A total of 164 locomotives were built between 1935 and 1939. During the Second World War, locomotives numbered C56 1 to C56 90 and C56 161 to C56 164 were sent to Southeast Asia, where some remained in service until the 1980s. The last C56 was retired in 1974, though several have been preserved and remain operational for heritage purposes.
History
Design
C56's tender with cut-outs to secure rear visibility
The Class C56 was a compact, lightweight design to operate on light-graded branch lines unsuitable for larger locomotives. Initially introduced in 1935, the C56 was based on the earlier C12 tank locomotive but adapted for longer distances by replacing its onboard water tank and coal bunker with a tender, which allowed for greater fuel and water capacity.[1]
Branch lines often lacked turntables, which posed operational challenges for tender locomotives. While the C12 could easily operate in reverse, the C56 required modifications to improve rear visibility. To address this, the tender was designed with cut-outs on the coal bunker’s sides, a distinctive design that facilitated reverse operation. Between 1935 and 1939, a total of 160 C56 locomotives were produced by various manufacturers, including Kawasaki, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Additionally, four units were built for the Karafuto Railway Bureau and one for a coal mine.[2]
Wartime service
740 (C56 49), one of the C56s that remained in Thailand after the war, crossing the River Kwai Bridge
The lightweight and durable design of the C56 caught the attention of the military during the lead-up to the Second World War. In 1941, 90 of the 160 locomotives were requisitioned for service on the Thailand-Burma Railway (commonly known as the Death Railway). After the war, 46 surviving locomotives remained in Thailand and were incorporated into the State Railway of Thailand as the Class 700 (Nos. 701–746). A further 12 units were transferred to the Burma Railways, where they were designated Class C and assigned individual numbering.[1]
Post-War operations in Japan
C56 150, one of the 'Ponies of the Highlands', on the Koumi Line, 1971
Of the 68 C56 locomotives that remained in Japan, many were redeployed across regions such as Hokuriku, Kyushu, and the Chugoku area, and operated on less-trafficked branch lines. While their limited power made them unsuitable for express passenger services, they handled local or mixed trains. Notably, from 1953 to 1959, C56 locomotives were used on the Kisuki Line to haul the Chidori rapid service.[2]
The C56 earned the nickname 'Pony' for its light, agile operation, especially during its scenic runs on the Koumi Line, where it was called the 'Pony of the Highlands'. Despite being gradually replaced by diesel locomotives, the C56 continued to operate freight trains on minor lines well into the 1970s, partly due to delays in introducing dedicated diesel replacements such as the DD16. The final C56 in regular service was retired in 1974 after operating on the Sanko Line.[2]
Preserved examples
C56 44 in April 2012
A number of Class C56 locomotives are preserved in Japan and Thailand as well as one in Myanmar.[1] C56 44 is maintained in operating condition by the Ōigawa Railway for use on main line steam specials, while the railway is planning to restore another C56 to an operational condition.[3][4] C56 160 was mainline operational until 2018, when the limited space on the locomotive made it difficult for it to be fitted with the latest digital automatic train stop system. Since then, the locomotive remains operational at the Kyoto Railway Museum but does not operate on mainlines.[5] In Thailand, Nos. 713 and 715 (formerly C56 Nos. 15 and 17) remain operational.
C56 15: State Railway of Thailand. (SRT 713) Preserved for haul the special steam train for show in River Kwai Festival at Kanchanaburi between late November and/or early December.[7][8]
C56 17: State Railway of Thailand. (SRT 715) Preserved for haul the special steam train for show in River Kwai Festival at Kanchanaburi between late November and/or early December. (The alternate locomotive if C56 15 out of service) [7][8]
C56 47 in Thai Film Archive, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom
C56 53
Japan
C56 31: Yūshūkan (SRT 725) Japanese military and war museum. Used in Burma and Thailand during the construction of the Death Railway and subsequently used in Thailand after the war. It was brought back to Japan in the 1970s.[7][10][11]
C56 150: Preserved at the Hakuba Alps Autocamp site in Hakuba, Nagano.[1]
C56 160: Preserved in operating condition by JR West at Kyoto Railway Museum.[1] It was withdrawn from mainline service on 27th May 2018[12] due to being severely underpowered for excursions, requiring assistance from a diesel locomotive in order to haul a full 5-car consist of 35 series carriages for the SL Yamaguchi.[13]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxSasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&JR保存車大全2015-2016 [JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide 2015-2016] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 128. ISBN978-4863209282.
^ abcdefghij รถจักรและรถพ่วง พัฒนาการที่ยิ่งใหญ่ จากอดีตสู่ปัจจุบัน [SRT Rolling Stock] (in Thai). Bangkok, Thailand: State Railway of Thailand. 2011. pp. 27–29. ISBN978-974-9848-99-9.
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