The saga continues: the finest and hardest steam spectacle on earth. Almost all is said about this place. It was a miracle that Sandaoling extended its steam service until September 2020. If not a second miracle happens this will be the last and final tour we’re offering to this amazing site.
Nanzhan continues to use steam as well. They’ve closed the unproductive mine at Yijing but the rest of the operation is unchanged. Access to the yard or the mine is not permitted, but the steep mine to the deep mine in a moon-shaped countryside is accessible.
Sandaoling had seven to nine locos in steam in early 2019. There are more steam locomotives scattered all over China, but only locations with one or two shunting locos, rarely moving and, at best, they produce boring situations in endless yards and on short links to industrial sites which are either inaccessible, not photogenic, or both. The last really worthwhile location still offers steam at its best: fighting against the physical limits of adhesion, they climb steep gradients with their trains of coal.
No matter whether you’re a newcomer to steam in
Date |
Itinerary |
04.01. |
Individual flight to |
05.01. |
Arrival in |
06.01. until 10.01. |
In the morning we’ll go by bus to the airport and fly to Hami. Charter bus from Hami to Sandaoling. We’ll drop our luggage in the hotel there and head for the last big water hole for steam enthusiasts Sandaoling. The best location for genuine steam in the world: Sandaoling. It’ll never become boring! |
11.01. |
Time to say goodbye to the open cast mine of Sandaoling. One more time we’ll take pictures and videos of the famous last heavy coal trains out of the pit. Around noon we’ll return to Hami and fly to |
12.01. |
By hotel shuttle bus to the airport and return flight home, arrival in |
First of all, we are at the edge of a steam-free age, we can’t rule out that lines may have changed to diesel locomotives before we arrive or even closed down completely. The itinerary is based on information from May 2019, several months before we go to Sandaoling. There is no substitute if Sandaoling is dieselised or closed. No guarantees and virtually no refunds are possible.
Sandaoling has become the
All coal trains from the loading facilities deep in the pit must climb out of the open cast mine to reach the unloading point. This is a thrash of almost 3 miles for the heavy trains. In the best case you can witness this spectacle about every 20 minutes to half an hour. Sometimes there is a gap of up to four hours, but then it starts again! Most, if not all, of the coal trains are hauled chimney first out of the pit.
The trains are all “push-pull” trains with a small signal cabin built on the platform of the last wagon of each train. Empty trains are pushed into the mine and loaded trains are pulled loco first. With a semaphore on the roof of these miniature “cabooses”, the loco driver gets the signal forward. This is an unusual operation pattern in
Sunsets in Sandaoling can be amazing. There are quite a lot of reasons to go there but the main reason is that normally there are several hard working JSs in the area!
Trains to the deep mine in Erjing might see a hauling and a banking engine. It depends very much on the production and the availability of wagons.
A visit to the workshop is, again, possible. Entrance fee was 150 Yuan in December 2018 (price can change and is not included). The loading area within the pit is not permitted for a visit. In the open cast mine there are several cameras, so an unauthorised visit is not recommended either. But we’re allowed to walk down to the first station after the loading point. On this section, from the unloading point to the first station inside the pit, you can take dozens of good shots. Conclusion: still the greatest steam show on earth.
We expect a morning temperature around minus ten (likely) to minus 20 (unlikely) degrees Centigrade in Sandaoling, while afternoons can be as mild as plus 5 to plus ten degrees Centigrade. The photo equipment usually has no problems with these temperatures, it’s only the batteries. When not using them you should pack them in a warm place. We can warm up in our charter bus any time, so it’s not too difficult to stand the winter with the right clothing. The recent winters have been very mild during our stay in
The voltage in
This tour is designed for both dedicated photographers and video film makers. Our philosophy is to provide opportunities to get that perfect sunrise shot rather than a time consuming 5-star breakfast buffet. Breakfast and lunch may be served as a packed meal. For breakfast try the local noodle soup or dumplings, that’s a fantastic start in the day. Dinner is planned to be a proper (Chinese) meal. Times for meals can vary. Beverages are not included in the tour price. Our hotel in Sandaoling doesn’t offer breakfasts, but there are small restaurants just across the street.
We’re planning to do some night shots. Please take an appropriate tripod with you. Yes, even in the digital age a tripod does help a lot when it comes to tricky light situations!
The coal mining industry in
Hotels, charter buses and trains represent the standard of our host country, which may deviate from European or North American expectations. While we will endeavour to avoid long walks, some photo positions may require an extra but worthwhile effort. You should be physically fit if you want to go down to the bottom of the pit. Always remember that you need to climb back up the plus/minus 100 metres that you went down.
The hotels used will be of medium class but in remote areas, i.e. Sandaoling, that is very basic. A hot shower and a private bathroom with a western style toilet are available in all our hotels. Recently the hotels didn’t accept foreigners and they needed to go back to Hami for accommodation every day. My mid May 2019 the hotels, again, agreed to accept foreign tourists.
Hygienic and environmental standards in
China | ||
The last fireworks of steam | 13 to 24 participants | £2,140 |
05.01.2020 13.01.2020 | Single room surcharge | £185 |
Registration Deadline: 31.10.2019 |
The price includes:
Not included are:
All pictures taken on the tour in December 2018.
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