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Thursday 6 September 2012

Photographs of the Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Railway Journey 2007


Photographs of the Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Railway Journey 2007
 

These are photographs from my Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Railway Journey showing the trains, locomotives, life in the carriage and other railway related feature. They are in chronological order, starting in Moscow and finishing in Beijing.

Friday 24 August 2012

Glenanore A well preserved plantation railway siding in Sri Lanka


Glenanore
A well preserved plantation railway siding in Sri Lanka
Glenanore, a well preserved plantation railway siding in Sri Lanka
By
Gyan C A Fernando

Plantations railway sidings or estate platforms on the Sri Lankan Railway are little used nowadays, some have become stations and some have completely disappeared.
In the supplements to his book “Railways of Sri Lanka”, David Hyatt gives a comprehensive list of these halts.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Peruvian Railway Pictures

Great Railway Journeys
Peruvian Railway Pictures
Pictures of Peruvian Trains from my travels in Peru
The PICTURES ARE HERE
Peru 2003 

Peru 2010

and 
the story may be found here LINK

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Estación Central General Artigas, Montevideo, Uruguay


Estación Central General Artigas,
George Stephenson at General Artigas Railway Station, Montevideo, UruguayGeorge Stephenson at General Artigas Railway Station, Montevideo, UruguayMontevideo, Uruguay

 George Stephenson is alive and well in Montevideo!

I visited Estación Central General Artigas on the 4th of October 2008.
My pictures of the station and the statue of George Stephenson are here PICTURES

Estación Central General Artigas 
is the former central railway station of Montevideo, Uruguay, situated in Aguada.
Designed by the Italian engineer and architect Luigi Andreoni, it was opened to the public on the 15th of July 1897 and was closed on 1 March 2003.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Sunday 12 August 2012

Why Boys Love Trains and Girls Love Dolls


 
Why Boys love Trains and Girls love Dolls

Why Boys love Trains and Girls love Dolls
Gyan Fernando takes a humorous pseudo-scientific look at this age old Gender divide!

Friday 27 July 2012

Burma's Railway System

BURMA’S RAILWAY
SYSTEM
Yangon Central Station
Yangon Central Station
This is a good historical account of Burma's (Myanmar's) Railway System

Sunday 22 July 2012

Myanmar Railway: Yangon Station

Myanmar Railway
Yangon Central Station


These are pictures I took on a recent visit (July 2012) to Yangon.
I just had a few minutes there but the Station staff were friendly and there were no problems with photographs. I didn't even need a platform ticket!.
 I was with a local guide, by the way and that probably helped. Follow the link to see the pics.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

The Battle of Santa Clara

A Tribute to Che Guevara

 
The Battle of Santa Clara
How Che Guevara derailed a Troop Train

By

Gyan C. A. Fernando
(In memory of "Che" and published on the 14th of June, his birthday) 

Monday 11 June 2012

All Aboard

All Aboard


 Changing scenes from Colombo Fort to Jaffna 

N. Senthilkumaran takes an ‘armchair train ride’, a compilation of many trips made in the 1980s and early 1990 from Colombo Fort to Jaffna/Kankasanthurai (KKS) on the Yal Devi 

Diesel Locomotives of Sri Lanka

 
Diesel Locomotives of Sri Lanka
Locomotive classification 




A definitive guide to the Diesel Locomotives of the Ceylon Government and Sri Lanka Government Railways.


Sunday 10 June 2012

Railways of Sri Lanka


Railways of Sri Lanka
by Dr David Hyatt
ISBN 0-9537304-0-9

This book is now out of print with just a few copies available. However, David has produced pdf supplements which are definitely worth a read. They can be downloaded here:  http://www.toccata.talktalk.net/download_page.htm

StudioSenthil: Trains

StudioSenthil: Trains: Originally drawn for another website which I am winding down. Trains and cartoons have both been interests since childhood. The Ghan-run...

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Railway Halts of Sri Lanka: Hyndford

 
 Railway Halts of Sri Lanka 
Other Estate Halts and Platforms

Hyndford
Hyndford railway halt, Sri Lanka

Hyndford (HYP) is a rather decrepit estate or plantation halt, badly maintained and further disfigured by political posters. 
The fact that some of the local poor people still use this halt, is a good enough reason for maintaining it as a halt.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

The Last Train to San Fernando



What’s In a Song?
The Last Train to San Fernando
by
Gyan Fernando

Some people who lived through the 1960s might remember the song “Last Train to San Fernando” popularised by Johnny Duncan and the Bluegrass Boys. This song was released in 1957. At about the same time there was another version of the same song by Jamaica Johnny & His Milagro Boys.

Thursday 31 May 2012

Steam Locomotives in Cuba


Cuban Steam Locomotives

at
Marcelo Salado, Remedios, Cuba
My visit to Remedios, Cuba.

By 
Gyan C. A. Fernando
Baldwin locomotive roundel

The Villa Clara Province of Cuba is better known for Che Guevara and his revolutionary activities. A little known tourist attraction here is the Museo de Agroindustria Azucarero Marcelo Salado (Museo del Vapor)

Monday 28 May 2012

Brush Electrical Machines of Loughborough


Brush Electrical Machines of Loughborough

Brush Electrical Machines of Loughborough

Brush or Brush Bagnall were the builders of the first mainline diesel electric locomotives of the Ceylon Government Railway, the Class M1 locomotives. 

Friday 25 May 2012

The Stranded Locomotive, Uyuni


 
The Stranded Locomotive, Uyuni, Bolivia

by
Gyan C. A. Fernando


Whilst it looks an odd sight, if you understand the Bolivian mentality well enough it is not a strange sight at all!
On the bleak Bolivian Altiplano, at an elevation of  3700 m (12,139 ft), is the town of Uyuni. As far as Railway enthusiasts go, Uyuni is famous for the “Train Cemetery”.

Thursday 24 May 2012

The Train Cemetery

The Train Cemetery 

Resposar en Paz

Uyuni Railway Station, Bolivia

by
Gyan C. A. Fernando

On the Bolivian Altiplano, at an elevation of 3700 m (12,139 ft) is the town of Uyuni, an isolated community. It is however, a major railway hub.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Trans-Siberian Part Six: Ulanbaator and Beyond

A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey

Part Six: Ulaanbaatar and beyond 


by
Gyan C. A. Fernando


Ulaanbaatar
Massive statue of Genghis Khan
Massive statue of Genghis Khan


It is the 16th of August and we are now in Ulaanbaatar, the Capital of Mongolia. 

Trans-Siberian Part Five: On the Trans-Mongolian

A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey

Part Five: Trans-Mongolian
Logo on Trans-Mongolian
Logo on Trans-Mongolian

By
Gyan C. A. Fernando

After a sad farewell to Gala I get on the Trans-Mongolian. I suppose I have no choice because my visa runs out in 24hrs!
 All of us are in good spirits one way or the other.
I am to share a compartment with Austen and his wife Marilyn, and Maggie. I suppose it is bad luck on their part to draw me as their flat-mate!

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Trans-Siberian Part Four: Irkutsk and Baikal

A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey

Part Four: Irkutsk and Baikal

By
Gyan C. A. Fernando

We have arrived in Irkutsk after four nights on the train. It is 0700hrs exactly and five hours ahead of Moscow time. 
We are met by the lovely Gala our local guide.
Irkutsk Railway Station is rather ornate and impressive.

Trans-Siberian Part Three: Arrive at Irkutsk


A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey


Part Three: Beyond Novosibirsk

By
Gyan C. A. Fernando

Beyond Novosibirsk
Trans Siberian: Novosibirsk Station
Novosibirsk Station

Saturday 5 May 2012

Trans-Siberian Part Two


A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey


Part Two

By
Gyan C. A. Fernando

Still On The Road

The train travels rather smoothly and even at stops there is very little awkward movement. Helped by the Vodka, sleep is therefore easy.

Thursday 3 May 2012

A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey Part 1

A Trans-Siberian-Mongolian Journey

A long, long Railway Journey
Trans-Siberian logo on side of carriage

Part One
 
By
Gyan C. A. Fernando

Introduction

The Trans-Siberian Railway is considered the longest railway in the world. It was built between 1891 and 1916 to connect Moscow with the Far-Eastern city of Vladivostok. There are branch lines to China through Mongolia and Manchuria, with a service continuing to North Korea. All are functional railways serving the local population but there is some sort of a romance associated with it.

Monday 30 April 2012

Lanka Railway Digest

Lanka Railway digest is the first railfan magazine published in Sri Lanka containing historical and technical facts about Railways of Sri Lanka. LRD will be published every four months starting from April 2012.