SRT Northern Line: Paknam Pho Station and Yard.

Recently I embarked on an all day rail photographing trip to Paknam Pho on the Northern line. This is the 1st time I had photographed a rural railway location on the Northern line.

A little Background on the Northern Line and Paknam Pho.

The Northern line links Bangkok with Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. The section between Bangkok and Ayutthaya was opened in 1897 some 5 years after the Paknam commuter line in Bangkok. Thus the Northern line is Thailand’s 2nd oldest railway not the oldest as many people like to note. The reason for confusion is that the construction works on the Bangkok to Ayutthaya section of the line commenced before the works for the Paknam line started.

When the northern line was 1st built it was a 1435mm gauge line. In the 1920’s it was regauged to the South East Asian standard of 1000mm gauge. By 1922 the Northern line finally reached Chiang Mai where the lines terminus remains to this day. The section of the northern line between Sila At and Lam Phun is very steeply graded and passes through very mountainous areas. This section of the line has large sections of low line speed and very tight almost tramway grade curves that can force the train to a 15 kph crawl at times.

The section of the Northern line between Bangkok and Paknam Pho was completed by 1905. Paknam Pho is located 250.56km from Bangkok. For many years it was an important transshipment location for river borne trade from the northern part of Thailand. The cargo pier is located 3.5km west of Paknam Pho station. However today this line is no longer in use and most of the cargo now goes by road or is transshipped at a container rail yard elsewhere.

Paknam Pho consists of a 4 track yard and a 3 track passing loop. Due to the layout of the station the passenger platforms are located in the 4 track yard where no passenger trains stop. This means there are no platforms at Paknam Pho as all passenger trains stop on the loop tracks where you must board from the ground level. Passengers normally wait under the elevated signal box next to the Paknam Pho Loop.

South west of the station and loop is a small railway workshop that dates back to the lines opening in 1905. The workshop only provides light repairs for locos and cargo wagons as its facilities are rather basic. In front of the workshop is a small hand operated turntable. It appears that the turntable is still in working order but very rarely used.

The staff who work at Paknam Pho are very friendly and will show you around the small work shop and also let you know when any trains due to pass through the station. It is typical rural Thailand railway location with warm and friendly staff and locals.

Passenger Train Timetable at Paknam Pho:

To Bangkok: 06.50, 08.32, 12.44, 16.46 and 21.57.

From Bangkok: 11.34, 15.10, 18.08, 22.39, 00.08 and 02.39.

Due to the North East – South West layout of the station that coupled with high levels of locally produced haze made for very challenging photographing conditions when looking west.

Bangkok Hualamphong at 7.00am.

1. This is a shot of SRT loco 4108 waiting to depart from Hualamphong station with Rapid 111 to Denchai. Loco Type Alstrom. Taken looking south along the platform.



2. This is another angle on SRT loco number 4108 as it waits at Hualamphong Station. Taken from the middle of the tracks looking south.



3. This is a shot of the 2nd class non aircon seats on Rapid 111. This train has only 20 2nd class non aircon seats the other 8 carriages are 3rd class non aircon seats. As this is the 1st day train on the northern line ex Bangkok its best to book a week ahead if you want these seats.



Noen Makok Loop (224.81km) at 11.36am. (The train is 40 minutes late.)

4. This is an image of a southbound Hitachi DMU coming to a halt in the 2nd road of Noen Makok Loop. Taken looking north from the doors of the North bound rapid train.



5. This is a shot of SRT DMU unit 2527 taken as it overtakes the rapid train and crosses the Hitachi DMU at Noen Makok Loop. This is known as a “triple cross”. DMU type Daewoo.



6. This is a shot of the Daewoo DMU 2527 ripping past the Hitachi DMU at Noen Makok Loop. Taken from the Rapid Train looking north.



7. This is a short video of the Hitachi DMU as it powers up to depart from Noen Makok Loop as it makes its way to Bangkok on an inbound intercity train. Note the sound of the horn and engine. Also this is a 5 car set with one aircon carriage.



Paknam Pho Station and Yard (250.56 km) at 12.16pm until 4.59pm.

8. This is an image of a Cement train taken as it was passing through Paknam Pho station and loop. Taken looking west towards Bangkok. Note the cement wagons on this train are bottom discharge.



9. This is a shot of the elevated signal control box at Paknam Pho station. Below the signal box is where you wait for the passenger trains. There is no platform at Paknam Pho. At some point in the past it appears the points and signals where mechanically linked to this box.



10. This is a shot of the signal control panel inside the elevated signal box at Paknam Pho station. The line is single track north and south of the station and the layout of the yard can be clearly seen on this board. The black lines are un-signaled tracks next to the old platforms.



11. This is an inside image of the elevated signal control box at Paknam Pho. This room is rather basic with no aircon for the staff but it wasn’t too hot on the day I was there.



12. This is a general view of the former passenger platforms at Paknam Pho. These platforms and station building are cut off from the main lines. Therefore it is only a place to purchase your tickets before you cross all of the yard tracks and main lines before waiting trackside under the signal box.



13. This is another general view of the yard and tracks at Paknam Pho. Taken looking north east. On the left are the old passenger platforms to the right is the signal box.



14. This is an image of a 4 wheel brake van stored in one of the yard roads at Paknam Pho. These older 4 wheel brake vans rarely see much action these days due to the better performing bogie brake vans used on most cargo trains.



15. This is an inside shot of the 4 wheel brake van. It hasn’t seen use for many years judging by the state of the inside.



14. This is a general view of the yard and workshop area to the west of the station. The loco in the middle of the image is used for shunting duties at Paknam Pho.



15. This is a shot of SRT loco number 4223. Taken looking north east from within the workshop yard at Paknam Pho. Loco type Alstrom. This loco is used for shunting of cargo trains.



16. This is another angle on SRT loco 4223 at Paknam Pho yard. Note this loco seems to leak large amounts of black oil onto the ground where it is stored when not in use.



17. This is a general view of the old railway workshop at Paknam Pho taken looking west. In the foreground the turntable can be seen. At some point in the past 4 locos would have been stored inside the shed.



18. This is a close up shot of the turntable at Paknam Pho. During the rainy season the pit area of the turntable fills up with water. This turntable is hand operated normally by two staff members. But it is rarely used today.



19. This is an inside shot of the old workshop at Paknam Pho. It seems to be used mostly to store train wheels and oil drums plus a range of tools.



20. This is another angle of the inside of the old workshop. The oil drums can be seen taking up a large part of the workshop.



21. This is a shot of the tools and wheels inside the workshop. Behind the wooden slat wall is a tool shop where parts can be fabricated for the workshop.



22. This is an image looking north east from next to the turntable in the workshop. Two preserved railway steam cranes can be seen. In the foreground is part of a steam train cab that is used for a lunch area.



23. This is a close up shot of one of the old steam cranes next to the workshop at Paknam Pho. This steam crane was manufactured by Thomas Smith & Sons of Rooley Leeds in the UK. The age is unknown or when it was imported to Thailand.



24. This is a close upshot of the larger old steam crane next to the workshop at Paknam Pho. This steam crane was manufactured by the same company as the smaller one. The company that manufactured them in the UK probably closed down decades ago. It is rumored that SRT preserved a lot of this old steam age equipment in the event that world oil supplies ran out.



25. This is an image of a pair of covered bogie cargo vans stored in the Paknam Pho yard. These appear to be in good working order and a recent paint job.



26. This is an image of an older style Bogie Crude oil tank wagon. Stored in the Paknam Pho Yard. There is only one of these in yard it may have had some problems and was dumped in the yard.



27. This is a shot of a very old 4 wheel box car wagon. It appears it used to carry animals as it is well ventilated at the top.



28. This is a shot of another old 4 wheel covered van and low side flat wagons stored in the Paknam Pho Yard. These date back to when SRT was called RSR “Royal Siam Railways”



29. This is an image of Loco 4223 on its way to shunt some old wagons in the Paknam Pho yard. Taken looking north east.



30. This is a shot of Loco 4223 with a rake of old wagons as it prepares to move them to another part of the yard. The staff member walking behind the wagons helps to couple and uncouple them.



31. This is a shot of SRT loco 4229 on an inbound Bangkok intercity train. Taken as it was pulling up to pick up passengers at Paknam Pho station. Loco Type Alstrom.



32. This is a shot of SRT loco 4129 on an outbound Crude oil cargo train. Taken from the elevated signal box at Paknam Pho as it came to a stop. Loco type Alstrom.



33. This is another angle on SRT loco 4129 waiting to depart from Paknam Pho on its way up north with a load of Crude oil. Taken from the elevated Signal Box.



34. This is a short movie of the departure of SRT loco 4129 with a rake of Crude oil wagons from Paknam Pho. Filmed from the elevated signal box. Note the sounds of the loco as it powers up. Also the Brake Van can be seen.



35. This is a shot of the passenger train timetable above the ticket office window at Paknam Pho station. Oddly it appears the 16.46 Special Express DMU is not listed.



36. This is a shot of the ticket window at Paknam Pho station. Note the case of “Engrish” on the sign above the window. It’s meant to say “Please request a receipt for ticket refunds”



37. This is a shot of SRT loco 4146 taken as it was passing though Paknam Pho with a load of Crude oil tanks. This Alstrom loco is in very good condition it appears it’s been overhauled and repainted recently.



38. This is a shot of SRT BBV 50006 taken as it was passing by on a Crude oil train. This style of brake van has replaced most of the 4 wheel brake vans on SRTs cargo trains.



39. This is a close up of a platform sign at Paknam Pho. This sign indicates the distance to the next station up and down the line.



40. This is an image of an SRT DMU passing though at high speed on a Sawan Khalok Special express train. This DMU is imported from the UK and is a UK class 158. However they have really crappy aircon and appear to be only used on this Sawan Khalok service. Due to the light axle load needed for that line.



41. This is a shot of SRT loco 4131 on an outbound passenger train as it made a stop at Paknam Pho. This station is mostly used by SRT workers and a small number of locals. Loco type Alstrom.



42. This is a shot of a crude oil cargo train on its approach to Paknam Pho station. Taken as it rounds the curve at the north eastern end of the station and loop.



43. This is an image of SRT loco 4202 as it was put away in the yard at Paknam Pho with a rake of crude oil tank wagons. The train is about 600 meters long.



44. This is a short movie of a SRT staff member uncoupling the middle wagons of the Oil tank cargo train at Paknam Pho. They do this to allow pedestrian access across the middle of the yard. Otherwise people would have to walk around the cargo train or climb over or under it to access the station buildings.



45. This is a shot of SRT DMU 1118 Taken as it was approaching Paknam Pho. DMU type Hitachi. This service is a rural commuter train stopping at all stations between Phitsanulok and Lopburi.



46. This is a movie of the Hitachi DMU as it departs from Paknam Pho Station and makes it way to Lopburi. Note the lack of a platform for passengers and the sounds of the DMU. The white line on the video is from really bad reflections off the top of the train. Also a general view of the rail yard can be seen.



47. This is a shot of a Daewoo DMU taken as it approached Paknam Pho to take me back to Bangkok. This train is not listed on the platform timetable at Paknam Pho and I was the only person boarding it. SRT DMU number 2543. This DMU has reasonable air conditioning. It is also the fastest train in all of Thailand with a top speed of 120kph.



48. This is an inside shot of the Daewoo DMU taken looking towards the drivers cab. For an SRT train this unit was in good condition and had working aircon unlike my last trip on this type of DMU.



49. This is an image of the tickets used for this photographing trip. The 1st ticket was 2nd class non aircon seats and the 2nd ticket is for 2nd class aircon seats. The total cost was 552 baht.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.

The Buses of Pathum Thani.

After visiting Rangsit I paid a visit to the semi rural city of Pathum Thani to document their local mass transport and bus system. Before I headed back to Rama 2 via Kanchanaphisek Road. Pathum Thani is approximately 50 km from Bangkok

A little background on Pathum Thani.

Pathum Thani is the administration centre for the city of Pathum Thani that includes the much larger Rangsit area. The offices and the seat of local government are located in this some what more rural town of Pathum Thani..

In the past Pathum Thani was an important river trade town with a large network of transport grade khlongs covering the entire surrounding area. These khlongs used to transport people and cargo to the Chao Phraya River and Pathum Thani. However today the river trade in Pathum Thani has mostly died out and been replaced with trucks and buses. Over the last 30 years the amount of farming activities in the Pathum Thani area has been slowly reducing as the land is turned over to residential condo complexes and industrial estates.

Pathum Thani today still is a trading centre for the local region with a large riverside wet market but it is mostly retail and local trade. A major wholesale wet market is located north of Rangsit. Over the last 30 years as Rangsit’s size and importance has grown, Pathum Thani has been in decline. However this is a blessing as it gives Pathum Thani a rural feel despite how close it is to the urban area of Bangkok.

Like Rangsit the bus system in Pathum Thani is broken up into 3 sections with no central terminal. However as Pathum Thani is much smaller it is much easier to find your bus. Behind the shop houses on the main road is a small bus terminal and food market. A few bus routes depart from this terminal. Just like in Rangsit there is zero passenger information at the bus stops and terminal as to which bus to take.

1. This is a video of the departure of a Route 1138 aircon bus from Rangsit metro bus terminal on a trip to Pathum Thani town. Note: how the bus departs with the doors open as the bus exits the terminal and then picks up a few people on the exit road before heading onto the main road.



2. This is a shot of a Route 960: Bangkok – Sena – Phak Hai bus. Bus number 960 – 21. Bus type unknown. Appears to be a refurbished metro bus. Taken as it was doing a U turn at Pathum Thani.



3. This is a shot of a Route 1111 bus. Bus number 1111 – 24. Bus type unknown. As I didn’t get a shot of the front of this bus I don’t know the destination. Taken as it was passing the Pathum Thani wet market.



4. This is a general view of the Pathum Thani wet market and bus area. Taken looking north.



5. This is an image of a motorbike Taxi stand just across the road from the Pathum Thani Market. These motor bikes provide a door to door service for between 5 and 40 baht a trip depending on the distance.



6. This is a shot of a Route 646: Nonthaburi – Pathum Thani - Ban Pan bus. Bus number 646 – 44. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was doing a U Turn in front of Pathum Thani market.



7. This is a shot of a Route 1005: Pathum Thani – Sam Khok truck – bus. Truck number 1005 – 28. Truck type unknown. Taken as it was heading for the food market bus terminal.



8. This is a shot of a Route 1147: Pathum Thani – Pu Pho truck – bus. Truck number 1147 – 7. Truck type Isuzu. Taken as it was doing a U turn at Pathum Thani market.



9. This is an image of the Samlor stand outside Pathum Thani market. These provide a slower but greener way for getting form the bus stop to your door. They cost between 10 and 50 baht a trip depending on the distance. These more popular with older Thais.



10. This is a shot of a Route 367: Nonthaburi – Pathum Thani - Rangsit bus. Bus number 367 – 3. Bus type Higer KLQ 6608C. Taken as it was passing through the Pathum Thani bus terminal.



11. This is an image of a Route 188: Pathum Thani – Bang Len bus. Bus number 188 – 29. Bus type unknown. Taken after it had U turned and was passing the row of banks in Pathum Thani town. Note how the doors are always open even when operating.



12. This is an image of a Route 1138: Rangsit – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 1138 – 38. Bus type unknown. Note this service operates every 5 mins off peak. This is an all aircon bus route.



13. This is another image of a Route 188 bus. Bus number 188 – 39. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was passing through Pathum Thani market on its way to the food market bus terminal.



14. This is a shot of a Route 33: Sanam Luang – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 33 – 9. Bus type unknown. Note this route is over 2 hours long and operates from 4am to 12am 7 days a week.



15. This is a shot of a Route 337: Pathum Thani – Bang Yai – Ngam Wong Wan bus. Bus number 337 – 4. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was approaching the Pathum Thani bus terminal.



16. This is a general view of the Route 359 bus terminal outside Wat Chang just south of Pathum Thani Market. This route does not operate via the main road in front of the market.



17. This is a shot of a Route 359: Pathum Thani – Pak Kret bus. Bus number 359 – 15. Bus type Merc. Taken as it was exiting the bus holding area at Pathum Thani.



18. This is a shot of the driver’s seat inside one of the Route 359 buses. Note how much more basic the driver’s area on this bus is compared to the aircon buses.



19. This is an inside shot of the same Route 359 bus. Note how the rear door is missing. On these buses never sit in the back row if you want a comfortable ride. As you tend to get bounced of the seat at every khlong bridge.



20. This is an image of the Pathum Thani cross river ferry. I was going to use it but it had run out of fuel and the staff where refilling it from black fuel containers and it was taking far too long.



21. This is a shot of the Pathum Thani cross river ferry pier. This pier allows direct access to the Pathum Thani market from the Route 90 bus on the other side. It costs 5 baht per trip. This is 2 baht more than most other cross river ferries.



22. This is a shot of a Route 1005 truck bus. Truck number 1005 – 30. Truck type Isuzu. Taken as it was waiting for passengers at the rear Pathum Thani bus terminal. Inside the terminal is a food market.



23. This is a shot of a Route 6045: Pathum Thani – Wat Chedi Thong truck bus. Truck number 6045 – 5. Truck type Toyota Mighty X. Taken as it was waiting for passengers at the rear Pathum Thani Bus terminal.



24. This is a shot of a Route 33 bus waiting at the rear Pathum Thani bus terminal. Bus number 33 – 46. Bus type Unknown. Note this bus was in rather poor condition as it was about to start its 2 hour plus long trip to Sanam Luang in the inner city of Bangkok.



25. This is an image of a Route 359 bus as it was passing through the rear Pathum Thani bus terminal. Bus number 359 – 3. Bus type Merc. Note this bus has no closeable doors.



26. This is an image of the Route 337 bus I used to head back to Rama 2. Bus number 337 – 7. Taken as it waited at Pathum Thani bus terminal. For its age this bus was in very good condition.



27. This is an inside shot of the seating on bus number 337 – 7. As it was a Saturday this bus did not attract a huge load for its semi rural trip to Bang Yai.



28. This is another inside shot of bus number 337 – 7. Taken looking towards the front after it had departed from Pathum Thani on its way to Bang Yai.



29. This is a short movie of a ride on the semi rural Bus route 337. Note the short stop to let down passengers and the low numbers of passengers on this bus. Also a mixture of farms and factories can be seen along the route. Not long after this was filmed a group of 15 people got on the bus at a factory.



30. This is a short movie of a ride on Route 337 as it enters Kanchanaphisek road in Pathum Thani. The bus had just let off a number of the factory workers on the onramp. Note how the doors are always left open on this bus. The doors have to be manually closed and thus are left open. Kanchanaphisek road in this section is only 4 lanes wide but in Thonburi its 14 lanes wide.



This section of Photographs was taken after getting off bus route 337 at Bang Yai. This area is home to number of large shopping centres on Kanchanaphisek road. Also there is large night market about 1 km south of Bang Yai. That night market may replace the tourist night market at Lumpini if the land is taken over for development.

31. This is an image of a Route 1024: Nonthaburi – Bang Yai bus. Bus number 1024 – 2. Bus type Merc. Taken as it was approaching the bus stop at Bang Yai. This service appears to use the Rama 5 bridge.



32. This is a shot of a Route 127: Bang Bua Thong – Arun Amarin Bridge bus. Bus number 127 – 1. Bus type Unknown. Taken as it was approaching the bus stop at Bang Yai.



33. This is a shot of a Route 388: Salaya – Pak Kret bus. Bus number 3rd class 388 – 4. Bus type Hino. Taken as it was approaching the bus stop at Bang Yai.



34. This is a shot of a Route 680: Rangsit – Bang Yai bus. Bus number 680 – 15. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was approaching the bus stop at Bang Yai.



35. This is a shot of one of many van services that operate in the Bang Yai area. This Van is heading to Ngam Wong Wan. These vans depart from a shophouse about 200 meters north of the main bus stop at Bang Yai.



36. This is an image of a Route 177: Victory Monument – Bang Bua Thong (Loop service) Bus number 177 – 10. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was approaching the bus stop at Bang Yai.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.

The Rangsit Metro Bus Terminal and Bus Depot.

Last weekend while in Rangsit photographing the buses of the area I stumbled across the BMTA Rangsit bus depot and the Rangsit Metro bus terminal.

The Rangsit BMTA bus depot is located behind the shophouses on Rangsit – Pathum Thani road. This depot holds most of the BMTA buses for the BMTA bus routes to and from Bangkok. The depot is mostly just a bus storage area with a small open area for bus repair plus a major refueling point for both NGV and Diesel buses. The refueling point is provided at cost by PTT a state owned oil and gas company.

Also located behind the shophouses but off another soi further from the SRT railway line but on the same road is the Bus terminal and Depot for the Pathum Thani Bus Company. Unlike the BMTA depot passengers often board buses inside the depot area. The bus services that operate from the Pathum Thani Bus terminal are mostly semi rural and urban commuter bus routes. Some are very frequent others just a few times an hour. All routes operate 7 days a week.

Near the BMTA Rangsit bus depot is a small holding area and terminal for the Thanyaburi bus company’s services. But it appears the majority of its buses are stored elsewhere. Its terminal area doubles as a morning wet market for central Rangsit area.

In regards to finding these bus terminals as a new passenger will it would be hard as they are not marked and hidden from view behind a row of 4 story shophouses. A small improvement would be to have signs on the main road indicating there location.

These bus terminals are very basic with no waiting area for passengers or shelters. They are basically just a large but rough concrete area on which the buses wait. At these terminals passengers wait on the buses until the driver comes as the buses are never closed up while driver is having a quick break.

This 1st section of images was taken inside the refueling area of the BMTA Rangsit bus depot. Passengers don’t normally board buses inside the depot but outside on the main road.

1. This is a shot of a now discontinued Route 3: Rangsit – Pink Lao – Southern Bus terminal Bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 2005. Bus type MAN. These buses are over 10 years old but no longer in use. The reason for there lack of use is unknown. But it appears they have been parked like this for years.



2. This is a general view shot of the new BMTA expressway vans with a number of now abandoned MAN aircon buses. It seems that MAN buses have not been successful in Thailand as these are the only MAN metro buses that I have come across.



3. This is a shot of another MAN Route 3 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 2018. Bus type MAN. It seems BMTA doesn’t really care about what happens to these buses as the doors are left open to the weather. Normally BMTA sells off its unwanted buses to private bus companies.



4. This is an inside shot of a Merc O405 metro bus. Taken facing the rear of the bus. Note the strange seating layout at the rear with longitudinal seating. This is only Thai metro bus to have this layout.



5. This is another inside shot of the same Merc O405 metro bus. This time taken facing the front of the bus. These buses have the only entry door in the middle of the bus. Thus have a really nice spot to sit right next to the driver at the front.



6. This is an inside shot of a Hino aircon metro bus. Note the seating layout of this bus. The front part of the bus is 1 + 1 seating to increase standing capacity. A bus like this can pack in around 100 people.



7. This is a shot of the driver’s seat on the same Hino bus. Note the better condition of this driver’s seat when compared to the non aircon buses.



8. This is an image of a few Merc O405 metro buses parked next to the PTT refueling point. These buses where used exclusively on Route 503. All of these buses where built as CNG units. Note: the middle one appears to be no longer in service.



9. This is a general view of the Rangsit bus depot. This section appears to be mostly used to store aircon buses and buses that are no longer required. A larger bus holding area is located south of the refueling point.



10. This is a shot of a Route 522: Rangsit – Victory Monument expressway bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66320. Bus type Merc O405. There are also Hino and Daewoo buses with the same local made body. They where all constructed around the same time most likely in the same bus body factory.



11. This is an image of the driver’s seat on the Merc O405. The 3 different versions of these aircon buses all have different dashboards and driver’s seat area layouts.



12. This is an image of a Route 503: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number 1 – 1003. Bus type Merc O405. Taken while it was being refueled with CNG.




13. This is an image of a couple of no longer in service metro buses. The bus that is strangely stuck up in the air is the Daewoo version of these orange aircon metro buses. The white Merc O405 bus appears to be out of service and used to operate on Route 559: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport via Kanchanaphisek road. This route no longer operates.



This next section of photographs was taken next to the Rangsit central wet market. The car park area of the market is also used by the Thanayaburi bus company as a bus terminal.

14. This is a shot of a couple of Route 1156: Rangsit - Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology buses. Seen waiting for passengers at Rangsit wet market terminal. The 1st bus is a Higer the 2nd bus is a Merc.



15. This is an image of the driver’s seat area on the Higer metro bus. Bus number 1156 – 9. The driver’s seat area on this bus is more modern than on most other Thai metro buses. Plus the Speedo probably still works unlike on most of BMTA and many other companies buses.



16. This is an image of the passenger seating on the Higer metro bus. It is similar to most of the Chinese imports not that comfortable with limited legroom. The driver was taking a rest between trips on the longitudinal seats at the front.



17. This is a side on shot of a Route 1156 bus. Bus number 1156 – 4. Bus type Merc aircon. Note this bus appears to have a mid mounted engine. This is very unusual for Thai buses. Most are rear or front. Also this bus has front and middle plug style doors that are likely to be damaged in the future.



18. This is another angle on the Route 1156 bus. Taken as it rests between trips on a Saturday afternoon. This bus is powered by NGV.



19. This is an inside shot of the Merc Route 1156 bus. Note the passenger seating also the driver was having a sleep across the seats in the middle of the bus.



20. This is a shot of the driver’s seat area on the Merc route 1156 bus. Note the rather poorly laid out steering column. That column would mean the bus driver can only keep one foot on the brake and accelerator pedals.



21. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit – Ongkharak bus. Bus type Merc. Bus number 381 – 26. Taken as it waits for passengers at Rangsit wet market terminal.



This last section of images were taken inside the Pathum Thani metro bus terminal and depot located on Rangsit –Pathum Thani road at Rangsit. This terminal is hidden from view by a row of shophouses. Also the Rangsit truck bus terminal is located here.

22. This is a general view showing the Pathum Thani buses waiting at the Rangsit metro bus terminal. Approximately 8 bus routes operate from this terminal all operated by Pathum Thani Bus company.



23. This is a shot of a Route 680: Rangsit – Bang Yai bus. Bus number 680 – 11. Bus type unknown. Taken from the bus holding area at the Rangsit metro bus terminal.



24. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit - Nonthaburi mini bus. Bus number 367 – 6 Bus type Higer KLQ 6608C. Seen waiting for passengers at Rangsit. Larger non aircon buses also operate on this route.



25. This is a shot of a Route 1138: Rangsit – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 1138 – 33. Bus type unknown. Note appears to have been converted from non aircon to aircon at some point.



26. This is an inside shot of a typical Pathum Thani bus company non aircon metro bus. Note the raised up section of floor at the rear this engine bay and it’s really hot and uncomfortable if you sit at the back.



27. This is another shot of a Route 680 bus. Bus number 680 – 6. Bus type unknown.
The engine appeared to be having some problems and was under repair.



28. This is a general view of the Rangsit Truck – bus terminal next to the Rangsit metro bus terminal. Located behind this terminal is the yard and terminus for another Rangsit based aircon bus company.



29. This is a shot of a Route 372: Rangsit – Bang Pa In bus. Bus number 372 – 38. Bus type unknown. This route is one of a number of bus routes that service Bang Pa In.



30. This is another general view shot of the Rangsit metro bus terminal. The passengers are required to wait inside the buses rather than outside. All buses are permanently allocated to each route. I.e. they very rarely change routes even when buses break down as most routes have a large number buses on them.



31. This is a shot of the driver’s seat on a Route 1183 aircon bus. Like most of Pathum Thani bus company’s buses they don’t have Speedos at all. Thus it’s a real guess as to how fast they are going.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.

The Buses of Rangsit.

Last weekend I went out to Rangsit to photograph the numerous metro and interurban buses and bus routes in the city of Rangsit. This area has a very diverse range of buses and bus styles more so than even in inner city Bangkok.

A Little Background on the city of Rangsit.

Rangsit is located 32km north of Bangkok. It is part of the City of Pathum Thani. However Rangsit is the economic centre of the entire City of Pathum Thani. Rangsit is a major centre for education and research for Thailand. There are 10 universities located within the city of Rangsit.

In addition to the universities it is home to some of Thailand’s most significant industrial estates and high technology industries. A large number of pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers have their plants within the Rangsit area.

The transport system of Rangsit is centered around 4 major roads. These are Phahon Yothin, Viphawadi – Rangsit, Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok and Rangsit – Pathum Thani roads. These 4 major roads form a North – South and East – West set of bus routes.

There is no single bus terminal for urban buses within the Rangsit area. Instead passengers have to transfer by crossing over long foot bridges next to Future park Rangsit shopping centre. This lack of a bus terminal makes for some mighty long walks over a number of footbridges to find the right bus stop for the direction you want to travel.

However even though there is no single bus terminal for all buses there is a couple of small bus terminals located close to SRT’s Rangsit railway station. These terminals service the Pathum Thani buses and Thanyaburi buses. However most people don’t board the buses at the terminals but instead outside on the main roads. More on these terminals in a later post.

There is also a small intercity bus terminal located 2 km north of Future Park Rangsit. This is the only major suburban area of Bangkok that has its own intercity bus terminal. This intercity bus terminal services routes operating to the Issan area of Thailand.

The metro bus services of the Rangsit area mostly operate to sub 10 min headways all day 7 days a week. With some routes operating as often as every 1 minute at peak times. The demand for bus services is very strong in the Rangsit and Pathum Thani areas. Therefore chronic overcrowding does occur throughout the day and even on weekends on some routes.

In terms of passenger information the Rangsit area is by far the worst in all of Bangkok. Unless you know the bus number your after it is very hard to know which bus you want or even where to wait for it due to zero information at the bus stops. If you’re new to the Rangsit area you must ask other passengers in Thai as to which bus goes to your destination.

The buses of Rangsit are the only local mass transport for the entire area of around 1 million people. Around half of the people who live in Rangsit work or study outside the Rangsit area mostly in Bangkok. This puts huge pressure on the roads and bus services heading towards Bangkok. There is a rail service to and from Bangkok operated by SRT but it only plays a small part in the transport task of the Rangsit area.

A number of parts of the Rangsit area are reaching the point where heavy rail metro will be needed to keep the area moving and livable. The issue of metro rail for the Rangsit area is becoming increasing urgent as the population is rapidly growing.

This section of photographs was taken close to Zeer Rangsit Shopping centre on Phahon Yothin Road. This is the main road to inner Bangkok.

1. This is a shot of a Route 34: Rangsit – Kaset University bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc mini bus. Taken as it was heading towards Bangkok outside Zeer Rangsit.



2. This is a shot of a Route 59: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40091. Bus type Hino. Note this route is a 24 hour service. This bus will terminate at Bang Khen.



3. This is a shot of a Route 29: Thammasat University Rangsit – Hualamphong bus. Bus Number 29 – 21. Bus type Golden Dragon. This bus will terminate at Victory Monument. This route is one of the busiest bus routes in the Rangsit area.



4. This is a shot of a Route 39: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number 39 – 19. Bus type unknown.



5. This is a picture of one of the many van services that operate to and from Rangsit and within the Rangsit area. This van is heading to Minburi. Most of these vans are made by Toyota and hold 15 passengers.



6. This is a shot of a Route 34: Rangsit - Hualamphong Bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40073. Bus type Hino. This bus will terminate at Bang Khen.



7. This is a general view of the bus stop looking north towards Future park Rangsit. Note the Don Mueang elevated expressway to the left. The lower road has 5 lanes each side and the upper road has 3 lanes each side. At peak times traffic can be seen crawling along at under 5kph.



8. This is a shot of a Route 39 mini bus. Bus number: unknown. Bus type: Merc mini bus. These buses as far as I know are based on a Merc framework with a local made body.



9. This is a shot of a Route 34 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40408. Bus type Hino. Taken from the footbridge at Zeer Rangsit.



10. This is a shot of a Route 29 non aircon bus. Bus number 29 – 29. Bus type Daewoo. Taken from the footbridge.



11. This is an image of a Route 554: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44169. Bus type Hino.



12. This is an image of a Route 187: Khlong 3 – Si Phraya Pier bus. Bus number 187 – 3. Bus type Merc non aircon. Note: this route uses the elevated way at peak times.



13. This is an image of a Route 503: Rangsit – Sanam Luang bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 1038. Bus type Merc O405. Note: the Route 29 bus trying to push past the Route 503 bus.



14. This is a shot of a Route 356: Thammasat Rangsit - Pak Kret bus. Bus number 356 – 25. Bus type unknown. Taken looking north along the outbound side of Phahon Yothin road.



This section of Photographs was taken on Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok road in front of the Rangsit floating market. This is the main road to the east from Rangsit.

15. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit - Ongkharak bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc aircon. Taken looking east in front of the floating market.



16. This is a shot of a Route 381: Rangsit – Kheha Khlong 6 truck - bus. Truck - Bus number unknown. Truck - Bus type Isuzu pickup truck. Taken as it passed by with a full load.



17. This is a shot of a Route 1156: Rangsit – Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type: Higer KLQ6920GC. This is yet another type of imported Chinese buses.



18. This is a shot of a Route 538: Victory Monument – Pathum Thani Rajamangala University of Technology bus. Bus number 538 – 21. Bus type Merc O305. Note this bus uses the elevated way full time.



19. This is another shot of a Route 381 Truck Bus. Taken as it was about to stop at Rangsit Floating Market. Truck type: Isuzu.



20. This is another image of a Route 381 bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type unknown. Taken as it passed the Rangsit floating market.



21. This is a shot of a Route 187 bus. Bus number 187 – 20. Bus type Merc non aircon. Note this route uses the elevated way to Bangkok at peak times.



22. This is a shot of a Route 188: Khlong 6 – Chatuchak bus. Bus number 188 – 17. Bus type Merc non aircon. This service is often very overloaded due to low frequency made worse by traffic jams.



23. This is a shot of a Route 921: Aranayaprathet – Ongkharak – Rangsit – Mochit 2 intercity bus. Bus number 921 – 19. Bus type Merc O404. This bus is a 1st class intercity bus taken as it was heading towards Rangsit. This bus provides a rather indirect link to Aranayaprathet on the Cambodian border.



24. This is a general view of the Floating market at Rangsit. As it was around 11am the market had already finished. These floating markets normally open on dawn and close by 9am.



This next section of Photographs was taken at the Rangsit intercity bus terminal 2km north of Future Park Rangsit Shopping Centre. This terminal covers routes to the North East (Issan) of Thailand mostly aimed at students and factory workers return to there hometowns.

25. This is a general view of the fairly small but modern intercity bus terminal at Rangsit. This is the bus departure area. A number of buses can be seen waiting to depart.



26. This is a shot of a Bangkok – Surin 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was departing the terminal. Bus number 2nd class 31 – 1651. Bus type Daewoo intercity.



27. This is another angle on the Bangkok – Surin 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was exiting the terminal. This service is operated by the transport company.



28. This is a shot of a Bangkok – Korat 1st class intercity bus. Taken as it was loading passengers at the terminal. Bus number 1st class 21 – 8. Note this route is a 24 hour service. Bus type Cherdchai intercity.



29. This is a shot of a Route 936: Bangkok – Burirum 1st class intercity bus. Taken as it was passing though the bus terminal. Bus number 1st class 936 – 10. Bus type Cherdchai intercity.



30. This is an image of a Route 28: Bangkok – Chaiyaphum 2nd class intercity bus. Taken as it was waiting for passengers at the terminal. Bus number 2nd class 28 – 4. Bus type Merc intercity. Chaiyaphum is the least visited part of Thailand.



31. This is a general view of the ticket office at the Rangsit bus terminal. Taken looking towards the main road. Only one ticket window was open hence a long queue.



32. This is a shot of the private bus ticket counters at the Rangsit bus terminal. These counters are for routes operated by non transport company buses.



This section of photographs was taken outside the Rangsit intercity bus terminal on a footbridge right at the end of the Don Mueang elevated tollway. This is the most important road in the Rangsit area as it connects Bangkok to the north and north east of Thailand.

33. This is a general view of the start of the Don Muang elevated tollway. Taken looking south towards Bangkok. At peak times using this elevated road can save a great deal of time but is not free from all traffic jams like most of Bangkok roads but has less delays that the lower road.



34. This is a shot of a Route 510: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44156. Bus type Hino. Taken from the footbridge looking down at the bus stop as the bus was loading a number of people.



35. This is a shot of a Route 6188: Rangsit - Charusorn truck bus. Truck Bus number 6188 – 95. Truck type: Isuzu pick up. Note the amount of people crammed into the back of it. Yet it still picks up more on an inbound trip.



36. This is a shot of a Route 338: Rangsit – Pratunam Pa In bus. Bus type unknown. Bus number 338 – 26. Taken from the footbridge looking north.



37. This is a shot of a Route 1157: Pathum Thani – Thai Market bus. Bus type Merc aircon. Bus number 1157 – 2. Taken as it passed by on an outbound trip.



38. This is an image of a Route 1008: Rangsit – Khlong 5 bus. Bus type Dongfeng. Bus number 1008 – 9. This bus is an aircon mini bus powered by CNG.



39. This is an image of a Route 29 bus. Bus number 29 – 31. Bus type Merc O305. Taken as it was passing by on a trip to Victory Monument. It appears that the new Golden dragon buses on this route are slowly replacing these older aircon buses.



40. This is a shot a Route 29 bus. Bus number 29 – 4. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was heading towards Future Park Rangsit Shopping Centre. This is one of the older non aircon private buses on route 29.



41. This is a shot of a Route 1008 bus. Bus type Dongfeng. Bus number 1008 – 8. Note this bus has electronic destination signs which are very rare in Thailand. In the background is another BMTA Route 510 Hino aircon bus.



42. This is a shot of a Route 39: Thai Market – Victory Monument bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66300. Bus type Merc O405. Taken as it was running express down the lower level centre main road.



43. This is a shot of a Route 39 bus. Bus number 39 – 27. Bus type unknown. Taken as it was about to pick up passengers. Note the truck sales yard in the background.



44. This is another shot of a Route 39 bus. Bus number 23 – 146. Bus type Hino Non aircon. This bus style is quite different to the normal non aircon buses on route 39. Note this route is a 24 hour service.



45. This is an image of a 2nd class interurban Bangkok – Bang Pa In bus. Bus number unknown. Bus type Merc intercity. This route appears to stop at most bus stops just like the metro buses.



This next section of Photographs was taken on Rangsit – Pathum Thani road near the Rangsit central market. This location is about 800 meters from the SRT train station.

46. This is an image of a Route 34 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40081. Bus type Hino. Taken as it was about to turn into the Soi that leads to the Rangsit depot.



47. This is an image of a Route 520: Thai Market – Rangsit – Bang Kapi bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 6893. Bus type Merc O305. Taken as it headed for the Rangsit depot.



48. This is a shot of a Route 338 bus. Bus number 338 – 20. Bus type unknown. Taken as it headed for the U turn underpass near the SRT railway line.



49. This is a shot of a Route 29 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40018. Bus type Hino. Taken as it headed into the Rangsit Bus depot. Note this is a free bus.



50. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit - Nonthaburi bus. Bus number 367 – 5. Bus type Higer KLQ 6608C. This is a CNG powered Chinese imported aircon mini bus.



51. This is a shot of a Route 59 bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40092. Bus type Hino. This bus route operates 24 hours a day. Taken as it turns into the Rangsit bus depot.



52. This is an image of a Route 6249: Rangsit – Bang Kadee bus. Bus number 6249 – 5. Bus type unknown. This style of metro bus is rarely seen outside of the Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi areas. What makes them odd is for there age they are rear engine buses.



53. This is an image of a Route 522: Rangsit – Victory Monument expressway bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 66278. Bus type Merc O405. Note these Merc buses received the same body and seating layouts as the Hino and Daewoo versions of them.



54. This is an image of a Route 1138: Rangsit – Pathum Thani bus. Bus number 1138 – 22. Bus type unknown. Note this aircon bus appears to have been converted from non aircon to aircon at some point.



55. This is a shot of a Route 367: Rangsit – Pak Kret bus. Bus number 367 – 2. Bus type unknown. Note the doors on this bus cannot be closed automatically and thus remain open all the time.



56. This is a shot of a Route 185: Rangsit – Khlong Toei bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 40035. Bus type Hino. Taken as it was on its way to the Rangsit bus depot. Note this is a free bus.



57. This is a shot of a Route 554: Rangsit – Suvarnabhumi Airport bus. Bus number BMTA 1 – 44135. Bus type Hino. Taken as it made its way to the Rangsit bus depot.



58. This is an image of a Route 1008 bus. Bus number 1008 – 7. Bus type Dongfeng mini bus. Note the bus runs on CNG and is yet another Chinese import. Taken as it made its way out of the bus terminal.



59. This is an image of a Route 504: Rangsit – Thanon Tok bus. Bus number 504 – 27. Bus type unknown. Taken as it headed for the U turn under pass near the SRT railway line.



60. This is a shot of a Route 383: Rangsit – Bang Sai Royal Arts Centre bus. Bus number 383 – 29. Bus type unknown. Taken just after it had departed from the Rangsit metro bus terminal.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.

SRT: Cab Ride Mahachai Line: Bang Bon – Wong Wian Yai.

Recently I revisited the Mahachai line however unlike the previous time I photographed this section of the Mahachai line this time I had access to the train’s driver cab and thus could film and photograph from the front. Thus resulting in much more interesting pictures and videos from this section of the Mahachai line. The section of the Mahachai line where the cab ride took place was from Bang Bon to Wong Wian Yai.

This line has been covered in great detail in earlier topics. Below are some links to these topics:

SRT Mahachai Train runs with the doors wide open.
SRT: The Maeklong line and Maeklong railway market.
SRT: The Mahachai line a trip from Bang Bon to Mahachai.
SRT: The Mahachai Rail Yard.
A Trip from Wong Wian Yai to Bang Bon on the SRT Mahachai line.

The future of this line and its counter part Maeklong seems uncertain at this stage as the upgrading projects have been endlessly delayed for either political or financial reasons. However the Mahachai line should not close as its use is very high at peak and reasonable during off peak.

But more could be done to improve the current services on the existing infrastructure. For example the peak hour service could be increased to every 15 minutes and off peak to every 30 minutes. This would fit in ok with the crossing loops that exist on the line. However this service increase would require full time use of Khlong Tan Sai loop.

The current timetable on the Mahachai Line is as follows:

Wong Wian Yai – Mahachai.

05.30, 06.25, 07.00, 07.40, 08.35, 09.40, 10.40, 12.15, 13.20, 14.25, 15.25, 16.30, 17.05, 17.35, 18.35, 19.10, 20.10.

Mahachai – Wong Wian Yai.

04.30, 05.20, 05.55, 06.25, 07.00, 08.00, 09.35, 10.40, 11.45, 13.15, 14.25, 15.25, 16.00, 16.30, 17.35, 18.10, 19.00.

The traveling time between Mahachai and Wong Wian Yai is approximately 60 minutes. The trains are normally arrive and depart close to the stated times.

However from 1st February 2009 SRT has announced it plans to cut 2 trips a day from the Mahachai line one in each direction. This is a move that I hope they don’t carry out as it will make the service worse and more crowded than it already is.

1. This is a short video showing a departure from Bang Bon station as the train powers toward Wong Wian Yai. Take note of the track side railway village and the section of 20 kph track which is subject to almost constant flooding during the rainy season. Also the grass along the track is kept short by the passing trains.



2. This is a shot of the rural nature of Mahachai line despite is mostly urban areas it runs through. Taken between Bang Bon and Wat Sing stations. Note the quality of the track and how the train keeps the grass short.



3. This is a shot of a typical fully staffed level crossing on the Mahachai line. Taken from the train cab note the smear on the image that is from the train window. This crossing is located between Bang Bon and Wat Sing stations.



4. This is another general shot of the view along the Mahachai line. Taken between Bang Bon and Wat Sing stations. Like most of this line road access is very limited.



5. This is an image of a small track side house between Bang Bon and Wat Sing stations. This house can only be access by walking down the railway tracks from a near by level crossing or station.



6. This is a shot of a small railway village just outside Wat Sing station. A large number of these buildings are only accessible from the railway track.



7. This is a shot of a steel rail bridge on the Mahachai line taken between Bang Bon and Wat Sing stations. The bridge is also used by people to access there homes. The trains operate at normal line speed of 60kph.



8. This is a video showing the approach to Wat Sing station. Filmed from the drivers cab of the DMU train. Note the level crossing and the staff member controlling the manual points for the Wat Sing loop. Also the track is very thin in this busy passing loop. Inbound trains always enter the loop.



9. This is a shot of the Wong Wian Yai end of Wat Sing station. Taken from the train cab as it was waiting for another train coming the other way. The people are waiting for the inbound train. This was the starting point for the former electrified section of the line.



10. This is an image of a Mahachai bound train passing though the points at the Wong Wian Yai end of the Wat Sing loop. This was the train we had to wait for before heading on. Train type DMU Hitachi. SRT unit number 1203.



11. This is another angle on the Mahachai bound train. This time taken as it was about to pass us. As soon as this train was clear of the points it was time for us to move. Note the very short rail lengths can be seen on the loop track.



12. This is a video showing the departure from Wat Sing station. Filmed from the front of the train. Note the quality of the track and the number of zero visibility minor unprotected motorbike/pedestrian level crossings as the train passes though the Wat Sing railway village.



13. This is a shot of the line between Wat Sing and Wat Sai stations. This section was once electrified around 50 years ago. Also this section has a separate foot path for access to houses along the railway.



14. This is an image showing a small khlong bridge on the Mahachai line between Wat Sing and Wat Sai stations. Note this bridge is also used for foot and motorbike traffic as well as the trains. The planks on the bridge are to fill in the huge gaps in the bridge deck.



15. This is a video showing the approach to Wat Sai station. Note the very small bridge on the curve before the station. Also note the very old railway village at this station. At the Wong Wian Yai end of the station a motorbike crossing can be seen. The platform sign at this station has been missing for about 2 years now.



16. This is an image of the Wong Wian Yai end of Wat Sai station. This station has a floating market behind the shophouses to the right of the image. Like most major stations on the Mahachai line a market is present along with the railway village.



17. This is a short video of the track between Wat Sai station and Chom Thong stations. Note how this section has foot paths both sides of the railway track for access to the large number of track side homes of the railway villages. Also a very nice temple can be seen close to the track.



18. This is a shot of the curve in the Mahachai line just after the Ekkachai road level crossing. This curve makes the train lurch violently to one side.



19. This is a shot of Chom Thong station. Taken from the train cab as the train approached the station. This platform is for outbound only trains a separate inbound platform is located on the other side of a large khlong bridge. In the past this station serviced as a transfer point to khlong boat services. Note not all trains stop at this station.



20. This is a movie of passing over the Khlong Bridge at Chomthong station. Note the inbound platforms just after the bridge. Also there is a busy level crossing just after the station which uses a full road with powered wire gate barrier. The track is very bad in this section with a really bad lurch to one side as the train struggles to keep on the track. Again there is a large railway village in this section.



21. This is a shot of the very rarely used Khlong Ton Sai loop. Taken as the train approached the loop. The staff member can be seen manning the loop. This loop is the shortest loop on the Mahachai line and is in very poor condition.



22. This is a short movie of passing thought Khlong Ton Sai loop and station. This station is used at peak hour only. The track is very rough in this section with really bad up and down movement making it hard to keep the camera still. Note the tunnel of trees effect in this section.



23. This is a shot of the BTS track crossing the SRT Mahachai line between Khlong Ton Sai and Talat Phu stations. This location may have a future interchange station. However the BTS track is not currently operating due to endless politics. If this interchange is built it will massively increase demand for Mahachai line services.



24. This is a video of the approach to Talat Phu station. The track in this section is poor quality and the final curves before Talat Phu has an uneven 10% tilt on it which is the worst for the whole line. You can feel the train straining to stay on the track in this curve. Again a large and well built up railway village exists before the station.



25. This is a shot of the Wong Wian Yai end of Talat Phu station. This station is the 3rd most used station on the Mahachai line. Transfers to about 20 different bus services and a peak hour only khlong boat service to inner Bangkok are possible here.



26. This is a shot of a very old platform building at Talat Phu. This may have once been the station office when the line opened but today is a men’s hairdressing shop.



27. This is a movie filmed between Talat Phu and Wong Wian Yai stations. Note the different levels of the road and Rail Bridge and the quality of the track. Plus the numerous unprotected poor visibility level crossings. Also the Masjid “Surao Suan Phlu” at Wong Wian Yai can be seen as the train passes.



28. This is a movie of the final approach to Wong Wian Yai station. The current terminus on the Mahachai line. Note the large track side market on approach to Wong Wian Yai station. This is the busiest station on the Mahachai line.



29. This is a general view of Wong Wian Yai station and market. Taken as the train approached the end of the platform. This station is a single platform terminus. Originally the railway extended another 2 km east to Khlong San on the Chao Phraya River.



30. The end of the line at Wong Wian Yai. Note the passengers are waiting on both the platform and non platform side of the train to board in hope to get a seat. The Wong Wian Yai area is the oldest part of Bangkok with a history going back over 300 years. However much of the history has been lost in the post WW2 period.



31. This is a rather poor image of SRT DMU unit number 1255 the train I rode and filmed from to create this topic. Taken looking west at close to sunset. Note the cracked windows on the front of this train. This didn’t help to make clear images but little can be done about it.



I hope you find the pictures and vehicles shown to be of interest if you view this please post some comments and feelings about the pictures.