Java Sugar Steam 1999 - Central Java South Coast

These mills were operated originally by PNP XVI which became part of PNP XV/XVI, subsequently PTP XV/XVI which is now known as PTP Nusantara IX. It took me a long time to sort out these mills because this was not an interesting area for main line steam in the 70s. In their prime Gondang Baru and Tasik Madu provided some of my favourite rides and photos. However, this area has really prospered in recent times which means that the mills have suffered badly from loss of labour (to new factories) and growing land (to housing as the towns and cities expand). Future prospects for steam (and its mills) are very poor with Kalibagor, Ceper Baru and Colomadu reported closed during the 1998 season. I would not expect Gondang Baru to last much longer and standards at even Tasik Madu are now very low.

14. KALIBAGOR Mill Index

Closed in 1998 and unlikely to reopen.

15. GONDANG BARU Mill Index

Rod Clarke was here in early July and reports: "No field or mill steam. All truck and diesel. All steam locos OOU. in the shed." A fact it took me 15 seconds to confirm on July 29th. (A sad end and I am glad I have been able to experience all the good times here in the last 10 years or more.) This mill also finished its season well before the end of August.

16. CEPER BARU Mill Index

Closed in 1998 and unlikely to reopen. Rod Clarke was here in early July and reports: "Locked and bolted and already overgrown."

17. COLOMADU Mill Index

This mill closed its field lines at the end of the 1991 season and apart from 4 which was transferred to Banjaratma in 1993, and 5 and 7 which have gone to Tasik Madu, all the other locos have been stored since then, all except 3 in serviceable condition. Closed in 1998 and unlikely to reopen.

18. TASIK MADU Mill Index

Rod Clarke was here in late June and reports: "Steam working in exchange yard and on field trips. Locos 1, 3, 5a, 5b, 6, 7b and 14 working. Two daylight steam returns per day" Nobukazu Furuhashi reports similarly. I was here on the afternoon of July 27th and the same locos were at work with 7a the only other serviceable loco.  There were no field workings on this day or the next.  What the other two visitors didn't notice or report was that there are two large new diesels here from Banjaratma which will be extremely bad news once they have got them running reliably. 5a and 6 were working from the main road yard to the south-west of the mill. 3 and 7b were working the road yard next to the main mill yard. 1 and 5b were working in the main mill yard and 14 worked the empties out of the factory and they were then taken to their destination by tractor. There was plenty of activity even if the dust and the constant flow of trucks made meaningful photography difficult. Compared  to even a couple of years ago the locos here are a lot less well turned out, the loco foreman said that there were a lot few people working at the shed and it certainly seemed that way. He also said that all cane was now coming in by truck (but see above....).

On July 28th, by 07.30, 5a and 6 were at the road yard, but things were very quiet and likely to remain so until after 10.00 when most trucks would start to arrive. One diesel was in use instead of 7b which was having a boiler washout along with 14. By the afternoon, all the steam locos were working along with the diesel. On August 7th, the working locos were the same but the afternoon was much quieter with only 2 trains from the further road yard between 14.45 and 16.45. The following morning was very similar to July 28th.

On August 24th at 14.30, we found the mill totally clogged with cane following a breakdown (and it was raining). All the active locos were waiting for some work except 1 and 6 which were on shed. Mill staff said that the season would finish at the end of August. We made return visits on the afternoon of August 27th and morning of August 28th. The mill was very busy on both occasions, although operations were erratic owing to frequent derailments.

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