Sebald’s Imperial Chinese Train in Suffolk on Film

To my mind there’s little doubt that the late WG Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn, the beautiful record of a rambling journey on foot through coastal East Anglia and the various and random thought paths the author was prompted to explore, is one of the best books ever written. Near the delightful town of Southwold Sebald notes the bridge crossing the river Blyth between Walberswick and Southwold which once supported a narrow‐gauge railway line bearing a train originally built for the Emperor of China. To this day I do not know if this story (which sparks a long and fascinating rumination by Sebald on Dowager Empress Xi Ci, opium, Anglo-Chinese relations, the Taiping) is true. Anyway, I blogged on it here back in July 2011 in some detail. I want to believe the story of the former Emperor’s train is true. If so then it features briefly in the recent documentary that examines Sebald’s Rings of Saturn – Patience (After Sebald) from the director Grant Gee. Discussing Sebald’s China rumination there is footage of the old Chinese Imperial train taking 19th century/early 20th century day trippers to Suffolk on a ride. Fleeting but fascinating if that was indeed once the old Imperial train. Below is, I think, a picture of the train concerned crossing the swing bridge over the River Blyth.