This place was a bit special. The Ciaotou Sugar Refinery is a train-ride outside Kaohsiung itself. It's a massive place and since its closure in 1999 the place has been moth-balled. Part of the factory complex has been turned into a museum about the sugar refining process but the factory itself and many of the out-buildings have been left to rust away. It all made for a very relaxed and enjoyable explore. Here's the history.
The sugar producing boom started in Taiwan in the 18th century. Until Japanese occupation in 1895, however, Taiwan’s sugar mills were mostly small-scale operations. In 1901 the Japanese built Chiaotou Sugar Mill, the first sugar factory to use modern machinery. In 1946 after Taiwan’s handover to Nationalist rule. The Taiwan Sugar Corporation was created by merging all the existing sugar companies left from the Japanese occupation. The sugar industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s and continued to be an important sugar factory until finally ceasing production in 1999.
img0962 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0963 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0964 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0967 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0971 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0975 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0976 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0981 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0983 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1018 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0993 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0994 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0997 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0998 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0999 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1000 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1003 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1002 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1007 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The factory in its full glory...
img1008 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Here comes the shunter porn:
img1034 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1036 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1037 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1024 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1025 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1028 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1029 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1031 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1032 by HughieDW, on Flickr
...and a few more of the factory for good measure:
img1049 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The sugar producing boom started in Taiwan in the 18th century. Until Japanese occupation in 1895, however, Taiwan’s sugar mills were mostly small-scale operations. In 1901 the Japanese built Chiaotou Sugar Mill, the first sugar factory to use modern machinery. In 1946 after Taiwan’s handover to Nationalist rule. The Taiwan Sugar Corporation was created by merging all the existing sugar companies left from the Japanese occupation. The sugar industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s and continued to be an important sugar factory until finally ceasing production in 1999.
The factory in its full glory...
Here comes the shunter porn:
...and a few more of the factory for good measure:
Enjoyed looking at that.
