All Change at Tasik Madu

Unlike most surviving sugar mills in Java, Tasik Madu is near a major city with an increasingly affluent population. For the past few years it has been been aggressively following a populist 'agro-wisata' policy to encourage visitors to the mill. Officially, the project is educational but in practice it is designed as a good value day out for the family, the major benefit to the mill is that it provides employment and a source of income for its staff for 52 weeks of the year. I was here on 20th May 2008 - a public holiday - as part of my recce for my 2008 Java Tour. I had a long talk with the manager of the project which seems to be a great success, not least because the mill has invested time and not a little bit of money in providing facilities. Entry to the complex is a bargain Rp 2000, train rides and the swimming pool are extras but still perfectly affordable for the general public. It may not be what the purist steam enthusiast wants, but the effort is to be greatly encouraged because there is a clear divide between the circus and the day to day efficient seasonal operation of the mill in which steam power has a major role to play.

Redundant mill machinery (this is a former carbon dioxide pump) is displayed along with local fauna.

Also displayed are a number of the mill's fleet of steam locomotives, I was delighted to see that tram engine IX had been rescued from its bat shit covered tomb. It is an absolute gem, sister to Simbah preserved at Gondang Baru.

Redundant rolling stock (following closure of the mill's field lines) has been converted into passenger 'coaches', which are used to take visitors on a winding ride through the mill area.

The original 'Loco Antik' was the mill's own I. It has gained a tender but the plate it used for pushing loaded wagons into the mill is still present: 

The operation has been so successful that Colomadu 3 has been transferred here and overhauled:

This year it joins that elite band of active locomotives which are centenarians:

Perhaps not too surprisingly, I was summoned on board the loco:

I suspect that the route straight through the middle of the cane yard will not be used during the milling season - there is a strategic short cut installed!

Four former Colomadu steam locomotives are here now, 3 (above), 5 and 7 are active in the yard and 1 is a hot water kettle mounted by the swimming pool:

The mill plans to establish a small steam locomotive museum here, a dozen examples will be brought here from the other mills in the Central Java area. Owing to gauge differences most will not be able to run here but hopefully care will be taken to ensure that their condition does not deteriorate as maybe one day they will be able to run again on an appropriate system. Jatibarang 1 is the first 'out station' arrival and by July 2008 had been regauged (somewhat brutally) ready to be added to the tourist fleet.

Meanwhile, the active fleet of six 'real' steam locomotives were all ready. (Colomadu) 5 and XIV were inside the shed:

As was TM V: 

Outside final adjustments were being made to (Colomadu) 7 which was in light steam: 

Next door was III:

At the head of the line was everyone's idol, VI. Apparently, a group wanted to repatriate it. The mill apparently asked for Rp 6,000,000,000. Work it out for yourself but loosely translated it reads "Piss off, unlike the Chinese we don't sell our grandmother!". No wonder that Java has always been my favourite steam destination in the world.

Click here for the main 2008 reports as they come in. As at the end of May 2008, these reports include a number of pre-season pictures of more steam locomotives overhauled, painted up and ready to work.