We drove up to the town of Ba, the home of Rarawai Mill, and found the Fowler steam locomotive in its normal place plinthed outside the gate. The mill had broken down so activity did not promise to be intense today.
Here we found the fifth and last Ontrak rebuild in Fiji, delivered late last year – appropriately numbered 8, which was its original number at the mill. It carries the Aussie name BOZLEY and the Fijian name Waisiliva.
We followed Clyde number 10 up the Ba River valley.
Further exploration up the valley showed that the recent floods had destroyed bridges around Nabutolu. All the lines on the western side of the river upstream of the mill (to Naruku and Mota) have also gone, as has the Nadari branch off the line to Tavua.
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| Track suspended where a creek bridge has gone near Nabutolu. |
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| This was the site of a major tramline bridge across the Ba River at Nabutolu. Little trace remains. |
We went on to Tavua where there was no activity with Clyde 9 and Hunslet 22 parked.
Back at the mill, Baguley-Drewry number 24 was collecting up trucks for repair.
We had a look at the repaired rail bridge across the Ba River, which looks to have been temporarily used as the traffic bridge following the floods.
We went back to Lautoka – to find that it also was not crushing due to a breakdown.
At Navota we visited the linecar shed and met John Peterson's friend.
And we photographed the Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami temple at Nadi.
Let’s hope the mills are fixed by tomorrow.
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