Description

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.