Steam locos and camels both need water; there is precious little of it in Eritrea--the camels get to drink from this unusual stream though the loco got its thirst quenched from a tanker truck.

This former Portuguese Railway metre gauge 0-4-4-0T Mallet was visting the Baie de Somme Railway from a museum line in Switzerland. It was built by Henchel & Sohn at Kassel, Germany in 1905.

The two Mallets are carefully positioned under the overhead water gantry, to replenish their tanks for the last lap to Asmara.

This Mallet suffered a fusible plug failure in the afternoon, fortunately without causing injury. It sat, cold and silent, on the dockside as the sun set. An all-night marathon by the railway's fi... (more)

A runby with one of the Mallet tanks on the causeway just outside the docks. The railway ends on the right of this shot and does not, yet, serve the dock area.

The twin Mallet tanks pass through one of 30 tunnels necessary to get this amazing railway through the mountains to Asmara.

Ghinda is the starting point for the long, day-long climb of nearly 7000' through the escarpment to Asmara

One of several donkeys tethered in the station area. In the background the Italian built Mallet tanks get a drink from a road tanker.

This highly scenic railway has been rebuilt by Eritreans after the war with Ethiopia. It's a superb line with original locos but sadly only ever sees charter and tourist trains. It's said to have... (more)

This Railway Touring Company charter performs a 'false arrival'. Sadly, no other trains to get in the way.

Look closely and you'll see two tunnel portals and different levels of track, revealing why this railway is known as the "Darjeeling of Africa".

1000 meters separates the valley floor from the track perched on the cliff.