| SRAGI TEGAL REGION |
Sragi will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first Java mill that I visited independently in August 2004. Even
so I arrived at Sragi a year too late! Until 2004 this was one of the few remaining mills to use steam locomotives to bring in
cane from the fields. However this has now finished with all cane brought from the fields by a fleet of lorries. The remaining
steam locomotives are used exclusively to propel rakes of loaded loris from the road delivery yard into the mill, which
somewhat limits photographic opportunities. Once the engines have delivered their wagons they use an 'avoiding line'
through the weighbridge to return to the head of the yard. Lines of empty wagons are also shunted into place ready to be
loaded. One engine alone however made this an unmissable location. Krauss 0-4-2 No.1 had recently been returned to
working order after some years out of use meaning that this remarkable engine, built in 1899, had therefore had an active life
spanning three centuries.
so I arrived at Sragi a year too late! Until 2004 this was one of the few remaining mills to use steam locomotives to bring in
cane from the fields. However this has now finished with all cane brought from the fields by a fleet of lorries. The remaining
steam locomotives are used exclusively to propel rakes of loaded loris from the road delivery yard into the mill, which
somewhat limits photographic opportunities. Once the engines have delivered their wagons they use an 'avoiding line'
through the weighbridge to return to the head of the yard. Lines of empty wagons are also shunted into place ready to be
loaded. One engine alone however made this an unmissable location. Krauss 0-4-2 No.1 had recently been returned to
working order after some years out of use meaning that this remarkable engine, built in 1899, had therefore had an active life
spanning three centuries.
Sragi's remarkable survivor - Krauss
0-4-2T No.1 runs around at the
top end of the road delivery yard
with one of the Hartmann 0-8-0T's
standing in the background
0-4-2T No.1 runs around at the
top end of the road delivery yard
with one of the Hartmann 0-8-0T's
standing in the background
The diminutive size of Sragi No.1
can be clearly gauged as it
carefully negotiates the pointwork
at the top end of the road delivery
yard in August 2004. The
locomotive was not to be seen
during my 2006 visit - for reasons
which can be seen at the foot of
this page
can be clearly gauged as it
carefully negotiates the pointwork
at the top end of the road delivery
yard in August 2004. The
locomotive was not to be seen
during my 2006 visit - for reasons
which can be seen at the foot of
this page
Altogether chunkier was this
Berliner Maschinenbau AG 0-10-0T
No.5 which is seen standing at the
head of a line of other Sragi locos
during my second visit to this mill in
August 2006
Berliner Maschinenbau AG 0-10-0T
No.5 which is seen standing at the
head of a line of other Sragi locos
during my second visit to this mill in
August 2006
The majority of work done by the
locomotives involved pushing long
trains of loaded cane wagons into
the mill - not exactly conducive to
great photography but here No.5
is pulling a short train of empty
loris into the road delivery yard.
locomotives involved pushing long
trains of loaded cane wagons into
the mill - not exactly conducive to
great photography but here No.5
is pulling a short train of empty
loris into the road delivery yard.
No.7 was the second of the working
BMAG 0-10-0T's with a third (No.6)
stored in the mill. All three were
built in 1928 and have consecutive
builders plates. (August 2004)
BMAG 0-10-0T's with a third (No.6)
stored in the mill. All three were
built in 1928 and have consecutive
builders plates. (August 2004)
The same locomotive was still hard
at work on my second visit to Sragi
in August 2006)
at work on my second visit to Sragi
in August 2006)
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.8
backs round from the mill towards
the head of the road delivery yard
at Sragi in August 2006
backs round from the mill towards
the head of the road delivery yard
at Sragi in August 2006
Possibly the smallest working
locomotive at Sragi was this tiny
Henschel 0-4-0T No.10 (built 1925)
locomotive at Sragi was this tiny
Henschel 0-4-0T No.10 (built 1925)
Sragi was remarkable in having
locomotives from no less than nine
different manufacturers. Here
Hartmann 0-8-0T No.12 (built
1912) returns to the delivery yard
having pushed a loaded train into
the mill
locomotives from no less than nine
different manufacturers. Here
Hartmann 0-8-0T No.12 (built
1912) returns to the delivery yard
having pushed a loaded train into
the mill
An August 2004 shot of No.12
standing in the delivery yard at Sragi
standing in the delivery yard at Sragi
Temporary track being offloaded
from one of the many lorries
working in and around Sragi. This
track is laid into the cane fields to
allow the cane wagons to be
loaded as close to the scene of
cutting as possible. Bullocks are
often used to pull the wagons to
and from the permanent trackway.
from one of the many lorries
working in and around Sragi. This
track is laid into the cane fields to
allow the cane wagons to be
loaded as close to the scene of
cutting as possible. Bullocks are
often used to pull the wagons to
and from the permanent trackway.
Hartmann 0-8-0T No.16 (built
1912) is a sister locomotive to Nos
12 and 13 with all three having
consecutive builders numbers.
1912) is a sister locomotive to Nos
12 and 13 with all three having
consecutive builders numbers.
No.16 again with the weighbridge
in the background
in the background
Jung 0-8-0 No.17 (built 1911)
propels empty loris in the road
delivery yard at Sragi. The numbers
are used to indicate the different
lines within the yard
propels empty loris in the road
delivery yard at Sragi. The numbers
are used to indicate the different
lines within the yard
A more conventional boiler-first shot
of Jung 0-8-0 No.17 as it shunts
wagons at the top end of the yard
of Jung 0-8-0 No.17 as it shunts
wagons at the top end of the yard
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.19
crosses the road and is about to
enter the mill at Sragi.
crosses the road and is about to
enter the mill at Sragi.
Sister engine to No.19, and with
consecutive builders numbers,
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.20
is seen in almost the same location.
consecutive builders numbers,
Orenstein & Koppel 0-8-0T No.20
is seen in almost the same location.
During my two visits I saw a total of ten different locomotives at work out of a total of twenty engines believed to be at this
mill or stored at nearby Comal. The sheer variety of engines was a delight as was the friendly attitude of everyone that I
met during my two visits. Since I didn't actually enter the mill it was not necessary to purchase a permit although technically
most of my shots were taken on the property of the mill.
Sometime shortly after my 2004 visit the Krauss 0-4-2T No.1 was purchased by Graham Lee and brought to the United
Kingdom. It was restored at the Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth and re-entered service in 2008. Whilst it is normally
resident at this railway it has made guest appearances at the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and the Amerton Railway.
mill or stored at nearby Comal. The sheer variety of engines was a delight as was the friendly attitude of everyone that I
met during my two visits. Since I didn't actually enter the mill it was not necessary to purchase a permit although technically
most of my shots were taken on the property of the mill.
Sometime shortly after my 2004 visit the Krauss 0-4-2T No.1 was purchased by Graham Lee and brought to the United
Kingdom. It was restored at the Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth and re-entered service in 2008. Whilst it is normally
resident at this railway it has made guest appearances at the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and the Amerton Railway.
Not a sugar cane wagon in sight as
Sragi No.1 hauls a mixed freight
train round the balloon loop at the
Statfold Barn railway in September
2008
(Photo Mr Tim Edmonds)
Sragi No.1 hauls a mixed freight
train round the balloon loop at the
Statfold Barn railway in September
2008
(Photo Mr Tim Edmonds)