First of all apologies for the delay in dealing with this, but this is the first report I've written since the birth of my daughter and so since then exploring has taken a back seat and so have editing photos and writing reports! I'm far busier than before, but I won't stop exploring ever. So here we are with a thread compiling the explores I've done over in Taiwan to date. Mostly trains, and some have done with permission, but decay is never not in abundance. For what it's worth, I'm eternally glad I chose to live in Taiwan at this time because not only has coronavirus barely hit us, we've never had to deal with a lockdown. Not to get political here, but that's what you get when you don't vote for the far right in blue!
For James Hodge
Most importantly, I'd like to dedicate this entire thread to the memory of one of my best friends, an aspiring urban explorer, James Hodge. James was with me for my last report at the Fengzhong cinema, and was aspiring to be an urban explorer just like myself. We did a few derps in 2020 (one of which was a fail, to be revisited), none of which were truly report-worthy, but tragically James was killed in a motorbike accident in July 2020, aged 25. What makes the first part of this report even harder to write is that James was supposed to be with me for the first two sites you see here, and was on his way but due to delays from being somewhere else earlier in the day never did manage to get to me in time. It pains me to write this, but this day was the last time I ever heard James's voice, and never saw him again. RIP James Hodge, 1994-2020.
Xinying Sugar Factory Park
Derelict sugar factories are in absolute abundance across the whole of Taiwan, and many stand derelict today. Some are fully abandoned like you will see here, but there are others which have been left to rot yet converted into themed sites or art space, leaving the rotting machinery intact. I did one in Gaoxiong in 2018, but decided not to post a report as it didn't feel like genuine exploring with so many people around.
History: The Xinying Sugar Factory originally belonged to the Salt Water Port Sugar Co., Ltd., and the construction started in 1907. To build this factory, the Salt Water Port Sugar Factory first acquired a site on the right bank of the Xinying Kyu Shui River. The warehouse, dormitory and office were completed in August of that year, and construction of the factory began in October. At that time, the factory was called the "Second Workshop" or "Xinying Workshop". Later, the plant was nearly completed at the end of October of the following year, and it was commissioned on November 3rd on the Tianchang Festival. n the initial stage of the plant's construction, the daily crush of sugarcane was 1,000 tons, and it was exclusively designed to separate honey. Later, in response to market demand, equipment was added to produce arable land sugar.
At the end of the Second World War, the Xinying Sugar Refinery was bombarded by the Allied Forces like other sugar factories in Taiwan. Due to the serious damage, the raw materials of the Xinying Sugar Refinery could only be entrusted to the Onshore Sugar Refinery.After the Second World War, the second workshop of the Xinying Sugar Refining Plant was barely repaired, but because it was seriously damaged, Taiwan Sugar accepted the advice of American sugar experts to merge the first and second workshops and change production.
After the onshore sugar factory was merged on October 1st in 1992 the onshore sugar factory was merged into the Xinying General Factory, and the onshore sugar factory was changed to the onshore workshop. The Xinying General Factory's own sugar factory said the Xinying workshop and the Houan internal workshop were closed on July 1st 1994. After that, the Xinying General Factory was renamed Xinying Sugar Factory on May 1st in 2000. In 2001 the sugar factory closed on March 31, and was restructured into Xinying Factory on July 1 and in July 2003, it was changed to Shanhua Sugar Factory. In April 2002, the Xinying Sugar Factory plant began to be demolished. After the end of the sugar business, the self-operated farm land was left with 128 hectares for production and utilization, and the other 1549 hectares were handed over to the Nanjing Sugar Factory.
The visit: as the history points out the main factory has been demolished completely, although some parts such as the rotten dormitories remain (of little interest). The site now exists as a railway park (similar to the other sugar factories) with locos running and others left on display. Most of the locos probably are used as static display or spare parts, and the main shed is almost deserted and occupied by stray dogs. I wasn't sure I'd be allowed in, but I asked a gardener and he waved me right in and had free roam.
What locos are actually operational or not isn't always clear, but seeing their rusted exteriors is always a pleasing sight.
The Diema diesel locomotives, from the 1970s are all German-built for the sugar industry. Many are scrapped, but you'd be genuinely amazed at how many survive today across Taiwan.
I can't remember the exact details, but this one is an older American-built loco, of which fewer survive.
The live part, with more locos on display. I did see one loco running up and down here with a few tourists, but otherwise the site was a ghost town.
By this time I didn't want to wait around for James, so headed over to the school, featured in the next post.
For James Hodge
Most importantly, I'd like to dedicate this entire thread to the memory of one of my best friends, an aspiring urban explorer, James Hodge. James was with me for my last report at the Fengzhong cinema, and was aspiring to be an urban explorer just like myself. We did a few derps in 2020 (one of which was a fail, to be revisited), none of which were truly report-worthy, but tragically James was killed in a motorbike accident in July 2020, aged 25. What makes the first part of this report even harder to write is that James was supposed to be with me for the first two sites you see here, and was on his way but due to delays from being somewhere else earlier in the day never did manage to get to me in time. It pains me to write this, but this day was the last time I ever heard James's voice, and never saw him again. RIP James Hodge, 1994-2020.
Xinying Sugar Factory Park
Derelict sugar factories are in absolute abundance across the whole of Taiwan, and many stand derelict today. Some are fully abandoned like you will see here, but there are others which have been left to rot yet converted into themed sites or art space, leaving the rotting machinery intact. I did one in Gaoxiong in 2018, but decided not to post a report as it didn't feel like genuine exploring with so many people around.
History: The Xinying Sugar Factory originally belonged to the Salt Water Port Sugar Co., Ltd., and the construction started in 1907. To build this factory, the Salt Water Port Sugar Factory first acquired a site on the right bank of the Xinying Kyu Shui River. The warehouse, dormitory and office were completed in August of that year, and construction of the factory began in October. At that time, the factory was called the "Second Workshop" or "Xinying Workshop". Later, the plant was nearly completed at the end of October of the following year, and it was commissioned on November 3rd on the Tianchang Festival. n the initial stage of the plant's construction, the daily crush of sugarcane was 1,000 tons, and it was exclusively designed to separate honey. Later, in response to market demand, equipment was added to produce arable land sugar.
At the end of the Second World War, the Xinying Sugar Refinery was bombarded by the Allied Forces like other sugar factories in Taiwan. Due to the serious damage, the raw materials of the Xinying Sugar Refinery could only be entrusted to the Onshore Sugar Refinery.After the Second World War, the second workshop of the Xinying Sugar Refining Plant was barely repaired, but because it was seriously damaged, Taiwan Sugar accepted the advice of American sugar experts to merge the first and second workshops and change production.
After the onshore sugar factory was merged on October 1st in 1992 the onshore sugar factory was merged into the Xinying General Factory, and the onshore sugar factory was changed to the onshore workshop. The Xinying General Factory's own sugar factory said the Xinying workshop and the Houan internal workshop were closed on July 1st 1994. After that, the Xinying General Factory was renamed Xinying Sugar Factory on May 1st in 2000. In 2001 the sugar factory closed on March 31, and was restructured into Xinying Factory on July 1 and in July 2003, it was changed to Shanhua Sugar Factory. In April 2002, the Xinying Sugar Factory plant began to be demolished. After the end of the sugar business, the self-operated farm land was left with 128 hectares for production and utilization, and the other 1549 hectares were handed over to the Nanjing Sugar Factory.
The visit: as the history points out the main factory has been demolished completely, although some parts such as the rotten dormitories remain (of little interest). The site now exists as a railway park (similar to the other sugar factories) with locos running and others left on display. Most of the locos probably are used as static display or spare parts, and the main shed is almost deserted and occupied by stray dogs. I wasn't sure I'd be allowed in, but I asked a gardener and he waved me right in and had free roam.
What locos are actually operational or not isn't always clear, but seeing their rusted exteriors is always a pleasing sight.
The Diema diesel locomotives, from the 1970s are all German-built for the sugar industry. Many are scrapped, but you'd be genuinely amazed at how many survive today across Taiwan.
I can't remember the exact details, but this one is an older American-built loco, of which fewer survive.
The live part, with more locos on display. I did see one loco running up and down here with a few tourists, but otherwise the site was a ghost town.
By this time I didn't want to wait around for James, so headed over to the school, featured in the next post.
