Two QJ 2-10-2s head an eastbound freight over the "horseshoe" viaduct on the western approach to the Shangdian summit of the Jing Peng Pass on the Ji-Tong Railway, Inner Mongolia.

Please note that an enhanced version of this programme is now available on DVD at no extra cost.  Click here for details.

Volume 15: Jing Peng

It came as an improbable surprise to discover in 1996 that a new line had been constructed in China that was over 900 kilometres long, entirely steam worked, and relied heavily on semaphore signals. This programme provides an account of the Ji-Tong Railway, and in particular the 50 km mountainous section between Jing Peng and Reshui, which has come to be known as the "Jing Peng Pass". We see the railway (from both footplate and lineside) combating nature, in respect of the rugged terrain, and also the appalling climatic conditions that prevail during the winter months.

We travel on the daily passenger train, and visit the depot at Daban, which is likely to enter the record books as the last working steam shed built anywhere in the world. There are stunning shots of double-headed trains, which we see tackling both sides of the Jing Peng Pass.

In closing, Jing Peng looks briefly at China's other significant railway sites, including the Dahuichang limestone railway, and triple-worked trains on the Chengde industrial branch and Dongsheng coal line.

Jing Peng (on VHS tape) runs for an hour and costs £18.

A China Railways SY 2-8-2 bursts from a tunnel on the industrial branch at Chengde, north-east of Beijing.  The train is assisted at the rear by two more 2-8-2s.