmosphere afoot and great interest from the locals.

(There are more Manchester United shirts than all the others put together but on principle, I won't photograph them.)

Following our return, we travelled to Madiun via Purowodadi sugar mill. This has two 700mm steam locomotives in use pushing full trucks from the transhipment yard to the mill over a substantial bridge, sometimes in 'double headed' mode.














There were also two diesels working.














An interesting development is that one of their steam locomotives is under repair, apparently having been fitted with a boiler obtained from a nearby mill.

A change from the usual type of derailments was an axle breaking under one of the cane trucks, or loris as they are known locally.