Syria 25.9.2008: Having spent the night at Bosra station and before returning to Dera’a, it was decided to try and run 2-8-2 No. 262 (Hartmann 4031/1918) and train, down the extension line to Bosra, Citadel. “Try” was the operative word as the half-kilometre line had not been used for many, many months, being largely overgrown and obstructed by parked cars etc; there was even a blockage where someone had built a concrete driveway to their garage over the railway’s right-of-way! “No problem” said No. 262’s driver, so with cars cleared after much whistling and a concrete driveway “reshaped” by having two grooves cut into it(!), the train reached Bosra Citadel station. Here we see No. 262 arriving at the simple platform and run-round loop in the middle of a main road.
Roger Griffiths; roger.griffiths@hotmail.com