Typhoon No. 9 Approaching... But Still, A Trip to Photograph Steam Locomotives at Kure Station & Hiroshima Station, August 15, 1970 (Showa 45)
On August 12, 1970, I boarded the special overnight express Daisen No. 51, which departed Yonago Station at 20:45, and headed toward Osaka, where EXPO '70 was being held. After spending the night on the train, I visited EXPO '70 on the 13th and stayed at my cousin's boarding house in Osaka. On the 14th, I strolled around Osaka, enjoying the city's energy and culture. That night, I spent another night on the train (Ondo No. 2) and arrived at Kure Station on the morning of the 15th.
This trip was a 'solo journey' during my third year of junior high school summer vacation, and looking back now, I am amazed that my parents allowed it. In particular, Typhoon No. 9 made landfall in Nagasaki City around 11:00 PM on August 14, 1970, throwing the Japanese National Railways schedule in western Japan into chaos. There were no smartphones back then, and the only information available was through train announcements. Traveling under those circumstances felt like a bit of an adventure.
On the morning of the 15th, the express Ondo No. 2 arrived at Kure Station in light rain. For this 'SL photography trip,' I gave up on taking action shots at various locations and changed my strategy to photographing the C62 and C59 locomotives themselves. I took photos on the platforms at Kure Station and within the Hiroshima Engine Depot, which is located where the current Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima stands. The sight of the steam locomotives at that location remains vivid in my memory even today.
This trip holds special meaning as my first-ever 'solo journey.' It remains etched in my heart as a memory from the summer of my second year of junior high school. This 'habit of wandering with a camera' continues to this day, and I intend to keep traveling with my camera in search of new discoveries and encounters.
It is said that there were two turntables at the Hiroshima Engine Depot.
The other turntable was located around where the current Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima pitcher's mound is, and there was also a roundhouse right nearby.
On August 12, 1970, I took the night train "Daisen 51" from Yonago Station to Osaka, where Expo '70 was being held. After exploring Osaka and spending the night at a cousin's house, I arrived at Kure Station on the 15th. Despite Typhoon No. 9 affecting the train schedule, I decided to focus on photographing the C62 and C59 locomotives at Kure and Hiroshima stations. This trip, my first solo adventure during summer vacation, left an indelible mark on my memories.
MATSUSHITA Akira from Japan.