kevsmiththai Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 (edited) So. Sad news. Laid up with an ankle broken in two places and will be in plaster for at least six weeks! Can't get out to photograph anything and can't get into the workshop to do anything there either. So I've decided to re-master my Thai rail videos taken between 2005 and 2009 and also upload a load of pictures from the same period. I'll probably release the videos every two weeks on youtube. The first one is Khon Kaen in 2009. Khon Kaen is the regional capitol of the Isan region in the North East area of Thailand and is on the main line that heads North to the Laos border There were local trains, express Diesel railcars on the longer distance trains and Loco hauled long distance passenger trains Freight workings were Cement trains to the north returning empty southbound Propane tankers working to Samran with the obligatory barrier wagon between the loco and the tankers As late as 2009 the original roundhouse still stood, now in use as a caddy shack for the Railway owner golf course I got quite adept at working out the timetables on the video you can see 12/01/2009 RHN 1011+14+1022+37 Train 418 Talat Nong Khai-Nakhon Ratchasima GEA 4555 South Propane tankers RHN Train 416 Udon Thani-Nakhon Ratchasima Alsthom ALS 4152 North Propane tankers RHN 1023+18+1044 Train 416 Udon Thani-Nakhon Ratchasima THN 1223+?+1102 train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai Rot Tok 13/01/2009 ALS 4152 South Propane tankers AHK 4307 shunts oil teminal GEA 4555 North Propane tankers 1223+?+1102 train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai GEA 4555 North Propane tankers RHN train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai THN/NKF train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai 14/01/2009 GEA 4555 North Propane tankers 1045 + 25+34 Train 416 Udon Thani-Nakhon Ratchasima 15/01/2009 Rot Toks THN/NKF train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai 16/01/2009 GEA 4559 Fuel Tankers North 17/01/2009 GEA 4555 Train 69 Bangkok-Nong khai RHN 1023+18+1044 Train 416 Udon Thani-Nakhon Ratchasima ALS 4125 South Bogie cements THN/NKF train 76 Talat Nong Khai-Bua Yai ALS 4125 South Bogie cements https://youtu.be/IRJhBs7arCM?si=JWurpaBjNbh2ZB-- Kev Next time the steam depot at Thonburi and Bagkok Noi station in 2005 and 2007 Edited January 16 by kevsmiththai 4 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Bummer Kev, hope you heal up fast here. jeff Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Thanks Jeff Bangkok Noi and Thonburi. An essential visit for anyone interested in Thai Rilways and in particular steam locos Home of the active steam fleet and also in those days the best chance to find working Krupp Diesel Hydraulics. See above is Kawasaki built 4-6-2 No. 824 C56 2-6-0 713 aka C56 15 The other Kawasaki pacific 850 was peeking out of the shed doors You could walk around without anybody bothering in 2007 when I got talking to the managers and they found out I worked for the Railways in the U.K the rest of the day was great but they did get me slightly drunk with a bottle of Japanese whisky they had hidden it in a filing cabinet! One of the Krupp Diesel Hydraulics 3118 i Alsthom Co-Cos were always in evidence. ALS 4149 comes onto the depot for servicing Bangkok Noi. This station was built to replace the original, magnificent Thonburi station and did not match it in anyway Then The new station was built on the original Thonburi goods now More tomorrow kev 4 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 The station shunter was usually one of the Henschel built HAS 0-6-0DHs A Hitachi HID Co-Co took over The main duty being assembling the passenger trains for the Southern services Train movements are controlled by Thonburi Signalbox Video from May 2005 and May 2007 https://youtu.be/Jbs4ulOiEGk?si=l122t-AXrO9NeUP5 Next up Bang Sue, a truly awesome place for a railfan Kev 4 Link to comment
SwallowAngel Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 1/19/2024 at 10:21 PM, kevsmiththai said: An essential visit for anyone interested in Thai Rilways and in particular steam locos I've found these interesting. They're almost like an alternate take in which the D51s became pacifics (and not just their boilers, like the C61s) Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 The first time I went to Bang Sue junction, to the north of Bangkok in 2005, I barely scratched the surface of what was there. I made up for that later when I explored all of the vast site including the fomer Hump yard and marshalling yards. In total, over the years I ended up taking over 530 photographs in the area which is a bit nuts 2005 and the first train I got at Bang Sue Junction station was one of the Daewoo railcars heading North A Bangkok bound express hauled by Alsthom ADD 4408 comes to a halt at Bang Sue. In many cases the train engine comes off here for servicing at the depot with a local engine taking over for the last few Km into Hua Lamphong I never found as many of the BREL built SuperSprinters on my visits to Thailand as I wanted to,These were built on a parralel production line at Derby Works alongside the BR class 158 DMUs using the same bodyshells but obviously metre gauge rather than standard gauge with upgraded Air-Con ( Not good)Leather seats and no Gangway connections I always tried to photo the station nameboards more soon Kev 4 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 The Diesel depot was typical that's not water in the foreground. It was a mix of diesel, oil, coolant and god knows what. I was wearing white linen trousers so this was as far as I went. On the Cripple road I found one of the rare Henshel B-B Diesel hydraulics I would have loved to have seen 3025 running Also on the cripple was fire damaged Alsthom ALS 4141 more soon 3 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 outside the front of the depot GEK 4025, Alsthom AHK 4207, HAS 0-6-0DH 77 and KRUPP 4111 HID 4522 GEA 4537 on the Ready Track more soon Kev 2 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 There were a lot of light engine moves and empty coaching stock moves coming back to BangSue from Bangkok for servicing GEA 4544 Alsthom ALS 4125 brings back a set of BTCs GEK 4011 hauls ALS121 back to the depot 2 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 in the area surrounding Bang Sue are some plinthed locos and coaches A derelict ex Maeklong railway 2-4-0T is parked on Kamphaeng Phet road and rather improbably behind it is an exRhaetian Bahn tender from a 2-8-0 Outside the depot is another Maeklong 2-4-0Tin much better condition I understand some of these have been tidied up since I was last there At the railway owned Golf course at Bang Sue was 2-8-2 no 943 more soon Kev 3 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 Not just locos but oddities as well A 60cm/2 ft gauge quarry loco re-purposed as a shrine And an early matchboard sided coach Kev 1 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 The video Shame about the constant racket from the Tamper and Ballast regulator on the 2009 bit Here is a precis of what is on the video In the early years of the 21st century Bang Sue was a vast area of SRTs Thai rail network. With marshalling yards, carriage sidings, a diesel maintenance depot and two stations 100 metres apart I ended up taking over 500 photos there over the years 29/04/2005 View Daewoo Railcar 2534 North Alsthom ALS 4135 North 03/05/2005 G.E GEK 4045 North Hitachi HID 4516 South 19/01/2009 Alsthom ADD 4414 North Tamper and Ballast regulator Alsthom AHK 4212 and ALS 4121 arrive with Bangkok train and come off for servicing Alsthom ALS 4115 arrives with empty stock GE GEA 4544 light engine onto depot GE GEAs 4529 and 4527 light engine off depot and then various scenes from the area around Bang Sue including plinthed steam locos and the Library train Since the videos and photos were made the whole of the Bang Sue area has been completely transformed by the building of Bang Sue Grand station and the associated elevated tracks on concrete viaducts. Barely recognisable now I think. I think I really need to get back out there and have a look! https://youtu.be/xO0PlKW3ztc?si=O-aK_sdJEdAhF9uM Need to decide what to do next. There are two big beasts, Nakhon Ratchasima and Bangkok Hua Lamphong station and there will be a a medley of more rural country station where I may have only got one or two trains in action Tha Phra, Pattaya, Chachoengaoa Juntion, Thanonchira etc More soon Kev 2 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 So I pulled into the car park at Nakhon Ratchasima station in 2006 and knew straight away this was going to be good The city is the third largest in Thailand but has a very rural feel. It is the gateway to Isan province in the North east of Thailand and is a junction on the North Eastern line that runs from Bangkok to the Laos border. The city is also known as Khorat The station frontage gives a hint of how busy the railway would be. A magnificent Hanomag 4-6-2, number 261, was plinthed on the station forecourt First port of call was the roundhouse. I could not believe my luck. One of the rare and very venerable Davenport Bo-Bos was still in action shunting railcars and the shed breakdown crane. 516 had the charactristic throaty roar from the exhaust even though it only has 500 hp.When we get to the video you might get the idea that the driver knew I was there and was giving it some welly! More soon Kev 2 Link to comment
serotta1972 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 Thank you for sharing these pics Kev. Hope you’re healing up quickly. Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 19 Author Share Posted February 19 Thanks. Plaster cast due to come off march 1st. Can't wait! Did manage to get out and film the Sellafield to Heysham Nuclear Flask train late last week. The first photo I have taken since January 7th. The roundhouse was undertaking some heavy maintenance on the RH/RHN diesel railcars, These were shunted onto the turntable and then stong armed onto the appropraite road by a willing gang of titters As I said. The Davenport was trunding around quite busily and I was thrilled when it returned with the breakdown crane in tow. Crane 33 was built by Hitachi in 1955 ( Same age as me) Note the very tatty railcar at the rear! Despite the line being so busy much of the signalling was still mechanical. If you went in a signalcabin it like stepping back in time in Germany. All the signalling gear was based on German practice. Note the very german ground signal in front of the box A view east of the marshalling yard. The yard stretches a long distance in either direction from the station. Lots of CG vans but loads of rare stuff as well More soon kev 2 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 other interesting things in the vicinityof Nakhon Ratchasima Another preserved Metropolitan Four wheelerin use as an office dating from about 1912 Never really know what to call these A modern sliding wall bogie van with a four wheel one behind. I think these were prototypes that never wentinto production The video has quite a bit of Davenport action https://youtu.be/NPFEEW0ECM4?si=0imE06lOWQ5ccZov more soon 2 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 I'm going to leave Bangkok Hua Lamphong until last. There is a lot of it! So I'll call this next bit 'Thai Country stations' Some of the p;laces I only visited once or twice and maybe did not see many trains I'll start with Bua Yai Junction, 346 kilometres North east of Bangkok between Nakhon Ratchasima and Khon Kaen The station frontage with a prominent picture of King Bhumipol ( He passed away in 2016 and was much loved) RHN Railcar 1034 and a wrapped companion wait to depart to Khaeng Khoi The civil engineers have a selection of track machines here Kolmag no 34. I really fancy scratchbuilding this in 1nM if I can find a drawing In the yard were a lot of BCF Container flats. I believe the Blue containers carry sugar but need to find out more Before I retired from the railways I used to use this photo to show trainees what the worst example of health and safety might be. a Rot Tok with a ladder going through the station very fast! More soon Kev 1 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted March 30 Author Share Posted March 30 My favourite station in Thailand is Tha Phra just south of Khon Kaen. It is a block section and see what to me is a rare sight these days. the second man is leaning out of the cab window to do the token exchange at speed on train 69 Bangkok to Nong Khai. Alsthom ADD 4413 at the head More sedate Train 415 Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai local train. a pair of RHN sets The station entrance The station is always immaculate and is a credit to the station master and his team The projecting part of the station building houses the block instruments station nameboard A handwritted timetable for the local trains More soon Kev 1 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted March 30 Author Share Posted March 30 The token apparatus with a long line of BCFs on the other side of the tracks Loading the containers 1 Link to comment
kevsmiththai Posted April 15 Author Share Posted April 15 So I caught a train at Pattaya in 2007 with a view to getting to the Sattahip port and container terminal at the end of the eastern line. Sadly it terminated at Ban Plu Ta Luang The train was hauled by Alsthom ALD 4303 Even as we arrived I realised there was a lot of interesting stuff here I had no inkling there was a carriage shop which was converting ex JR West coaches to BTCs for SRT Some of them were pretty rough but here is one ready for the interior to be fitted out There wasn't a soul around to ask questions, the place was deserted The station building, with the ubiquitous Tuk Tuk outside So close, but so far. The station nameboard shows Sattahip as the last stop In the sidings were a whole load of very rusty SW Salt wagons. Oil Axleboxes, Vac Brakes etc I really need to weather my scratchbuilt 1nM model of one of these a lot more More soon Kev 1 Link to comment
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