Steam in Myanmar 2003

There are very few individual visitors (for steam) these days. Working steam survives but is decidedly irregular in nature

Ralf Mandera again confirms real activity (9th April 2003):

Have just got back to Bangkok after a shorter than expected (owing to visa problems but I won't bore you with that) visit to Myanmar. Was in Bago on the 3rd April. YD 973 was in steam and I was told that it had arrived back the night before from Yangon with passenger stock(!) but can't be sure if that's correct or not. As I was alone I thought that nothing much was going to happen as they said it would go to Yinnyein for stone if some fuel arrived (I would assume that's a familiar scenario). As luck would have it someone told me that YC 629 was in Mokpalin to water etc so after some hasty bargaining I got a taxi with rather a helpful driver for U$20 for what turned out to be most of the day. Got to Mokpalin at about 09.30 and followed it back to Bago for about 17.00. I'm not a hard line number collector or the like but I grabbed a lift on the footplate back to the shed as the sun was setting and couldn't help but draw certain analogies. Probably the last time I'll see a (one time) mainline British built steam loco in proper action ever again one would imagine. Oh well:

Trevor Maxted was on with a tour group:

"Have just returned from Burma and thought you would like to know that steam is still active on some freight. YD 973 arrived at Pyuntaza mid-morning on 3rd February with a general freight from the north, YC 626 was at Zin Gyaik on the Thaton line with stone hoppers on 5/2 and YD 974 took a freight north from Bago at 1000 on 8th February. All the above were un-related to our trip. The problem with Myanmar is you need steam on the local passenger trains to realise its full photographic potential as you are aware!"

Hugh Ballantyne was with another group:

A visit in January 2003 revealed the scheduled steam services have ceased, namely the two local branch lines trains to Madauk and Nyaungkhashe have gone over to rail-bus use and the longer distance local trains 85/86 between Bago and Mottama have reverted to diesel haulage.

Despite this Insein Works is currently overhauling YB 534 and 35tons steam crane 9886 and two more engines from YB536, YC627 or YD969 are programmed for heavy repair in 2003. Also at Insein the one-off 4-6-4T As 144 has been moved back from the carriage shed yard to stand again outside the main erecting shop. It was impossible to get any answers to questions as to what may (or may not) happen to 144.

The only revenue earning steam during this visit, other than the railtour specials, were two YDs seen working stone trains on the Bago-Mottama line and two engines at Pyinmana shed, YB533 and YD967, both dead but serviceable on 17 January 2003, for the as required sugar cane traffic. Bago allocation is now three: YC629, YD964 and YD973 with YD962 shedded at Mottama.

Our steam specials were as follows:-

12 January 2003 2-6-4T ST764 ran anti-clockwise around the Yangon circle with numerous stops for blow-ups. It is thought its chronic shortage of steam was simply due to the fact the tubes were dirty.

13 -15 January Bago shed provided YC629 for a journey to Mottama, broken at Kyaikto outwards, and as the engine had brakes it performed reasonably well. Northwards up the main Mandalay line starting on 16 January YD973 hauling six sleepers and two service vehicles ran to Toungoo with stops at Pyuntaza (only stored MacArthur 2-8-2 D1032 here), Pyu for water and then Toungoo for a meal and engine change. From here YB508 departed at 23.26 for Thazi Junction. To the amazement of your reporter on waking and looking out of the stationary train at the break of dawn at 06.05 found the train at Yeni a mere 28 miles north of Toungoo and 6½ hours later!

The inspectors attitude was that of indifference and passed off as the continuous necessity for scheduled main line Mandalay trains to pass ahead. This delay meant alterations to the tour programme from Pyinmana were YB508 and train abandoned in favour of road transport onwards to Thazi Jct.

On 19 January YD973 which had followed us up from Toungoo was again used from Thazi Jct. to Mandalay, next day 20th a short trip over the impressive Ava Bridge spanning the Irrawaddy to Ywataung and finally on 21st January from Mandalay as far as Sidaw, the station at the bottom of the spectacular zig-zags up the escarpment on the line to Lashio.