This blog follows overhaul of the steam locomotive number 5 "Sohvi" of the ex Hyvinkää - Karkkila railway (Tampella 289/1917) on the Jokioinen Museum Railway.

Dark blue new steam locomotive loaded on SVR's open goods wagon.
Colored builder's photo of the HKR 5 locomotive loaded on VR's wagon in Tampere.

Background and history of the locomotive

In 1917, the then Hyvinkää-Pyhäjärvi railway ordered the third and last new tank locomotive from Tampella. The sister locomotives of number 5, locomotives number 3 and 4, had already been delivered to the railway in 1911.

The locomotive was completed on 31.12. 1917, being the first locomotive to be completed in independent Finland. The locomotive was used to haul mixed and freight trains from 1918 until the closure of the track in 1968.

After the Hyvinkää-Karkkila railway was closed the locomotive was doanted in 1969 to the associtaion "Friends of Locomotives" and moved to Forssa. After a couple of years of renovation work, the locomotive started museum train traffic in Finland in August 1971. This year marks exactly 50 years of that event and the intention is that the refurbished locomotive will pull a train to celebrate 50 years of Finnish museum train traffic in the early summer of 2021.

Reparation targets

The aim of the locomotive repair work is to repair the locomotive's leaking water tanks, restore the locomotive's firewood bunker to its original appearance, paint the locomotive in its original color and service and repair the locomotive's steam engine.

Support locomotive renovation

If you want to help Sohvi to get new water tanks, so that Sohvi can pull museum trains again in the summer, you have the opportunity to donate money for Sohvi's renovation. Even a small donation will help and bring the renovation project closer to completion.

You can access the donation page from the link below:

Help Sohvi to get new water tanks


This is a blog about the complete overhaul and renovation of the JR4 steam locomotive (Tubize 2365/1947) and it boiler at Jokioinen Museum Railway.

A green steam locomotive running backwords and pulling a passanger train.
JR4 is hauling a train in Jokioinen. Photo: Teemu Virtanen.

History

On the second half of the 1940's the Jokioinen Railway ordered two new steam locomotives from Belgium to replace the Henschel steam locomotive it lost as a war payment to Soviet Union.

These Tubize locomotives were used at the Jokioinen Railway to haul heavy goods trains until 1969s and until 1951 to pull also the passenger trains. In the 1960 the Jokioinen Railway bought from the Loviisa-Vesijärvi railway three and from the Hyvinkää-Karkkila Railway one Move 21 diesel locomotives. After that the steam locomotives were only used rarely as spare locomotives to replace broken diesel locomotives and winter time to push the snowplow of the railway.

Tubize JR was the first of the two locomotives and also the one in operation until closure of the railway. It was the locomotive to haul the very last goods train of the railway on 29.3.1974. This same locomotive has also been the most important steam locomotive of Jokioinen Museum railway and has been running much more than any other steam locomotive on the railway.

Restoration targets

The aim of the restoration started back in 2012 is to return the locomotive to a technical and operational condition it was when first built. The boiler will be fully renovated, new smoke box will be fabricated, the running gear fully renovated and the locomotive fully painted.


Here we go through the project to get a new building for the Humppila railway station. The aim is to follow the project untill the building is fully renovated and opened for public later in 2019.

The new Humppila station building was previously Riippa station in Northern Finland.
The new Humppila station building was previously Riippa station in Northern Finland.

This is a blog about extending the main line track of the Jokioinen Museum Railway from the the current terminus at Jokioinen to a location where the track used to be in the 1970s by the river Loimijoki. Most of the right away is still there and about half of the distance the original rails are still there under the trees and bushes although the railway sleepers are quite rotten as the last trains ran in the mid 1970's!

A black steam locomotive is approaching a level crossing.
Testing the first stretch of the rebuilt track. Photo: Jussi Tepponen.

After the extension is completed the new terminus of the line will be next to Loimijoki river just in the middle of historical Jokioinen Manor and very close to downtown Jokioinen. The location of the new station will be very beautiful next to a river. There are remnants of the 1898 built and in 1981 dismantled railway viaduct next to the station. There is much shorter walking distance to agricultural park Elonkierto, the Jokioinen Manor park and the restaurant Ometta from the new Jokioinen station.


This is a blog about restoration of the Hyvinkää-Karkkila Railway passenger coach number 2 at the Jokioinen Museum Railway.

A builders photo of the HKR2 coach at Sandviken Ship Yard at Helsinki.
The coach ath the builders photo at Sandvikens Ship Yard in Helsinki in 1911.

History

In 1911 two combined second and third class passenger coaches were delivered for Hyvinkään-Pyhäjärven Railway (later Hyvinkää-Karkkila Railway). The coaches were built by the Sandvikens Ship Yard & Mechanic Shops in Helsinki. The coaches got number 2 and 3. The coach undergoing restoration at the Jokioinen Museum Railway is the coach number 2.

The Hyvinkää-Karkkila Railway closed down in 1967. After that the coach was preserved outdoors as a part of a preserved train at the Karkkila buss station. The coach was standing there together with the HKR3 steam locomotive, guards van n:o 5 and the goods wagon G19 until year 1993. After spending 25 years under rain, snow and sunlight (and the local youngsters with their markers) had left their marks on the coach. In the spring 1993 the whole train was moved to Jokioinen Museum railway. After that the steam locomotive of the train has been returned to Karkkila after a cosmetic restoration.

Objectives

Started in 2003, the coach restoration work is to restore the coach as closely as possible to its original condition. Although the coach had been changed over the years, it has, however, retained the original damper upholstery and window division. Inside underneath the plywood the original paneling was saved. Also the structures of old roof were partly tucked inside the new roof.


This is a blog about restoration of two Kuusankoski-Voikkaa railway passenger coaches at the Jokioinen Museum Railway. The coaches should be in operation at the Jokioinen Museum railway in summer 2010.

A green wooden passanger coach.
The coach number 14 after renovation at Minkiö station. Photo: Jussi Tepponen

The Jokioinen Museum Railway rail car More is an important piece of equipment to maintain the railway. It is used as well for the track inspections, to search volunteers from the Humppila VR train station and to drive workers and equipment for the track work locations.

A blue speeder running on a narrow gauge track.
More at Kirkkotie halt in its 1980's blue livery. Photo: Jorma Attila.

The railcar has been originally built by Wihuri Oy:n Teijon Factories in the 1950's and it was used until 1970's by the State Railways track department. The rail car has been rebuilt for narrow gauge in 1980's in Riihimäki at the shops of Mr Pertti Ersalo. More is powered by air cooled Volkswagen gasoline engine, which all the people are familiar with as a motor of the legendary VW Beetle.

The railcar is currently going through a technical overhaul, in which it has already received a newly rebuilt VW engine and all the electric system has been rebuilt for 12 volt system. Also a lot of painting and replacing of sheet metal has been done.


This is a blog anout renovation and rebuilding of a broad gauge Matisa Tamper to a narrow gauge tamper. Tamper is used at the track work to tamp the gravel under the railway sleeprs to make a solid track that does not move under the weight of a train.

Before using tamper machines tamping was done by hand either by shovel or a tamping pickaxe.


The new Minkiö workshop completed in 2002 was one of the larges and most important projects in the history of the Jokioinen Museum Railway. The workshop made it possible to maintain and restore rolling stock all year around. This is very important as in summer most of the effort is placed in operation of the railway and in maintenance of the track and buildings.

A yellow stone building with brown roof.
New Minkiö workshop building. Photo: Teemu Virtanen.

The workshop includes also good kitchen, accommodation and washing facilities for the volunteer workforce of the Museum Railway Association.


This is a blog about other projects at th Jokioinen Museum Railway.