IRS / LCRS China Trip
Report of the Industrial Railway Society/ Locomotive Club of Great Britain visit to industrial steam sites in China between Oct 26th 2003 and Nov 7th 2003.
Zibo aluminium plant
3 SY present (SY 0755, 1345, 1508). Also 2 DF5D Nos 0010, 0011. There were major problems over photography here and the authorities arrested the local guide.
A disappointment was the Xihe Coal Mine. The metre gauge line that had been working
in 2000 had closed. All track removed apart from at level crossing. All locos
scraped, loco shed demolished, only remains one firebox and a headlamp on top of a
building. Formerly there were 10 OK 0-10-0 here.
I also omitted that on the train from Zibo to Yanzhou they passed the Jinan
steelworks where they saw SY in steam.
Liquan Limestone Works, Hongshan
JS 6475 stored in case of resumption of rail traffic
Zouxian Mining Railway
Extensive railway serving a number of deep mines. Route length at least 10 km and
probably a lot more. 17 x QJ. No SY remaining here now.
QJ 3538, 3595, 6284, 6782(oou), 6811, 6812, 6814, 6848, 6865, 6866, 6933, 7123(oou), 7126, 7188, 7189, 7190, 7191
The visit was on 28-10-03. In addition to the 17 QJ there were 5 DF4DD (a GM/GE look-a-like heavy shunter) in use (No. 0031, 1020, 1021, 1022,1023) and DF5 1075.
Zouxian Coal Mine Railway is the much discussed Yanzhou system. In February, while on the way to Xuzhou a QJ in steam was seen at Yanzhou CNR depot opposite the station - a loco from the system ?
China Aluminium Co Ltd, Henan Branch, Shangjie
10 SYs present (0203, 0260, 0161, 0838, 1168, 1229, 1406, 1674, 1693, 1694) of which 7 were at work on the 18 km line to the Bauxite quarries.
Xingyang Brickworks (762mm gauge)
3 x C2 (0-8-0), one working. More problems over photography here.
Zhengzhou Coal Mines, Lijiazhou
4 QJs in use (QJ 2315, 2440, 3494, 3495).
China Rail, Zhengzhou Locomotive Works
JS 6489 and JS 8076 on site. For sale to industry? Workshop under demolition as industrial steam repairs have ceased here.
Zhongzhou Aluminium Works, Jiaozuo
4 x QJ present (QJ 2028, 2112(oou), 2154, 2245). Passenger services here too, although it was not clear whether these were steam hauled. 2 diesels already in use here and 2 more expected in 2004 which will see the end of steam.
Zhongyuan Special Steel Plant
2 QJs (1419, 1436) and 2 SYs (0372, 0636). The shed is at Jiyuan and the works is at Zhongyuan. Scenic line in hilly country. There were 2 more QJ tenders at the shed, one had the number 2130.
Jiyuan Local Railway (762mm)
Completely closed but 2 x 0-8-0 locked in shed at Jiyuan.
Luoyang Fire Reistant Materials Factory
SY 1682 sheeted over
Yima Opencast Coal Mine
Coal is brought out of the pit by lorry. Railway used for removal of overburden and
dumping in worked out areas.
7 JSs (5937, 6061, 6215, 8087, 8092, 8275, 8276) and 2 SYs (1419, 1435) present. All other locos previously reported from here have gone.
Yima Coal Corporation, Xinan Colliery
18 km of very scenic railway from main line to colliery. Railway leaves the main line from Luoyang to Yima at Miawtou and runs for 18km to the colliery at Xinan. The road follows the railway and the group saw viaducts and
tunnels.
4 QJs are in use: QJ 2858, 2878, 3318, 7204.
Guan Lin Steel Works, Luoyang
Vist here was 1-11-03. 4 SYs are available: SY 1316 and 2014 were working, SY 1339 was present and the
fourth (not seen) was confirmed as 0866 by two of the drivers.
Luoyang Tractor Factory
4 x SY (0742, 0847, 1292, 1352). Examination of SY 0742 revealed that it was actually most likely to be SY 0067 of
6/1967. This number was found under the painted number on the smokebox and also
stamped on the air reservoir. The loco had plates dated 6/1967 LHS and 8/1974 RHS.
Pingdingshan Coal Railway
Saw 13 x JS, 5 x QJ and 4 x SY
Luohe Local Railway
Runs for freight only from Luohe to Wuyang and to Fuyang via Zhoukou. The depot is at
Zhoukou. 8 QJs (6548, 6624, 6901, 7000, 7006, 7011, 7091, 7161) but no SY remain here.
QJ 7161 is stationary boiler.
Tangyin-Puyang
At Tangin QJ 6591 was seen on a train south of the station whilst the group was travelling from Luohe to Handan. It is believed to belong to the Tang-Pu local railway.
Handan Iron and Steel Works
14 SYs were seen: SY 0119 awaiting scrap, 0293 stationary boiler, 0557, 0702, 0800, 1081, 1139, 1154, 1208, 1393, 1535, 1658, 2007, 2009. All working apart from 1658 under repair at shed. The group also say YJ 311 reduced to scrap whilst they were there.
Xingtai Iron & Steel Corporation
6 SYs (0011, 0736, 1265, 1349, 1641, 3009). Only 1349 was working. 0011 and 3009 reported as 'preserved', rest OOU. SY 1436
is reported scrapped. Steam due to finish December 2003
Wangdu Local Railway (762mm)
36km line closed completely Feb 2003. Charter special managed about 3km from Tangxian
before the state of the track caused termination. In steam(ish) on this was 0-8-0 066
(Shijiazhuang 15/1985). 0-8-0 005 (Shijiazhuang 01/1960) and 2816 (Chrzanow
3845/1959) were also present.
Xuanhua Iron & Steel Works
14 x SY (0299, 0323,0552, 0559, 0782, 0921, 1104, 1113, 1177, 1219, 1342, 1462, 1528, 1541) in use and YJ 0269 out of use.
© 2004,
IRS / David Kitching