China Steam Tours 2013

Updated 13 November 2012
(Tour cancelled - for reason see below)

China Steam Tour 5: Shibanxi and other narrow gauge lines in Sichuan and Chongqing

Revised Dates: 24 March - 7 April 2013 (Chengdu - Chengdu)

This tour is based on successful tours in March 2011 and 2012. You can read my blog of the 2012 trip here.

You can find details of the alternative tour at the same time to the best 3 standard gauge real steam lines (in China and the world) here.

This tour is cancelled because the Jianghe line has closed and because the new 'all touristy' Shibanxi operation sees; no coal trains, shorter passenger trains and some passenger trains cancelled mid-week, two types of tourist coaches (light blue and brown) which could appear on any passenger train and do not make an attractive tourist train to photograph, locos are still being painted in unnatural colours (apple green is the latest). Once Shibanxi settles down and if further attractive steam lines such Rongshan (prison railway) or Panzhihua steelworks become possible, I will consider offering a tour to Sichuan and Chongqing again.

You will find details here of a proposed tour for spring 2013 with local guide Zebedee and myself leading. The itinerary was tested in March 2011 and expanded in 2012 to include other narrow gauge lines in Sichuan and Chongqing.

Background
I organise and guide trips within China (local arrangements only) along with expert local guides for small groups of individuals who are interested in seeing industrial railways which still operate real steam daily. China is almost the last place left in the world where it is possible to see this but I also participate in trips to Java to see the remaining narrow gauge sugar cane steam there. I operate these China tours because I enjoy seeing real steam and industrial narrow gauge myself, because I like to share this with others and to help support the local guides who are now my friends. Should you wish to contact participants on the 2011 or 2012 tours to get their unbiased opinion about the kind of tours I organise or find out how good the local guides are, please contact me and I will put you in touch with one or more of them.

This tour will be arranged for you with local guide Zebedee for a group of three - five people. If we achieve 6 or more people, I will be on the tour as well but whether I am there or not, you can be sure that I will liaise with Zebedee prior to and during the tour to make sure that you get the best tour arrangements possible.

Revised Dates 24 March - 7 April 2013 (Chengdu - Chengdu)

The tour offered (as described below) comprises:

6 full days at Shibanxi - depot and workshop visit - accommodation close to the line - train riding and linesiding - flexible program to suit all - visits to 2 standard gauge SY locations, - visits to 2 electric and 1 diesel narrow gauge lines - guided by experienced local guide Zebedee - real narrow gauge steam passenger and tourist trains - single rooms (no supplement) - 3 meals a day including drinks with meals (free beer!) - land arrangements only

This tour is based on successful tours in March 2011 and 2012. You can read my blog of the 2012 trip here.

Please contact me if you are interested in this tour.

Background information (Shibanxi and Mojiang):
South of Chengdu are two narrow gauge coal lines both with a passenger service, one a mixture of electric (on the lower section) and steam on the un-electrified upper section and one 100% electric. If you like real industrial narrow gauge railways, both are classics that ooze character and are great survivors in 2010-2011.

A road has been built to Bagou on the Jiayang line (where until late 2011, the only access was by the train, on foot or by motorcycle along the tracks). So far, the new road has has minor impact but the developing local tourist trade can have a temporary major impact at weekend during the spring flower season and possibly at other times. Since then, more roads have been built or improved and, as I write, the steam coal trains are almost history. By March 2013, we may be left with steam passenger and tourist trains and electric coal trains on the lower section.

Spring (specifically March) is considered the best season to visit for the yellow oil-seed rape plants (also known as canola or mustard greens) in the fields that adjoin the tracks as well as the chance of reasonable weather (although it is often misty or overcast in this area). However, this is the peak season for Chinese tourists so visiting at other times will be quieter and offer a better chance of seeing steam-hauled coal trains rather than tourist trains. This visit is later than 2012 and should improve the chance of white blossom on the fruit trees in addition to the yellow flowers.

If you are interested in the real, industrial narrow gauge you will love these railways. However, if you need 100% steam or need your trains to be chartered and presented to you as a pre-arranged dish, this tour may not be for you. The idea is to get you to remote locations to watch, wait, walk the tracks, ride the trains and just enjoy real narrow gauge railways in action (and sometimes, inaction). We do not intent to charter or arrange anything - it will all be real. To enjoy this you will also need to have an interest in China, the Chinese people, their way of life, the scenery and (not least) the local food. The nearest western fast food outlet is probably in Leshan (but we will not be going there). You will also need to be reasonably fit as a certain amount of walking is required to get the best shots.

Information about the March 2013 trip:
This tour is designed to give an extended stay (a full 6 days) along the Shibanxi Railway (also known as the Jiayang Coal Railway) in south of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, Western China. Most people will have heard of if not already visited this line which is the last Chinese narrow gauge steam line open to foreigners. The line is well worth an extended visit as there is lots of variety, local colour and the line can be walked in stages over this time period to obtain photographs or video all along the line.

The Shibanxi line is almost 20 km long so there are lots of potential locations including Huangcunjin terminus and coal mine museum, Bagou station, tunnels near Bagou, Jiaoba (disused coal mine), Xianrenjiao (summit station), Caiziba halt and curve, Eagle's Beak Tunnel and Mifeng reversal (and new outdoor railway museum), the back end of Sanjin mine (slag tipping), Sanjin (end of electric railway) and Shibanxi station, yard and depot. (The yard and depot require permission to visit which we expect to obtain.) We will allocate time to all of the most interesting sections of the line during your stay here. There are also isolated small coal mines that can be hiked to (with an option for a day trip or overnight trip to the coal mines in the Huangdan and Mamiao area) if the group feel that they have spent enough time at Shibanxi.

Four nights are planned in Bagou which is a delightful town set in a mountain valley currently accessible by railway, motorcycle or on foot (and now a twice-daily bus service to Qianwei). This is ‘old China’ without a doubt. The road is now complete and, over time, the current charm of Bagou will probably be lost due to tourism developments and the impact of road transport. The time to go is now. This tour will also pay a visit to the electric narrow gauge Mojiang Railway subject to the railway management’s continued tolerance of railway enthusiasts.

At the beginning of the tour, a visit to 2 non-steam Sichuan narrow gauge lines is on offer as well as an overnight visit to see 2 standard-gauge SY locos in an area still recovering from a recent earthquake north of Chengdu.

Provisional Itinerary (revised 21 September 2012)
Day 1 Meet up Chengdu airport - drive to Mianzhu (2-3 hours) - overnight Mianzhu
(If anyone needs a Chengdu airport hotel before or after the trip, Zebedee can arrange a basic hotel - single room, ensuite bathroom, air conditioning - for around Yuan 150 per night. Please let me know if you need this.)
Day 2 Photograph the SY locos at Mainzhu, drive to Hanwan, photograph the locos and explore the branch to China Rail, drive to near Chongqing airport (4 hours) - overnight near Chongqing airport
Day 3 Photo Jianghe line (600mm ng diesel)
Day 4 Morning at Jianghe then drive to Yongchuan city (4 hrs) - overnight Yongchuan
Day 5 Morning bus to Honglu town (2 hrs), photo the line (762mm ng electric), second night in Yongchuan hotel
Day 6 Morning bus to Honglu town (additional look at the electric line), transfer to Sanjin on the Shibanxi line, overnight Sanjin
Day 7 Wed Steam train ride (1st return train of the day) to Shibanxi, visit depot and workshop (subject to permission), walk back to Sanjin, steam train ride (3rd train of the day) to Bagou, check into hotel, walking tour of Bagou, overnight Bagou
Day 8 Photography along the line Huangcunjin - Mifeng, overnight Bagou
Day 9 Photography along the line Huangcunjin - Mifeng, overnight Bagou
Day 10 Photography along the line Huangcunjin - Mifeng, overnight Bagou (option to stay at Mifeng instead)
Day 11 Transfer to Sanjin, photography above or below Sanjin, overnight Sanjin
Day 12 Photography Shibanxi to Caiziba, overnight Sanjin
Day 13 Final day for lineside photography or train riding, transfer to Shawan (for Mojiang), overnight Shawan
Day 14 Mojiang narrow gauge line (762mm electric), overnight Shawan
Day 15 Bus transfer to Chengdu Airport, end of Main Tour

+ Daily activity once in Bagou is very flexible. A program for the day will be agreed the previous evening over dinner. This will involve walking or riding to a different place each day and then returning by train or walking back. Participants can stick together or do their own thing.

Price of Main Tour (14 nights) = Yuan 18,200 (for a conversion from Chinese yuan to your own currency see oanda.com)

Included:
-the services of a local guide (and my own services with 6 or more people signed up)
-permissions (as required)
-all bus transfers
-all train travel on the Jiayang Coal Railway*
-single rooms in hotels (or refund if not available)
-3 meals a day (breakfast or lunch may be take away/packed meals if necessary to increase time for photography)*
-bottled water*
-soft drinks/beer with meals
* if not with the group when these expenses are incurred, they can be reclaimed with a receipt

Not included:
-tips for bus driver
-snacks and shop purchases not included above
-alcohol other than beer
-air ticket
-China visa
-any arrangements before the start of the tour or after the end of the tour
-own arrangements should you join the tour late or leave it early

Prices are for ground arrangements only Chengdu Airport – Chengdu Airport for the dates shown and include single rooms where available. In the event that not enough single rooms are available, an on-the-spot cash refund in Yuan will be made to anyone who has to share equal to half the cost of the twin room used. For example, if a twin room costs Yuan 200, each of the sharers will received a Yuan 100 refund.

Your place on this tour can be confirmed with a £400 fully-refundable deposit. The balance of the tour cost will be paid in Yuan either in China at the beginning of the tour or (should you prefer) by bank transfer to Zebedee (your Chinese tour guide) prior to the tour start.

Mojiang Coal Railway

Zebedee (Zhang Guang Yu) and John Raby offer this tour as local guide and organiser, not as a travel agents nor as a company but as individuals. We believe that your money is best protected by you retaining it until the start of the trip. A fully-refundable deposit (personally guaranteed by me John Raby) is collected so we can be reasonably sure that you have committed to the tour. The deposit GBP400 is per person for this tour. This is fully refundable until expenses are incurred on your behalf in the UK or China (most likely to be transport or hotel deposits which may not be refundable). However, one month before or less, we will give a only 60% refund (or the actual sum left if expenses of more than 40% have been incurred). One week before or less, your deposit will not be refunded if you cancel. However, your deposit will be 100% refundable if the tour is cancelled by us (at any point).

Jianghe Coal Railway

Yonchuan Coal Railway

This tour is based on successful tours in March 2011 and 2012. You can read my blog of the 2012 trip here.

Please contact me if you are interested in this tour.

Jianghe Coal Railway

We will be visiting a real steam operation with access to public areas to see how it operates normally. There are no charters or special trains, it's all real. However, as with any real operation, we could experience days when things don't operate as we would like. For example, a derailment on a single track railway can produce a short or long delay depending on the severity of the problem. We could also find hotels that have promised single rooms do not have enough rooms for the group. We will do what we can to ensure that frustrations and minor discomforts such as these do not happen but we depend on the cooperation of others to ensure that everything goes totally to plan. You sign up for these tours in full knowledge that things don't always go right all the time and accepting that flexibility and compromise may be required by you at times.

That's me in the cab of Shibanxi C2 No. 7 at Huangcunjin in 2011.