Shibanxi Holiday 2011

Shibanxi Heaven - The best steam narrow gauge railway in the world on DVD when it was totally real (2004-2007).

Shibanxi Gold - The best steam narrow gauge railway in the world on DVD as it evolves into a sustainable operation (2008-2011).

If 2010 was our 'annus mirabilis' then 2011 so far has been our 'annus horribilis'. This is not the place to document why, but it does mean that there was something of a black cloud over us when we arrived on the railway for our annual visit on March 14th. Fortunately by the time we left on April 6th, they had largely dispersed.

Follow the links below according to your preferences...

• They think it's all over...

• Days 1 and 2 - Getting Settled

• New boy #8 - Seen initially on the coal train working (see also Day 21 below)

• Day 3 in the sunshine - Just 6 pictures because #8 (above) was our priority.

• Day 4 in the sunshine - Yes, the sun is still out....

• Day 5 - An abortive trip to Mifeng....

• Day 6 - Hiking in the Hills to Dodge the Tourists

• Day 7 - Shivering in the Drizzle

• Day 8 - No Blog Today

• Day 9 - First Footing

• Day 10 - Bagou to Xianrenjiao - the long way around

• Day 10 - Xianrenjiao to Bagou - the long way around

• Day 11 - Caiziba to Bagou - the very long way around

• Day 12-14 - Leaving on a Steam Train

• Day 14 - Sunday Sun Day - about time too

• Day 15 - Making a Pig's Ear of Things

• Day 15 - In the Hall of the Mountain King

• Day 16 - Starting them Young

• Day 17 - Bagou Bath House Blues

• Day 17 - Jiaoba West Side Story

• Day 19 - Jiaoba to Caiziba - the unbelievably long way around

• Day 21 - Vive le Difference

There can't be too many readers who are not well aware of the railway's attractions but if you are new to Shibanxi, you might like to consult:

• Shibanxi Holiday 2010 - a brief update to the major earlier reports including (more) hiking round Bagou.

• Shibanxi Holiday 2009 - a major report including much information on hiking in the area.

• Shibanxi Gold 2008 - a brief visit with out first inklings of what could be done with the now famous 'yellow flowers'

• Shibanxi Heaven 2007 - the year the tourists stated coming

• Shibanxi in Transition 2006 - the year the railway started to market itself

• Shibanxi Twilight 2004 - my first visit with Yuehong

• Shibanxi - Narrow Gauge Finale? 2003 - when the railway was struggling to survive 

This time, we hit the ground running owing to John and Stephanie Raby's excellent accounts of their own visits from late February.

Individual visitors please note that despite what has been said elsewhere, the best approach to the railway remains taking a bus from Shiyang Bus Station (a short taxi or 804 bus ride from Chengdu Airport). Buses now go down the new expressway to the Qianwei North junction (2½ hours journey time) - you can get them to stop here and take the usual local green bus directly to Shixi/Sanjin. It's madness to consider changing in Leshan even if you get a bus direct from the airport.

Shibanxi Heaven - The best steam narrow gauge railway in the world on DVD when it was totally real (2004-2007).

Shibanxi Gold - The best steam narrow gauge railway in the world on DVD as it evolves into a sustainable operation (2008-2011).

News from the line:

• There are currently 5 working steam locomotives: 7, 9, 10 and 14, plus a somewhat shrill ex-Penghzhou 8 - click here for some initial pictures.

• There are now 10 tourist coaches which are best described as brown rather than red owing to 'aging' and layers of dirt.

• The number of Chinese visitors to the line and the area in general continues to increase and trains are liable to severe overcrowding even during the week. Numerous extra trains are run at weekends and holidays when every serviceable vehicle is pressed into use, with some extra workings to Mifeng only.

• The loop at Xianrenjiao has been reinstated as a normal crossing point, fewer trains are crossing at Jiaoba.

• The new road from above Jiaoba has made a dreadful mess of the hillside above the line, there are some new photo opportunities but care has to be taken with the foreground.

• A new viewing 'platform' is under construction in the middle of the Caiziba horseshoe.

• During March there have been up to 4 coal trains a day, we even saw one on a Sunday squeezed in between the tourist trains on a sunny day.

• Pedestrian 'traffic lights' have been added to the tunnels on the upper section of line - ignore them at your peril when the red light shows.

• Amazingly despite all of the above, we have found the place delightfully unchanged as far as its ambience is concerned. When the new road from Mamiao described on John Raby's page is completed, this may well change everything, but I doubt it will happen quickly.