China Steam Tour October-November 2012
The Last Great Steam Show on Earth
Part 1
Completed: 30
October 2012
I've produced a DVD of this trip and also
of the many other trips I've made to China from the 1990s to
date. Click here to see the list
of all my China DVDs.
Sandaoling spoil line No. 5 at Xibolizhan
on 26 October 2012
all photos © John Raby, 2012 unless
otherwise stated
On my
first trip to China in 1980, I skipped the Temple of Heaven in order to
see Chinese steam locos at FengTai marshalling yards. Today, with steam
gone from the Beijing area and 32 years on, I had time to fit in the
Temple of Heaven. Several things stuck me, the vast area within the
walls, the numbers of local Chinese and tourists who go there and how
sterile it is now that it no longer fulfills its original imperial
religious purpose.
This is
the most famous item within the grounds - the Hall of Prayer for Good
Harvests - and was suitably crowded.
I found
one relative backwater towards the western gate.
Moat
around the Fasting Palace looking towards the Divine Music Office.
Otherwise,
I was interested to see two of Beijing's last trolley bus lines in
action. Routes 105 (from the west) and 106 (from the east) both
terminate at the north west corner of the Temple of Heaven complex.
Trolley
bus route 105 operates these modern single units from the west.
Route 106
trolleys from the east are of the bendy-bus variety.
Turning
circle for both routes - although this trolley seems to be operating
'off-wire' which I didn't notice when I took the shot. (Perhaps they
have back up battery or diesel power?)
Trolley
bus on route 105 at the start of its journey west along Tiantan Road.
Prior to the
main tour John and Michael went off to see the last known working QJ in
China now accessible by high speed train to Qufu East and then a 40
minute taxi ride. Michael had arranged official permission so they were
able to see the loading operation with the QJ and diesel both in
action. The diesel trips a full train of empties from China Rail,
splits the train and then both locos slowly push half a train through
the cement hoppers to load. The QJ works chimney to the loads and is
best seen when it comes of the train. Previously owned by Dae Woo, the
plant is now owned by a Chinese company CUCC. Without permission
(obtained in advance), there is little chance that you will get a good
view of the action unless you access via the back way, penetrate the
site by about 1 km and avoid security!
QJ 7129 at
the stabling point at 7:45. © John Athersuch, 2012
Diesel and
QJ slowly move the wagons as they are loaded with cement. © John
Athersuch, 2012
The QJ back
at its stabling point having finished work for the morning around
11:30. © John Athersuch, 2012
This 2012
tour duplicates some locations (Sandaoling, Baiyin & Fuxin) visited
in September-October 2011. Please see http://www.users.waitrose.com/~jraby/sandaoblog.html
for a comparison of then and now.
Tour itinerary
21 Oct Day 1. start of tour, overnight to Hami (aka Kumul) by train
departing around 10 am
- Hard class sleeper from Beijing (all that was
available) but on the direct train so arrived 28 hours later around 2
pm - a good, long train ride!
22 Oct Day 2 . Hami – Sandaoling by private bus
- Arrived around 2 pm and with a smooth transfer
and hotel check in, we were out to Xibolizhan around 4 pm and had a
good 2.5 hours looking into the western end of the pit (probably 9
locos visible) and then some sunset shots west of Xibolozhan which
feature below. Of note since last year, they are stripping overburden
from the rim on the south side (by train) and filling the central north
bottom of the pit with spoil with trucks. There was one service train
down in the pit and 2 working on the tipping lines relaying old track
panels. It very busy on the spoil side of the pit and a great
introduction to Sandaoling for the newbies. One loco was seen by the
blue loader so some coal is being taken out as well.
JS 6224, 6209, (on the Jordan Spreader 04), 8077,
8080, 8089, 8076, 8081, 8195, 8167, 8190, 8173, 8040, 8368, 8225 and
8053 + 8314 and 8358 on trains to deep mines.
SY 1304 (on engineers working)
DF8B 0247 (working), 0248, 0249, 0250
Steam crane unloading track panels west of
Xibolizhan
Jordan Spreader No. 4 (a change from last visit)
heads off to work on spoil track 3 or 4. (Track 2 not in use.)
Sunset with Jordan Spreader No. 4 and JS '224'
(aka JS 6224)
The train was about 2 minutes late for the
optimal shot on spoil line 5 - by the time the loco got in front of the
sun it was below the hill
23 Oct Day 3 . Sandaoling
Our first full day with time at Dongbolizhan and
the cliff near Kenkonzhan in the morning and Xibolizhan in the
afternoon. Early morning was cold but it warmed up and we lost the
exhaust steam by about 10 am and it didn't really cool off before
sunset. However, the potential for early morning and late afternoon
photography and video was excellent and we overall we had a good day.
Morning line up at Dongbolizhan
Workers' passenger train
Approaching midday, it was too warm for steam
One SY remains in use.
Empty spoil train descends from spoil line 5 with
the last train before sunset
24 Oct Day 4. Sandaoling
We had a mixed day with an excellent early
morning start at the Xibolizhan for sunrise, shift change and the
passenger train which also served the pit again (unlike last year). We
also had a drive to Nanzhan and saw a JS head towards the deep mines
where another loco on a train was visible. However, knowing how
unphotogenic this working can be, we gave this up in favour of the east
end of the pit. Unfortunately, in the afternoon, things ground to a
halt. We walked into the east end of the pit to the waiting JS on
empties only to find that there was no coal at the blue loader and it
would be hours before any train moved. We abandoned this for a drive
back to Xibolizhan where there were also minimal trains. This was put
down to a safety check prior to the communist party conference in
November! Pollution had built up and as the sun descended into the murk
and with no trains moving, we came back for an early beer.
Just after sunrise, a train of empties heads for
the pit.
The passenger train from Dongbolizhan arrived
around 9 am.
Later in the morning, we walked closer to the
excavator loading the overburden on the pit rim.
In nice light, JS 8080 waits to drop down to the
blue loader (and they were expecting a long wait).
25 Oct Day 5. Sandaoling
Dongbolizhan early morning followed by a workshop
visit and then another walk down from the east towards the blue loader
in the afternoon. This was slightly more successful than yesterday as
we saw 2 loaded and 2 empty trains before sunset but action was slow
because the washery was full. We surmise that they were waiting for
wagons from China Rail.
The passenger train loco waits on its train
before sunrise
Sunrise at Dongbolizhan
JS 8368 in the workshop seen through the hooks of
a steam crane
As close as we were allowed to get to the blue
loader
26 Oct Day 6. Sandaoling
We planned to spend all day at Xibolizhan but the
day started cloudy and windy so we had a rethink late morning which led
to a drive to the deep mines at lunchtime but the cloud cleared and the
wind dropped and we finished the day as planned at Xibolizhan.
Morning line up in cloudy, windy conditions with
7 locos on spoil trains and JS 6224 on the Jordan Spreader hiding to
the right.
One of two locos at the 2nd deep mine - JS 8314
The 2nd loco JS 8358. We have seen 19 JS and 1 SY
in use and 2 more under repair.
Loco heading out on spoil line 1
While the permanent way gang watch on, JS 8077
returns from spoil line 4
Spoil line 5 which rewarded me at the end of the
day not with a train but with this. (The spreader spent a long time up
this line early afternoon but all spoil trains took line 1-4 all
afternoon!)
27 Oct Day 7. Sandaoling – Hami by private bus
overnight to Lanzhou by train
Morning at the west end and afternoon at the east
end before a 17:30 departure for Hami
Spoil train starting its climb to the reversal in
the pit.
Spoil train exiting the pit following the
reversal.
Track workers replacing sleepers on the line to
the washery.
New sleepers arriving by motorcycle.
Train passing the p-way gang.
Coal empties waiting to drop back into the pit.
Smokey exit from the pit.
By the time it reached the lip the smoke was
fading.
28 Oct Day 8. Lanzhou – Baiyin by private bus
A late arrival in Lanzhou meant we had to rush to
see the afternoon passenger train to Shenbutong. We didn't make it! You
could also blame the stop for the excellent Lanzhou beef noodles but we
probably wouldn't have made it anyhow. Instead, we spend the afternoon
at Baiyin Gongsi marshalling yard where 2 SY and 2 diesels were quite
active shunting. The Shenbutong passenger arrived back at 17:30 and we
stayed until the departure of the 18:25 passenger to Shenbutong. Loco
numbers were:
SY 1581 Shunt, SY 1013 Shunt, SY 1047 Passenger service, GK1C 0427
Shunt, GXD1A 0206 Shunt
SY shunt returns from the east factory sidings.
Return passenger train arriving at Baiyin Gongsi.
With sunset at 18:00, the Shenbutong 18:20
arrival was at dusk.
Just before 18:25, waiting to depart for
Shenbutong.
29
Oct Day 9. Baiyin
Our first full day at Baiyin saw the Shenbutong
passenger and freight to Shenbutong steam and the passenger to
Sanyelian diesel.
Morning passenger to Shenbutong.
The passenger train passes the freight at
Liugongli station.
Stored in the works was SY 2008 (renumbered for
the Beijing Olympics and still with the Beijing Olympic logo above the
headlight) and SY 1470. SY 2008 looked the most likely spare loco for
the 3 working locos. In the other section of the works, one loco was
under heavy repair and SY 1067 was parked near the coal loader and
being cannabilised for spare parts.
DFH 5 0117 appeared today. This is an early
(hydraulic?) diesel from the 1970s.
Warm sunshine and a lack of shunting activity
late afternoon led to a quiet drink beside the line (John, Gareth and
Richard posing.)
Evening passenger to Shenbutong leaving Baiyin
Gongsi at 18:25.
30
Oct Day 10 . Baiyin
Our last full day in Baiyin. We went up the
valley in the morning and waited after the Shenbutong passenger for the
freight wshich came shortly after the passenger returned to Baiyin. At
lunch we had a look at Baiyin Town station and after a further session
up the valley with both the Shenbutong and Sanyelian passengers steam,
we finished at Baiyin Town station.
With sunlight just creeping into the valley at
08:10, the Shenbutong passenger passes Sanyelian smelter.
Seen slightly higher up, the loco is worked hard
towards Shenbutong.
Steam freight to Shenbutong passes under China
Rail coinciding with a DF4 on a freight.
Lunchtime at BNMC company's Baiyin Town station
with a China Rail passenger heading east from Baiyin West station.
SY 1047 has run round and waits to depart on the
18:15 train to Shenbutong.
That
probably ends the selection of photos from Baiyin. Unless I get
anything really good on our last part-day tomorrow, the blog will
continue on a new page after we have had a day at Pingzhuang on 2
November.
31
Oct Day 11. Baiyin – Lanzhou by private bus, overnight to Beijing by
train
Part 2 continues on a separate page
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are welcome.