Celebrate Asia with Gerard Tan DCEO of Sutera Harbour Resort: Travel back in time on Borneo’s oldest running steam train

The North Borneo Railway steam train is the oldest running one in Sabah. (Photo: Sutera Harbour Resort)

Fancy stepping back into the colonial charm of British North Borneo? A distinctly memorable way to enjoy Borneo’s verdant greenery is to indulge in the luxury of steam train travel aboard the North Borneo Railway. 

You would be enjoying the views from the vintage Vulcan steam engine, manufactured by the Vulcan Foundry Ltd, in Lancashire, UK – the last of a fleet of locomotives that have travelled across Borneo since the 1880s.

The North Borneo Railway is a joint project between the Sutera Harbour Resort and the Sabah State Railway Department launched in 2000 to commemorate Kota Kinabalu achieving city status. It is the only train that services the island of Borneo, and runs twice a week from Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu.

Covering 38.5km between Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, and Papar, an agricultural town known as the “rice bowl of Sabah”, thanks to the paddy fields that dominate the area, this railway offers a unique sight-seeing experience for visitors, from views of the South China Sea to protected forests.

ALL IN THE DETAILS

For train enthusiasts – or fans of Agatha Christie or Harry Potter, for that matter – riding the North Borneo Railway train promises to be a treat in itself. The Vulcan has been beautifully maintained and remains in mint condition. The non-air-conditioned train allows passengers the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air as it travels through the rainforest of Borneo.

It is the only train that services the island of Borneo, and runs twice a week from Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. (Photo: Ananya Pictures)

Painted a rich deep teal and cream, the train and its carriages bear the gold emblem of a tiger holding a wheel. Inside each carriage are eight two-person seats set face to face and separated by a table. These seats are elegantly upholstered in regimental striped-fabric. The wooden frames are polished and all bear the railway emblem.

“The carriages were designed in the 19th century with unique oakwood, fabric seats and panel lamps that go back a hundred years,” shared Gerard Tan, deputy chief executive officer of Sutera Harbour Resort.

The interiors of the train retain its old-school charm. (Photo: Ananya Pictures)


He added that to get and keep the steam engine going, an age-old fuelling method is employed. “This train uses only a very unique wood called mangrove. To get the mangrove wood is not easy. You have to cut and then you have to dry it and it’s very expensive.”

Incidentally, Sabah has the largest mangrove area of any state in Malaysia – over 232,000 hectares. However, much of this area is protected under conservation laws as mangroves are home to diverse flora and fauna.

Source from CNA: Click Here to read more
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