Been a big fan of Indian Railways, especially the steam locomotives of yore. To cater to people rail aficionados like me, there is an amazing railway museum right in the heart of New Delhi. It houses some of the oldest locos to have run in India -- from Fairy Queen in 1855 to Ramgotty Anjubault in 1862. Considering that India has one of the largest rail networks in the world, this museum is a real treat for rail enthusiasts.

1. Rail Museum New Delhi
A window into India’s Locomotive Past

2. Trains have been chugging along on the Indian mainland for well over a 150 years,
connecting far-off places and bringing Indians closer. A tribute to these amazing
machines is at New Delhi, the Rail Museum, which houses some of the best known
and oldest steam locomotives and coupes from yore. A visit to this museum in
Chankayapuri is akin to taking a ride in the time-machine, which is a must for every
Indian who’s grown up whistling a ‘cooooooo’ in his or her childhood.

3. Fairy Queen
Class: Broad-gauge
Built: 1855
Restored: 1977
Builder: Kitson Hewitson & Thompson, Leeds
Trivia: Supplied as a mail engine though eventually used as a construction loco on the building
of the South Behar line from 1896. This 1855 made steam locomotive is the oldest surviving
railway engine in the entire world. Once every month during the tourist season the Fairy Queen
make its journey out of the museum to make its schedule journey between Alwar and Delhi.

4. Ramgotty Anjubault
Class: Broad-gauge
Built: 1862
Retired/Restored: 1954
Builder: Anjubault of Paris, France
Trivia: Altered from 4‘inch gauge to BG. Ramgooty Mukherjee was the last GM of Nalhatti-
Azingang Light Railways that was taken over by EIR and regauged to BG in 1892. Shunting
loco in Jabalpur and then sold to Kolkata Corporation for refuse hauling in 1951.

5. BG 26
Class: Broad-gauge
Built: 1870
Builder: Sharp Stewart & Co, Atlas Works, Manchester
Trivia: Owned by Oudh & Rohilkund Railway till 1921. 2 whistles with different tones.
Brought first train to Dehradun on 1-Mar-1900. Had inside Cylinders.

6. Sharp Stewart 3517
Class: Monorail
Built: 1899
Retired/Restored: 1952
Builder: Sharp Stewart & Co, Atlas Works, Manchester
Trivia: Original Railway number B-2 renumbered as B-777. Four prototypes were built by Sharp
Stewart of the UK in 1889, and after successful trials, 30 more were ordered. One more B # 792
is preserved in Delhi, outside the IR headquarters building 'Rail Bhavan'.

7. Decauville WB-707
Class: Broad-gauge
Built: 1902
Builder: W.G. Bagnall Ltd, Castle Engg Works, Stafford, UK
Trivia: Built for strategic lines on NW Frontier & later used for training by Madras Engg
Territorial Army group of Bangalore. Supplied to the Military reserve as part of a batch of
20 locos in 1902 & 3.

8. Patiala State Monorail Train
Class: Monorail
Built: 1907
Retired/Restored: 1976
Builder: Orenstein & Koppel, A.G. Berlin
Trivia: One of 4 locos supplied by O&K (Works numbers 3356-9) in 1909 to the Patiala State
Monorail System in Punjab. The line was 50 miles in length and ran from Sirhind to Alampura
and Patiala to Bhavanigarh.

9. MLR 739
Class: Narrow-gauge
Built: 1907
Builder: Orenstein & Koppel, A.G. Berlin
Trivia: MLR No 2, then IR 739 and classified ML Class in 1957. One of the sturdiest
locomotives used for hauling trains in the British times.

10. Duchess of York M2-162
Class: Meter gauge
Built: 1924
Retired: 1970
Builder: Workshops Ajmer
Trivia: Only locomotive built with joist gear. Built on modified design of Dubes Glasgow at
Ajmer shops. Supplied to BBCIR, No 162, and named after the Duchess of York.

11. Garratt BG -38815
Class: Broad-gauge
Built: 1930
Builder: Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester
Trivia: Weighted at 235 tonnes. Railway number 815 altered to 38815. Supplied to BNR.N
Class No 815. Renumbered 38815 in 1957. It was a sturdy locomotive used in the
mountainous regions and for large haulage.

12. Electric Locomotive Sir Roger Lumley
Built: 1930
Builder: Vulcan Foundry Ltd, Newton Le Willows
Trivia: This WCP-1 engine has wheel arrangements which were quite rare. The locos were
supplied from the Vulcan Foundry, UK in 1930. It was an electric locomotive which
operated under 1500 Volts Direct Traction. It is famous for hauling the Mumbai—Pune
Deccan Queen Express in the early years when it was launched.

13. Bibliography
• Images: Wikipedia/Photo stock websites
• Text & information: http://www.irfca.org/
• Preserved Steam Locomotives in India - 2008 -
Rajesh Agrawal, Executive Director (Heritage),
Ministry of Railways, and former Director,
National Railway Museum, New Delhi
(http://www.irfca.org/docs/locolists/preserve
d-steam-india.xls)