Steam in Java 2008

I have lost count of my visits to Java since I first went in 1975. In the 33 years since then, I have missed just 7 years, all but one in the 1980s. I led tours for others in 1983, 1984 and 1988. Between 1991 and 2008, I organised tours every year except in 1992 and 2007, sometimes two. I have taken over 200 people round Java, many of them more than once. I retired once before after 2005 and ran further tours primarily for the money, which is the worst possible reason to do anything in this world. I'm not the young person I was once and I found the stress in 2008 more than Yuehong and I would want to go through again. Steamy Java 2009? Most likely there won't be one; as they say one should quit while one is ahead. 

This is the 2007 report, you should also read the 1996 report, the 1997 report, the 1998 report the 1999 report, the 2000 report, the 2001 report, the 2002 report, the 2003 report, the 2004 report, the 2005 report, the 2006 report and the 2007 report. There are so many pictures already on this site, I have stripped all the retrospective ones out of the individual area pages for 2007/8, they are easily found by looking back. These days I just sit and watch or take video, if anyone has something good (and new!) from 2008, please let me have them for the site...  

Click here for a brief summary of the main news. Click here for the non-sugar news.

In 2002 I produced a series of pages containing photographs of the best steam action, Trangkil, much of Sragi and Cepu are now history of course, the rest will be all too soon:

Click here for the Mill Index or Mill Map or choose the area you want:

The mills are arranged from West to East, North Coast then South Coast with the Private Mills at the end. Click on the mill in the Index below (mills with no link no longer use steam, but may have locos stored on site), I have now added 'how to get there' information for the mills with active steam in 2008, but Jan Willem's guide has more comprehensive information.:

The numbers are those used in the reports, they have no official status.

The Main News in Brief Contents

2006/7 were probably the best sugar seasons in Java for some years, first time visitors seem broadly satisfied by what was on offer given that the real steam clock stands at 1 minute to midnight. Of course, it often differed from what was promised by some tour operators but that was down to a combination of their misleading advertising, sloppy proof reading and lack of good quality local contacts. The main offenders as usual were the late and unlamented Globe Steam (consistently overstating the amount of active steam and offering a Borsig at Sragi for a start) and the Railway Touring Company (numerous and noted as appropriate under the individual mills, but 'many steam locomotives in action' at Semboro took the cherry for 2007 and, amazingly, again for 2008). You have to wonder whether their researchers ever bothered to read the detailed reports on these pages.... My guess is that with world food prices soaring (sugar included), there will not be many changes apparent in 2008 - a dangerous comment no doubt and one that invites the unexpected!

• Tersana Baru has ceased regular steam activity.
• Jatibarang is using just one steam locomotive, but Pangka, Sumberharjo and Sragi are essentially unchanged
• Tasik Madu planned to start milling on 23rd May 2008
• Rejosari started milling at the beginning of May and the other mills in the area will all have started by the end of the month.
• Asembagus planned to start milling on 17th, Olean on 25th and Semboro about 23rd May 2008.
• Japanese gricers in Java (and elsewhere) have all too often shown complete disregard for local customs with their insensitive and selfish behaviour. I do not understand why the rest of us should suffer from their stupid social system that denies them sensible holidays and leads to them throwing money around with complete disregard for the consequences. Moreover at Pangka in July this ugly arsehole charged straight through my video and his colleagues marched in front of my group members taking their own pictures. From now on whenever I encounter Japanese groups (individuals by and large are fine) in Java I shall treat them with the same contempt that this group showed us. 

• If it's not too clear from the reports, then the best mills for steam in quantity and in action are (in alphabetical order): Olean, Pangka, Sragi and Tasik Madu. Under no circumstances contemplate a visit to Java which does not include all of these.
• Java's main line railways have suffered a large number of well publicised accidents (look at the Jakarta Post website or search under 'Java railway accident') owing to derailments, particularly during the rainy season. Additionally, the line from Surabaya to Bangil (and on east to Jember /Banyuwangi and south to Malang) has been subject to short-notice long delays and even closure owing to the 'mud volcano' adjacent to the track at Porong near Sidoarjo although the situation seems to have eased by 2008. Bear this in mind if you are considering using the trains as part of your planned visit, they are not "well maintained" although, of course, as everywhere they are undoubtedly safer than the roads.
• The Ambarawa rack railway is operating as per normal.
• The Cepu Forest Railway suffered bridge damage just outside the log yard during the rains of 2005/6 and the authorities failed to restore it in time for the rail tour season and it seemed that the railway was doomed. However, Steve Noon told me (31st December 2007) that the bridge has been repaired and that work was completed to reinstate the railway for first proving runs with steam on 15th/16th December 2007. We negotiated a sensible package so we added a visit to this fascinating railway during our steamy Java tour 2008.

These pages will cover reports received during the 2008 season which is expected to start in May and run through as late as October in the Far East. I know that there will be few independent visitors (and not as many tour groups as in 2006) so all news will be particularly welcome.

If you are planning a visit then the 1996 report, 1997 report, 1998 report, 1999 report, 2000 report, 2001 report, 2002 report, 2003 report, 2004 report, 2005 report, 2006 report and 2007 report have lots more relevant information. All the loco numbers will not make sense if you do not have the complete roster of current and recent industrial steam locomotives in Java (updated to 12th August 2008).

PT Keretapi News Contents

I ran 3 specials at Ambarawa using B2503, E1060 and C1218 as usual in August 2006 and tried to do the same in July 2008, although C1218 was a last minute failure. I have posted a page of pictures of C1218 at work in 2006.

Click here for the unofficial Ambarawa Railway Museum website.

The first two pictures are of 2003 trains, but note that as Ambarawa is in the mountains, the weather may not always be kind, even in the dry season. First E1060 at Jambu:

Here is B2503 during a late afternoon runpast.

C1218 on the bridge south of Jambu station in August 2006.

Cepu Forest Railway Contents 

Regular logging trains ceased some time ago and much of the system has been lifted. The only way to see this unique operation was to organise your own special logging trains which I did regularly once or twice a year since 1997 and did again for a final time in July 2005. However, the political anarchy which is taking over the country has seen large parts of the forest devastated and in September 2001 Perhutani lost its Smartwood accreditation which has stopped legal exports of teak from Indonesia to Europe. They were planting on an 80 year cycle but cutting on a 10 year cycle, now all (legal) logging has been stopped in Java. In 2003/4 we didn't load much wood but we still got some good pictures. There is a full illustrated report of one of the 2002 trips available, the picture below is from 2006 when we were restricted to the log yard owing to the damage to a bridge, despite appearances the locomotive could not move itself.....

Click here for the International Steam Page.

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