Shanghai to London- Part 6

Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) - Nauschk (Russia)

The preceding train departs from Ulaanbaatar

It is dark by the time we arrive at Ulaanbaatar station for train 263 to Irkutsk. There is a train in the platform upon our arrival- it is about to depart so a quick check with the platform staff is made to ensure that w are not in the process of missing our train. ‘Next train’ is the response when I flash my ticket. Sure enough not long after the first train has departed a TEM2 loco appears hauling in the stock for train 263, which runs daily to Irkutsk starting in Ulaanbaatar. Traction for this train, which is much shorter than our last is a single locomotive: M62M-018.

We take our bunks in coach number one and quickly discover that all the other westerners seem to be here also. We are sharing our 4 berth ‘Kupe’ compartment with an Australian couple who area also travelling to England over land- all be it by a different route to us after Moscow. The ‘Intrepid’ tour group whom we met on train K3 are also onboard, along with several other familiar faces. It certainly feels good to be back on the train after two nights staying with Nomads in the Mongolian countryside and having exhausted the entertainment that Ulaanbaatar has to offer.

The train departs as scheduled at 21:10. After settling into our compartment and receiving our sheets for the night we move down to join the ‘party’ in the cabin of the ‘Intrepid’ group. We have a selection of food and a hip flask of Vodka which my friend has brought along- keen to experience the real Russian train experience. The next couple of hours fly by and it is only when we feel we are keeping the rest of the coach up that we retreat to bed. We are all aware that we will have an early wake-up call in the morning by Mongolian border control.

TEM2 6541 will haul our single coach across the border

M62YM-015 keeps me entertained as it shunts around the
yard. Note the high Mongolian exhaust stack which
distinguishes these locos from their sisters in neighbouring
countries.

It is around 8am when the knock comes on the door with the obligatory customs forms. This is a pleasant surprise as it had been feared that we would be woken around 5:30am, the time when the train arrived at the border town of Sukbator. In the meantime we have discovered the reason that all the westerners bound for Russia are in coach 1- The rest of the train, along with our locomotive is nowhere to be seen. The single car is now hooked up to a TEM2 locomotive while there is some entertainment in the adjacent yard from another M62 which is shunting. There is also time for a quick toilet break to freshen up (The toilets flush to the track and are therefore shut for long periods when the train is stationary) before the Mongolian customs process begins. Our belief that this would be simpler than the border with China (after all there is no gauge change here) is quickly dispelled. The Mongolian officials spend a long time checking we are who we say we are and even carry out a quick search of our compartment which involves removing a large pile of dirty laundry from one or the passengers bags. While fairly severe these precautions may not be undue as the Mongolian lady in the far compartment seems to have a rather unusual array of possessions which keep appearing hidden in various places. Just a selection of these items include a used car tyre (wrapped), numerous bottles of whisky and what appears to be a lifetime supply of jeans. She is later seen wandering the corridor with a collection of frying pans...

Stunning scenery on the Mongolia- Russia border

 Some while later we eventually leave the border station and begin our journey through ‘no mans land’ to repeat the process on entering Russia. The landscape here is stunning once again, it would strongly resemble the African Savannah if it were not for the semi-frozen rivers running next to the railway.

My first steps on Russian soil- Nauschka station, Siberia

Security here is tough and our single coach train passes numerous lighting gantries, outposts and cameras before arriving at the Russian border at Nauschka. Officials are quick to board the train here and hand our arrival cards. There is much commotion when one of our Australian friends fills out his form incorrectly. Our assumption that he can simply acquire a replacement form seems beyond the realm of reason to the immigration officer and he is left to fill out a rather spoiled form until a more pleasant official relents and produces a clean form for him. The train is searched once again, this time also with dogs, yet the mysterious used tyre still seems to raise no eyebrows!

A monster of a locomotive, Russian 2TE10M-K-3066
is shunting around the yard at Nauschka

With customs finally complete we are free to enter Russia- however the train is not booked to leave the border for a further three hours. This allows us passengers time to sit down to lunch at the local cafe, buy some supplies for the journey ahead and generally pace up and down the platform wearing shorts. Yes- Shorts. It seems this particular April day in Siberia is warmer than had been expected, indeed my first Siberian purchase is an ice cream!

Our lonely coach has made it across and is now shunted by TE18 218

Shanghai to London- Part 5

Erlian (China)- Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia)

Dual gauge tracks at Erlain

The Chinese DF4 locomotive leaves us
at the Mongolian border

On arrival at Erlian an officially dressed lady promptly boards the train checking and retaining both our Chinese departure cards and our passports (the latter is a bit of a surprise for those of us new to the procedure). This is just one of several procedures which will take place at the border for we are also crossing from the 1435mm standard gauge track in China to the 1520mm Russian broad gauge. Following the collection of passports we are free to leave the train, or if passengers prefer they may stay on board while it is shunted into the gauge change shed for the bogies to be exchanged.

Note the security cameras on the DF7G shunting loco!

 I elect to come off the train to photograph the proceedings. The Chinese loco has already been detached from the train, but is positioned perfectly floodlit for a picture. Meanwhile a shunting locomotive removes some coaches from the train. After a short while the entire formation is shunted off for the bogie change and the remaining passengers are ushered into the station building to await its return. This is not entirely what I was expecting. Fortunately I find some English speaking company in the waiting room, an Australian lady who is travelling to see relatives in Ulaanbaatar. After squandering our last Chinese Yuan we discuss important topics such as the Olympics (coming to London and previously held in Sydney from where my company originated) and when we might see our passports again! A long hour and a half later and the train- now on Russian broad gauge returns for re-boarding.

2M62- 0979 prepares to haul our train into Mongolia

I have to wait a little longer to discover our traction into Mongolia and when it does turn up I am not disappointed- a 2M62 locomotive- exactly what I had hoped for. Ever since beginning the planning of this trip these were the locos that I had most wanted to see- twin diesel units- powerful and very Soviet!

With the new loco attached I returned to the compartment on the train. Despite an influx of travelers at the border my friend Simon and I are still the sole occupants of our 4-berth compartment- We are even given our passports back! Finally after a stop of almost 3 hours we are on the move again, leaving China and entering Mongolia. That is of course until we reach Zamin Uud around 10 minutes later. It transpires that the border checks are not completed together and much of the process must now be undertaken again to enter Mongolia. We finally get away from the border a meager five hours after having arrived (Longer than I have ever had to wait at an Airport by far!). Our compartment has already been set up in its sleeping format and at 2am Chinese time it is finally time to attempt some sleep.

We pass one of the most interesting trains I have ever seen-
Lead by 2ZAGAL- 001 the second part of this double loco
is actually general electric Dash 7- 001. The 2ZAGAL locos
are most odd in being rebuilt M62's with new GE power units

I do not know what time the sun arose, but it was certainly bright by 9 am at which point I have given up trying to sleep and peered through the blind. We have now left the Gobi Desert behind and are crossing the vast Mongolian Steppe. While brown and dead-looking now a fellow passenger informs us that the Steppe is transformed to rich green grazing land in the summer- and he should know- he has written a book on it!

The lavish Mongolian dining car

Smokey M62's cross the vast Steppe. An overnight loco
swap leaves 2M62M-061 at the head of our train.

Having decided to get up the search then begins for breakfast. Rumors begin to spread that the new Mongolian dining car which was added the previous night at the border is the place to be- and we arrive to discover that it is indeed impressive. The coach has a wooden paneled interior with carved details and a variety of Mongolian embellishments.- it is like stepping back into the history books of rail travel. Fortunately the food is also good. A very nice omelette with jam and bread- Though nothing fancy it is a pleasant change from the Chinese breakfasts I had been enjoying recently.

With breakfast over it begins to dawn on us that Ulaanbaatar is now just 3 hours away. With the landscape becoming steeper and the train following the lands contours I decide to take some time to watch and photograph our monstrous locomotive at work- finding myself some strategic opening windows in the process.

Approaching Ulaanbaatar

Another Russian loco- TEM2- 0883 shuts at Ulaanbaatar

The K3 train will continue to Moscow
 with a smart M62MM-041

As the final approach draws nearer it is time to bid farewell to our new friends on the train. Some we would see again on other legs of the Trans-Mongolian, others we would meet in Ulaanbaatar while some were also staying on the train right through to Moscow. As the haphazard city of Ulaanbaatar begins to draw past the window we gather our things and prepare to disembark. I manage a few photographs in the station (which seems to be no trouble at all here- even when I leave the platform) including yet another traction swap on train K3. It would go forward with another 2M62 locomotive while our loco heads off to the depot, presumably to re-fuel.