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Fate of the ex-Maeklong railroad stock
- May 27, 2004
Main Thai Railways/SRT page
Maeklong railway news
Robert M. Boer of Rail Asia tells the story of the fate of the ex-Maeklong
railroad stock. [Ed.: It is interesting to see these in private
hands. The government has seized historic trains from private collectors
in the past--even when they have been legally purchased.]
(Photo: Robert M. Boer) |
As I wrote in the story about the two
Henschel diesel engines, there also stood an old steam
locomotive (left, No. 11 4-6-2 Henschel 22403-1952,
taken 29.03.1986) in the Ban Laem yard that was in a
very dilapidated situation.
Two engines were delivered in 1952. They were the last steam
engines ever made for Thailand and the Meaklong Railway
Compagnie (MRC).
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A year later I was lucky enough to be on
the spot when they were shifting the steam engine and both
diesel engines to an unknown destination (right, No
11 without the tender, taken 25.04.1987).
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(Photo: Robert M. Boer) |
(Photo: Robert M. Boer)
Diesel railcar No D7 shifting the steamer with
the Henschel diesels (D1, D2) in the background (above, taken
25.04.1987).
(Photo: Robert M. Boer) |
After shifting the trains waiting for further
transport (left, taken 25.04.1987). |
(Photo: Robert M. Boer)
Years later the rusty machine with a bunch of
old goods wagons (rusty as well) were parked near Road 323 from
Kanchanaburi, not far from the Hellfire Pass memorial site, in
front of the entrance of the "Home Phu Thoey" resort
(above, taken 02.03.1993).
(Photo: Robert M. Boer)
The owner of this site was once befriended by
Sir Edward Dunlop (Weary), a medical hero during the construction
of the Burma Railway.
He build a special memorial in honor of the man and thus the locomotive
was moved from the roadside to a new home--Weary Dunlop Park--where
it still stands today (above, taken 29.03.2001).
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The other machine (No. 12 4-6-2 Henschel
22404–1952) was moved to Pattaya and served as part
of train coach that was transformed into a hotel. This was
in 1991 and I have not been to Pattaya again, so who knows
where the rolling stock of the Maeklong Railway eventually
will end up (right, 04.05.1991).
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(Photo: Robert M. Boer) |
(Photo: Robert M. Boer)
Fate of the
Meaklong Railway
locomotives - May 11, 2004
Robert M. Boer of Rail Asia writes: First of all I like the
website 2Bangkok, especially the subjects about trams, trains
and other modes of public transport. As an author and photographer
on these subjects I built a substantial archive during the last
20 years, each year I stayed about three months in Thailand.
I came across an article earlier this year about the two Henschel
locomotives of the Meaklong Railway.
More technical details I cannot provide beside these two pictures
on the Ban Laem yard shoot on the 29th of April in 1986.
(Photo: Robert M. Boer) |
By that time also one of the last delivered
steam engines (also Henschel 22403 -1952 Nr.11) was still in
the yard but in a very dilapidated situation. However, a year
later on April 25th 1987, the machine was shifted for transport
and as far I can remember, also both diesel engines Nr.D1 and
D2.
Beyond that date I never saw them again except for the steam
engine... It was put on the roadside (323) near the entrance
to the Home Phu Thoey resort in Sai Yok between Sai Yok Noi
waterfall and the Hell Fire pass.
Later it moved to where the owner built a special museum in
remembrance of Warry Dunlop, a survivor of the hell called the
Burma railroad enterprise. |
Main Thai Railways/SRT
page
Maeklong railway
news
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