Chinese Railways

Another day on the Jitong Railway. Early morning sun on an eastbound train at Biligou, set against a background of rocky mountainside.

Not many double track narrow gauge industrial lines around, and certainly not like the Dahuichang Limestone Railway just outside Beijing. There is little room left for doubt as to the number of the locomotive in charge of this rake of empties heading for the loading chutes. Sadly the line only lasted for a few more months before being replaced by lorries. Locomotive No.4 from this line is now undergoing restoration at Boston Lodge on the Ffestiniog Railway in the UK.

Westbound train a short distance before arriving in Lindong on the Jitong Railway. This particular trip proved short of sun at critical moments and short of trains at others. Still, it was worth waiting on the hill taking in the view whilst waiting for the train to arrive.

The use of the railway as a pedestrian thoroughfare is normal practice across China. Certainly nobody seems the slightest bit concerned that SY 1299 is on its way from the station at Huangjia with the afternoon passenger service on the Nanpiao Coal Railway.

The track gang watch a passenger service from Diaobingshan to the various collieries on the approaches to the junction station at Sanjiazi on the Tiefa Coal Railway.

Shoppers wait for the afternoon passenger train to clear the level crossing at Huangjia on the Nanpiao Coal Railway. Typical local railway scene across China, right down to the brightly painted crossing keeper's hut.

Chimney first workings uphill were uncommon on the section between Dongchang and Zhengyang on the Jixi Coal Railway. However, on this gloomy morning SY 1544 was pointing that way and is seen arriving at Zhengyang with a load of empties.

In the gloomy deserts of Ningxia Auntonomous Region QJ 7036 heads for the Yangchangwan coal mine at the far end of the Daba - Guyaozi line.

Late afternoon and another train of empty coal wagons is approaching Xiahua on the Huanan Coal Railway. The parallel road has a cart upon it pulled by a pair of horses who panicked as it was overtaken by the train and attempted to set off cross-country. The couple with the cart are seen here attempting to control their motive power before it escapes. I was surprised to see this as I would have expected the local horses to be well used to passing trains.

The many level crossings at Fuxin cause significant traffic holdups when rail traffic is high. SY 1319 shunts across with coal tippers whilst the locals patiently wait.

The colliery system at Nanpiao was always worth visiting for the steam action on both branches with both passenger and coal trains. On a cold winter afternoon the passenger service is seen pulling away up the bank after a stop at the Zaojiatun Colliery.

After shunting a small siding part way up to Shenbutong and waiting whilst the bags of ore were unloaded, SY 1581 heads back to Baiyin with the empties.

Heading west from Chabuga behind QJ 6911 on the daily stopping passenger service over the Jitong Railway. This was my last ever ride on a scheduled long distance main line steam passenger train. When I left the train at Lindong there was a tinge of sadness as I stood and listened to the locomotive accelerating into the gathering dusk.

The Fuxin mining railway has several crossings in the town where the locals pay little attention as the SY class locomotives go about their daily work.

I learned tonight of news from China that the Huanan Coal Railway has finally succumbed, with the traffic being transferred to lorries. This view from April 2005 sums up the charm of this wonderful narrow gauge line as it climbed through the hills to reach the colliery.

QJs 6984 and 7104 on an eastbound freight are seen from the driver's window on QJ 7081 at Dariqiga on the Jitong Railway. This was the day I spent on the footplate with a very friendly crew. The fireman couldn't speak any English and my Mandarin is worse than basic, but we managed to communicate via pictograms and the photos and apps on his mobile phone! A wonderful day that I shall always remember.

The morning sun is just touching the exhaust of the second locomotive as this westbound freight digs into the climb of the Jinpeng section of the Jitong Railway.

Morning passenger service from the outlying collieries seen over the roooftops as it climbs the steep bank towards Dalu. The locomotive was reduced almost to a crawl by the time it crossed the summit.