October - Intercity Railway Society

Friday 20 th May 2011: Hiroshima.
We took a local train to the port before boarding a fast ferry to Hiroshima. The tour there started with a
visit to the Peace Memorial Park and museum. This is the site of the A-Bomb Dome that was directly
below the bomb when it exploded, yet the shell remained. Looking at the city today and seeing the
photographs taken after the explosion it is very hard to accept that this was the same place. I had
been here before in 2007, yet I had to see it again.
there is also a local railway serving Matsuama
where one of its lines crosses the main road
here tram 78 waits for unit 3133 to cross
19 May 2011
A view of one of many Hiroshema
tram depots, 20 May 2011
Hiroshima also has the largest tram system in Japan. It has a centralised control system and a fleet of
over 300 cars. We used the trams to get to our hotel from the station. The station is fairly busy with
freights as well as local passenger services. The higher Shinkansen station cannot be seen from the
lower. Adjacent to the station was a shopping complex with a large book department where I found a
book, with CD that detailed numbers and classes for Japan Railways. Pity it was in Japanese. This will
give me something to do in the winter nights.
Cl.103 2502 Hiroshema, 20 May 2011 Cl.115 2018 Hiroshema, 20 May 2011
EF210 129 powers through Hiroshema
station with a container train bound
for the docks, 20 May 2011
unit 111 760 leading at Hiroshema station
20 May 2011
all photos by Ray Smith (to be cont)