| GEMPOLKEREP KEDIRI REGION |
This 700mm gauge mill is located on the outskirts of Mojokerto. This was the last mill that I visited during my August 2004
trip and at that time, as with so many other mills, the steam operation was limited to bringing wagons from the road delivery
yard to the mill. The final part of this operation was particularly interesting as locomotives were connected to the train of
loaded wagons by a long steel hawser. As the train approached the mill it took one track and the points were changed
between the engine passing and the first wagon arriving! This meant that the wagons took a parallel road to the locomotive
which could then be released to return to the main yard. Just what would have happened if one of the hawsers had snapped
whilst under tension is perhaps best left to the imagination.
In 2004, Gempolkerep was home to a pair of Orenstein & Koppel 0-10-0 Luttermöllers but unfortunately on the day of my
visit one of them was undergoing a boiler washout leaving just No.4 operational. However by September 2008 both engines
had been retired and their place taken by tractors. By 2011 there was no operational steam at Gempolkerep and the world is
a sadder place ...........
trip and at that time, as with so many other mills, the steam operation was limited to bringing wagons from the road delivery
yard to the mill. The final part of this operation was particularly interesting as locomotives were connected to the train of
loaded wagons by a long steel hawser. As the train approached the mill it took one track and the points were changed
between the engine passing and the first wagon arriving! This meant that the wagons took a parallel road to the locomotive
which could then be released to return to the main yard. Just what would have happened if one of the hawsers had snapped
whilst under tension is perhaps best left to the imagination.
In 2004, Gempolkerep was home to a pair of Orenstein & Koppel 0-10-0 Luttermöllers but unfortunately on the day of my
visit one of them was undergoing a boiler washout leaving just No.4 operational. However by September 2008 both engines
had been retired and their place taken by tractors. By 2011 there was no operational steam at Gempolkerep and the world is
a sadder place ...........
Orenstein & Koppel 0-10-0 No.4
was built in 1928 and originally
worked at PG Lestari before moving
to Gempolkerep. The combination
of black painted boiler together
with the yellow cab and tender was
one of the more effective liveries (in
my opinion) and suited this
locomotive admirably.
was built in 1928 and originally
worked at PG Lestari before moving
to Gempolkerep. The combination
of black painted boiler together
with the yellow cab and tender was
one of the more effective liveries (in
my opinion) and suited this
locomotive admirably.
As mentioned above, the other
Orenstein & Koppel 0-10-0 No.12
(built 1923) was undergoing a
boiler washout on the day of my
visit. Both No.4 and No.12 are
Luttermöllers - for a detailed
explanation of this type of
locomotive see my page on
Pagottan
Orenstein & Koppel 0-10-0 No.12
(built 1923) was undergoing a
boiler washout on the day of my
visit. Both No.4 and No.12 are
Luttermöllers - for a detailed
explanation of this type of
locomotive see my page on
Pagottan
Working in and around the road
delivery yard was this delightful
looking Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T
No.11 (built 1914). In the left hand
background it is just possible to see
a queue of cane lorries waiting to
offload onto rail wagons.
delivery yard was this delightful
looking Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T
No.11 (built 1914). In the left hand
background it is just possible to see
a queue of cane lorries waiting to
offload onto rail wagons.
With steam confined to shunting duties in and around the mill and with most, if not all, cane being delivered to the mill by road
vehicles the number of operational locomotives needed was greatly reduced. In common with many other mills this meant a
considerable number of locomotives were stored in the engine shed and were unlikely to be used again. During my August 2004 visit
these included Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.2 (built 1920) and Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.9 (built 1923). At Gempolkerep
engines were easily identifiable by the large number attached to the spark arrester.
vehicles the number of operational locomotives needed was greatly reduced. In common with many other mills this meant a
considerable number of locomotives were stored in the engine shed and were unlikely to be used again. During my August 2004 visit
these included Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.2 (built 1920) and Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.9 (built 1923). At Gempolkerep
engines were easily identifiable by the large number attached to the spark arrester.
Also stored in the engine shed was
another ex-Lestari locomotive - an
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T bearing
the number 3L to distinguish it from
Gempolkerep's original No.3 which is
a Vulcan 0-6-0T also stored at the
mill.
another ex-Lestari locomotive - an
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T bearing
the number 3L to distinguish it from
Gempolkerep's original No.3 which is
a Vulcan 0-6-0T also stored at the
mill.
The best light for photography at the
mill undoubtedly occurred in the late
afternoon and I was lucky to enjoy an
almost cloud free period in which to
take photographs in the mill yard.
Here 0-10-0 No.4 waits for the next
call of duty
mill undoubtedly occurred in the late
afternoon and I was lucky to enjoy an
almost cloud free period in which to
take photographs in the mill yard.
Here 0-10-0 No.4 waits for the next
call of duty
The third engine in steam during the
day was Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T
No.18 (built in 1920) This shared
the shunting duties in the mill yard
with No.4
day was Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T
No.18 (built in 1920) This shared
the shunting duties in the mill yard
with No.4
Orenstein & Koppel No.4 brings a
loaded train from the road delivery
yard towards the mill yard. At first
sight the engine does not appear to
be connected to the wagons but a
closer inspection will reveal the wire
hawser between the tender and the
leading wagon.
loaded train from the road delivery
yard towards the mill yard. At first
sight the engine does not appear to
be connected to the wagons but a
closer inspection will reveal the wire
hawser between the tender and the
leading wagon.
The distance between 0-8-0T
No.18 and the first wagon of the
train to which it is connected by a
steel wire can be clearly judged in
this picture taken in the mill yard
No.18 and the first wagon of the
train to which it is connected by a
steel wire can be clearly judged in
this picture taken in the mill yard
Orenstein & Koppel No.11 indulges
in a little roadside running around
the streets of the village beautifully
lit by the late afternoon sun
in a little roadside running around
the streets of the village beautifully
lit by the late afternoon sun
With the afternoon shadows rapidly
lengthening the Luttermöller brings
another loaded cane train into the
mill yard
lengthening the Luttermöller brings
another loaded cane train into the
mill yard
The reason for the wire hawser can
be seen as No.18 takes the right
hand road and the train is about to
take the left hand road (as viewed).
The locomotive can continue to
haul the train to its required
location before returning back
along the empty road
be seen as No.18 takes the right
hand road and the train is about to
take the left hand road (as viewed).
The locomotive can continue to
haul the train to its required
location before returning back
along the empty road
As I rule I don't like interfering
with the workings of a 'real'
railway but on this occasion I have
to confess to having persuaded the
crews to pose the two locomotives
for this final shot taken at
Gempolkerep of Orenstein &
Koppels Nos 4 and 11 as they
stand side by side in the main
delivery yard.
with the workings of a 'real'
railway but on this occasion I have
to confess to having persuaded the
crews to pose the two locomotives
for this final shot taken at
Gempolkerep of Orenstein &
Koppels Nos 4 and 11 as they
stand side by side in the main
delivery yard.