Our first visit today was to Mojopanggung, where we were received very enthusiastically and were guided around by a bevy of managers.
This mill is notable in having the only Australian locomotive supplied to a Javan sugar mill, an EM Baldwin built in Sydney in 1974. Unfortunately, it is no longer in use.
Only one diesel locomotive was in use in the yard, together with animal power, but another was demonstrated for us.
There is a nice locomotive and train preserved outside the manager's house.
We made a brief unauthorised visit at Ngadirejo to see a plinthed Mallet locomotive. This mill has eliminated locomotive power and uses oxen for shunting. They apparently work in convoy.
Finally, we returned to Merican for the benefit of those entirely devoted to steam locomotives.
Not a great deal happened but the sun was bright and the drivers put on a show.
We observed aspects of steam locomotive architecture,
some boys trying to capture wild birds,
locomotives reflected in the weighbridge windows,
and the workers at the truck shop fitting wheels to axles by heating the wheel in a fire, fitting it to the axle and shrinking it into place.
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