Dougal Goes on Holiday

[david.hill64]

Apologies if this has appeared somewhere else, but after a quick scan I couldn't find any reference.

 

A few years ago a friend of mine, Paul Holmes, was instrumental in getting the Taiwan Sugar Corporation to release one of its Diema diesels to the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway. I understand that it is a well liked and useful engine. This opened links between Tai Sugar and the W&L.

 

When I first visited Taiwan in 1992, Tai sugar had more than a 1000km of 2'6" gauge lines operating in the south of Taiwan - a longer route mileage than Taiwan Railway Administration's lines! These days most of the lines are disused: only one sugar factory now uses rail. Until 1982(?) Tai Sugar also ran a passenger railway. These days a few locations run tourist trains. This month the diminutive Andrew Barclay loco, Dougal, that served at Provan gasworks, Glasgow has been shipped to Taiwan where Dougal is the subject of much interest. Last Sunday I made a trip to a Tai Sugar factory near the southern town of Chiayi where Dougal was in steam.

 

When we arrived t was not long since lighting up and steam had not been raised.

 

 

 

But an hour later, the crew wearing their safety headgear were ready to give Dougal - adorned with Christmas wreath and very dirty dragon - a run.

 

 

 

I suspect it is the first time that these have been growing in any yard where Dougal worked:

 

 

The previous day one of the Belgium built locos from Tai Sugar's fleet had been operating:

 

 

Its tender is quite interesting.

 

 

Passenger trips were in the hands of one of the Diema locos.

 

 

In previous years a railcar would have been used.

 

 

There are a number of plinthed locos around Taiwan: this is another ex- Sugar loco:

 

 

Dougal is off to the last sugar factory using rail for an open day next weekend and will return to Wales next month. That was a really good day out.

Edited December 11, 2018 by david.hill64

[Tim Hall]

Dougal is rather lovely.

 

Here's one I prepared earlier:

 

[Steamport Southport]

Back home after his holiday.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48083856

 

 

 

Jason