TEAMYAKIMA Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 12 minutes ago, Nick C said: Sad to hear - does that therefore mean that Wolsztyn is the only place left, globally, with normal (as opposed to tourist/heritage), scheduled steam operation? I suspect that won't last much longer either - it's been hanging in the balance for a few years now... Well .............. To a great extent Wolsztyn was only made possible by the support of enthusiasts whereas Sandaoling was a genuine case of steam doing a commercial job. I have also heard that they now only have one steam loco passed for main line use and that certificate will run out soon - I think it's to do with loco tyre wear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted January 18 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18 1 minute ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: Well .............. To a great extent Wolsztyn was only made possible by the support of enthusiasts whereas Sandaoling was a genuine case of steam doing a commercial job. I have also heard that they now only have one steam loco passed for main line use and that certificate will run out soon - I think it's to do with loco tyre wear. Made possible by enthusiasts yes, but still doing a normal job, running a scheduled PolRegio service. I think you're right about only having the one loco at the moment though, and they're also getting short of qualified crews. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Trofimow Posted January 18 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18 (edited) Quite so. The pt47 is the only remaining loco in ticket, and only has around 1200 k remaining tyre wear and various other mechanical issues. There's a small shunting loco, but nothing else in the pipeline to take over the regular services as far as I am aware. Edited January 18 by Trofimow wrong loco designation d'oh too much lunchtime beer... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 45 minutes ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: Followed shortly, by bad news - the last 'real' steam still working in China has finally ended. Sandaoling opencast coal mine on January 15th 2024. Does that mean Beijiao will be dieselised as well? 😁 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 5 hours ago, Nick C said: Sad to hear - does that therefore mean that Wolsztyn is the only place left, globally, with normal (as opposed to tourist/heritage), scheduled steam operation? I suspect that won't last much longer either - it's been hanging in the balance for a few years now... Hartz mountains. Well worth the trip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Morgan Posted January 19 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19 This video just popped up on Youtube. It appears to be a 'proper' railway still using steam power for regular services on parts of the line. It seems that only tourist charters run over the whole length at the moment. It is well worth watching. Does anyone have any more up-to-date information about it, apart from what I gleaned from Wikipedia? It would actually make an interesting subject for a model. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said: This video just popped up on Youtube. It appears to be a 'proper' railway still using steam power for regular services on parts of the line. It seems that only tourist charters run over the whole length at the moment. It is well worth watching. Does anyone have any more up-to-date information about it, apart from what I gleaned from Wikipedia? It would actually make an interesting subject for a model. Yes, I travelled the whole line back when it very first opened. I don't think the original plan to run container trains never came about. Just tourist charters ever ran AFAIK. Edited January 19 by TEAMYAKIMA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Trofimow Posted January 19 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19 On 18/01/2024 at 15:24, Nick C said: Made possible by enthusiasts yes, but still doing a normal job, running a scheduled PolRegio service. I think you're right about only having the one loco at the moment though, and they're also getting short of qualified crews. I understand that The Wolsztyn depot have not applied to renew the PolRegio contract when the current period expires. The PT47 is now below 1000 Kms left on the tyres and no new blanks are available. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) I was talking to a guy the other week who is looking to start running an 'Orient Express' style service in China. Sort of a high end 5 day package deal with across Mongolia and Northern China. 5-star on board service with cultural stops each night. He was looking at diesel hauled (DF4s?), but had not considered the appear of steam hauled for either part or all the trip and the appeal this would have to his European/American market. Maybe this is a bit of a blind spot in the Chinese culture, with no historical mid-class to exploit? The guy is back in China this week, and from the conversation, I had with him, he may be looking at what QJ's and QS's might remain might be available to for the service. I hope he can pull this venture off. It sounds appealing (he was touting for investment, so the presentation may have rose-coloured. However the investment proposal looked sound) In my view, his is aiming too high end, with his focus on the top end of the new Chinese middle class market. I think he needs to look at a tier down for the Steam Rail Enthusiast market, with slightly less pomp and a bit more steam. This one has potential. Edited January 19 by Al. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Thanks to Al Turner our hotel has a new sign on the roof - there is one small 'typo' that needs correcting but otherwise it's just perfect and really shouts 'China!'. 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) 10 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: there is one small 'typo' that needs correcting Yeah, as if anyone like me is going to notice... 🤦♂️😂😂😂 Edit:- but missing truck wing mirrors, on the other hand... 😱☝️🤪🤣 Edited January 24 by F-UnitMad 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiuModels Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 10 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: Thanks to Al Turner our hotel has a new sign on the roof - there is one small 'typo' that needs correcting but otherwise it's just perfect and really shouts 'China!'. Just the good shed signs to add. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neils WRX Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 On 23/01/2024 at 22:49, TEAMYAKIMA said: Thanks to Al Turner our hotel has a new sign on the roof - there is one small 'typo' that needs correcting but otherwise it's just perfect and really shouts 'China!'. That’s a grey “Hilton” hotel!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 (edited) As regular readers of this thread will know, I am always trying to balance two slightly contradictory concepts - 1. Being accurate to my theme - China in 2001 2. Making the layout 'more interesting' by bending the rules as regards what's authentic. One issue which I have highlighted is that if I am to be prototypical them most trains should be hauled by a DF4 variant, whereas I try to show as much variety as possible - if a certain class of loco might have hauled that train in 2001 then that's OK with me - more variety equals more interesting trains. However, I am taking that concept way beyond that now - for several years I have owned a model of the experimental gas combustion system QJ2 0001. I think the real loco was built in 1985 and ran some tests, but was converted to a conventional QJ in 1988 and eventually scrapped way before 2001. Consequently, I bought it purely as a showcase model, but one day something bad happened to it - I'm not prepared t6o say what happened, suffice to say that soon afterwards I fitted a lock to my showcase! Needless to say, there was more damage that you can't see in that photo, but after several hours work and a lot of expert help from Peter Morgan, it's 99% back to normal - and it runs nicely! Having done so much work on it to enable it to rune, it seems daft to just put in back in the (now locked) showcase and consequently I plan to run it occasionally at future shows - I'll just have to change the layout description from "all you see on the layout is authentic for China in 2001" to "most of what you see on the layout is authentic for China in 2001" :-) Will make an interesting topic of conversation with visitors to shows. Edited January 26 by TEAMYAKIMA 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted January 26 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26 "All you see on the layout is authentic but not necessarily for this part of China and not necessarily in 2001". No, I didn't think so either. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26 52 minutes ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: As regular readers of this thread will know, I am always trying to balance two slightly contradictory concepts - 1. Being accurate to my theme - China in 2001 2. Making the layout 'more interesting' by bending the rules as regards what's authentic. One issue which I have highlighted is that if I am to be prototypical them most trains should be hauled by a DF4 variant, whereas I try to show as much variety as possible - if a certain class of loco might have hauled that train in 2001 then that's OK with me - more variety equals more interesting trains. However, I am taking that concept way beyond that now - for several years I have owned a model of the experimental gas combustion system QJ2 0001. I think the real loco was built in 1985 and ran some tests, but was converted to a conventional QJ in 1988 and eventually scrapped way before 2001. Consequently, I bought it purely as a showcase model, but one day something bad happened to it - I'm not prepared t6o say what happened, suffice to say that soon afterwards I fitted a lock to my showcase! Needless to say, there was more damage that you can't see in that photo, but after several hours work and a lot of expert help from Peter Morgan, it's 99% back to normal - and it runs nicely! Having done so much work on it to enable it to rune, it seems daft to just put in back in the (now locked) showcase and consequently I plan to run it occasionally at future shows - I'll just have to change the layout description from "all you see on the layout is authentic for China in 2001" to "most of what you see on the layout is authentic for China in 2001" :-) Will make an interesting topic of conversation with visitors to shows. I share your pain, my BR time period was end of steam, August 1968, to the invasion of telephone numbers, but gas turbines, 10800 and a jackshaft shunter have moved it backwards a tad, and a railfreight wagon consist inheritance have moved it forward. Far too fickle us railway modellers! Mike. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26 1 minute ago, St Enodoc said: "All you see on the layout is authentic but not necessarily for this part of China and not necessarily in 2001". No, I didn't think so either. Shades of Morecambe and Wise with Mr Preview! Mike. 1 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 OK, back to the real world............................. We had a very good session at the recent Alton exhibition with several new ideas tried out with great success. 1. We tried out some new lights (in addition to the existing light strips in the pelmet) which have a choice of three different colour balances - harsh white, orange and a 50/50 mix. We had a team vote and we unanimously chose the orange setting. This was just a trial, now I will be buying more for future exhibitions. 2. We have several new operating protocols - one of which was a great success. We now stop all mainline operation when a banked train is ready to go up-hill as having main line trains 'out front' tends to over-shadow the banked train move on the industrial. In fact, the exhibition hall which we were in was quite small and consequently there was relatively little background noise and so the banked train with three sound fitted 2-8-2's was very impressive and the low ceiling only helped to boost the effect. 3. I had managed to adjust the CV's of the USA 0-6-0t so that it could, for the first time, play a full part on the industrial system. 4. After one relatively minor track tweak, the industrial system worked virtually 100% reliably all weekend. Photos to be posted shortly 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 It was good to see Beijiao at Alton, the first time I've seen it in the flesh. The banked train was pretty impressive (having read this thread I knew to wait around for it!), as was the 15?-car passenger set on the main line. The orange backscene really works well too, gives a proper feel of filthy industrial pollution... 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 6 minutes ago, Nick C said: The banked train was pretty impressive (having read this thread I knew to wait around for it!), as was the 15?-car passenger set on the main line. Thanks, Yes, with less background noise and with the low ceiling the banked train really sounded good. And it's actually a 19 car passenger train - not unusual in China! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 2 hours ago, Nick C said: It was good to see Beijiao at Alton, the first time I've seen it in the flesh. The banked train was pretty impressive (having read this thread I knew to wait around for it!), as was the 15?-car passenger set on the main line. The orange backscene really works well too, gives a proper feel of filthy industrial pollution... The banked train makes operating the line the most interesting of the 4 (& the hardest work). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 On 08/02/2024 at 17:11, Pete the Elaner said: The banked train makes operating the line the most interesting of the 4 (& the hardest work). Don't worry too much about that, I plan to make your job just as hard at our next exhibition! 😉 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 I never got to take any photos at Alton, but someone has kindly sent me this ....................... It shows the new signs on the warehouse, made for me by Al Turner of Niu Models - a big thank you to Al, the signs really shout out, " This layout is CHINESE!! " 7 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted February 18 Author Share Posted February 18 I don't think I've posted this comparison before on RMweb, not on this thread anyway, but here is a 'then' and 'now' comparison between our first exhibition (Bristol 2018) and one of our last (Keighley June 2023) 2018 .................... 2023 ......................................... 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveNCB7754 Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 (edited) 5 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said: I don't think I've posted this comparison before on RMweb, not on this thread anyway, but here is a 'then' and 'now' comparison between our first exhibition (Bristol 2018) and one of our last (Keighley June 2023) Certainly come a long way since then! On a side note - I'm the second bald head on the left (w/red jumper, light chinos and checked shirt) in the 2018 photo. This must be the Friday afternoon, as I would always come up to Wales (where I now live in retirement) from work on the south coast of England at lunchtime, taking advantage of the BMRE being on. Can't even imagine how many of these shows I've attended over the years - having it begin on a Friday afternoon (a rare thing country-wide) was hugely helpful. Happy days. Steve N (hoping to be there again this year, only coming from the opposite direction now) Edited February 18 by steveNCB7754 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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