Unloading a locomotive Hong Kong 1946

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

The former Imperial Japanese Army crane ship Seishu Maru unloads a US built 160 ton 2-8-0 for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency at Hong Kong in 1946. This class of locomotive was identical to the US Arny’s S-160 class Consolidations.

Seishu Maru was built to haul 10, 12 and 14 inch guns and their mountings from ships being scrapped under the Washington Naval Disarmament Treaty of 1922 to where new coast artillery batteries were being built. Very frugal of the Army and a great relief to the taxpayers. And the Army got more batteries for their money. Following this, she was used as a salvage vessel, then became a Prize of War for the US Navy, which employed her on good works throughout the Far East with a civilian Japanese crew.

2

Interesting! I’m assuming the locomotive’s being taken to some point on the Chinese mainland.

3

Neat picture.

I’ve never heard much about her past that she served as a dive base for a Japanese Navy salvage operation on HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse. Never knew the story behind her construction.

I wonder what her fate was.

4

Is this photo of how the locomotive was transported across the ocean, or just some kind of port movement from a deep water vessel that has too deep of a draft to be able to dock at piers or wharves in the port?