Latest News from Ambarawa

Click here for the home page of  the Ambarawa Railway Museum in Central Java, Indonesia.

Click here for information for visitors.

In the nature of things Indonesian, progress at Ambarawa tends to come in spurts followed by a long period where nothing seems to be happening.

This page will undoubtedly reflect this. Established in January 2002, I shall add to it as news becomes available. Thanks to Nick Bryant for all these pictures except where stated..

Updated 17th December 2024

The shed is now off limits to casual visitors. The restoration of the line between Tuntang and Kedungjati has been paused for some considerable time, no official reason has been gven but an expensive bridge needs rebuilding. 

Updated 13th August 2015

Local enthusiast Damar Ananggadipa has kindly sent me some notes and many pictures from his July 2015 visit. 

Updated 11th January 2015

Some pictures of the 'new' museum have been uploaded to the main international steam site..

Updated 5th October 2014

Jerry Hendriksen visited on 2nd October 2014 and found that the museum had reopened the previous day.

Updated 2nd October 2014

• The museum is still officially closed for renovation and the site is effectively inaccessible although visits to the shed are possible from the rear entrance.
• B5112 is available to run charters to Tuntang
• Both B25s are out of action pending completion of major repairs, hence the line to Bedono has not been used for some time, its condition is not known.
• In an extraordinary development, the line between Tuntang and Kedungjati is being actively rehabilitated at the instigation of the provincial government. Completion was scheduled by the end of 2015, obviously the fact that the track bed is unobstructed owing to the undeveloped nature of the area will have helped but there is at least one major river bridge to replace. The pictures below date from September 2014 and are courtesy of Ambarawa resident Indra:.

Updated 22nd December 2012

• The museum is still officially closed for renovation although the determined visitor will probably be able to find his way into the site.
• B5112 is now a 'runner', it performed a successful test run to Tuntang on 4th December 2012, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ff2aU-Xy1g and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lo2liJCrfI. 

Updated 16th November 2011

• B5112 has now been moved to the shed at Ambarawa in preparation for a return to steam in 2012/3 
• The standard gauge wooded framed and bodied coach which had been preserved inside the market at Magelang has been removed to Ambarawa for safe keeping:

Updated 5th November 2010. The line from Ambarawa to Tuntang is finally able to take full size trains. The previous 'lori' service has been replaced by the train shown below on a test run at Tangung on 29th October 2010. The locomotive is actually D300.23, ("NIS 01") the photograph is courtesy of Tjahjono Rahardjo. Of course, it will be possible to run a B25 to Tuntang for the appropriate fee.

Updated 1st November 2010. Belatedly, this formally records the fact that C1218 is in Solo with two of the museum coaches operating occasional tourist trains on part of the Wonogiri branch. C2301 has been at Lawang Sewu (former NIS HQ) in Semarang from early 2009.

Updated 30th November 2008. C1412 having sat near derelict outside the shed for many years has been relocated to PTKA HQ in Semarang and given a cosmetic restoration. E1060 is being relocated to the new Sawahlunto Railway Museum in West Sumatra.

Updated 24th August 2006. C1218 (seen below at Cepu before its movement) arrived at Ambarawa in 2002 and is safe for posterity. It has since been restored to active service in 2006. Picture by Rob Dickinson from June 2002.

Added June 25th 2002. The main shed has been completely repainted by the staff using materials largely provided by the 'Friends of the Ambarawa Railway Museum'. 

Added 15th April 2002. The Tuntang line was officially (re) opened on Monday 4 March 2002. The Governor of Central Java rode on one of the existing loris from Tuntang to Ambarawa. However, the state of the track is still some way from that which could support a steam locomotive....

Repairs to Jambu station funded by the 'Friends of the Ambarawa Railway Museum'.

The cog wheel from E1060 has been returned after machining (December 2001). It needs to be fitted and work done on the cylinders/motion.

After a lull, work on the Tuntang line restoration has restarted with much progress at the Tuntang end (January 2002). Contrast these pictures with those taken relatively recently.

The mud gatherers are still present:

Almost ready for a train....

Entering Tuntang station