Java-Bali ferry Thursday 26 July 2012

No more train photos but just a quick sign off with some photos taken on the ferry linking Ketapang in Java with Gilimanuk in Bali.
(Click on any photo to see a larger version)



Leaving Ketapang with Ijen-Merapi in the background.  

Merapi was visited by the members of the group that I left that same morning. You can see spectacular close-ups  on John Raby's blog here

His blog of the steam trip continues here

Also see Bernd Seiler's blog of the steam trip here (scroll down)

Approaching Gilimanuk with Bali's mountains behind

Traditional craft

The next overseas trip will commence on 28 August in Fiji.
There may be some more Queensland cane trains before then. 

PG Asembagus Wednesday 25 July 2012

Today was the last day of my tour and we visited Asembagus Mill, the most easterly in Java.

Following routine, we visited the office and had a quick look in the mill yard. A steam locomotive was being prepared for a return visit of the steam group in a few days time.

Firewood being placed in the tender

Kyosan Kogyo and Orenstein and Koppel locomotives

American Brookville

We then hitched a ride on a locomotive taking empties to the fields and saw it commence its return to the mill. It was a very hot dusty day.

Our train of empty loris

Meeting to discuss the record number of white men seen on a loco

Through the village. Cattle look on.

In the goat house

Sisworo in pursuit

Yes, there is an operating cane railway in there somewhere

Heading back

After lunch we returned to the mill and viewed the many steam hulks around the yard. Most disused steam in Indonesia can be found in loco sheds, but not here.





A once proud Mallet

Cleaning the loco at the end of the shift

Security detail being mustered

We then headed out to try and catch another field line train with moderate success. At the harvesting point, oxen were being used to haul the loris to the main line

In the village

Last cane train of the trip

Tomorrow I commence my journey home, travelling to the port of Banyuwangi to cross over to Bali by ferry and then onward to Denpasar. Thanks to Berd Seiler, John Raby, Scott Jesser, and all who helped to make this such an enjoyable trip.

PG Wringinanom and PG Olean Tuesday 24 July 2012

Today we visited Wringinanom which is in Situbindo. Here we checked out the mill yard and went to a long bridge which was rebuilt a few years ago after being swept away in a flood. A couple of trains came out with empty loris headed by small Japanese Kyosan Kogyo locomotives.

Keio loco at the transhipment hoist



Leaving the mill



Crosssing the bridge with empties for the field

Java is an island of volcanoes

We went back to the mill and there was interesting activity in the loco workshop - building up wheelset tyres with weld, blacksmithing and fitting an engine to the famous Baguley diesel RUHAAK which has been transferred here recently.

Working the bellows at the forge

Blacksmith at work

RUHAAK will run again!

The carrier bringing cane from the unloading station into the mill

There followed a brief trip to Olean Mill, to see if we could find a steam-hauled field cane train. Indeed we were fortunate to do so because after finding another Kyosan Kogyo diesel an Orenstein and Koppel 0-8-0T arrived and awaited a loading to take back to the mill. It eventually set off but in perhaps typical Olean fashion it derailed after travelling about a kilometre.

Diesel brings cane to the steam loco

An expectant crowd



Finally - a real steam field line cane train

We rushed back to Wringinanom to catch a double-headed diesel field train returning to the mill.

Shepherd and flock

A delightful surprise - double heading

Arriving back at the mill

Champions

Definitely a very succesful day.

PG Prajekan and PG Panji Monday 24 July 2012

Today we left Jember and headed towards Situbondo on the north coast of Java.

On the way we called in at Prajekan Mill where we viewed the molasses train which makes 12 trips from the mill to the bulk molassses tank each day.

We also visited the loco shed to see some disused fine 0-10-0 locos and saw the two diesels in the yard.

The mill yard from the yard footbridge

 

A glimpse inside the mill

After calling in at our hotel, we proceeded to Panji, a 600mm gauge mill.

Preserved locomotive in front of the mill

The previous green livery has been changed to an attractive light grey and yellow with red frames.

We went to the place where harvesting was taking place and saw water buffalo hauling cane to the main line.

 We then chased the cane train hauled by one of the Japanese locos back to the mill and saw the other Japanese loco shunting there.

Our fearless leader, Bernd Seiler, in the photo

Getting close to dusk

Road crossing keeper's sentry box