A home for vintage beauties

By Thakur Paramjit

FAIRY Queen brought accolades to India recently when its name was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest working locomotive.

Purchased by the East Indian Railways in 1855 from Kitson Thompson and Hewitson of Leeds (U.K.), this 26-tonne engine was employed to haul light mail trains between Howrah and Raniganj. It used to cover this distance of 121 miles in five hours. Its working life as a construction engine in Bihar ended in 1909 when it was positioned on a pedestal outside Howrah station. It remained there till 1943, and was sent to Zonal Training School, Chandausi, where it was stationed for the next 29 years. In 1972, it was brought to New Delhi, and placed in Rail Transport Museum. To restore its pristine glory, it was repainted in its original colours and restored to working order at the museum.

Puffing, panting and cooing, the Fairy Queen fondly remembers its home — the National Rail Museum — which narrates the 145-year-old chequered history of the Indian Railways and exhibits antique beauties resting in its courtyard.

About 150 years ago, the first Indian train steamed out on its maiden journey. April 16, 1853, was the golden day for Indian Railways when at 3.30 pm a large crowd cheered and waved to say goodbye to 400 passengers in 20 coaches of the train. Twentyone guns thundered to salute. Covering a distance of 35 km from Bori Bunder to Thana, it reached its destination at 4.45 pm.

Today the entire scenario has been transformed. The Indian Railways is the Asia’s largest and the world’s fourth largest network. Spread over 62,000 route kilometres, it runs more than 13,000 trains which carry about 10 million passengers every day. Moreover, they also transport approximately 360 million tonnes of goods each year. About 7,800 engines, 40,000 coaches, 32,600 wagons and 1.7 million employees shuttle among 7092 railway stations of the country. The whole network is divided into Metro Railway, Konkan Railway, and nine zonal Railways viz. Northern Railway (HQ Delhi), Western Railway (HQ Bombay), Central Railway (HQ Bombay), Eastern Railway (HQCalcutta), South-Eastern Railway (HQ Calcutta), North-Eastern Railway (HQGorakhpur), North Frontier Railway (HQMaligaon), Southern Railway (HQ Madras), and South-Central Railway (HQSecunderabad).

The scientific innovations and the advent of advanced technologies have ushered in a new era in the history of the Indian Railways. But should its rich legacy and chequered history be buried in the dust of time? Not the least. With a view to preserve the ‘old beauties’, the idea of establishing a rail museum was mooted. The foundation stone thereof was laid in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, on October 7, 1971 by the then President of India, V. V. Giri.

The first of its kind in the country, it is spread over an area of 10 acres. Inaugurated in February, 1977, the museum consists of six display galleries and a large open area where the ‘vintage beauties’ are stationed. The erstwhile fast-runners now stand still, as if passing their old age in complete relaxation and contemplation. The area simulates the atmosphere of a railway yard.

The museum serves a significant educational purpose. Various small exhibits — some working, some dummy models — show different aspects and working of railways. The vast open space where different models of actual engines and coaches are kept is no less interesting. A joy ride on a ‘toy train’ exhilarates the passengers — children as well as their parents — and one can have glimpses of various ‘heavy weights’ of yesteryear. The locomotives and their contemporary carriages are stationed side by side to provide proper perspective. But one derives real pleasure by roaming on foot and scrutinising them from close quarters at a leisurely pace. And when one is tired, one can walk up the ramp and sit in the open air restaurant to sip soft drinks and munch potato wafers while viewing 42 vintage locomotives, 20 quaint carriages and saloons, a complete armoured train, and saloons of erstwhile maharajas and nawabs in their original colours and liveries; apart from two off-beat exhibits viz. Hand Crane and Crane Tank.

The most prized exhibits of the museum include the 145-year-old ‘Fairy Queen’ which is still working; the 234-tonne ‘Garrat Engine’; Phoenix, the rail motor car; B-777, the tiny engine of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; the four-wheeled saloon in which King Edward VII travelled in 1876; the Viceregal dining saloon; 133-year-old Ramgotty; the MTR-2; the saloon of Maharaja of Mysore, built in 1899 with high quality teak wood and adorned with gold and ivory; Simla Railcar fitted with a petrol engine; E-207 and FMA-37302 built in 1878 & 1888; and the unique Monorail.

The National Rail Museum is a fascinating place indeed — not only for children, but for adults too. (PATFeatures)