Five days with my friend   Laszlo from South Africa

1. Prologue...

My interest in South African railways goes back for more than 10 years now. I have always been fascinated by the mighty Garratt locomotives of the country and I could not resist to build my own. Nevertheless in HO size.
Last year, one day I received a letter from South Africa, a gentleman was looking for Japanese friends of steam locomotives and model railway. This is how our friendship began.
Laszlo Kozma is a Hungarian scientist who lives in one of the suburbs of Pretoria and does research and development of dental materials.
One of his hobbies is steam locomotives. And not only he but his two little sons are also train enthusiasts.
The opportunity to meet personally came quickly, an international conference was held in Yokohama at the end of October 1998. He attended this conference after which he visited my family in Obu-City. Originally the visit had been planned for a short time but I convinced him to stay longer in order to accomplish all the programs which I had put together. Then, he arrived on a late afternoon to Nagoya by a Shinkansen train and the long days and short nights began.

2. Laszlo's great affection for trains

He was not older than 3 or so and his grandfather had to take him to the nearby railway station to watch the trains for the whole afternoon. This love of trains has never changed though since the disappearance of the steam era it is directed more towards the models of the great locomotives and historical trains. He likes to spend his annual holiday at South Africa's Garden Route where there is still a regular steam train service. His interest is mainly the central European trains and of course, the South African as well.
He was very interested in Japanese locomotives and found only the description of our famous C 62 in his books. So I planned his visit to give as much exposure to the history of Japanese steam locomotives as possible...

3. Photo trip to steam trains of the Ooigawa Railway

Not much rest was given to my friend after his arrival. In the early morning of the following day, on the 7th November, we drove to the steam train of the Ooigawa Railway. Mr. Inoue and Mr.Miyazaki who are members of NMRC, joined us.
We headed to Kakegawa of the Tomei Highway road to our bad luck there was a traffic accident. So we missed the departure of the train but all was compensated with the bird's eye view of the first train from the top of Jizou Pass along Ooi River.
(We could take picture of not less than three round trip of steam trains. What a good day!!!) fortunately adding two temporary trains in the day. We shot the temporary C 10 train of 3 coach on our next spot, at the Ooi River Bridge we photographed a C 10 tank
locomotive with 3 old coaches. It was soon followed by a C 11 train departure from the Suruga- Tokuyama station. We hurried to Senzu station where we caught glimpse of a C 56 tender locomotive at the head of a train of the Ikawa line in the Senzu yard.
Having seen all the possible steam trains, we visited the head office of Ooigawa Railway Company in Shin-Kanaya and we met Mr. Shirai (now, he is an adviser of Dai-Tetsu Technology service) and executive director Mr. Shimizu. How could a day like this be rounded up better than with an "eel dinner" in the fine restaurant nearby Hamamatsu station. First impressions are important...

4. Steam locomotives in the Meiji-Mura Museum

The next day, on the 8th Nov, we visited the Meiji-Mura Museum with our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Miyazaki. Again luck and weather were on our side and the No.12 steam locomotive of the old Bisai Railway was running this day. This locomotive was manufactured by Sharp Stewart in England(1871). A sister of this locomotive, No.5, was the first to run the Shinbashi- Yokohama line thereby ushering in the steam era to Japan. It was amusing to see how the screw type coupler was released and connected and the manual change of direction of the turntable was great fun. We saw Japan's first locomotive from the old Bisai Railway manufactured by Brucks (USA), a steam car of wooden chassis and the old imperial coach produced by the Shimbashi Railway Factory.
For the evening we were invited by Mr. and Mrs. Miyazaki into their home.
Laszlo was given a present, an N-gauge model of the locomotive C 50. With this event his new collection, that of Japanese locomotives began.

5. Model railway shop in Nagoya.

In order not to feel alone in distant South Africa we had to find companions to the C 50. The following day, on the 9th Nov, with the company and full support of my wife Yasuko we left by subway to Nagoya to visit the town, the castle, the book-store and guess what, yes, the model railway shop. (I must solemnly declare that I am not responsible for this new hobby of his. Or not entirely.)
The evening which was his last with us in Obu began in a fine restaurant and was followed by a concert of the Canadian Brass Ensemble in Obu City Hall.
Our guest was very much impressed by the cosmopolitan Obu.
Then the hardship of packing ...

6. Start from the Umekouji engine shed, Kyoto

The last day with Laszlo was planned for Kyoto by Shinkansen train. Mr. Inoue gave us company to this excursion. Umekouji Needless to say our first program was to visit the Umekouji Museum of Steam Locomotives. All the famous locomotives which Laszlo had read about were in front of him in the beautiful autumn sunshine. He was so excited! Even a D 51 was found steaming out of the station !
In the afternoon we took Laszlo to the Ginkaku-ji temple, as a rehearsal of his walking of Kyoto alone. We admired the structure of "Muromachi" era and Japanese rock garden with early red leaves. We had the farewell party to in one of the restaurants at Kyoto station hoping to meet us again in the future.
"Kam-pai".

7. Epilogue ....

Somewhat I was anxious to let him to discover Kyoto on his own the next day, because he could hardly speak more Japanese than "Kam-pai". I phoned therefore the evening the Japanese type inn where he stayed in Kyoto. I was very much relieved to hear that he was not lost but reading my translation of the digest version of the "TMS NMRC Special". He was guided by the inn-keeper in Kyoto, who happened to be.... a steam train enthusiast.
My previous knowledge about South Africa was hardly more than the Garratt locomotives. When I see the book with beautiful color photographs and the videotapes of steam locomotives of South Africa which Laszlo brought with him. I feel one day I shall pay a visit to his country.
The five days of his visit passed so quickly and there is so much left to discuss. I am very happy that there is a friend of Japanese steam locomotives in South Africa so far in the Southern Hemisphere. I am so curious to see a small super express train "Sakura; Cherry " headed by a C 59 run on a layout in that distant country some day.
Finally, herewith I wish to express my gratitude to our friends, the Miyazakis and Mr. Inoue to take time to entertain my guest and myself..
This is the short story of a memorable and busy five days meeting a train friend from the other end of the world.
Laszlo, "Kam-pai !!"

The end