Steam in Myanmar, February 2002

Chris Gee reports on a tour led by Hugh Ballantyne including several main-line charters as well as everyday operations.

1st February 2002.

A comprehensive visit to Myanma Railways Insein Works. It was very encouraging to see x locomotives inside the workshops in various stages of heavy overhaul. ST 759 was stripped down for overhaul, together with YC 630 and YD 960 down to their frames. YD 967 was complete inside the shops, although its wheelsets had been removed for repair. YD 974 was fresh from overhaul in a new coat of black paint in the yard outside the workshops together with Cowan Sheldon steam crane 35TSC 9885, also fresh from overhaul.

The yard outside contained a number of locomotives stored, possibly for future overhaul, these included ST's 753, 761, 770 and 774, YB's 532 and 534, YC's 622, 623 and 624 and YD 961. Further locomotives in a more advanced state of dereliction included YB 520 and 529 and YC 621 and these are probably destined for scrapping. The frames of an unidentified YD lay in the grass together with the remains of an unidentified Garratt 823. Garratt GC 837 is still plinthed, as is SL3. Two further Cowan Sheldon steam cranes await overhaul - 30TSC 9878 and 35TSC 9886.

The carriage and wagons workshop yard opposite on the other side of the main line held two more redundant ST's - 762 and 772, together with rare AS 4-6-4T '144'.

2nd February 2002.

The day was spent watching the activity around Bago shed and riding the scheduled mixed train on the 11.00 to Nyaungkhashe.

YC 629 was in steam on Bago shed and later worked the mixed train, tender first outward and smokebox first on the return.

YB 508 was noted in the yard within the consist of a freight train being tripped to Pyuntaza. The undergrowth around the shed revealed the various frames of YB's 501, 505, 509, 510, 521, 523, 545 and YD 971. No prospect of a return to steam for these.

4th February 2002.

A day on the Burma Mines with Kerr Stuart 0-4-2T 13 (KS 2383 of 1914) shunting in the yard at Namtu and later working a charter train to Wallah Gorge.

5th February 2002.

A morning with 13 on a short charter, followed by a trip down the branch to Namyao to see Bagnall 2-6-2 42 (WB 2338 of 1927) shunting some stores vans in the exchange sidings.

7th February 2002.

A photographic charter departing Mandalay at 08.00 with YD 973 and bound for Bagan. The line has some photographic potential with temples and fields of sunflowers, together with some attractive flat decked bridges with brick abutments.

8th February 2002.

A photographic charter with YD 972 departing Bagan at 07.30 for Kyaukpadaung. This is an attractive route with the best saved till last - an array of temples perched atop rock pinnacles on the approach to the station, together with a large lake that offers some reflection on this vista.

9th February 2002.

A day spent on the Madauk branch with a photographic charter. YB 508 worked our charter departing Pyuntaaza tender first at 10.00 and returning smokebox first. At Nyaunlebin, we met green liveried YC 627 working the scheduled Madauk to Pyuntaaza branch train. Following a derailment which trapped our charter on the Madauk branch, we used YC 627 for our 15.20 charter from Pyuntaaza to Bago

11th February 2002.

A charter freight train from Mottama to Hyinpale using YD 970. We also paid a visit to Moulmein shed that morning across the river and found the frames of YD 966 and preserved YB 548. Active steam crane 35 TSC 9887 was inside the loco shed.

12th February 2002.

A charter passenger working around the Yangon suburbs with ST 754 between Insein and Mahwagone.