Tour Programme - 2012/2013

Enthusiast Holidays will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2012, and it has survived when many others who entered the railway enthusiast tour market, have come and gone. But nobody ever said it was going to be easy!  It is an unfortunate fact that many countries where steam survives, are or have recently been, politically unstable - look at Burma, for example, or the former Jugoslavia. The takeover of Kenya Railways by a South African consortium meant that their priority was firmly on getting it to be an efficient freight railway, and steam was definitely on the back burner even before the 2007 post election violence; however there has been  movement although the essential work needed on the Garratt, and the reluctance of the authorities there to permit steam west of Naivasha or south of Konza, not to mention their excessive tariffs, makes planning a successful steam railtour difficult, and we are now planning for January/February 2013. In Pakistan the disastrous security situation makes the monsoons that washed half the Khyber Pass away, and a m.g. system based on Mirpur Khas that hasn't seen working steam for years, somewhat irrelevant at the moment, although the good news is that an SPS 4-4-0 has been discovered intact in Lahore works, and is to be kept (although no plans to put it into traffic); the bad news is that an SGS has also been discovered there, but is to be, or maybe already has been, sold for scrap. And now the Ukraine has steamed its last in 2007, with all the locos. supposedly scrapped in 2008 as it was uneconomic to keep them. The following tour programme is therefore presented in spite of all these problems!  Click to print a PDF version of these tour programme pages

For further details of any or all of the tours described below, contact us at the address/tel/fax numbers on the preceding page, or complete the details on the next page and email it to us. Some of our tours are strictly for the dedicated photographer, and make few concessions to tourism. Others, however, recognise that many enthusiasts now wish to see something of the country visited, as well as getting great pictures, and so visits to the principal touristic sites and places of interest are included.

CHINA   "Mopping up what's left"   - and a visit to Tibet - tour postponed.

The heady days when we were all freezing our ******** off on the Jingpeng Pass in the depths of winter waiting for a pair of QJ's to thunder past, are sadly long since gone, and even the Manzhouli open cast mine is now largely dieselised - see Nick Pigott's article in the December 2009 "Railway Magazine" - but there is still much of great interest to see, with pockets of standard gauge and narrow gauge steam around, so we felt that - for those suffering withdrawal symptoms - it would be timely to create one last tour of what is left (we did it in 2010 most successfully).

As usual we fly to and from Beijing with Air China, and highlights will include Fuxin coal mine, the n.g. Huanan Coal Railway (which should be in full production after the break for the Chinese New Year); Baiyin with its passenger trains; Pingzhuang, and Yuanbaoshan hopefully retaining its "JS" 2-8-2's to make a change from "SY!"; the Shibanxi rural narrow gauge railway, and the Xingyang Brickworks Railway, thus covering pretty much of what is left of steam operations in China.

Although this is primarily a tour for gricers, we will not ignore famous tourist sites when we are in the vicinity - we will therefore visit the "Great Wall"; Beijing city centre with Tianmen Square and the Forbidden City; the Terracotta Army in X'ian, and we will also visit the Beijing railway museum. But perhaps the highlight will be a visit to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet - the "roof of the world!"

Please click this link for the itinerary and prices, and this link for a booking form. Tour price (based on exchange rate of $1.62 = £1) is £2,845 including return flights by Air China from London; half-board (dinner, bed and breakfast) accommodation in the hotels, and normally snack lunches during the day; all transport in China by air, road and rail with soft class sleeper accommodation on overnight trains, and all necessary visit and photo permits, and the services of an English-speaking Chinese National guide. Single room supplement £340

Our National Guide will once again be Mrs. Lou (pictured above left), very experienced in anticipating and looking after the needs of enthusiasts and photographers.

GERMANY   February 17 - 23/24 -  "Harz" and "Rodelblitz Express"; late May/early June (dates t.b.a.) Harz and other East German narrow gauge steam lines, from the Baltic to the Czech border.

Although the narrow gauge railways in the former East Germany are rightly popular with tourists, most of them are regularly used by the local people as well, which probably makes them unique in the world. Details of the May/June tour will be posted when available, but here is the planned itinerary for the February tour which will be operated in association with the Warwickshire Railway Society. Please note closing date for bookings December 15th!!!

Germany – February 2012 with WRS – provisional itinerary

Feb. 17  (Fri.)      Dep. London St. Pancras 10:57 to Brussels (arr. 14:05) and connect with ICE17 at 14:25 to Frankfurt (M) Flughafen (arr. 17:26) and on with IC2257 a18:11 to Eisenach (arr. 20:07). Overnight Eisenach.

Feb. 18   (Sat.)      Rodelblitz Express with 2-8-2 41.1144 dep. Eisenach 08:56 via Oberhof to Arnstadt and v.v. (109kms x 2). Programme allows 4.5 hours for lunch and Museum – Depot visit. Eisenach arr. 18:56 Overnight Eisenach.

Feb. 19    (Sun.)     Rodelblitz Express as before except dep. Eisenach 10:22, arr. Arnstadt 13:04 for curtailed visit – Eisenach arr. 18:56. Overnight Eisenach.

Feb. 20    (Mon.)   If Meiningen Works available for visit, travel Eisenach – Meiningen (approx. 1 hour.) and return to Eisenach for overnight. If works not available for visit, travel Eisenach – Erfurt – Nordhausen – HSB (Harzer Schmalspurbahnen) – Brocken – Wernigerode for overnight.

Feb. 21     (Tue.)     Nordhausen (HSB) – Brocken – Wernigerode or travel at will on HSB with all-ine Rover Ticket. Overnight Wernigerode.

Feb. 22     (Wed.)   Morning visit to HSB Westentor works – remainder of day free for travel and  photography. Overnight Wernigereode. Or, if Meiningen works not visited, i.e. 3 days on HSB have elapsed, return on 14:55 Wernigerode – Nordhausen, thence by DB services to Erfurt arr. 19:51.  Overnight Erfurt.

Feb. 23     (Thu.)     If 3rd day on HSB, day free for train riding and photographyuntil 14:55 as above; thence by 14:55 from Wernigerode via Nordhausen to Erfurt. Overnight Erfurt. Alternatively Erfurt dep. 07:17 for Frankfurt Flughafen arr. 09:49; dep. 10:32 on ICE16, arr. Brussels Midi 13:35 and connect with Eurostar dep. 14:52 to London St. Pancras arr. 16:03

Feb. 24     (Fri.)       If Meiningen included, after overnight Erfurt, return to UK as above.

Expected tour price – with hotel accommodaton on bed/breakfast basis:  excluding Meiningen, £550 (single room supplement £110); including Meiningen, £625 (single room supplement £130). Includes visit fees, all travel and local taxes. If a charter with 95.1027 (currently at Meiningen) becomes available on the Rübelandbahn, this could add c. £75 to the above costs, including one extra overnight.

"Rodelblitz Express"

Please note closing date for bookings December 15th!!!

BULGARIA   in association with the LCGB  Dates tba - possibly September 

This 2011 tour went pretty successfully, it has to be said!- but a similar trip is proposed for 2012, particularly if the narrow gauge survives (it was supposed to close in September - but apparently did not - watch this space!)

The second time Enthusiast Holidays has ventured into Bulgaria, working with the LCGB (as we did so successfully in Jugoslavia in 2007, and we do regularly in Eritrea q.v.) - the highlights of the trip will be the use of "03" 4-8-2 No. 03.12, but Class "01" 2-8-2 and Class "05" will also be used, and on the narrow gauge, 609.76 one of the attractive, rather squarish 2-10-2 tanks on the Septemvri system if it survives. For modern traction adherents there are the 1975 Henschel n.g. diesels, and there will be a run behind a s.g. British Class 87 (AL7) electric locomotive, and a private tram tour of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia is planned for our final day, before we transfer to the airport for the flight home.

The tour price, hoped to be not much more than the £1,895 charged in 2011, includes return flights from London Heathrow by Bulgaria Air, departing 17:05, and arriving back in London at 15:50; and half-board (dinner, bed and breakfast) in the hotels on a twin share basis. Single room supplement £235; reduction for those making their own travel arrangements from and to the UK, £200. Prices are based upon an exchange rate of €1.10 = £1 (theBulgarian currency is pegged to the Euro).

Click on this link for the 2011 itinerary; again the 2012 plan is not too far different, and will be posted as soon as full details are available - as usual a refundable deposit of £100 secures your place. (All images are still frames from video material shot on the 2011 tour).

FRANCE     Details of the new season of Mike Hedderly tours will be posted as soon as available.

U.S.A. - Colorado in the "Fall" September 2012

We have always had a soft spot for Colorado, with the Durango & Silverton and Cumbres & Toltec railways, plus various other lines, like Cripple Creek, and the Georgetown Loop, and we have covered it both in the winter, and in June - both excellent times for photography. But this time we will be enjoying the spectacular colours of Autumn, on this tour which will cover both regular workings and photo charters.

Hopefully we will have steam trains on the Alamosa - La Veta line, and for modern traction enthusiasts we will spend a day observing and photographing the constant processions of BNSF trains in the Colorado Springs/Palmer Lake area or through the small town of Walsenburg.

Colorado in the “fall” is a beautiful place to be, and whilst the United States of America is a mighty big country, there is plenty of steam - relieved by a little modern traction - within the confines of the state of Colorado (plus a bit of New Mexico) to keep most enthusasts very happy indeed - and the relative strength of the Pound against the U.S. Dollar makes for a reasonably inexpensive trip.
This tour spends two days on each of the “main” lines - Durango & Slverton, Cumbres & Toltec, and Rio Grande scenic railway at Alamosa - one for riding, and the other for chasing by road (a photo-charter on the RGSRR) to get to the classic locations In addition, visits to the Georgetown Loop RR (whose “Shay” has returned); the Colorado Railway Museum at Golden, and the Cripple Creek RR and Pikes Peak rack railway, with a number of static preserved locos. to be seen during our drives; and for a complete change, time on Union Pacific’s busy Sherman Hill route, and the BNSF/UP “Joint Line” at Colorado Springs/Palmer Lake/Walsenburg.

Itinerary

Sept. 13 (Thu.) Mid-day flight London LHR to Denver arr. earlyevening; short drive to West Denver for
overnight stay.
Sept. 14 (Fri.) Colorado Railway Museum at Golden (optional visit to Coors Brewery - free tours and
tastings!) and on to Georgetown Loop RR.
Sept. 15 (Sat.) North to Wyoming for heavy diesel freights on UP’s Sherman Hill route - double, triple
and even quadruple-headers! Visit en route to Great Western Railway’s depot at
Loveland - a typical US “short line”. Visit preserved 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy” in Cheyenne,
Cooke 1890 4-6-0, the Fort Collins tram on return, and more.
Sept. 16 (Sun.) Full day drive over mountain passes (c.10,000ft) to Durango. Several preserved steam
locos. en route, and possible short trip (diesel) Leadville - Climax.
Sept. 17 (Mon.) Full day Durango & Silverton RR - return trip on the train.
Sept. 18 (Tue.) Full day Durango & Silverton RR photographing by road (optional riding-own expense)
Evening drive to Chama, New Mexico.
Sept. 19 (Wed.) Full day Cumbres & Toltec RR - train riding options included.
Sept. 20 (Thu) Full day Cumbres & Toltec RR photographing by road (optional riding - own expense)
Visit depot, works;late p.m. drive to Alamosa.
Sept. 21 (Fri.) Full day photo charter on Rio Grande Scenic Railway (above,le ft) Alamosa - La Veta return.
Sept. 22 (Sat.) Second full day on RGSR riding on train- fare included, but few if any run-pasts.)
Sept. 23 (Sun.) To Colorado Springs for BNSF/UP “Joint LIne”
diesel freights; visits to Cripple Creek & Victor RR and Pikes Peak funiclar RRen route to Castle Rock for overnight.
Sept. 24 (Mon.) To Denver; afternoon flight to London Heathrow
arr. approx. 11:00 Tuesday Sept. 27.

Tour price incl. return flights London - Denver, road transport using 7-seat Ford Galaxy or similar (max. 5 persons per vehicle); hotel accommodation on room-only basis (although complimentary breakfast normally available in lobbies); fares for train rides on all the major lines described, and all necessary visit/photo permits, £1,895 - single room supplement £290.  A deposit of £200 secures your place.

ERITREA  dates tba The stunning revival of the railway in Eritrea, with its pre-war Italian 0-4-4-0 Mallets, 0-4-0 Breda shunting tanks and the classic 1935 Fiat "Littorina" railcar, continues to attract those who want spectacular photographs and film/video of this amazing railway, which winds for 117kms from the Red Sea coast with its dhows and harbours at Massawa, through the desert mountains to the capital, Asmara, which is a bit like an Italian provincial town; we had thought our previous tour would be our last, because virtually everybody who had wanted to sample Eritrean steam, had been; but our 2008 and 2009 tours both took just over 30 participants! One of the limiting factors is the capacity of the "Littorina" railcar, but of course we have road transport as well for chasing.

Meanwhile if you want a preview of what you are likely to see, get the Enthusiast Holidays' video which covers our 2002 and 2005 tours, £14.95 incl. VAT on VHS or DVD. Click on the images above left and right for movie clips.

Despite the limitations of the Asmara workshops, and the age of the workers there, the older "440" class Mallet is now fully operational, and other Mallets are being restored; the "202" 0-4-0 shunting tanks, for a while out of service, are again serviceable so if you went to Eritrea back in 2002, there is much new to see if you join us again in 2011.

The long awaited book "Red Sea Railway" by Jennie Street, and Ammanuel Ghabreselassie (the General Manager of the Eritrean Railway) is now fresh off the presses, and available directly from www.redsearailway.co.uk

KENYA probably January/February 2013, with pre-steam tour diesel trip Again postponed from those previously advertised. The need for a complete overhaul of 5918 has necessitated this revision of these dates, and this tour was intended to be the first following 5918's overhaul.

Details of this long-awaited tour are still being finalised, and several potential problems (including insuring the locos.) have been overcome, but a recent short tour revealed that Garratt 5918 "Mount Gelai" will need a complete overhaul which, subject to contract, Enthusiast Holidays had agreed with Kenya Railways Corporation to fund. Once that is done, this landmark tour is ready to go!

But as will be seen if you click the link below, the steam locos. are by no means ready, and there are issues about their route availablility. These were addressed at our next meeting with Kenya Railways in Nairobi, in November 2011. Although the steam tour is postponed, we could - if the pricing issues with RVR were resolved - operate the "pre-steam Classic diesel tour" in 2012 - see also entry in "Railway Heritage"

As soon as possible we will post the provisional itinerary and prices. As usual a £200 deposit will secure your place on this tour, which judging from previous experience, is very likely to be over-subscribed, but don't send any money yet - we will keep you updated as arrangements for the tour progress. Any deposit paid is refundable if, when the final itinerary is published approx. 2 months/6 weeks before departure, it fails to meet with your approval. Almost everybody who is familiar with the Kenya Railways steam scene is helping us with technical advice, logistics etc. and to all those individuals we are extremely grateful - in particular, Kevin Patience who is acting as consulting engineer to the project. The country was in the news because of the severe effects of the drought in the North East, bordering Somalia and South Sudan, and whilst the route of our tour is not directly affected by these events (nor do we expect to be kidnapped by Somali pirates), it does underline the importance of ensuring that water is going to be in the right place at the right time, not to mention fuel and other supplies for the trip.

Enthusiast Holidays has been working on the Kenyan Railways for many years to get a tour of this kind going, and for your interest this link will take you to some detailed (and updated February 2nd, 2012) notes about the history of these negotiations. Meanwhile click on the image of 5918 crossing the Tsavo River on our epic 2001 trip, for a short video of that journey.

Other tours planned, but for various reasons on hold for the time being:

JAVA awaiting 2012 dates and details

                                                                                        Photo of C1218 by Tjahjono Rahardjo.                                     

Arranged by John Raby who has long worked with Java expert Rob Dickinson, and flying into and out of Jakarta, this tour would be based upon expected mill activity during the 2012 sugar harvest season, and follows a west to east progression of this Indonesian island without having to retrace our steps.

Since the demise of "real" working steam in Cuba, many enthusiasts have come to appreciate the sugar mill operations in Java, but steam is now rapidly declining here too. In Java, unlike Cuba, the (often ancient) mill machinery is there to be seen and photographed.

But the real highlights of the tour would be the surviving steam locomotive activity anticipated at several of the mills.

In addition we will have special steam trains at Cepu and Ambarawa (the site of Java's railway museum), to recreate the days before road transport took over. Accommodation will be more than adequate, if not luxurious; and most meals will tend to be Chinese rather than Indonesian, because the British palate is more familiar with Chinese food, and most Indonesian restaurants tend to be "dry!" But the climate should be pleasantly warm with breezes, as much of Indonesia is high, with attractive mountain scenery.

The tour price for the land arrangements is expected to be no more than c. £1,900 but the air fare has to be added, and that will depend upon when you book. Return fares are currently running at around £550, but seem to go up daily - so as soon as we confirm that the tour will definitely operate, early booking is imperative unless you want to pay the earth for your flight - but first see the detailed programme and itinerary - there will be a link on this site as soon as we have the tour details.

JUGOSLAVIA

29 January 2010:  in Serbia, the "01" 2-6-2 has been out of use since 2007, whilst the "33" 2-10-0 will cease at the end of July (presumably because of boiler certificate expiry). On the industrial scene, Kostolac and Vreoci have both ceased using steam, and the s.g. steam at Banovici is also out of use, leaving just a few locations where "62" 0-6-0T (USA) survive. In Slovenia, the "33" and "25" 2-8-0 are both operating, but disappointingly, the planned overhaul of the "06" 2-8-2 has not yet taken place as Zrenjanin works is not functioning. Consequently it is impossible to operate a tour with a much content of genuine working steam as in 2007, and we are therefore reassessing the plans for a tour of former Jugoslavia. (information courtesy Zoran Veresic)

Serbia, Bosnia and Slovenia, and Italy

(Trieste area) where the Vila Opicina tram

is also an attraction.

This tour will be largely a repeat of what we achieved in 2007, based on the fact that former Jugoslavia is the last country in Europe using steam locomotives in any numbers in a wide variety of industrial locations - we will concentrate upon those which are the best for photograhing steam in action, rather than hunting down rusting hulks! Click on this link for the provisional itinerary, which is (20 Jan.) almost complete. A 45min DVD (origination HD) of our 2007 tour is now available at £19.95 incl. VAT

Following the 100th anniversary of the Bohinj Railway, with Slovenian and hopefully Italian special trains - with ex-JZ "25" Class 2-8-0 (below) and the latter with Borsig "06" 2-8-2 (pictured just inside Austria in 1971) l the next day with the "06" or "25" (or the FS version, the "728") and a visit to the Ljubljana railway museum; Bosnia for working "Kriegloks" and n.g. "83" 0-8-2's in industrial sites, and Serbia for the spectacular Mokra Gora n.g. system also with"83", other industrial locations with USA tanks, 900mm Davenport 0-8-0's, Skodas and many more; a main line steam special on one of the scenic secondary lines, with the Serbian "01" 2-6-2 (below). As soon as the itinerary and price are established, you will be able to click on links for latest itinerary and a booking form, which will include a variety of travel options for getting there and back.

Left:  Serbian "01" 2-6-2 on the 

         May 2007 Enthusiast Holidays tour.

PAKISTAN & CEYLON - until the political situation improves

We thought we had run our last tour to the metre gauge network based upon Mirpur Khas - conversion to broad gauge of the "main line" is finished and indeed in February 2006 the first broad gauge train operated across the border from India to the Pakistan border town of Khokhrapar - but sadly with diesel traction!

That, we thought, sounded the death knell to the metre gauge Nawabshah and Jhudo Loop lines which would be abandoned. But apparently, not so! Pakistan Railways is repairing monsoon damage to these m.g. lines and the remaining SP 4-6-0 and YD 2-8-2 may well live on to steam again - in time for our next tour.

Because, sadly, due to the Travel Advisory issued at the end of January 2007 by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, by which all tour operators must abide - Peshawar and the surrounding region have been declared a "no-go" area and we were reluctantly forced to postpone our tour. We had been looking at early 2008, since the summer is not the time to visit Pakistan, and also because the LCGB planned an India tour then (which we would follow with Pakistan) but they have cancelled it, so it might even be 2009, as the political situation is still volatile, and bad weather washed away much of the upper reaches of the Khyber Pass railway. The recent (December 2007) and shocking assassination of Benazir Bhutto doesn't help.

However, the locos. are there - e.g. this picture of Mirpur Khas taken for us by the local hotel owner in Fedb. 2009 - some time ago the Pakistan Railways Chairman gave orders that 10 steam locomotives were to be rehabilitated. Two of them - SGS 0-6-0 2473, and SPS 4-4-0 3078, have been restored at Lahore and have now arrived at Rawalpindi apparently in grubby but working order! We had previously thought that they had all been scrapped, but one wonders what the other 8 locos. are! Certainly there have been reports of XA and XB Pacifics hidden away in Lahore, and we plan to get to try to see them on the tour, as well a cache of SGS and other 0-6-0's in Northern Pakistan, at a location belonging to the irrigation authority, and although they have not steamed since 1994 and probably are in no condition to work, we are inclined to include this location in our tour so that at least they can be seen and photographed. The full report about these discoveries can be found on Rob Dickinson's web pages International Working Steam Locomotives. as The surviving CWD 2-8-2 5735, is due to go to Lahore for repairs to its motion and should easily be back by the time of our tour (as at 28 July 2011 it is still at Lahore, together with SPS 3078 and SGS 2473), which will also include two days on the Khyber Pass railway with 2 x HGS 2-8-0 - assuming that they get around to repairing the flood damage! As of today (4.10.07) there is unfortunately little evidence of this.

So all of those locos. we plan to use on our tour, and you will be able to click on a link for the itinerary. Given the PR Chairman's positive attitude to steam, I wouldn't rule out for future trips, part of the Bostan Jcn. - Fort Sandeman line with its unique narrow gauge sleeping cars! Sadly, up to now, neither PR nor the local tourism authorities have shown any interest in reopening part of the Bostan Jcn. n.g. line as a tourist attraction, despite the fact that the Aga Khan owns a five-star hotel there (the Quetta Serena) which is reportedly practically empty most of the time! but in view of recent developments, anything could happen! One of the two narrow gauge locos. that were overhauled for the revival of that line in 1998, which never happened, is now plinthed near Rawalpindi.

We hope that the future tour will include a revived Mirpur Khas metre gauge system, on which the trains will once again be able to claim the title of "last State-railway operated, regular, non-tourist, steam-hauled passenger trains in the world!" and if the political situation in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) has also calmed down, the Pakistan tour will be followed by a few days steam railtour in that delightful island. Broad gauge locos. 240 and 251 are both said to be operational, as are n.g. J220 and the Sentinel steam railcar (pictured above) - not that these can go very far as there is little narrow gauge track!

But the Sri Lankans' main problem is grease! Caltex, the main supplier, will only supply a minimum quantity of 5000kgs, whereas they need only 50-100kgs!  We are looking for someone - maybe a UK preserved railway - who would be prepared to sell some of their grease to Ceylon. If you can help, please contact me on info@enthusiasthols.com

Details of these and other tours will be posted as soon as available. Our programme of tours is however constantly being updated, so keep an   eye on this website! Ensure that your name is on our mailing list by writing to the address below, or completing the form on the next page. To book any of the above tours - send £200 deposit, which is refundable if, when the details of the tour are confirmed, usually 6 - 8 weeks prior to departure, you decide to withdraw. If you want your deposits to be acknowledged, please include a stamped, addressed envelope.