Tiger Steam - Philippines

The off-centre boiler is the clearest indication that we are looking at another Shay locomotive. The Lopez Sugar Corporation had two of these beasts on its 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge system which worked on to the Insular Lumber system until the connection was cut. Thereafter they were regauged to 3ft (914mm) gauge. Only one was ever in use at a time and awkwardly for the visiting enthusiasts they faced in opposite directions, so until you arrived you would not know whether a morning or afternoon visit would find the gears in the sun. Of course some famous railway photographers (not those on this project of course) seem not to bother about such trifles. On 31st January 1979, we got it wrong, 10 (Lima 3264/1924) was cold and we had to rewrite our plans and make a very early start the next day to photograph 9 in optimum conditions. (RD)