Innholdsfortegnelse for June - July 2025 i Locomotives International

When it comes to the golden age of Japanese steam, images of their most iconic locomotives such as the beautiful C57 ‘Pacifics’, the powerful D51 ‘Mikados’ or the record-breaking C62 ‘Hudsons’ immediately spring to mind. Yet, the roots of Japan’s mainline express passenger locomotives stretch back to a far less celebrated pioneer: the 8900 Class. As the first 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotive of the Japanese Government Railway (JGR), the 8900s were the precursor for decades of express locomotive development in the nation. Built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1911, the 8900 Class were the first locomotives brought to Japan to utilise the 4-6-2 wheel arrangement. With its trailing wheels supporting a larger firebox, the class gained much favour amongst crews for their greater steam production and efficiency. This…

Contributions for this section should be sent to the Editorial Office, with the following exceptions: • Southern Africa - John Middleton, c/o Editorial Office. Email: johnmiddleton3401@gmail.com • South America - Lionel Price, 9, Liverpool Road West, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1PE. Email: jldprice@btinternet.com • Spain & Portugal - Joan Carles Salmerón, c/o Editorial Office. Email: cet@terminus.cat Contributions which are primarily photographic in nature should all be sent to the Editorial Office to give the best choice of material for covers etc. Similarly historical articles and features should be sent to the Editor. The Editor’s contact details are inside the front cover. AFRICA ESWATINI (SWAZILAND) Former SAR 4-8-2 class 15AR No. 2098 (Maffei 5643 of 1925) which has been stored at Sidvokodvo Locomotive Shed for many years since the end of steam…

Introduction The Huancayo-Huancavelica Railway, also known as Tren Macho is a state-owned, non-electrified, single-track, 128.7 km long, standard gauge railway connecting the cities of Huancayo and Huancavelica in the central highlands of Peru. The railway is operated by the Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and recommenced operations on December 20, 2024. The railway is one of the highest railways in the world. At its lowest point it is still 2,819 metres (9,249 ft) above sea level and its highest point is 3,680 m (12,074 ft). The train travels parallel to the Mantaro River to the city of La Mejorada, then uphill parallel to the Ichu river, through a variable and beautiful landscape with occasional small villages. I apologise that the photos are not up to my usual standard…

The lines radiating from Lauda remained largely steam worked in the first half of the 1970s. They were popular with enthusiasts, more I suspect for the general rural charm of northern Württemberg than for the variety of motive power, which in latter years was predominantly class 023 2-6-2s and class 050–053 2-10-0s. Much of the activity at this country junction station, complete with its own small MPD, came to an end 50 years ago, on 1 June 1975, when the wires were energised on the important Würzburg–Lauda–Osterburken– Neckarelz cross-country line. Though some steam turns on the Wertheim and Crailsheim lines lingered on until the end of the year, the heart had gone out of Lauda and, together with the demise of the 012 Pacifics at Rheine on 31 May, the…

The New South Wales Government Railways was known for having 280 of the highly successful D50 class or Standard Goods type locomotive designed mainly for freight operations, including the carting of coal in the Newcastle area. A number of builders were involved in the construction of these 2-8-0 Consolidation type locos, including Clyde Engineering, Dubs & Company and Beyer Peacock. Following the end of steam operations on the NSWGR, a number of examples were passed into the care of preservationists, including 5069. One of the interesting facts about this particular locomotive is that it was used to test the strength of the newly constructed Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932, along with a number of other locomotives which was a spectacular sight, and one that would never be repeated. 5069 has…

My love of railways dates back to my earliest years in the 1950s, with memories of visiting relatives who lived by the old branch line from Preston to Chorley and others who lived in Todmorden, near a bridge over the line to Burnley along which steam-hauled coal trains regularly attacked the steep gradient. There were also occasional visits to see steam at the London mainline termini. The narrow-gauge element was brought in by family holidays in the late 1950s to the village of Finhaut in the Swiss canton of Valais. The only practical access then was via the metre gauge line from Martigny in the Rhône valley to the French frontier at Le Châtelard, from where it continued to Chamonix and St Gervais. The fatal combination of mountains and a…

During a 2-day cruise ship stop in Helsinki over the 30th June and 1st July 2024, I had the chance to visit Helsinki’s Central Station on the second day; this was because this building is given as being ‘one of the most beautiful stations in the world’ as well as a monumental landmark in this city. Research shows that Central Station was designed by the globally recognized architect Eliel Saarinen, and this was as a result of him winning a competition with his design. The competition was held in 1904, with the intention of creating plans for a new station to replace the one built in 1860 that was proving inadequate, this was due to the growth in Finland’s population. The competition had 21 entries and as previously mentioned, was…

Railways Around the World - Part 2, Issue 154 Helmut Dahlhaus writes: The Tunisian Pacifics Nos. 183 - 185 were built in France. Alsace-Lorraine was part of Germany between 1871 and 1918/19 only. As part of France Graffenstaden was written with double ƎfƐ. Joel Vauchel writes: The location of the upper photo on page 22 (reproduced below Ed) is the test track at the Alstom factory in Belfort. Steamy South African Branches in 1979, Issue 154 Tim Edmonds writes: My apologies for an error in the caption of the second photo on page 53 in my article. The branch train approaching Ladybrand originated from Modderpoort, not Marseilles. Stern & Hafferl in the 21st Century, Issue 153 Roland Beier writes: The photo caption on page 11 concerning E 20.006 is not…