Myanmar - Death Railway at Than Byuzayat

Many people have heard of the Death Railway, built by Prisoners of War during the Japanese occupation during World War 2. And many people know of the railway at Kanchanburi and may even have ridden along this stretch of the line. But few people know that the line extended about 110 km into Burma (Myanmar) and went as far north as the Mon state, stopping at Than Byuzayat, which is 65 km south of Moulmein (Mawlamyine).

Whereas Thailand promotes the Death Railway as a historical tourist attraction, Burma doesn't. In fact few tourists go that far south as it is on the edge of the "off limits" area. Nothing has been done to preserve the site.

A locked gate stands isolated and you can just walk around it.

An old stream locomotive stands forlornly on the rail tracks. Unfortunately the brass name plates have disappeared so there is no indication of the name of the loco, but many of its parts were made in England - one section was made by Stone Engineers of London.

Stone engineers, London

 The back wheels of the loco have been set in concrete.

There are a couple of old models of people, presumably prisoners, which are decaying. As you look down the tracks, after a few meters they disappear into the undergrowth and you can see that the place is ignored completely.

Such a pity after all the terrible hardships and suffering that went into constructing this railway. Luckily the loco hasn't been vandalised for scrap metal.
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© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission