Report by Dave Fielding:

 

Changcun Mine

was still using 3 QJ, 2098,2227,2229, all in action, on 28th October 2005, sharing the work with blue liveried Dalian 2004 built DF10D 0055-7.  They were working from a depot at the Mine/Steelworks end of the "mini exchange yard", situated between the lines from the yard to the Mine and to the Steelworks, not mentioned by either Bruce Evans or Derek Jenkins in their reports and possibly recently built.  The steeply graded line up to the Mine was very busy with 2227, 2229, both chimney first, and 0056 on trains.  0055 and 0057 appeared to have brought a long train from the CNR, then 0057 went on depot and 2098, facing in the opposite direction to 2227 and 2229, left. The only train noted on
the Steelworks line descended from the Steelworks headed by their DF10D 0014, Up at the Changgang Group Steelworks "Xiang Railway Junction" yard and loco servicing point were SYs 0289,0536,0886 in steam and SY 0464 out of use with front pony truck missing.  SY 1051 was shunting in the works. At the "Guancun Railway Junction" depot/workshop in Changzhi were various SY/JS and the derelict JF 116.  A JS worked a train of tank wagons tender first from the small yard towards the CNR connection. Refer to message 4855 to a link for pictures of Changcun and Changgang group operations. Changzhi is a pleasant city and the operations are worthy of further exploration, but sooner rather than later.
North of Changzhi, steam at Wuxiang (JS 8215, QJ 1725 both out of use) and Qinxian (QJ 2849 awaiting scrapping) seemed to be finished.