The International Steam Pages

Hiking in Penang UK Steam Rallies 2013-24 Our Life in the UK

International Steam Locomotives 2024

About these pages (27th Nov 14)
Copyright Notice
(3rd Jun 07)
Privacy Policy (20th Aug 15)
Site Search
(24th Nov 07)
Broken Links (8th Jan 24)
News Index
    Africa
    Americas
    Asia (East)
    Asia (West)
    Europe 
Narrow Gauge Steam (21st Aug 24)
Narrow Gauge Non-Steam (24th Sep 24)
Railway Museums (24th Apr 24)
Travellers' Tales (5th Oct 24)
Stationary Steam Engines (4th Oct 24)
Railway / Floating Cranes (12th Aug 24)
Steam Snow Ploughs (10th Aug 22)
Steam Road Engines (17th Sep 24)
Steam Ships (7th May 24)
Modern Developments (19th Nov 13)
Articulated Locomotives (9th Jan 24)
Hill Railways (19th Nov 16)
Steam Trams
(29th Apr 24)
Illustrated Features
(23rd Nov 13)
Guest Steam Video Clip (25th Feb 14)
YouTube Selection (26th Jan 21)
My YouTube Videos (29th Jul 18)
Book Reviews (6th Jul 20)
DVD Reviews (12th Apr 10)
2023 Calendars (6th Nov 22)
Railwayana (10th May 23)
Journals (23rd Nov 13)
Scheduled Steam (17th Mar 06)
25 Glorious Years (14th Feb 22)

Latest Major Stories

(Railway) Travellers' Tales (5th October 2024)
(PNKA) Power Parade Gold (25th August 2024)
Narrow Gauge Steam Railways Worldwide (21st August 2024)
Real Steam in China, the final curtain falls (updated 25th March 2024)
Steam returns to Wolsztyn (updated 24th February 2024)
Sweet Dreams, Java Sugar Steam 1971 - 2010 (extras 23rd October 2023)
GondangBaru's 18,000,000 YouTube views (16th July 2023)
Java Sugar Steam - Almost the End (updated 9th March 2023)
Active Real Steam in Bosnia? (updated 11th October 2022)
Raj Steam - Narrow and Metre Gauge in the Subcontinent (extras 9th March 2022)
News from Darjeeling (updated 5th October 2021)
Incredible Indonesia - the Iron Dinosaurs (13th November 2020)
Safari Steam - 'Steam in Africa' (19th October 2020)
Zafra - Cuban Sugar Steam, 1980 - 1999 (14th September 2020)
Railways in Peninsular Malaya ca 1970 (updated 20th August 2020)
Tiger Steam On Line (10th April 2017)

Please consult the main news index for minor additions.

Fascinating Steam Age
Industrial Archaeology

International Steam DVDs

Country Index

Asia (east)
   Cambodia (4th Jan 20)
   China (25th Mar 24)
   Cook Islands (16th Dec 21)
   Fiji (29th Mar 17)
   Indonesia (24th Sep 24)
   Japan (21st Oct 18)
   Laos (16th Aug 20)
   Malaysia (21st Sep 24)
   Mongolia (27th Nov 14)
   Myanmar (27th Mar 17)
   New Caledonia (29th Nov 98)
   North Korea (6th Apr 20)
   Philippines (18th Oct 23)
   South Korea (19th Oct 23)
   Taiwan (23rd Feb 21)
   Thailand (3rd Jun 24)
   Vietnam (28th May 24)
   Railway Cranes (30th Apr 23)

Asia (west) 
   Afghanistan (29th Nov 09)
   Bangladesh (3rd Jan 12)
   India (12th Jan 23)
   Iran (4th Apr 18)
   Israel (6th May 15)
   Iraq (2nd Aug 07)
   Jordan (6th May 23)
   Kazakhstan (15th Nov 23)
   Lebanon (15th Jun 16)
   Nepal (21st Dec 14)
   Pakistan (22nd Apr 24)
   Russia  
   Saudi Arabia (6th May 23)
   Sri Lanka (29th Feb 24)
   Syria (14th Jun 18)
   Tajikistan (14th Aug 08)
   Turkey (21st May 16)
   Turkmenistan (2nd Nov 02)
   Uzbekistan (10th Dec 07)
   Railway Cranes (20th Apr 20)

Africa
   Angola (17th Mar 24)
   Benin (9th Jun 08)
   Botswana (11th Oct 16)
   Burkina Faso (16th Dec 09)
   Cameroon (12th Mar 13)
   Central African Republic (4th Jun 18)
   Congo-Brazzaville (10th Oct 13)
   Congo (DR) (30th May 13)
   Egypt (28th Mar 09)
   Eritrea (20th Oct 19)
   Ethiopia (22nd Dec 19)
   Gabon (16th Mar 12)
   Ghana (24th May 08)
   Ivory Coast (8th May 18)
   Kenya (16th Dec 14)
   Liberia (27th Apr 07)
   Madagascar (5th Apr 12)
   Malawi (27th Jan 12)
   Mali (10th Jun 08)
   Mauritius (14th Jun 22)
   Mocambique (17th Mar 24)
   Morocco (20th Oct 16)
   Namibia (21st May 15)
   Nigeria (25th Mar 14)
   Réunion (26th Apr 14)
   São Tomé (29th Jul 11)
   Senegal (29th Feb 08)
   Sierra Leone (1st Feb 11)
   South Africa (23rd Mar 21)
   Sudan (18th May 11)
   Swaziland (22nd Aug 23)
   Tanzania (29th Mar 23)
   Togo (15th Oct 12)
   Tunisia (22nd Nov 09)
   Uganda (22nd May 14)
   Zambia (1st Oct 24)
   Zimbabwe (1st Oct 24)
   Railway Cranes (5th Apr 19)

The Americas
   Antigua (13th Feb 20)
   Argentina (21st Jan 18)
   Barbados (30th Sep 21)
   Bermuda (8th Mar 20)
   Bolivia (8th Nov 16)
   Brazil (23rd Aug 24)
   Chile (17th Dec 12)
   Colombia (15th Aug 20)
   Costa Rica (22nd Mar 16)
   Cuba (14th Sep 20) 
   Dominican Republic (1st Sep 14)
   Ecuador (16th Aug 20)
   El Salvador (22nd Jan 18)
   French Guyana (7th Dec 07)
   Guadeloupe (28th Aug 14)
   Guatemala (26th Oct 19)
   Haiti (24th May 14)
   Honduras (23rd May 12)
   Jamaica (26th Jun 14)
   Martinique (28th Aug 14)
   Mexico (9th Oct 18)
   Nicaragua (30th Jul 11)
   Panama (23rd Apr 09)
   Paraguay (14th Aug 20)
   Peru (4th Feb 20)
   Puerto Rico (10th Mar 14)
   South Georgia (14th Oct 07)
   Surinam (8th Mar 20)
   Uruguay (15th Dec 14)
   Venezuela (4th Oct 14)
   Railway Cranes (21st Mar 23)

Europe
   Albania (17th Aug 22)
   Armenia (24th Aug 23)
   Austria (18th Apr 17)
   Azerbaijan (18th May 10)
   Azores (28th Oct 18)
   Belarus (30th Nov 08)
   Bosnia (101h Jul 24)
   Bulgaria (26th May 15)
   Croatia (17th Aug 22)
   Cyprus (22nd May 23)
   Czech Republic (10th Feb 15)
   Estonia (17th Dec 10)
   Finland (23rd Apr 23)
   Georgia (8th Oct 05)
   Germany (1st Dec 08)
   Hungary (17th Aug 22)
   Iceland (22nd Mar 16)
   Italy (8th Oct 24)
   Kosovo (17th Aug 22)
   Latvia (25th Jul 09)
   Lithuania (26th Sep 09)
   Macedonia (10th Sep 22)
   Moldova (24th May 07)
   Montenegro (4th Oct 08)
   Norway (15th Dec 10)
   Poland (24th Feb 24)
   Portugal (17th Nov 22)
   Romania (12th Oct 15)
   Russia (3rd Jan 22)
   Serbia (30th Aug 10)
   Slovakia (21st Aug 24)
   Slovenia (2nd May 18)
   Spain (20th Oct 18)
   Sweden (3rd Aug 17)
   Switzerland (22nd Dec 10)
   Turkey (17th Aug 22)
   Ukraine (1st Dec 22)
   Fireless Locos (20th Sep 24)
   Railway Cranes (2nd Oct 23)

Australasia (4th Oct 16) - An introduction and links to sites

Australia
Steam in Australia 2019 onwards (21st Jun 24)

New Zealand
Operational steam in New Zealand (25th Feb 17)
Introduction to New Zealand mainline steam (14th May 02)

Illustrated Features:
    Ambarawa Railway Museum (13th Aug 15)
    Burma Mines Railway 1999
    Cambodian Steam 1999
    Hejaz Railway 1997
    Eritrea Steam 2002
    Fegua 2004 (Guatemala)
    A month in Java 1976
    Steam in Indonesia 1977 (1st Sep 12)
    North Korea 2003
    Pakistan 1992  
    Romanian Forestry Steam 1998
    Steam in Sabah 2001
    Steamy Burma Days 1996
    Steamy Java Tour Blog 2010
    Sweet Dreams in Java (1975-1997)
    Tipong Colliery Railway 2004
    Tipong Colliery Railway 2008
    Zafra Narrow Gauge (1996-2001)

Illustrated Features (China):
    Huanan Coal Railway 2003
    Huanan Coal Railway 2004
    Nanpiao Mining Railway 2003
    Shanhetun Forestry Railway
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2003
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2004
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2006
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2007
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2008
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2009
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2010
    Shibanxi Coal Railway 2011
    Weihe Forestry Railway 2002
    Weihe Forestry Railway 2003
    Weihe Remembered
    Xingyang Brickworks Railway 2004
    Xingyang Brickworks Railway 2008
    Yinghao Coal Railway

Lifestyle Statements
    Climb Every Mountain (Java)
    West Sumatra (4th Dec 12)
    Far from the Madding Crowd
    Shibanxi Holiday 2009
    Shibanxi Holiday 2010
    Shibanxi Holiday 2011
    Moving On 2010
    Chinese Country House (2004 - 11) 
    Burma Days (2005 -10)
    Life in Penang (15th Mar 24)
    Life in the UK (23rd Aug 24)
    UK Steam Rallies  
    UK Steam Rallies 2013 (13th Oct 13) 
    UK Steam Rallies 2014 (21st Sep 14)
    UK Steam Rallies 2015 (27th Sep 15)
    UK Steam Rallies 2016 (20th Sep 16)
    UK Steam Rallies 2017 (19th Sep 17) 
    UK Steam Rallies 2018 (15th Oct 18) 
    UK Steam Rallies 2019 (24th Sep 19) 
    UK Steam Rallies 2021 (20th Oct 21)
    UK Steam Rallies 2022 (10th Oct 22)
    UK Steam Rallies 2023 (17th Nov 23
    UK Steam Rallies 2024 (17th Sep 24


It's less than 1/100 second to midnight effectively all over for Real Steam in the world. I believe the following is the short list of countries where there was traditional revenue earning steam in the closing years and, in most cases, the amount was tiny, usually industrial and often even seasonal. I don't believe that the numbers ran to double figures anywhere even in China.but I am not sure what the situation in Bosnia is fluid..

Asia: China (industrial/provincial railways, Sandaoling finishing), India (Ooty and Darjeeling, effectively tourist operations), Indonesia (seasonal industrial fireless, no longer any conventional steam by 2021, a little steam in 2022), North Korea (marginal, steam at Chongjin steelworks, off limits to foreigners).

Africa: Botswana (industrial, operation reported finished in October 2016), South Africa (industrial, finished in August 2015), Zimbabwe (industrial, potentially but not active 2014, using rented NRZ steam in 2017, but probably finished by late 2018)

Americas: Brazil (industrial, finished by November 2014)

Europe: Bosnia (industrial), Germany (industrial fireless),  Poland (semi-real and subject to suspension),  Romania (industrial, assumed finished, although charters are still possible), Serbia (industrial, assumed finished as I have had no reports since 2010), Slovenia  (industrial fireless), Austria (industrial fireless)


Broken links are an occupational hazard for a long running website like this. I run Xenu Link Sleuth once or twice a year (the latest one was in early January 2024) which churns out a list for me to work through although not all domains will allow such apps to 'crawl' through them. At other times, it reports apparent bad internal links in other domains. It runs in the background and takes several hours, then checking and annotating the links occupies my spare time for at least a couple more days.

All is not lost, the 'Wayback Machine' https://archive.org/web/ keeps 'images' of sites, generally just text, not images, and they can be accessed by entering the required URL. For that reason these days I leave bad links visible (with text struck through) so you can copy and paste the necessary to see what is held.


In October 2016, 'internationalsteam.co.uk' migrated to a new host in a transparent manner which should not have been noticed by regular visitors to the site. For over 10 years, I had had access to space provided by my friend John Crellin. However, it was time for a more than amicable separation, the hosting market is moving in favour of the consumer, I now have a cheaper package and more space which is good news at a time when advertising rates are in decline. John has put in a lot of effort for me behind the scenes and I would like to thank him for his support.

For 14 years, this home page was on 'steam.dial.pipex.com'. After I returned to the UK from China in 2011, it finally moved to 'internationalsteam.co.uk', which, with 'chinasteam.co.uk' used for mainland China, had actually had most of the content for several years. Once I was totally free of the internet restrictions imposed on those who live in China, there was no point in continuing to pay for a Pipex account and any references to Pipex URLs you may find elsewhere will not work. In March 2013 I gave up the 'chinasteam.co.uk' domain and the English language material on that site has moved to 'china.internationalsteam.co.uk'. Links within this site have been changed but existing external links will no longer function.

As for contacting me in a Pipex free world, many of you will know my "gmail" email address (it's on our DVD pages) and I can always be contacted via the email address below. As always, please put a meaningful phrase in the subject line, it does help on those mercifully rare occasions when real emails drop into the spam filter - I do quickly scan my spams before deletion but mistakes can and do occur. 


Rob and Yuehong Dickinson

Anyone wishing to use material on this site should read the copyright notice.

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Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk