The last section of the standard gauge Mauritius Government Railways closed about 1964 leaving the remaining railway operations on the island in the hands of some of the sugar estates.

Below is an article written by Jeremy Wiseman in 1974 the contents of which solely represent the observed situation at the time; and all photographs in this section that follow were taken by him.

The Tramways of Mauritius

If you are willing to travel over 10,000 kms just to see 8½ steam locomotives then Mauritius is the place for you. The fact that only one of these engines is still in working order should not discourage you since there is much else to see in this small island State which is only about the size of Majorca. The closure of the last standard gauge line about ten years ago reduced Mauritius to archive status in the minds of most enthusiasts although there is plenty of scope for the railway archeologist interested in British style stations with high platforms. What must not be forgotten however is that sugar constitutes 97% of the country's exports and that "sugar factory" is often synonynmous with "Decauville railway". Bearing this in mind I visited the island in August 1974 and found that there are about two dozen active sugar factories of which eight are still served by railways. At the numerous level crossings the motorist is confronted with signs inscribed: DANGER - BEWARE TRAMWAY CROSSING - hence the title of this article. The lack of steam on these tramways is simply compensated by the existence of such features as mixed gauge track, roadside running, and general all-round light railway atmosphere in an attractive setting.

The factory at Beau Champ, on the east coast, is perhaps the most interesting since it has no less than four steam locomotives including the last one in working order. As locomotives go it is rather dull, being a standard Orenstein & Koppel well tank; it is of 800mm gauge and is only used when one of the two diesels is not available. Of greater rarity value is a preserved 0-4-2T with a Fletcher Jennings works plate. Stored in a shed nearby is a similar 0-4-2T and another O & K 0-6-0WT. These three engines are "officially" of 920mm gauge but in the shed the gauge appeared to be more like 940mm.

This OK 0-6-0WT is the last steam engine in working order in Mauritius. It was photographed at Deep River, the site of a closed sugar factory, where it is normally kept in reserve - August 1974.

0-4-2T No. 204 Regina at the Beau Champ sugar factory. The sole (left hand side) works plate reads Fletcher Jennings 190L/1883.

Another estate with tramways of two gauges is Mon Désert - Mon Trésor, on the south coast. Here there are two Whitcombs, two Hunslets and a Baguley diesel on 940mm gauge and two Baguleys and one Hunslet on 600mm. There is also a preserved O & K 0-6-0WT but this is of 800mm gauge. About 7km to the south west is the Savannah Sugar Estate, which has replaced its original factory by a new plant at La Barraque, where in addition to three Rustons, an OK 0-6-0T is kept in good condition for use as a stationery boiler. There is an imposing bridge just east of the old factory at Savannah, which remains a busy junction and a base for several locomotives. The 760mm gauge track seems to be physically connected to the network of Britannia Mill, where one Whitcomb and two Hunslets were observed, all three in different liveries.

At Medine sugar factory no tramway remains but there is a preserved 0-6-0T of about 750mm gauge which has a strong OK family air about it. Another steam engine is on display at Beau Sejour, at the site of a closed factory belonging to the Mon Loisir Company. It is an 0-4-2T of British (?) appearance with outside frames, cylinders and valves, but with eccentrics located on the inside. In service at Mon Loisir are four diesels of about 760mm gauge.

An unidentified 0-4-2T of about 760mm gauge preserved at Beau Sejour, at the site of a closed sugar factory.

A Plymouth six-wheel diesel approaching Mon Loisir mill with a rake of loaded cane cars.

So far we have accounted for eight steam engines; the remaining half locomotive is to be found at Highlands, where an artificial boiler made of oil drums has been added to the frames and wheels of an 0-6-0T to form a realistic monument . although it is spoilt a gaudy colour scheme. Highland has one diesel of 750mm gauge and five others on track which is supposed to be of 950mm gauge but which would appear to be somewhat narrower.

There are also railways in service at Constance - La Galeté, with five diesels on track of 800mm gauge, and Mon Désert Alma, with eight engines of 750mm gauge. The railway at Belle Vue Harel (750mm) was closed in 1973 and that at Riche en Bau (600mm?) about six years ago but four diesels are at each of these two places.

750mm gauge Whitcomb Cd No. 2 of Mon Désert Alma Ltd., Beau Bois, in a typical Mauritius landscape.

All these factories are easy to visit, not only because there is little in the way of walls, gates etc. but because the staff are always very friendly and helpful. Most tramway lines are shown on an excellent road map published in 1972, which was on sale at Réunion Island but out of stock in Mauritius. Five factories shown on this map as having no railways were not investigated, so some railways or locomotives may have been missed.

Editors comments : where the gauges differ from those quoted above in a more recent list, this states them as - Beau Champ : 930mm, Deep River : 750mm, Mon Désert - Mon Trésor : wider gauge 950mm, Britanna : 762mm, Mon Loisir : 750mm, & Highland : 762mm & 925mm

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