2022/11/23
An old locomotive from Taiwan is about to depart, full of good wishes, on a journey to the international stage. After the Alishan Forest Railway established a sister railway agreement with the UK's Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway on September 27, 2017, thanks to the help of Michael Reilly, the representative from the Railway and former Head of the British Office Taipei, in which a series of exchanges were negotiated for implementation. Following an extensive period of preparation, today (November 23rd) the DL-34 locomotive flew over 9,971 kilometers to the UK. The locomotive has become an ambassador that conveys forest railway workers' century-old spirit of guardianship, thus strengthening the friendship between the two sister railways.
The Forestry Bureau of the Council of Agriculture (COA), Executive Yuan, held the "DL-34 Departure to Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Press Conference" today at the Alishan Forest Railway Garage Park in Chiayi. Following the "From 762 mm to 9971 km" theme, the DL-34 locomotive will set off to the tracks of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, which shares the same track gauge (762 mm) as Alishan's railways, to share the beautiful travel memories of the Alishan Forest Railway, as well as conducting exchanges on the cultural value of dynamically preserved railways in Taiwan. In the next three years, the little red locomotive will run through the Welsh highlands, conveying the uniqueness of Alishan to the British people, and inviting tourists from all over the world to come and discover the beauty of Taiwan.
Secretary General Michael Reilly, representative of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, personally attended the press conference in Taiwan. In addition, Director Te-Hui Yin of the British Office Taipei; Deputy Minister Chin-Cheng Huang of the COA; Deputy Consul General On Home Assignment Samuel Kuo of the Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Chief Engineer Hsin-Hsi Lu of the Railway Bureau, MOTC; Vice Director Rong-Chin Chen of the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau, MOTC; and Deputy Mayor Shu-Hui Chen of the Chiayi City Government, among other guests, witnessed the joint efforts by the Alishan Forest Railway and its sister railway the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway to establish the cross-border DL-34 collaboration, and bid farewell to the DL-34 locomotive before its trip to the UK.
Alishan Forest Railway's DL-34 diesel locomotive will serve as a goodwill ambassador for Taiwanese culture and tourism. During its three-year stay in the UK, the locomotive will also promote the beauty of the Alishan Forest Railway, garnering the attention of the railway fan communities of both countries. This international cooperation originated from the idea proposed by the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway in 2018 of leasing from Taiwan the diesel locomotives of the Alishan Forest Railway. After a visit to the UK by the Forestry Bureau, the possibility of further bilateral exchanges between Taiwan and the UK was discussed. Furthermore, during the Forestry Bureau International Railway Exchange Conference on July 5, 2019, the idea of leasing DL-34 diesel locomotives through the Taiwan-UK reciprocal cooperation was confirmed.
Both the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway and the Alishan Forest Railway use a narrow track gauge of 762 mm; they also both have sharp bends and steep slopes. Throughout their history, they have respectively changed from transporting agricultural products and timber to taking on passengers for sightseeing purposes. Although separated by thousands of miles, they have many things in common, much like twin sisters. This fact contributed to the start of this DL-34 diesel locomotive leasing project. Since the Alishan Forest Railway and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway became sister railways, they have continually promoted multiple exchanges on the principle of bilateral reciprocity, including the interconnection of information websites, exchange of travel promotional materials, passenger ticket reciprocity, and operational and technological assistance. Moreover, on-site visits, online marketing, and information sharing between both sister railways have further enhanced their friendship.
Director General Hwa-Ching Lin of the Forestry Bureau added that, on this occasion, it was the turn of Alishan Forest Railway's "DL-34" diesel locomotive to serve as Taiwan's "international exchange ambassador." Manufactured by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1972, this locomotive weighs 25 tons and has a maximum horsepower of 523. Thanks to its reliable performance, the locomotive has transported passengers and goods for many years; however, during its service period, its engine has been replaced. The locomotive may be old in age, but it's buoyant in spirit. This has allowed it to perform freight and shunting tasks of the Alishan Forest Railway to this day. Over the years, the Alishan Forest Railway has gradually transformed from being the main means of transportation for the development of Alishan forest plantations to becoming a scenic railroad and a significant cultural landscape that runs through the rich natural and cultural sites across Chiayi City/County.
The elegant red paintwork of the DL-34 will carry on the spirit and enthusiasm of Taiwan's Alishan Forest Railway during its time abroad with the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway. The cooperation agreement between the Alishan Forest Railway and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway has finally come true, creating opportunities for cultural and technological exchanges on narrow gauge railways, and marking a new chapter in the history of the Alishan Forest Railway for the next one hundred years. Through this in-depth cooperation, we not only look forward to gaining new perspectives, but also deepening the friendship bonds between Taiwan and the UK, putting Taiwan on the global stage.
The press conference also included the premier of the "762 mm Twin Gauge" short film, which was produced to commemorate this exchange between Taiwan and the UK. The short film first shows Secretary General Michael Reilly sharing his opinion and describing his experience working with Taiwan's Alishan Forest Railway. The short film follows the journey of the DL-34 locomotive from exiting the railroad yard to entering the depot for maintenance and being prepared by forest railway workers. The efforts made as preparation for the exchange and forest railway workers' wishes showcased in the short film demonstrated everyone's hopes for the journey of the DL-34. Once the short film ended, the DL-34 locomotive made its big entrance, and Director General Hwa-Ching Lin of the Forestry Bureau and Secretary General Michael Reilly of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway were both invited to the front of the locomotive to hang the nameplate symbolizing the cooperation between the two countries. They both stepped on the track ballast to wish the DL-34 a safe and successful trip to the UK. Lastly, accompanied by the whistle of the DL-34 diesel locomotive, all attendees cheered for the success of the press conference, signaling the beginning of this railway cooperation between Taiwan and the UK.
Secretary General Michael Reilly, representative of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, has come to Taiwan to conduct several exchanges. The Geographic Information Systems Research Center of Feng Chia University arranged for the dynamic and static inspection of the DL-34 and the one-hundred-year-old Alishan Shay Steam Locomotive No. 21 restoration technology exchange, among many other activities. Furthermore, the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway has also reached out to the Alishan Forest Railway and the Cultural Heritage Office to discuss the DL-34's international marketing plan. It is hoped that as the pandemic eases and countries open their borders, more British people and tourists will come to Taiwan to learn about Taiwan and the Alishan Forest Railway. With the help of Taiwan's DL-34 locomotive ambassador, it is hoped that we can form more friendships around the world and promote narrow-gauge sightseeing railway exchanges. Following the press conference, the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway entrusted Formosa Transportation to handle the customs declaration and transportation procedures for the DL-34 locomotive. It is expected that the DL-34 will depart from the Port of Taipei on November 30, 2022, in a vessel handled by Evergreen Marine Corp. The locomotive is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Liverpool on January 1, 2023, like a New Year's gift. European tourists are welcome to take Taiwan's DL-34 in the UK to experience the friendly charm of the Alishan Forest Railway's small red locomotive.