Locomotive Wiki

Kokura Works (Japanese: 小倉工場 Kokura Kōjō) is a rolling stock maintenance facility under the jurisdiction of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It is currently part of the Kokura General Rolling Stock Center (Japanese: 小倉総合車両センター Kokura Sōgō Sharyō Sentā).

History[]

Kokura Works was opened in 1 April 1894 by the Kyushu Railway. Ownership of Kokura was transferred to the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) when the Kyushu Railway was nationalized on 1 July 1907. Kokura Works completed its first steam locomotive, 29638, on 30 December 1917; a total of 45 steam locomotives were manufactured by Kokura (15 9600s and 30 D51s), with the last steam locomotive being manufactured by Kokura being D51 547 in 20 July 1942.

Ownership of Kokura came under the Japanese National Railways (JNR) following JGR's reorganization post-war. The last steam locomotive to be repaired at Kokura was 29612 on 5 May 1974; most steam locomotive maintenance was transferred to Kagoshima Works the next month. Following the privatization of the JNR, Kokura Works came under the ownership of the JR Kyushu.

Kokura Works continues to exist today, housing numerous electric multiple units and manufacturing new rolling stock from knockdown kits.

Preserved steam locomotives[]

The following steam locomotives built by Kokura Works have been preserved:

Number Class Serial number Date manufactured Date withdrawn Location Disposition
29638 9600 1 30 December 1917 28 October 1969 Kamuy Kotan, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan Static display
D51 222 D51 18 18 December 1938 10 December 1972 Yogi Park, Naha, Okinawa, Japan Static display
D51 225 D51 21 6 March 1939 20 August 1973 Nōgata Ikoinomura, Nōgata, Kyushu, Japan Static display
D51 483 D51 30 21 February 1940 12 June 1974 Hotaka Swimming Club, Azumino, Nagano, Japan Static display
D51 485 D51 32 31 March 1940 1 March 1976 Osecho Jido Park, Nobeoka, Kyushu, Japan Static display
D51 541 D51 39 7 December 1940 12 June 1974 Honmachi Children's Park, Hyūga, Kyushu, Japan Static display
D51 542 D51 40 24 January 1941 20 August 1974 Kokura General Rolling Stock Center, Kitakyushu, Kyushu, Japan Static display
Factories operated by the JR Group
JR Central HamamatsuNagoyaShizuoka
JR West GōtoHiroshimaSuita
JR East KōriyamaMoriokaNaganoŌfunaŌmiya
JR Kyushu KagoshimaKokura
JR Hokkaido KushiroNaebo
JR Shikoku Tadotsu
Defunct/Former HatabuHyōgoKobeMattōNiitsuŌiShimbashiTakatoriToyokawaTsuchizakiYokkaichi