A brand-new 0-4-0ST in outline based on the famous ‘Quarry Hunslet’ design has been built in Japan by the Rasuchijin Tetsudo Kyokai (=Railway Society) known as Rass, which is based near Narita Airport outside Tokyo. New 0-4-0ST No. 2 Oscar (Rass, Works number 6, August 2023) is seen on December 17, 2023 at a gala event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Rass and its 30th year of operating trains at the Narita Dream Dairy Farm site where it has eight steam locos; five of which it built. Oscar is destined for a new 0.6km long narrow gauge line being built by model railway manufacturer Kato in Tsurugashima, Saitama Prefecture, 45km northwest from central Tokyo where it will work alongside an older Belgian built steam loco and a diesel.
TAKAHIDE YAMAMOTO