When Telerail made this great series with the title "Vanishing World Steam" in the late 1990s, there were still plenty of places in the world where steam trains were still operating in normal service. In Europe this was the case in Poland and in Asia steam traction in China was still fairly normal.&nbsp;Telerail has managed to create unique images and came to places in China where no other Western film crews had been before. The series was shot not only in China, but also in Cuba and Poland.
24Trains, in collaboration with Telerail, is now proud to offer you this 12-part series, which consists of more than 15 hours of video material from steam trains around the world!
English spoken. Credits: Telerail

Vanishing Steam World- DVD

Vanishing World Steam - A unique series  full with steam locomotives!

Volume 1-4

This exclusive DVD from Telerail is now available here at 24trains.tv. It features Chinese working steam photographed in temperatures as low as minus 30' Centigrade. Featuring all new material, it was filmed during January 1996 and includes stunning winter steam action of unsurpassed quality.
Credits: Telerail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 1 - China in Winter

One European steam route that doesn't need to operate preserved steam is based at Wolstzyn in Poland. Quite incredibly this part of the standard gauge Polish state network, with its pocket of intense daily steam activity, has continued to work right up to the present day (when this movie was made in 1996).
Filmed in Winter, Spring &amp; Autumn 1996, this superb video contains all new material and features: - Wolstzyn action in and around the famous shed. - Local pick up freights at Grodzisk, Kargowa &amp; Konotop. - Cab rides. - Spectacular secondary main line steam passenger action on the routes to Poznan, Zbaszynek and Leszno. - Sroda - a look at this fascinating narrow gauge line. - Steam loco classes including 1917 vintage Prussian P8 4-6-0, the magnificent green livered PM36 Pacific, OL49, OK22, PT47, TY3, TY42, TY45, &amp; narrow gauge PX48.
English spoken.
Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 2 - Poland

Still officially a closed communist country, at least as far as citizens of the USA are concerned, Cuba has much to offer the serious connoisseur of working steam. During the comparatively short sugar season an incredible variety of vintage steam locomotives are pressed into daily service with predominantly American designed locos from both Alco and Baldwin being the most common types, as well as a handful of European examples in use. Cuba have become a magnet for many resourceful rail fans during recent years. The majority use oil fired locos which are renowned for producing particularly dense smoke, but there are a few coal fired locos sometimes to be seen in service. The island features lots of delightful Spanish timbered colonial style buildings and is also well known as the final resting place for many vintage USA and British cars which are still pressed into everyday service.
This is part 1 of 2. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 3 - Cuba Part 1

No prizes for guessing that this DVD features China! - With around four thousand steam locos still working in 1998, China remains the only major country in the world still using any serious volume of steam power for everyday use. Shot during 1997 and 1998 this video with an informative script this DVD features unparalleled winter steam action including:
- Yebaishou - a return to this highly acclaimed area featuring what is likely to be some of the last steam action from this popular location.
- Xilin - narrow gauge action along an interesting rural line with PT4’s in action. Also the Yexi stone railway in Beijing.
- Mulling - passenger action around the giant horse shoe between Mundanjiang and Mulling.
- Tumen -steam close to the border with Korea highlighting the famous Xingxing spiral.
- Jinpeng Pass -the superb Tongliao - Jining line featuring winter action on the now famous Jinpeng pass as well as a visit to Daban depot. This 'provincial line' which is not part of China has sprung to prominence in recent years as it is still one hundred percent steam operated with semaphore signals and in addition, passes through some spectacular mountainous areas. Most of the traffic is freight worked by ex-China Rail QJs - although the alternate day passenger service in this remote part of Inner Mongolia is also featured. With so much stunning action, this video provides one of the most up to date opportunities to view working steam in the last few years of 20th century. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 4 - The Steamiest Place on Earth

Volume  5-8

Still officially a closed communist country, at least as far as citizens of the USA are concerned, Cuba has much to offer the serious connoisseur of working steam. During the comparatively short sugar season an incredible variety of vintage steam locomotives are pressed into daily service with predominantly American designed locos from both Alco and Baldwin being the most common types, as well as a handful of European examples in use.
Cuba have become a magnet for many resourceful rail fans during recent years. The majority use oil fired locos which are renowned for producing particularly dense smoke, but there are a few coal fired locos sometimes to be seen in service.
The island features lots of delightful Spanish timbered colonial style buildings and is also well known as the final resting place for many vintage USA and British cars which are still pressed into everyday service. This is part 2 of 2. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 5 - Cuba Part 2

At the start of the 21st century, China was the only country in the world, that was able to offer any serious volume of steam traction, and in this unique programme we highlight the splendid action to be seen during the extreme winter weather.
- Main line express passenger steam officially finished in China in October 1999, and we mark this sad milestone by taking a brief glimpse of the Fuxin to Jinzhou service.
- There's also a look at the Baotou Dong JS fleet which worked some of the last regular steam passenger suburban services around Baotou, and the Shiguai branch which winds for 38 kilometres north east of Baotou.
- We feature tremendous steam action on the Baotou to Shenmu line which was completed in 1994 to service the coal mines opened to the south of Dongsheng, and is not run by China Rail, but is operated as an independent 'local line'.The highlight of this 100% steam line, are double headed QJs assisted by a third QJ banking.
- There's also a return visit to the unequalled Jinpeng area on the Tonglio to Jining line - another provincial 100% steam outpost. This time we concentrate on the western side of the Jinpeng pass, including an atmospheric footplate ride on the first loco of a pair of QJs as they work a heavy freight over the mountainous route.
- In total contrast we take a first look at some unique surviving narrow gauge steam routes in the far North of China, including the forestry lines of Yabuli and the nearby line from Weihe, which even boasts a regular steam hauled narrow gauge passenger service. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 6 - Extreme Steam

Once again the Tele Rail crew head for China to record the final chapters of The Greatest Show on Earth.
-This time there's spectacular narrow gauge winter steam action from Zhane, 320 kilometres north of Harbin in Northern China, where the team were the first professional Western film crew to make the lengthy journey deep into the isolated forests right on the Russian border to see logging operation.
-There's a new look at some favourite lines, including Chengde, situated 250 km north of Beijing. This hilly area - which is famous for the emperor's summer palace - is the unlikely setting for one of China's most spectacular steelworks railways. Each day a small fleet of SY 2-8-2s and JS 2-8-2s battle to carry coal up the steep branch where it's normal practice to employ three locos on each short train. There's also a unique visit to the steelworks which is normally out of bounds.
-There's more stunning winter sights on the Shenmu local railway with huge coal trains around Dongsheng.
- Not forgetting awesome action in perfect winter weather, on the Ji-Tong line which has become famous for it's beautiful scenery and the impressive Jingpeng pass. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 7 - The Greatest Show on Earth

For many rail fans it seemed an impossible dream; that working main line steam would survive into the Twenty-first Century and yet in China that was precisely what happened!

This in depth documentary programme takes a close look at some of the last days where steam managed to survive including:

- Da'an - the largest and most interesting of only three major steam sheds left by January 2000 - on the border between Jilin and Heilonjiang province. With a QJ fleet of 47 and 9 smaller JS locos, there's many evocative shed scenes and plenty of mainline action around this country junction station.

- Jalainur - industrial steam at a giant open cast coal mine, in the far north, near to the Russian border which has its own fleet of 54 SYs. Featuring both local passenger services and coal traffic in the pit.

- Weihe - the picturesque narrow gauge system at Weihe which meanders through the hills and forests of Heilonjiang province carrying both logs and passenger traffic. Shuangyashan - a large colliery railway some 400 kilometres north east of Harbin, with nearly 200 kilometres of track, including main and secondary branch lines, and a steam fleet which has numbered over 30 locomotives, features both coal and passenger traffic.

- Jingpeng - more stunning winter action over the famous pass on the Ji Tong line in Inner Mongolia. Tele Rail is proud to offer the largest collection of professional specialist documentary video programmes in the world that feature rail action in China.

English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 8 - Dream Steam

Volume 9-10

There's over 90 minutes of the latest steam action here, all beautifully photographed including many scenes filmed in 2003.
<ul>
<li>&nbsp;TIEFA - a marvellous industrial system with plenty of passenger and heavy coal trains - including double headed SYs.</li>
<li>HEGANG - despite the pit and surrounding lines being electrified this little visited system has some real surprises with SYs working plenty of passenger services.</li>
<li>TONGCHUAN - a real rarity, operated by JFs, the oldest working locos in China work to Wangshiwa colliery.</li>
<li>YUNBAOSHAN - a busy colliery system that includes plenty of coal plus a regular mixed freight and passenger service all worked by JSs.</li>
<li>JI-TONG - the last great steam line in the world! This time featuring action away from the famous Jingpeng pass when we visit Chabuga shed and take time to explore the areas around Lindong and Chabuga for scenic lineside action.</li>
</ul>
English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 9 - 21st Century Extreme Steam

This volume explores the delights of some of the lesser known areas of Southern China including:
- Shibanxi - a wonderfully evocative narrow gauge line which twists and turns up an isolated valley to carry coal from a small mine plus numerous local passengers and their animals to market.
- Pindingshan - as far as industrial railways are concerned they don't get any busier than this! Lots of action including SYs, JSs and QJs.
- Yinghao - it seems like time has stood still on this charming narrow gauge line with its intensively worked shuttle up a steep climb to a transfer yard before a lengthy run to the China Rail railhead.
- Hechi - a wonderful JS operated system that passes through some very dramatic and unusual scenery.
- Zhenjiang - an 8km line from a limestone crushing plant to the shipping point on the Yangtze worked by three JSs.

This is part 1 of 2
English spoken. 
Credits: Telerail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 10 : Southern Stars - Part 1

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 10:  Southern Stars - Part 2

Volume 11-12

With the end of intense Chinese QJ action on the Ji Tong line at the end of 2005 you could be forgiven for thinking that the party is all over - but in fact as this new DVD proves there's some really outstanding everyday steam action still to be found all over China including:
- Jixi, a close look at this wonderful intense 100% SY steam worked mining area complete with its own workshops.
- Yaojie, rural SY action including double heading Baiyin, a busy industrial network complete with a lengthy regular steam worked passenger service.
- Xingyang brickworks, contrasting narrow gauge action.
- Sandaoling, lengthy heavy coal trains here produce regular banking by JS's.
This is the first part. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 11 -  Northern Stars Part 1

With the end of intense Chinese QJ action on the Ji Tong line at the end of 2005 you could be forgiven for thinking that the party is all over - but in fact as this new DVD proves there's some really outstanding everyday steam action still to be found all over China including:
- Jixi, a close look at this wonderful intense 100% SY steam worked mining area complete with its own workshops.
- Yaojie, rural SY action including double heading Baiyin, a busy industrial network complete with a lengthy regular steam worked passenger service.
- Xingyang brickworks, contrasting narrow gauge action.
- Sandaoling, lengthy heavy coal trains here produce regular banking by JS's.
This is the second part. English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Vanishing World Steam - Volume 11 -  Northern Stars Part 2

After first visiting China in 1994 the Tele Rail team have been privileged to return no less than 26 times! Sadly in 2011 just a few tiny pockets of industrial steam remain - a mere shadow of their former glory days, so this really is the end of the line for Chinese working steam. This last programme documents the essence of what remained at the end of 2008 when the Tele Rail crew decided on one last visit. Featuring: - Panzhihua: Incredibly after lengthy negotiations we managed to get permits to visit this large steelwork in the South of China, where there were still 8 active SYs. -Tiefa: There's a return visit to this huge coal mining area. With 3 SYs in steam to work some of the passenger turns the glory days of freight operations are well and truly over. However, what remains has considerable charm particularly the nighttime departures. -Jixi: There's some wonderful action here on a network that still boasted 100% steam on the interesting Didao system which was still very busy. Zhalainur (Jalainur) nothing can compare to the wonderful complex system that still boasted 21 locomotives within a single opencast mine! This really was one of the wonders of the modern world.&nbsp; English spoken. Credits: TeleRail

Back

Vanishing World Steam - A unique series full with steam locomotives!

Episodes

Newsletter