Burma, Thayetmyo Cement Works Railway
Burma, Thayetmyo Cement Works Railway
The 'Thayetmyo Cement Works' was established in 1936 as the 'Burma Cement Co Ltd' and owned by 'Steel Brothers & Co Ltd.'
When drilling for oil at Payaye in 1935 the 'Indo-Burma Petroleum Co', (another 'Steel Brothers & Co Ltd' owned company), discovered natural gas. The gas was carried in an 8 inch(20cm) pipe to a Cement Works constructed at Thayetmyo and used to fuel the kiln.
Limestone was extracted at three quarries in the Tondaung Hill some 3 miles(5km) from the works and taken by a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) to a central despatch station, here a gravity ropeway took the limestone downhill to a metre gauge(MG) railway which transported the limestone to the Thayetmyo Cement Works. The works opened in 1937 with an initial annual capacity of 35,000 tons, rising to 65,00 tons in 1942. [1].
References
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry MG01 page ....
