Staatsspoorwegen (Java)

The liberal Dutch government of the era was then reluctant to build its own railway, preferring to give a free rein to private enterprises. However, private railways could not provide the expected return of investment (even NIS required some financial assistance from the government), and the Dutch Ministry of Colonies finally approved a state railway system, the Staatsspoorwegen (State Railway), extending from Buitenzorg (now Bogor) in the west, to Surabaya in the east. Construction began from both ends, the first line (from Surabaya) being opened on 16 May 1878, and both cities were connected by 1894, although through running was only possible from 1899 when a third rail was laid between Yogyakarta and Surakarta, prior to that the link being provided by NIS standard gauge services. Electrification of the main lines came early with the Batavia (Jakarta) to Buitenzorg (Bogor) route being electrified at 1500 VDC in 1925, but that was as far as it ever went.

More information can be found here: http://www.indonesia-dutchcolonialheritage.nl/Special%20Subjects/Railroads.html/1925GedBoek.pdf

The above link includes a few old pictures and maps of the system at various dates.

Locomotive data 1876-1912. Due to the size of the full list, this appears at the bottom of the page. Old pictures appear below this list.

A selection of old pictures from my collection related to the SS (Staatspoorwegen), Java State Railway.

Above: Djebres station in Surakarta was the NIS station in the east of the city. The tracks in the foreground will be for the tram line from Bojolalie, used by horses and later steam.

Below: ESS 3203 was built for the Buitenzorg to Batavia section when it was electrified.

Above: Works photograph of the F10 2-12-2T.

Below: Another electric locomotive plying the route between Batavia and Buitenzorg.

Above and below: SS 0-6-0T. Does not look like the Fox Walker or the Hartmann C15 class so probably the earlier Hartmann from 1892, works numbers 1798-1813. Plate looks like Hartmann. Picture notes state c1890 Malang-Blitar line.

Above: SS 604 Compound 4-4-0, later PJKA B5104, seen at Blitar c1919.

Below: SS 2-6-0T, C11.

Above: SS 2-6-0T, C11.

Below: SS 72 2-6-0T, later C1111.

Above: SS 2-6-0T, C11.

Below: SS 2-6-6-0T, CC10.

Above: SS 6 2-4-0T, Fox Walker 302/1876, class V.

Below: SS 74 2-6-0T, C1113.

Above & below: SS 173 2-6-0T, C12, scrapped in 1930s.

Above: SS 335 2-6-0T, later C1130.

Below: Tank locomotive at Buitenzorg (Bogor).

Above: SS 1002 4-6-2, later PJKA C5302, c1930.

Below: SS 1011 4-6-2, later C5311, at Tasikmalaya in 1938 with a train for Suerakarta.

Above: SS 1019 4-6-2, later C5319.

Below: SS 1203 Compound 2-8-8-0 Mallet built by Alco in 1916, later PJKA DD5003.

Above and below: SS 1326 4-6-4T, later PJKA C2826, at Buitenzorg (Bogor). Appears to be on two separate occasions and at different ends of the station.

Above: SS 1401 2-8-2T, later PJKA D1401.

Below: 2-6-0T, PJKA class C11 type.

Above: C11 type 2-6-0T posed on a bridge.

Below: SS 714 4-6-2 at Madiun is missing the rear driving wheels. It later became PJKA C5014.

Above: SS 1400 class works photograph.

Below: SS electric locomotive working between Buitenzorg (Bogor) and Batavia (Jakarta).

Above and below: Hartmann 1892 0-6-0T posed on a bridge on the Malang-Blitar line.

Above: Mallet crossing bridge in mountains.

Below: Mallet crossing bridge in mountains.

Above: Mallet tank crossing bridge in mountains.

Below: Mallet crossing bridge in mountains.

Above: C11-type 2-6-0T posed on bridge.

Below: Mallet, possibly 1200 class, crossing bridge.

Above: SS 32 0-6-0T was acquired from Solo Valleiwerken in 1895, having formerly been their SV 10. In 1912 it was renumbered to SS 510 and retired in the 1930s. Its classmates on the SS which survived WWII became PJKA C13 class.

Created 5th January 2016.

Updated 7th May 2017.
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Full locomotive data from 1876 including new builds after 1912.