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Locomotive "Singapore" steams into St James's for WWII commemorations

Published Tuesday 21st June 2005

Locomotive 'Singapore', which was used at Singapore Royal Navy Dockyard from 1936-1953, arrives at St James's Park

Locomotive 'Singapore' arrives in the Mall

The arrival of the locomotive causes a stir with members of the public strolling through the park

As part of the events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, a temporary museum is being established in the grounds of St James's Park, close to Buckingham Palace.

On Sunday 19 June 2005, "Singapore" arrived on a low loader from Rutland, showing off its war wounds - a series of bullets holes in the engines boiler. The locomotive is the first piece of the jigsaw of exhibits for the "Living Museum".

The Rutland Railway Museum has agreed to place its Far Eastern Prisoner of War steam locomotive "Singapore" on display on a short length of track, together with a photographic display.

The 20 ton Dockyard steam locomotive "Singapore" has a unique wartime history in the Far East having been captured by the Japanese in 1942 on the Fall of Singapore, a fate it shared with 80,000 allied servicemen. Like its fellow prisoners, the locomotive was also put to work by its captors in the naval dockyard, servicing Japanese ships.

60,000 of the prisoners of war were taken to Thailand where they were involved in the construction of the infamous Burma-Siam "Death" Railway through the disease-infested jungle. Many perished on that project and in other PoW camps.

Only the dropping of the atomic bombs and Japanese surrender saved the surviving prisoners from certain death. The locomotive is now maintained as a working memorial to the sacrifice, and comradeship of Far Eastern Prisoners of War.

"Singapore" arrived in St James's Park, much to the bemusement of passers-by. The rest of the Museum will arrive over the next few weeks, and will be built around the locomotive.

The temporary "Living Museum" being built in St James's Park will offer an unprecedented opportunity for the public to see highlights from many of the Nation's WWII collections on a 25,000 square metre site.

Over 28 Museums and organisations are taking part to commemorate the lives of those men and women, both military and civilian, who experienced WWII – a event which has shaped the lives of subsequent generations and must never be forgotten.

Education and understanding are central to the concept of the "Living Museum" - today it is hard for younger generations to imagine wartime life and WWII will soon no longer be part of living memory.

Through the "Living Museum" visitors will be able to learn about the experience of the war generation first hand, through real 'living history'.

Re-enactments and hands-on displays will give them a glimpse of wartime life, both military and domestic - from air-raids and black-outs, through to gas-mask training and code-cracking. Visitors will be able to try on the clothes, pick up the objects and join in the songs.

The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with a team drawn from various Veterans Organisations for over a year to pull together the events designed to reflect both the poignant and celebratory aspects of the 60th Anniversary.

See Related links >>> for the 60th Anniversary website which provides information about the many commemorative events being organised in London and around the Country.

Museum Opening hours at St James's Park, London, SW1 will be:

Monday 4 July 2005 1400 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Tuesday 5 July - Friday 8 July 2005 1200 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Saturday 9 July 2005 1100 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Sunday 10 July 2005 0900 hrs - 1400 hrs (last entrance 1300 hrs)

School groups can benefit from early opening hours from 1100 hrs Tuesday - Friday. Booking numbers for school groups are 020 7218 5639 and 020 7807 8935.

The arrival of the locomotive causes a stir with members of the public strolling through the park	The locomotive is carefully unloaded	The temporary tracks are carefully aligned and secured
The locomotive is installed on temporary tracks in St James's Park	Flying the Flag, 'Singapore' is in St James's Park as part of the Living Museum, 4-10 July 2005, which is part of the National Commemorations to mark the end of the Second World War	During the regular air attacks on the dockyards (during WWII) the locomotive received superficial bullet and shrapnel damage to cylinder and boiler cladding which can still be seen today

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