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I've always admired the brightly polished brass number plates on steam locos and the bright numerals of plates on diesels and electrics in Japan as well. All locomotives in Japan usually had four number plates in all on each side. Correct me if I'm wrong, but instead of number plates American locomotives usually just had their numbers painted on. They are pieces of railwayana that easily distinguish which railway a locomotive belonged to because of their distinctive design (much like how identifiable plates from British or South African locomotives are). Maker's plates I've always liked too, and there are numerous design based on the several different locomotive manufacturers who've supplied Japan with its locomotives throughout its rail history. I have just a cardboard replica of locomotive 58654's number plate in given to me by a Japanese friend who equally loves the SL Hitoyoshi. Does anyone on this forum collect full-sized replicas made of brass or indeed original Japanese locomotive number plates themselves? I'm not planning on collecting any (so far) but I'd like to hear from others. Also, why were some Japanese SL number plates red, green, blue, brown etc.? Why the difference?

Today was a day I'm so glad that I didn't sleep in during! 🛌 Saturdays are rarely entirely free for me now, and that's not a bad thing, but there was no way I would've missed out on November 18th - Because it was my first and last chance to witness the 101st Birthday Celebration of my favorite Japanese Steam Locomotive (do I have to say it?) 58654, which needs no introduction! 😄 I was joined by fellow members of 肥薩線again at Yatsushiro Station bright and early, and despite the cold, chilly weather, the crowds soon poured in and needed barriers from crossing the yellow line to get photos. My friend and fellow rail fan Minki Hatashima was there to greet and farewell the gallant SL and even landed an interview on the spot with NHK. I did as well. You can see his name mentioned in this article (in Japanese) about the party events. She's a beauty, isn't she? We know now for certain that the restoration of the Hisatsu Line to Hitoyoshi will be done. Next, we can only hope that this beloved steam locomotive will return there, too. But the day's adventures did not end there...

Sunday I went to the Seibu Musashigaoka Depot open house. Crowded with families and tetsuota (a given since it's in Saitama) but there were railways from all over Kanto represented at the souvenir booths. I picked up a surplus route map of the Tokyu Lines before the beginnning of through services via the underground Shibuya Station. They gave buyers two choices- a yama-gawa version with the left side stations being inland locations, or an umi-gawa version where the left side is stations close to the sea or southern Kanagawa locations. I chose the umi-gawa version, as that's the one I'm used to seeing, being Yokohama based. Cost 1000 yen.