Jordan / Hejaz Railways / No.71 (September 2009 / 10)

A British Railfan tour was conducted to travel by Hejaz Railways in Jordan and Syria in September 2009. On this day Steam engine No.71 manufactured by Haine-Saint-Pierre (1955) pulled the train as far as Qasr in Amman. In the morning No.71 moved inside Amman station and approached the train.
There is a good view point from where first we can observe the train running along the hillside, then passing through the Ten Bridge. After a while the train appears again climbing up along another hillside. The alignment inside Amman is full of curves and upward grade.
In September 2010, similar tour was conducted and the engine No.71 pulled the train again to Qasr. In the morning No.71 stopped beside a water port to fill up water, with No.23 side by side. Then she moved to couple with the train.
Just after leaving Amman station, No71 climbed up a straight section with a heavy black smoke. The train is going to cross a road soon after here. The driver continued to blow whistle in order to avoid collision with cars.
There is another view point to look down the Ten Bridge. As a photo-run-by was planned on this bridge, the train reduced its speed and stopped just after the bridge. Tour members started to get off the train and prepare taking photo of the train running through the bridge again, but I moved toward the next shooting point.
The train was climbing up the line with a good view of houses of Amman and a mosque with a golden dome. Suddenly it reduced its speed and stopped just in front of the mosque. Another photo-run-by seemed to be planned. Several boys gathered around me and were chattering.
After here, No.71 crossed a road with a heavy traffic and approached the final stop of the day: Qasr staion. Recently the engine No.71 has been operated only once a year for this charter by the british tour group.
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