BUWAIR STATION
GPS: 24.947082, 38.988876
24°56'51.60"N 38°59'18.31"E
Distance to next station south (Bir Nassif): 20 km
Distance to next station north (Istabl Antar): 20 km
Altitude: 455 m
A modern water tower looms over the old metal Ottoman twin tanks
Two-storey black basalt stone station building.
Barracks block.
Two small stone defensive positions to the east of the barracks.
Twin water tower and small pump house - both used by locals as dwellings.
Complete train, consisting of a locomotive (German-made Hartmann 2-8-0), 2 tenders, 2 covered wagons (one with a brakeman’s seat) and the base frames of 6 wagons. Piles of ballast. Remains of 4 wagons to the south of the station (wheels marked Angleur). The rolling stock is now encircled by a fence, providing essential protection, but making it hard to visit the site.
During the war, a defensive outpost was established by the Ottomans next to a culvert about 250 metres north of the station.
Hartmann 2-8-0 with Jebel Antar just visible in the heat haze to the north
On 14 October 1917, an attack by an Arab raiding party was made on a north-bound train between Buwair and Istabl Antar. The telegraph line was cut. The train was held up for some time, before being able to return to Buwair Station.
During the war Buwair was a depot for spare rails used in the repair of the damaged line. In November 1917 a captured Turkish 2nd Lieutenant stated that there were 1,000 spare rails at the station. The broken rails were collected after raids and repaired at Medain Saleh before being transported to Buwair Station.
In October 1918, in the dying days of the war, the Iriwa branch of the Juhaina tribe captured the stations of Buwair and Istabl Antar from the beleaguered Ottoman forces.
German-built Hartmann 2-8-0 in front of the barracks block at Buwair
Stone defensive position close to the barracks block
2nd stone defensive position close to the barracks block