Afghanistan Index
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In
2006, the German army decided to plinth one of
the Darulaman locomotives (pictures from the ISAF site, added 29th
November
2009):
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Bangladesh
Index
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I
don't think anyone has ever suggested that active steam survives here.
However, Chris Lewis has sent me a picture (24th April
2005) of a preserved Japanese built metre gauge YD 2-8-2 718 at Dhaka.
A
number of these locomotives ended up in (West) Pakistan and were
recorded on the
Mirpur Khas system in Sind until quite recently. Information on
surviving steam
locomotives here is very thin but Torsten Schneider has been here (16th
January 2010) and reports
on what he found. On the other hand, I am willing to bet that
there
are quite a few surviving (and indeed working) stationary steam engines
here,
but that comment belongs on another part of this site! Another
preserved steam locomotive is a broad gauge 4-6-0 at Railbhaban
(Western Zone Head Quarters),
Baharampur, Rajshahi (3rd January 2012),
|
India Index
When I meet
people on my travels and explain that I am looking for steam
locomotives, they always say "India" and look very surprised when I say
that it more or less finished some 20 years ago. These days, apart from
occasional special trains, there are just two mountain railways (which
look very different from the heyday of steam). Hence, with relatively
little 'real news' I have cut this section down to a more manageable
size with separate pages for each facet of steam in India with just
brief notes here which will be joined by updates as they occur. Click
here for information on Indian
Railway museums.
See Alex
Jesser's report - 'Almost
No Steam in India, 2009' - which summarises all the updates
below with this date (12th December 2009). Since when things have
improved significantly. The latest comprehensive report covering the
narrow and metre gauge railways with a steam presence comes from John Browning
(13th May 2016).
-
Sugar and other industrial steam news
(updated 15th May 2014)
-
Links to the 1996-2000 reports
(latest addition 20th February 2000) - these include the end of steam
on the mainline
-
Working preserved steam
(updated 18th October 2018)
-
Darjeeling news (updated
5th October 2021)
-
Ooty news (updated 5th
October 2021) - for news prior to mid 2010 click
here.
-
Matheran news (updated 11th
March 2015)
-
Kalka - Simla steam (updated
20th March 2016)
-
Kangra Valley Steam (21st
January 2018)
-
Fairy Queen / Express India
/ Ramgotty
(updated 1st October 2019)
-
Official Indian
Railways Heritage online (7th January 2019)
-
Heritage Transport Museum Gurgaon
(23rd August 2017)
-
Other preserved steam
(12th January 2023)
-
Bal Bhawan Live Steam (24th
October 2018)
-
Indian Railways Heritage Support Group
(9th August 2011)
-
Miscellaneous news on
active preserved steam (updated 25th May 2011)
-
The Indian Steam
Railway Society (13th November 2014, (http://www.indiansteamrailwaysociety.in/,
link harmful by July 2020) )
The XIIth annual conference will be held on
Saturday 7th February 2014 at the National Railway Museum in New Delhi.
Adrian Shooter will give the keynote address and there will be a number
of other presentations. (Click
here for more information on nominations for awards, papers,
the page refers to the XIth conference but everything is the same for
this year.)
The XIth annual conference was held on 1st February 2014, the principle
guest speaker was the renowned film maker Nick Lera. A brief report is now
available (added 8th February 2014).
The Xth annual conference was held on 24th February 2013. Sadly the
founder president R.C. Sethi passed away in November 2012 and Lalit
Kumar Sinha has been selected to replace him. A report of the event is
now available (7th March 2013)
The IXth annual conference was held on 18th February 2012 formally
linking the society with the UK's Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society.
The previous conference was on February 12th 2011 - guest speaker was
veteran Indian visitor Laurie Marshall and as always it was an event to
remember, especially as it featured a presentation on the relaunch of
the Rewari steam centre. A full report is on http://www.rewaristeamloco.com
(link broken by 25th October 2016, 20th March 2011).
I have received an
email from Subrata Nath, Executive Director/Heritage, Railway Board (7th
January 2019):
Indian Railways in collaboration with M/s Google Cultural Institute have created an online repository of Indian Railways’ heritage. This can be accessed at
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/indian-railways. We have also updated the website of Heritage Directorate (launched in 2016) which can be accessed at
http://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard//view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,304,366,1706,2011
(link broken 1st November 2019).
These sites are well worth spending time with and it's good to see this aspect
of the railways being taken seriously.
Industrial steam in India is
in terminal decline as
it is everywhere. On the IRFCA web site, Simon Darvill has updated
(23rd November
2003) his lists of industrial locomotives in India (and other countries
in the
sub-continent) and added sections on light rail and preserved
locomotives as well http://www.irfca.org/docs/locolists/industrial/index.html.
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In Assam, the
Ledo Brick Works line is now defunct, with one locomotive transferred
to
nearby Tipong Colliery, where one of the two ex-DHR B 0-4-0ST will be
in use most days on the
2.5km line. I visited in February 2004 and you can read my
illustrated report (2nd March 2004). Alexandre Gillieron
found the railway
working normally and very attractive in
early 2006
(17th March 2006). Roy Laverick was
here at New Year 2004/5 (14th February 2005). Vikas Singh has
sent me a
report on his 2007 visit to the area after the monsoon
floods which do not seem to have affected Tipong. It includes
observations of IR steam survivors (25th September 2007). I went back
to Tipong (for 2 weeks) and have a
full update on activity here (25th February 2008). |
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After nearly two years
suspension (see below), Sumit Sharma of Real India Journeys (http://www.realindiajourneys.com
but the site is dead in May 2023) tells me
that Tipong Colliery has resumed operation (12th December 2010). I was later told (15th April 2011) that in fact at the
moment just mud and spoil is coming out in preparation for anticipated
full production later in 2011. As such the diesel suffices for the time
being although the steam locomotives are serviceable and available for
charter, a situation which continues into 2012 (22nd February 2012).
These are pictures of David in 2011 from Sumit Sharma, I note it has
been turned at some stage: Sumit was
back in April 2014, to be honest not a great deal has changed
although the mere fact that David is operational is a positive sign
(15th May 2014)
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Further to the above,
Paul Whittle was with the Darjeeling Tours group that visited at the
end of February 2012 and reports "They are digging coal, not a lot at
present, but due to increase to about 200 tons per day. We had David
and B Class 792 in steam – 792 hauling a proper coal tub train and when
the production rises they expect to have both locos plus 789 (in the
workshop but serviceable) working (17th March 2012). |
Heinrich
Hubbert tells me (12th December 2008) that he has heard from Ashok
Sharma that Tipong Colliery had a serious accident underground in
November 2008. The railway is necessarily not working currently and
potential visitors should check on the situation before travelling to
the area. For a newspaper account of the incident - click here (14th
December 2008). Mark Smithers was here in February 2009, there was no
mining but David was steamed for him (24th March 2009). H.H. Wu was
here at the end of June and was told that maybe, just maybe things may
start up again in August... (23rd July 2009). Certainly nothing was
moving by December according to Alex Jesserer (12th December 2009). By
January 2010, mining had still not restarted but David and 796 were
steamed for the visiting Darjeeling Tours group and derelict 781 was
being given a cosmetic make over for the proposed small railway museum
in Tinsukia (16th February 2010).
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The
metre gauge
Hudswell Clarke 0-8-0T at Riga Sugar Mill has been in regular use
during the season in
recent years (see below). I visited in February 2004 and you can read my
illustrated report (2nd March 2004). Adrian Freeman reported
that Riga
started milling on December 4th 2008 and the steam locomotive and
Hunslet diesel
would work one last 90 day season (7th December 2008),
after this the adjacent main line would have been converted to broad
gauge. Mark
Smithers went to Riga in February 2009 and had the Hudswell Clarke
steamed
although there were no wagons for it to work with (24th
March 2009). Vikas Singh told me (16th February 2005)
that Saraya Sugar Mill was unlikely to operate during the 2004/5 season
and that
the locomotives were once again covered in vegetation, with many wagons
sold off
and the rails likely to follow....
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The Ootacamund (Ooty) Mountain Railway runs from Mettupalayam near
Coimbatore to Ooty in Tamil Nadu. The spectacular lower (rack) section
up to Coonoor remains steam powered but for some years the upper
section has been dieselised. The railway is frequently cut by
landslides in the end-of-year rains, how long it is then closed depends
on the severity of the damage. The magnificent X Class steam
locomotives were built by SLM, although there have been some recent
misguided attempts to 'improve' them which have, so far, thankfully
been less than a total success - this is 37391 being returned to the
railway in March 2007.
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Andrew
Jones visited Golden Rock in Trichi in November 2010 (looking for
YDM4s), but there were 3 X class here- X 37386, overhauled, looked
complete apart from painting, converted to oil firing, as will these
other two, X 37392, stripped, being replated, X 37384, stripped, to be
overhauled. The board shows that they don't rush things! (22nd December
2010). The people down south in Trichi in recent years have never
failed to produce a locomotive which would cause traditionalists to
shake their heads in amazement and this one is in their best traditions.
|
 |
Thomas
Schultz has sent me a link to a story in "The Hindu" which shows a
brand new X class approaching completion at Golden Rock (21st January
2011). Heinrich Hubbert has been to Golden Rock (28th February 2011)
and confirms that X 37396 has recently been completed and is a 'totally
new build', a local newspaper carried a picture of it leaving the works
and it is apparently at Mettupalayam for running in trials. Assuming
all goes well, three more will be built, some may even be coal fired.
It apparently follows the original design closely but with oil
firing. Heinrich has since returned and confirms that a second
new X has entered service, presumably 37397 and there are two new
frames and boilers, plus wheels, being worked on as well as 37393 under
overhaul (10th May 2012).
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|
Now,
what is presumably 37398 is nearing completion reports "The Hindu",
(thanks to Thomas Schultz again for this, 27th December 2012) and it
should be ready by mid-January 2013 (Pongal festival). This picture is
from "The Hindu" article referred to above. The Hindu has reported a
fourth new X has now entered service (10th March 2014), presumably
37399. Thanks to Harvey Smith for this one. Nick FitzGerald was in
Coonoor on May 10th 2014 and confirms its presence. Apart from the four
new builds, 37384 is the only serviceable coal burner and it is kept
for departmental duties (presumably engineering and very occasional
coal trains). He adds that a team will assess 37385 in the NRM in New
Delhi for overhaul and return to service, which is an indication of the
poor condition of the other older locomotives. (24th May 2014)
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Clive Hepworth was here in
February 2015 and has provide a
brief illustrated update (26th February 2015).
Jakob Spilling spent 4
days here and has provided a further update. His report includes
some of the nicest pictures of the contemporary scene that have come my
way. The 'uglies' don't look too bad as long as you view them from a
distance or rear on (4th February 2016). Jakob was back in January 2018 and I
have added a couple more pictures from the trip to the
previous report (30th March 2018). If, like me, you think that the new
rack tanks look bad, wait till you see the new coaches! Given this
newspaper report is from February 2019, I assume they are now in service and
that's not all as seen in a
March 2019 report. (25th June 2019).
|
 |
Now, the Hindu reports that another new rack
tank is being built and will be commissioned in February 2021. Unlike the
other new builds, this one will be coal fired. With a 'heritage fuel', maybe
they will return to the original outline too (12th
September 2020). Thanks to Trevor Heath for this one. Trevor has now sent me a
picture that show 37400 as delivered and indeed it has a more traditional
'look' to it (7th September 2021). There is an
official account of its construction on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9P1RMseLh0 (5th
October 2021).
Click here for earlier
news to mid 2010 from this
fascinating railway which includes links to some great photographs. One
of the most unusual sights I have seen recorded comes from Colin Young.
After a locomotive failure in February 2007 a second locomotive was
sent down the rack section and HAULED (at least in part) the train up
to Coonoor (17th March 2008).
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Ashok Sharma reports "Another tiny wonder is the toy train steam locomotive No.17655, 4-6-2 built by M/s. Krauss
Maffei, Munich, Germany, running on a Y3 - 15 inch gauge inside Bal
Bhawan, an educational facility for children in Delhi, which has been repaired and is working every
Thursday. (On Tuesday, Wednesday, Fridays they operate the toy train with
a diesel locomotive ). I visited Bal Bhawan recently on Thursday, 11th October and took some pictures.
A ticket costs Rupees fifteen for children, adults are also welcome to ride for Rupees thirty.
The short train travels around the Bal Bhawan complex in ten minutes and the steam
locomotive carries about 52 passengers in two open carriages and makes 2
- 3 trips and this is guaranteed, almost,
until it shows fatigue. The steam railway / model railway aficionados are invited to visit and become a child for a day
(24th October 2018). To which I should add
that I was privileged to see it operating on 2nd November 1976 (RD,
second
image, that date is no
misprint). |
The Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway is (was?) one of the great steam narrow gauge railways of the
world until, having acquired World Heritage status, Indian Railways
promptly dieselised the main services in 2000 although steam has
continued to put in ever more rare appearances since then. The
so-called 'school train' from Kurseong to Darjeeling has been diesel
hauled at times but by mid 2007 it was again rostered for steam,
confirmed by a visit to the
railways website http://www.dhr.in/ (Link broken by January 2024. RD)
recommended by Jan Willem van Dorp (17th
October 2007) which showed that the school train has swapped its base
since September 2007 - Ex-Darjeeling at 10.15, returning from Kurseong
at 15.00, it is now known as the 'local train'. There are 2 diesel
trains each way for the whole length of the line, but you really need
to read the news page to appreciate the improvements....
Keith Taylorson (26th March 2008) was here between 8th and 11th March
2008 and confirms the 'local train' to be rostered for steam. He argues
"As to whether the local train operation is 'real', I travelled on it
and my impression is that it is in all respects a real working train,
conveying passengers from A to B, and they were not interested in
whether it was a steam or diesel loco pulling them. Furthermore the 2nd
class fare from Darj to Kurseong is 10 Rupees (= 13p approx) which I
think must make it the world's cheapest steam ride??" The tail end of
Cyclone Aila passed through the area in May 2009, causing a number of
landslides and cutting the road and presumably the railway in a number
of places, especially above Kurseong. I would be grateful for any first
hand reports most importantly confirmation when the railway is up and
running (again) (30th May 2009), Peter Jordan has told me that the
lower section to Kurseong was expected to re-open by the end of May.
However, the DHRS website
stated in August 2009 that services were unlikely to restart until
September 2009 at the earliest (26th August 2009). In the event the
official DHR site said that full services resumed on 1st October 2009
(7th November 2009). However during the summer monsoon rains the line
was breached again "The Director DHR has confirmed that services
between NJP and Kurseong will remain suspended for probably another
three months. The road/rail breach at Pagla Jhora has proved much more
serious than originally thought, rocks are still falling and widening
the affected area, and a 500 metre stretch of new highway/rail route
may have to be built on a new alignment. The Kurseong-Darjeeling
section and the "Joy Trains" are running." Thanks to Trevor Heath for
forwarding this (8th August 2010). Paul Whittle of the DHRS (2nd
January 2011) tells me "The Director DHR has confirmed that landslide
repairs to the NH55 Hill Cart Road at Pagla Jhora are scheduled for
completion at the end of February 2011. Plans are already in place for
then reinstating the DHR tracks." Unfortunately, the railways website http://www.dhr.in/
(Link broken by January 2024. RD) referred to above has no recent information at all and claims all
trains are running normally! As of 6th August 2011, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Society website was saying "Monsoon rains in June 2011
destroyed much of the subsequent repair work, and NH55 (The Hill Cart
Road) remains closed at that point. Road repair work is due to continue
after the end of the rains in September and only after the road
formation has been restored will it be possible for the DHR tracks to
be reinstated. Realistically this is unlikely before the end of 2011."
(15th August 2011) - if you are considering a visit, this is probably
the most readily available reliable source of up-to-date information. A
September visitor reported the daily Darjeeling - Kurseong train as
steam worked with the only diesel seen parked at Kurseong (14th
September 2011). According to the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway Society website there was a further
landslip just below Tindharia works on 28th September 2011 which
destroyed 150m of NH155 and left the railway line unsupported, the
works is thus isolated with the road and railway severed above and
below it. The DHRS website has been slightly rearranged and the latest
travel information is now available on http://www.dhrs.org/page4.html
(new link and information updated, 18th June 2012). Their estimate of
re-opening remains the end of 2012 at the earliest (18th June 2012).
Paul Whittle of the DHRS advises that one diesel and two steam
locomotives have been transferred to the upper section and that a
complimentary Kurseong train introduced, use the link above for more
details. At the same time, there has been a further landslip at
Tindharia removing the perimeter wall and leaving several buildings in
the workshops under threat. The official Indian Railways position is
that the line WILL be reopened throughout by the end of 2013, but
looking at the picture on the DHRS home page, that is a very big ask
indeed (8th August 2012). Keith Wallace tells me (22nd May 2013) "The
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has managed to transfer two locomotives
each way (i.e. a total of 4) between Tindharia and Kurseong on low
loaders. These were 779 and 806 to Kurseong and 782 and 786 to
Tindharia. The latter two were in poor condition having been denied
access to Tindharia for some time now. The low loaders went up via
Pagla Jhora."
Further to
all the above, there is significant good news from the line (6th March
2014) according to a DHRS
press release. Hopefully by the end of June 2014 a temporary
alignment will allow through trains for the first time since 2012.
Heinrich Hubbert reports on the
Darjeeling - Ghum shuttle, the 'Joy Train' (12th October
2014). The DHRS site said that trains would resume by the end of
December 2014 (21st December 2014). In the event it was some time later
before through workings occurred, the first being the DHRS's steam
hauled charter on 10th March 2015. By early April normal service was
expected to resume 'soon' (4th April 2015). See Ray Clayfield's March visit for
comments on the 'Joy Train' (4th April 2015). While Nick Fitzgerald was
in Darjeeling at the
end of May and there was still no sign of through services
resuming (4th June 2015), the DHRS
website reports that through trains have now at last
restarted (15th June 2015), excellent news. Alas, less than two weeks
later problems at PaglaJhora mean that the service is again temporarily
suspended at least until repairs can be completed at the end of the
monsoon season in September 2015 (28th June 2015). Good news
is that the line was reopened throughout at the beginning of December
2015, thanks to Trevor Heath for this (3rd December 2015).
Ever since
the DHR became a World Heritage Site, there have been mumbles about it
not being run in a manner which was in keeping with that status,
starting with its dieselisation and continuing with its 'making do'
policy of cannibalising the fleet to keep a small number of locomotives
running. Now the futility of the latter has been recognised and an
agreement has been signed to manufacture key spare parts, click here
for a link to a
report in the Hindustan Times (31st May 2017), thanks to Ned
Johnson for this one, similar reports have appeared in other Indian
newspapers. Sadly, the whole railway was shut down for some months
owing to the continuing political unrest in the area, the strike which
paralysed the area finished at the end of September and services will
gradually resume. As always, please consult the DHRS website
before attempting to visit (6th
October 2017), I understand that the railway is now open throughout (21st
January 2018).
There was another landslide in early August 2018
in the same area as 2011, the through service is necessarily suspended and most
likely it will only be when the monsoon when the damage can be assed and a
resumption of service date suggested, in the meantime suspension until 31st
August 2018 has been confirmed (updated 18th August 2018).
The local services out of Darjeeling and Kurseong should be less affected. but
were suspended for at least a few days.
As part of its overhaul of under performing state assets, the Government is
considering changing the way all the hill railways work, it's called a
'National Monetisation Plan'. Given the fact that three of them are World
Heritage Sites, that ought to limit the room for manoeuvre (in theory), 'Monetisation'
is the word Google uses for putting ads on this website and my YouTube
channel, it has to be done sensitively (5th October 2021).
I have now
archived older reports:

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A
number of groups have visited the railway for chartered trains and in
2006 a series of celebrations were held to mark its 125th anniversary.
Less welcome (at least visually) are attempts to introduce oil firing
and new locomotives. This is a picture supplied by Trevor Heath - any
comment would be superfluous...
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Andrew Jones visited
Golden Rock Works in Trichi in November 2010 and found B 780 ready to
return to the DHR having had a full overhaul. It looks refreshingly
traditional (22nd December 2010)! B 786 was here needing a full
overhaul which was to start shortly.
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There is a
UK based Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society, with their own Website
(link added 15th May 2000). The railway now has its own
official website http://www.dhr.in/ (Link broken by January 2024. RD)(9th April 2006) - a quick visit showed that is has
a few too many 'bells and whistles' and not a few bad links - but it
was early
days and at least showed a more positive attitude to the railway. A
revisit in
October 2007 found it much more useful for the would be visitor
although many of
the potentially steam hauled trains are probably more conditional than
suggested
(17th October 2007), it has since fossilised and is effectively
useless.
The Matheran Hill Railway
runs from Neral south-east of Bombay/Mumbai. Its original power
comprised 4 Orenstein and Koppel 0-6-0T. They were taken out of service
some time ago but all survive (in Matheran, Mumbai, the Delhi Railway
Museum and on the Leighton Buzzard Railway in the UK - the latter is in
working order). Steam has been re-introduced for special occasions, but
in the shape of an ex-DHR locomotive. A large
section of the lower part was washed away in July 2005 in the monsoon
and it was only re-opened in March 2007.

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Click here for more
information on steam
operation on the railway (latest update 22nd April 2007).
Good news is that MLR 738 (formerly preserved in Bombay/Mumbai) has now
been restored to working order and will be available for charter (4th
July 2009). By December 2009, Alex Jesserer reported that both
locomotives were unserviceable (12th December 2009), however I have
since heard that 738 (with a diesel tucked in behind just in case) ran
a charter for the visiting Darjeeling Tours group on 20th January 2010.
This is Cliff Schoff's much delayed picture of the train at Water Pipe
station (23rd May 2011). After a long period of silence, it seems that
the DHR locomotive has now been repaired at Golden Rock and should now
be in occasional service - see a
report in the Indian Express (30th August 2013). By 7th March
2015, Nick Fitzgerald reported that sadly 738 had been plinthed at
Neral although the DHR B in the shed still looked serviceable (11th
March 2015).
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I have added
a historical set of
pictures from my two visits to the line in 1976 (20th
November 2009).
ZB 66 had been 'under
restoration' at Amritsar for a long time (at least since 2001). Now it has been completed and
the locomotive returned to Pathankot where it will presumably operate
part way up the Kangra valley line (6th March 2017). I think this line
is considered 'heritage narrow gauge' and is not under threat of
conversion, which in any case would be even more hugely expensive than
elsewhere. After a disastrous public 'first run' where it disgraced itself, 66
reappeared on a steam run on December 24th 2017, it's not known if it was a
'test run' or a 'public train' but the pictures certainly show a big crowd
turned out. Thanks to Trevor Heath for all of this (21st
January 2018).
Dileep Prakash reports (amended
25th September 2001) "Steam returns to Kalka-Simla
Railway after 30 years. On Wed. 26th Sept 2001 KC 520 of 1905
vintage will haul a
special train from Shimla to Kanoe at 12 noon." This went off OK and
now he tells me
(1st December 2001) "KC 520 will pull a 4 coach rake on the KSR on
Saturday 8th
December. She will be in her old livery of the NWR days and so will the
carriages."
Click here
for a report on a 2003 charter
including images (20th March 2003).
The Kalka - Simla line was host to centenary celebrations in November
2003, widely
reported in India and outside the country for instance, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3261679.stm
(17th November 2003). By December 2009, Alex Jesserer reported
that KC 520
was 'under repair' (12th December 2009). David Wood reported (21st
March 2011) that it had returned from Amritsar to Simla 'for testing'.
Ashwani Lohani tells me (22nd December 2012) that it is now available
for hauling steam charters, certainly it hauled a test train from Simla
to Kathlighat on 15th February 2013 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIEUqJZX1bI
(12th March 2013). James Waite joined a charter to Taradevi the current
steam limit in March 2016, read
his report (20th March 2016)
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There is now a trio of serviceable very old engines
in India. It has been reported that 1862 built Ramgotty has been restored at
Shakhurbasti diesel shed in Delhi (https://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/steaming-up-an-oldie).
It's unclear how much use it will see (1st
October 2019). This is not an
up-to-date picture, I took it at the NRM in 1993.
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The Fairy Queen (EIR 22) is one
of the world's oldest serviceable
steam locomotives Click here for the
last
information I had on its operations covering the 2004/5
winter season (2nd March 2004),
it was certainly still operating at least private charters into 2007.
This web
site http://www.rajasthantourindia.in/fairyqueen-train-tour.aspx
link dead by 25th October 2016 advertised the usual service from 1st
October 2009 to 31st March 2010, but by December 2009, Alex Jesserer
reported that the locomotive was still
'under repair' at the end of November (12th December 2009). In the
event, I doubt that any of these ran as by February 2011, the
locomotive had been 'vandalised' while at Delhi Cantonment Station.
Many fittings were stolen, presumably for their scrap value. After
being sent to Perambur (Chennai / Madras) for "restoration and
rehabilitation" (6th September 2011), she has now been returned to Rewari for
safe keeping (10th December 2013). There is a further series of tours
during the current 'winter season' although as always it's well hidden
on the web (try http://www.irctctourism.com/).
Trains ran to Alwar on (at least) 28th January and 11th February 2017
with further trips planned on 11th March and 8th April 2017 (12th
February 2017).
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Sister
engine Express India (EIR 21) is
now set to rival her as the Southern Railway has taken her from
preservation at Kamalpur for restoration at Perambur and for
operation around Chennai (Madras). The first run I am aware of took
place on 15th August 2011 (Independence Day) between Egmore Station (Chennai) and
Guindy. The picture on the left is taken from a report in
'The Hindu', there is a similar report in the
'Times of India' (Link dead by May 2023) and at least two videos on YouTube as well (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJZetoWI7w4
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF-FNqXkikM).
It will have been the first ever broad gauge steam locomotive to work
out of Egmore as this was always metre gauge until relatively recently
(all this 6th September 2011).
|
|
Ashwani Lohani visited Perambur on 21st
March 2014 and was introduced to the old lady (second picture, added
25th March 2014). After a long spell idle, Empress is set for a series of
runs between Bangalore and Mysore, https://starofmysore.com/worlds-oldest-working-steam-engine-to-chug-between-mysuru-bengaluru,
reports Trevor Heath (22nd November 2018). This is
another steam initiative flowing from Ashwani Lohani's incumbency as Railway
Board chairman.
|
The good news is that a pool
of
working steam locomotives is now available and steam tour groups are
now starting to look
at the country again. The first ever National Conference on Steam
Heritage Tourism was
held on 2nd December 2002 and there was a second conference on
14th February 2004 (report added 3rd March 2004), the
associated activities are covered as part of my reports on Steam in India (2nd
March 2004). Further conferences were held on 2nd April 2005 and 19th
March 2006 with keynote speeches by, respectively, Heinrich Hubbert and
Bill Aitken and these have continued on an annual basis since then.
WL 15005
returned to the main line on 6th December 2011 with a working between
Delhi and Rewari. There have since been public excursions between Delhi
and Alwar on 31st December 2011 and 14th January 2012 which continued
fortnightly until the end of March. Vikas Arya has sent a profusely illustrated account
of recent events (8th February 2012). Steve Cossey points out that
information on the trip is on http://www.railtourismindia.com/Trains/Fairyqueen/FQ001.html,(Link
broken by May 2023)
note there is a 'Book Ticket' Button top right (7th March
2012). The season is now over, but I have added a page of James Billingham's
pictures taken at Delhi Cantonment of WP 7161 on 24th March
2012 (28th April 2012).

|
I
understand (26th November 2012) that there will be a winter 2012/3
season of steam excursions from Delhi to Alwar using WP 7161 (recently
given a major overhaul at Amritsar works where WL 15005 is now going
through the same process). The suggested dates are (24th November, 8th
and 22nd December, the third date definitely operated, I am not sure
about the first two), 12th January, 9th and 23rd February and 9th
March. Expect the trips to run with an overnight stay at Sariska and a
short visit to Rewari Steam Centre. Ashok Sharma of tells me that he can handle the bookings (22nd December 2012)
-
and while the full price is Rs 11000 for Delhi Cant (09.10) - Alwar
(overnight) - Delhi Cant (next day 18.45), cheaper rates are available
for parts of the excursion. Ashwani Lohani tells me that they intend to
steam one locomotive at Rewari every Sunday until 31st March 2013 (29th
December 2012). WL 15005 was outshopped by Amritsar works on 14th
January 2013 and will now be available for the Alwar steam excursions,
(29th January 2013). Stuart Aitken travelled on the last of the current
trains and reports it was well run and excellent value - this is WP
7161 at the Rewari water stop (18th March 2013).
|

|
 |
The
2013/4 steam excursion ran with fortnightly runs till the end of April.
The link http://www.railtourismindia.com/Trains/Fairyqueen/FQ001.html
(Link broken by December 2023. RD) and WP 7161 will again be the main
power. Olaf Gröpler observed the 22nd March 2014 operation at Palam on
the outskirts of Delhi at the end of a tour mainly facilitated by my
friends at Real India Journeys
(1st April 2014). The new winter season has planned trains on October
11/25th, November 8th/22nd, December 13th/21st, January 10th/24th,
February 14th/28th, March 14th/28th and April 10th/24th 2015 - note the
oddball December date), this
link implies that Fairy Queen will be the motive power but
gives WP details, thanks to Trevor Heath for this (7th August
2014). Stuart Keen rode the train on 13th/14th December 2014
with WP 7161 and you can
read his report (31st December 2014). See Ray Clayfield's March visit for more
coverage (4th April 2015).
|
There was an unfortunate
incident at Rewari in November 2017 when WP 7161 ran away unmanned out
of the shed area, derailing itself on the trap points at the link to
the main line 2km away. The engine was soon recovered, the damage has
yet to be assessed (18th November 2017). See a local newspaper report and news report https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm3ig5NMM5g. |

|
I have
been sent some pictures
of the end result of Amritsar works' attention to WP 7161 and WL 15005,
together with the rejuvenated PSMT locomotive, thanks to Yoginder Kumar
and Kulbir Singh Mann (5th February 2013). A further fuller account
is now available courtesy of Samarendra Kumar, Chief Works Manager,
Northern Railway Mechanical Workshop, Amritsar (12th March 2013). After
this came XE 3634 'Angadh', the picture (left) is courtesy of Kulbir
Singh Mann (22nd March 2013). The loco was being worked on by July 2013
(24th July 2013), you can get some idea of what is involved from some recent pictures
supplied by Yoginder Kumar. The locomotive has now been steamed and a further illustrated report
is available (15th August 2013). Next in line for the Amritsar
treatment is WP 7200, the first WP constructed which has now been
stripped down for overhaul (22nd September 2013). By April 2015, it was
finished and ready to go back to Rewari (15th April 2015).
|

|
Some
time back I reported "Rewari Steam Centre is being developed
aggressively and hosted a
carnival day
on 15th February 2004 (2nd March 2004)." Afterwards things
stalled for a while and by December 2009, Alex Jesserer reported
that all locomotives at Rewari were unserviceable as was WP 7161 at
Siliguri (12th
December 2009). But then (5th May 2010) Vikas Arya reported
that money has been made available to restore 9 inhabitants (5 bg and 4
mg) to full working order. He now reports that this has now been completed
(21st August 2010). There was a steam run with 7200 WP from Delhi Cantt
to Rewari on 18th September 2010, the locomotive reportedly was in good
fettle, with excellent acceleration although speed had to be limited.
There was a steam run on 9th October 2010 to Rewari Heritage
Shed where several recently restored locomotives were in steam. Ashok
and Sumit Sharma have sent me some
pictures of the event (10th October 2010), followed by Vikas
Arya's extended account
of the re-opening festivities (9th November 2010), see also the Steam
Centre's own website -http://www.rewaristeamloco.com/home/
(link broken by 25th October 2016, 9th November 2010). Now (21st March
2011), it seems one of the eight 'runners' is steamed in turn each
Sunday, the latest addition will be XE 3634 scheduled for its first
public showing on 2nd April 2011. James Billingham found that by June
2012, the weekly steamings were no more but was nevertheless impressed with what he found
(7th June 2012).
|

|
A new museum/heritage centre is
to be established at Tinsukia reports Trevor Heath (6th April 2010).
Exhibits will include the mg an unspecified diesel, the Garratt from
Guwahati and the cosmetically restored B class 781 which has been
derelict at Tipong for some time. I would be be very surprised not to
see a YP and/or YG among the collection. This is the Garratt WD 74228, BP 7144/1945 (added
14th July 2010), photographed by Rahul who came up from Calcutta
specially.
|
Not so far from Tinsukia is Namsai where Arunachal Pradesh Plywood Industries Limited
had a 600mm gauge forestry railway which may have been the most easterly in
India. Just how many locomotives they had is not known to me but two of them
(Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T 1452/1920 and 0-4-0T 2234/1947) have been preserved.
Pictures are here https://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/industriallocomotives/Image0152.jpg.html
and here https://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/Survivors/east/Andrew+Barcklay.jpg.html?.
For a long time they were outside the works but now they have been relocated to
the nearby Golden Pagoda Eco Resort, https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/stay/story/68965/review-of-golden-pagoda-eco-resort-namsai.
Thanks to Alexander Gillieron for putting me on to these interesting survivors (12th
January 2023).
There are two surviving Bengal Nagpur Railways N
class 4-9-0 + 0-8-4 Garratt locomotives, (38)815 is a long term resident of the
National Railway Museum in New Delhi, while the lesser known one (38)811 spent
many years at the wrong end of Kharagpur Works. It was restored to running
conditions ca 2005 courtesy of some essential parts from its sister, but now it
has had a full restoration and has undergone at least one test run (6th
October 2018). It is to be hoped that this revival is more sustained than
the previous one.
Reuters
report (24th
December 2008): "India Opens steam Engine Park - Decades old steam
engine cruises through the memory lane in a locomotive park in India's
northern
Jharkhand. 'Deshbandhu Locomotive Park' located in Ranchi, which
exhibits steam engines of the bygone era was thrown open to the general
public recently.
The park, located near the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, exhibits some
of the 2351 steam engines which were produced at the factory between
1951 and 1972."
There is a video that goes with it (http://uk.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=95361&videoChannel=76)
but I cannot view it in China, I've found a similar (or same) video
which shows
a miniature WP. Of course there are many plinthed locos all over India,
the
IRFCA has a list on its site http://www.irfca.org/docs/locolists/.
See http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/
and particularly http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/Survivors/
for many pictures.
A curiosity is a restored steam railcar, 'Miss
Muffet' at Jamalpur Works (14th September 2019), I
don't know anything of its origin but these videos show it in steam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irm5xWlGdr8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axF3i8ywk5s
- https://www.facebook.com/IRheritage/videos/2387886754635030
A Heritage Transport Museum (opened
December 013) has been established at Gurgaon just outside New Delhi (http://www.heritagetransportmuseum.org/)
they have obtained two industrial broad gauge steam locomotives from
Rotas Industries in Bihar, a Kerr Stuart 1921 0-4-0ST and a Jung 1953
0-6-0T. The latter is serviceable and is shown in steam in this
local Hindustan Times report. Thanks to Heinrich Hubbert for
this one (23rd August 2017).
"The heritage of Indian
Railways is fast being destroyed.
There needs to be a consolidated effort to save the heritage and
historical importance of
Indian Railways, especially the ruins of the erstwhile Great Indian
Peninsula Railway (now
called Central Railway), based in Bombay. The Bombay Railway History
Group aims
to achieve this by saving those silent structures that once brought
glory through railway
revolution in India through discussions and by creating awareness. The
group can be found
at http://bombayrailway.blogspot.com/
(amended 9th August 2011). Contact Rajendra Aklekar rajendraa
(at) gmail.com or bombayrailway (at) gmail.com for more information.
(updated 9th August 2011).
The Friends of the
National Railway Museum have now been
incorporated as a chapter of the The Indian Steam
Railway Society (updated
8th May 2006).
Satish Pai
tells (23rd November 2003) me he has tidied up the steam page on the
IRFCA
site - http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-steam.html
- and mentioned some more of the locos under consideration for
renovation, etc. For a pretty full list of preserved steam in India
there were links on http://www.indiansteamrailwaysociety.in/, (link harmful by July 2020), much but not all of the material is available on http://www.irfca.org/steam/,
the IRFCA site also has a
steam gallery (25th May 2011).
One
beneficial result of the 150th railway celebrations was the
rash of new railway museums being established around the country. One
of special interest
to me, given my oft-stated preference for narrow gauge steam, is the
establishment by the
South Eastern Railway of a specifically narrow gauge museum at Nagpur
(21st January 2003).
Jaideep Gupta, gjaideep@hotmail.com
- senior
divisional electrical engineer and co-ordinator 150 yrs celebrations -
would welcome
suggestions (and even contributions) for this worthwhile project.
A good site
for Indian images is http://www.trainweb.org/railworld/index.htm
(added 15th October 2000). YP preservation - 2 YPs have been purchased
for private preservation went to Ajmer
Works for overhaul (16th September 1999). I have had news
from Shaun McMahon about them (7th February 2000). Later news
(updated 3rd October
2000) had them en route to Togo.
Finally,
David Breaker sent a press
release from the
then newly
formed Shakuntala Railway Preservation Society (16th June 2002).
However, it
seems to have died a death....
Iran Index

|
Toma Bacic sent me this
picture of a steam locomotive in good condition seen near Tehran Main
Station on July 24th 2007. Thomas Kautzor comments "The loco is 2-10-0
51.02 or 51.03 (I can't distinguish the number's last digit on the
picture), one of 16 built by Henschel in 1938 (51.01-16 =
Henschel 24052-67) for operation on the Trans Iranian Railway. During
WW2 in 1942 fifteen of them were based at Polesafid
(Pol-e-Sefid) shed on the mountainous line to Bandar Shah on
the Caspian Sea." (All of this 8th January 2011.)
|
The Spring
2006 issue of the Continental Railway Journal carries an account
of an extensive DGEG visit to the country. As expected, it was mainly
diesel
orientated (CRJ in 1977 reported the railways as 'long dieselised'),
but some
steam relics were observed. Near Tehran station was an unidentified
Vulcan (UK)
2-10-2 (52.11-52.74 series, built 1951-3) and a Cowans steam crane -
pictures of
these are on http://www.phantasrail.com/tehran_(5).htm
(added 23rd July 2007, link found broken on 27th October 2017). In
Tabriz a 5ft gauge Russian built 0-6-0T (Sormovo
37946/1904)
was seen.
Chris
Capewell tells me that most if not all of
the above have now been moved from the station to a nearby site which
Google
Maps calls the Iran Railway Museum (7th March 2013). Subsequently, they have
moved to the new railway museum at Mashhad (4th April
2018).
Thomas
Kautzor has provided information
on surviving steam locomotives of the metre gauge line from
Teheran to the Moslem shrine of Shah Abdul Azim el Rey
(Shahr-e-Rey)
(21st January 2011). He has
provided these pictures (taken by his friend Arsam Behkish) of one of
the 5 Tubize locomotives
supplied and preserved in Mellat Park in north Tehran (added 29th June
2007).
Iraq Index
The December
2003 issue of the British magazine 'Railways Illustrated' carries a
picture of a nearly intact standard gauge British 2-8-0 (wartime
Stanier 8F) in the loco
works yard in Baghdad taken on October 8th 2003..... (added 13th
November 2003).
On the other hand, if you want to see some wonderful
images of Iraqi metre gauge steam back in 1967, the
check out this
set of Basil (Badger) Roberts' pictures (link amended 13th
April 2013).
Israel Index
Trevor Heath
passed me this snippet (13th
December 2012) for a country that got rid of steam a long time ago:
"Turkish 8F to Israel - via England - A standard gauge steam locomotive
is currently en route to Israel via ship from the UK. The Churchill 8F
Group, the owner of two British built - Stanier 8F 2-8-0 repatriated
from The Turkish State Railway, has sold former British War Department
No.WD341 to the Municipality of Bee'r Sheva in Israel. The
locomotive will be exhibited at the new railway museum at the old
narrow gauge station. The current plan is to cosmetically restore the
2-8-0 to represent Israel Railways No. 70414 in 1958. At the moment,
there are no immediate plans to restore the 8f to operation. The
locomotive was shipped from Southampton last month and is currently en
route to the port of Ashdod by Grimaldi Lines ship Grande Europa. The
original IR 70414 is famous for being one of the last steam locomotive
to run in Israel."
The full story is on http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/news/stanier-8f-sold-to-museum-in-israel
link dead by 25th October 2016. There
is a picture of the new 70414 through on
Wiki Commons and a YouTube video shows the original on its
last working https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnCCskPcbnY
(both these 22nd July 2014). Those with an interest
in the railways of the area and Israel in particular may be interested
in
'HaRakevet'
magazine, http://harakevet.com/,
some of the
past editions are available to download (23rd July 2014).
I have added
the
first of a series of articles on Israel's railways to my
tales section as it
is mainly historical. However, it does include pictures of the only
surviving
Hedjaz Railway steam locomotive in the country (19th April
2015). This has now been joined by three further pages, the
second in the series features the new 70414 referred to above
(6th
May 2015).
Jordan Index
Dan Gibson's
website (5th May 2005) to chart the history
of the Hejaz Railway is a wonderful starting point
for here, Syria
and Saudi Arabia.
10 years
ago, a story circulated that a revamped Hejaz railway around Amman
was to become the answer to the city's traffic problems. Now the story
has
re-emerged with bells and whistles as an eventual reasonably high speed
link
with Damascus - (the original report is no longer available). If it is
half true then it might just be all
over for those steam charters (28th May 2007), but
read it carefully! It is the lesser used line north to Zarka which will
be
rebuilt first, not the spectacular climb south and the devil is in the
detail as
always "A private Chinese company, Infrastructure Development, in
tandem with Pakistani contractors, is to start work in 2009 to
transform a short stretch of the neglected line, creating a light
commuter railway between Amman and Zarka in the northeast. There are
plans then to rebuild the line all the way to Damascus."
Don't hold your breath waiting!
Jan Willem
van Dorp has been here in search of steam activity, suffice to say
he was disappointed. Read his
full report (6th
October 2005). The railway here was the subject of a talk on the BBC's
'From Our
Own Correspondent' in January 2006 - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4609450.stm
but here in China I can't check to see if the link is still valid
(added 10th
February 2006).... Bill Alborough was here researching a tour in mid
March 2006. 85 is now a runner and has been transferred to Aqaba with a
view to
running tourist trains to Wadi Rum, alas it seems it is not powerful
enough for
the climb away from the coast. Back in Amman, the usual suspects (23,
51, 71 and
82) are said to be serviceable (added 18th March 2006).

|
The
latest news on 85 comes from Richard Gennis that it did do two runs
between Aqaba and Wadi Rum in March and/or April 2006 but that was all
and in
October 2006 it was said to be waiting to go back to Amman. Click
here for more information and some pictures (added 21st
January 2007). In April 2007, Graham Williams found 85 back as expected
and the loco foreman said that there were five serviceable steam
locomotives
which agrees with the information above, unfortunately the next
scheduled
occasional steam special was to happen after Graham returned to the UK
(28th
April 2007). Thomas Kautzor joined a tour group in October
2007, read
his report (30th October 2007). Thomas Kautzor reports (5th
April 2015) that although 85 is nominally serviceable and is included
in
the tourist train 'consist', a false steam/noise generator has been
installed in
it and all the work is done by diesel 955!
|
After a long gap Thomas Kautzor
has sent me the following
summary of developments since the last report above (11th
January 2015):
In 2011, JHR General Director
Salah Al-Lozi initiated a program to restore some of their steam locos.
According to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycLYtuo0IiU
Jung 2-8-2 52, which was sidelined in 1973, had been stored at Libban
station together with Nippon Sharyo 81 since 2004. In 2013 it was towed
to Amman and restored between March and November 2013.
On 6th October 2013, it was steam tested and on 13th November 2013 it
hauled a test train. While at Libban, there was some confusion about
the
locomotive's identity because it was missing its plates and attached to
the tender of No. 53, which was scrapped following a collision.
According to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCWniO7Wef4
HStP 2-8-2 71, which was still operational in 2007, was also restored
to working order in 2013 after it had its boiler swapped with that of
No. 72, which had been stored on the bridge at the south side of Amman
station for many years.
According to the official HJR
(now JHR) website http://www.jhr.gov.jo/en/node/382
they operate regular weekly passenger trips, as well as charter trips
for groups (tourists, families, universities, schools). This is
confirmed by the photos on their
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jordan-Hejaz-RailWay/337662462963781?fref=photo.
Most of the trips operate to Jizra, 48 km south of Amman, and are
diesel-hauled, using the seven ugly wooden coaches built on the frames
of Japanese tank wagons in 2005, but also some of the old Hejaz
coaches. But steam is also being used, as shown by
pictures of No. 82 in use including as recently as 5th November and
22nd
December 2014.
Thomas was in Jordan in
February, he didn't see any steam
action, but has sent an
illustrated report
which covers the situation of every surviving steam locomotive in the
country (5th
April 2015).
Thomas was in Aqaba in March 2022 and has sent a note of what
he found (link finally added, 16th December 2022). Kevin Hoggett was here
in late 2022 and got locomotives in steam in Amman and Aqaba (6th
May 2023).
Kazakhstan
Index
 |
No
real steam here, but Torsten Schneider has sent me some
pictures of his visit
to the country in September 2003 (update 15th November
2023),
this included
stationary boiler L3795 at Turkestan
(1520mm gauge). Keith Chambers adds (25th September 2015)
"I passed Turkestan shed on 20th August 2012 and it was still there and
appeared still in use as a
boiler."
Some
steam survivors were still at Aralsk on the
Aral Sea in 2007 - see http://www.typhoonfury.com/Photo%20-%20Video%20gallery/kazakhstan.html
(link broken, 1st November 2019, 3rd October 2011)
|
Lebanon
Index
Thomas
Kautzor (with Torsten Scheider) visited in
May 2016 and his report
details the numerous
steam survivors (wrecks) and what is left of the country's railway
infrastructure (15th June 2016).
No real
steam here, but Thomas Kautzor has told
me of this interesting site covering the railways in the country which
contains
(recent) pictures of steam survivors - http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/380/385/railways/index.html
(17th December 2009), link dead by May 2023.
Wilson
Lythgoe (30th
November 2011) has pointed out an interesting proposal
for a railway museum at Rayak. It may just be a pipe dream
but there is a
lot of good historical information within it. By 2014, it doesn't seem
to be
going anywhere - http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/culture/a-new-movement-wants-to-revive-the-arab-worlds-first-railway-photos_27669
(10th November 2014, (website dead 29th October 2017)).
Nepal Index
What follows
below is history as the railway has
been ripped
up for broadgauging (link corrected 1st September 2014).
Ashok Sharma
confirmed (5th January 2004) that
Hunslet 7 at Janakpur is a runner and
available for charter. Alexandre
Gillieron's small group took this up and enjoyed a day and a half here
in
November 2006. Read the
report (4th
December 2006). He (as did Jan Willem van Dorp almost simultaneously)
confirms there is no possibility of any return to steam on service
trains.
However, a tour group in March 2008 tried to charter a special with the
locomotive but found it impossible to get the railway to confirm that
it could
be turned out in timely fashion. It must be doubtful whether they still
posses
the capability to carry out steam repairs, by all accounts they have
enough
difficulty keeping both their active diesels running (30th
March 2008).
Previously,
the first news I had for a long time came from Peter Grace (10th
November 2003):
"I visited Janakpur only last month. By the engine shed in Janakpur was
an Avonside
0-6-2T. It was not working but was ready to do so. Of the four diesel
locomotives on the
line, two are in pieces, and the other two are pretty sick. They need
to have at least two
engines to operate all the trains daily. The Avonside is there in the
event one of the
diesels drops its bundle, then I am sure it will be pressed into
service. Further down the
line at the old workshops were 11 other engines. 5 have been
cannibalised. But 6 are
basically all together. One or two were missing some bits, but I was
told these were all
in the sheds and would be returned to the locos soon. There really was
only minor rust
damage in the coal bins, although I don't know the condition of the
boilers. Included in
this lot were the two Garratts from the old Amlekghani line, south of
Kathmandu. A project
has arisen to move these steam locos, some cars and the workshop
equipment to the
Kathmandu Valley to build a tourist railway with World Bank assistance.
We will see how
this goes. With this plan they are basically off the market. Although I
don't know who has
the final say, it has been reported to me the King does not want the
locos, as part of
Nepal's heritage, to leave the country."
I understand
that steam here is still serviceable although not in regular use as a
couple of British enthusiasts hired a train for a couple of days in
early 1999 (added
December 9th 1999). Whether the usual cast of thousands of extras were
included I do not
know. The country is covered briefly in Berndt Seiler's March 1997 report.
World Steam reported some time ago that the locos were all for sale, more details are available
(updated with target prices 21st
August 2001) - but see above, whether that will have changed after the
country
became a republic is another question.
Pakistan
Index
 |
When
this page was first established there was still some real broad gauge
steam particularly around Malakwal, but that ceased in early 1997. The
metre
gauge lines around Mirpur Khas continued using steam although the line
to the
Indian border at Khokrapar has been converted to broad gauge since when
the
other branches have seen only an intermittent service and when Aya
Kakuma and Chris Jeffery visited Mirpur Khas on 1 March 2007
they found that all metre gauge services remain suspended, with little
or no hope of a revival.
Richard
Wallace adds (6th
March 2017) "Having visited Mirpur Khas in May/June 2005 which we think
was probably in the last year or so of operation I stumbled across this
video which shows YD 520 shunting redundant stock in the station in May
2010. I wonder if, at this time, any other locos were serviceable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWlweLdsAvE
Interestingly, when I was there I think only YD 518, 519 and 524 were
serviceable (as well as SP 138 definitely and 127/140 looked OK).
However, 520 was looking very poorly and detached from its tender, so a
surprising revival, although only reported now about 7 years late! I
presume this was the last ever metre-gauge steaming on that railway."
All
the pre-1998 reports can be accessed from the first Pakistan Archive
Page. Later reports from visitors up to the early 2007 have
now been
collected in the second Pakistan
Archive Page,
these include details of extant steam locomotives in the country. To
which it
can be confirmed that XB 450 has been preserved inside Mughalpura works
- (thanks to Simon Colbeck for this one, 29th March 2012).
|
 |
Torsten Schneider has sent
an
illustrated report of his March
2013 visit, well worth reading as it includes the Gangapur Horse Tram
(8th May
2013)
|
Elsewhere in
Pakistan, active steam survived in at least three locations:
-
Excursions
on the Khyber Pass line from Peshawar - click here for more information
- however a Far Rail newsletter says the line was cut by floods in June
2007 and repairs will take a long time.... (27th October 2007).
-
Excursions
from Rawalpindi to Golra Sharif
- the location of a railway museum, reported defunct by Torsten
Schneider (8th May 2013). After a long period of silence, it seems that HPS 2306
has been reactivated according to the Pakistan Railways YouTube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hE_Nz7e0rw
(11th May 2019)
-
Changa
Manga Forest Railway - click here for a report (16th
February 2006), confirmed operational again by Aya Kakuma and Chris
Jeffery (12th
March 2007). For a locally produced report from late 2007, check out
what Owais Mughal had to say on http://pakistaniat.com/2007/10/21/changa-manga-forest-railway/
(9th April 2009). Logging has now ceased but the railway survives as a weekend tourist attraction
(8th May 2013)
A new steam service has been launched connecting
Lahore with Kartapur (some way north). This report show HGS 2306 on passenger
stock with a diesel coupled inside:
https://english.aaj.tv/news/330358776/pakistan-railways-introduces-safari-steam-train
(22nd April 2024), presumably for local
tourists.
A Pakistan
Railways Newsgroup has been established, pakistanrailways-subscribe@yahoogroups.com,
the usual health warning about volumes of trivia will no doubt apply
when it has settled
down, but hopefully it will make it easier to catch up with steam news
from the country
(19th June 2003). For a locally run enthusiast group page on the
railways of
Pakistan with some steam content, try http://www.pakistanrail.com/
(added 22nd April 2007).
 |
A railway museum has been established
at Golra Sharif in the Rawalpindi area,
at least two narrow gauge locos are here. See the Pakistan Railways
website http://www.pakrail.com
but by 27th March 2012 all mention of the museum had been
removed!. Charan Singh Kundi was here in
October 2004 and Nick Lera has provided an edited
version of his report with some images (24th October 2004).
Aya Kakuma and Chris Jeffery
reported (12th March 2007) that the Steam Safari to Golra Sharif
continued to run on the first and last Sunday afternoon of each month.
On 4th March
2007 it was actually transformed into a PR staff charter to Taxila,
leaving Rawalpindi at 9am behind HGS 2264; but the assistant station
master managed to squeeze
them in. In steam in the yard was HGS 2303. CWD 5734 was on display at
a revamped Golra
Sharif, which had been inaugurated by President Musharraf the previous
day. No SPS or SGS
was seen. The last reported steaming of the HGS (2264 and 2303) was on
10th
October 2010 (16th September 2011). Torsten Schneider reported the
Golra Sharif
steam safari is now defunct (8th May 2013).
|
A reliable source has reported
that CWD 5735, SPS
3078 and SGS 2473 were intact within the works at Moghalpura, Lahore in
July
2011. The SPS is slated for plinthing at Faisalabad, the future of the
other two
is uncertain (16th September 2011). All were still present in March
2013 reports
Torsten Schneider (8th May 2013).
A dedicated Vulcan Foundry site
- beware this site has been
infected with Trojans - reports on two very
interesting survivors in the country (4th October 2011)
http://www.enuii.org/vulcan_foundry/photographs/steam_survivors/index.htm.
The first shown is 3185/1916 FS class (ex-BNR 556) sold to the Punjab
Irrigation
Department in 1937, the second is even older 1835/1902 F class (ex-BNR
185).
Russia Index
As of April
2014, I have at last moved Russia to the
European section, it was originally placed in Asia because at
that stage all the reports referred to the east of the country, now all
the new reports come from the western part, hence the migration.
Saudi Arabia
Index
Dan Gibson's
website to chart the history
of the Hejaz Railway is a wonderful starting point
for here, Jordan
and Syria. Further to the reports below, I now have a first
hand report of a visit to the railway museum in Madinah.
A railway museum opened
in Madinah (Medina) in January 2006 (all this added 16th
May 2007) according to an article in the Arab News http://www.arabnews.com/?page=21§ion=0&article=76563&d=23&m=1&y=2006.
The picture on the right is taken from it and shows two restored steam
locomotives present. More information on their identity would be very
welcome, it has long been
reported that locomotives were still in existence in the desert and
pictures of
them prior to restoration are on the unofficial Hejaz Railway website
which has
a mass of other pictures too - see http://nabataea.net/medinalocos.html.
That suggests the locomotives in the picture may be SLM 158 and
Hartmann 54.
Thomas Kautzor has provided more
information
(20th September 2007) to which I have appended the text of the article
above in
case it is removed, he also joined a tour group in October 2007 and had
a first
hand account from a Jordanian driver who had worked in Madinah, read
his account (30th October 2007).A page on the IRFCA website (http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Foreign/Hejaz/)
has further news and images (28th December 2008),
showing "105" in a fully restored state. On checking it seems that
maybe these were taken some years back. Thomas Kautzor has been delving
through
various sources of information and has come up with a
considered opinion on the identities of the locomotives in
Madinah (and
elsewhere). (link corrected 25th March 2012) |

|
Kevin Hoggett was here
in late 2022 and reports on what is a depressing situation (6th
May 2023).
Sri Lanka
Index
Things
are in a state of flux as regards
extant historic items, many have been moved in recent years and further
movement
is likely, please do not complain if something is not where it used to
be - just
let me know what you find and don't find, and I will do my best to
adjust the
reports. RD (4th February 2015)
James Davis has visited the now accessible Sri Lankan Port Authority Museum
and reports that it contains a Colombo Port steam locomotive and steam crane (29th
February 2024).
Chris Cairns
first prepared two illustrated lists
(as PDF) for surviving narrow
gauge
and Port
Commission locomotives (24th April
2015),
essential reading for a anyone visiting or just interested in the local
scene. A
further illustrated list (also as PDF).for surviving
broad gauge locomotives is now available (6th July
2015).
If you want
to know what Sri Lanka was like when
steam was real in the 1970s, check out my "Those
were the days" feature (5th
January 2011). Ceylon Railway Enthusiasts Circle (CREC), have
launched
their own magazine, "Lanka Railway Digest" (17th August
2012). Contrary to my fears it survives in 2015 is available from
Pawana Bookshop, Platform 3, Colombo Fort station.
The website now - https://www.facebook.com/LankaRailwayDigest
(4th February 2015).
.
 |
Fam Deelen has an Aveling
and Porter steam roller which belonged to the Sri Lanka railway until
ca 1983, he would very much appreciate pictures of it in the country
preferably working - this item really belongs in the stationary steam
section but I have included it here as it's more likely that a regular
steam locomotive gricer will have photographed it. Incidentally a quick
Google search shows that the UK is host to a Fowler roller and at least
one other A&P (added 12th June 2011).
|
There is a
list of extant/preserved steam locomotives available on this site
- http://www.infolanka.com/org/mrail/locos1.html
(10th May 2005).
A railway
museum has been established here, see Keith
Smith's report (8th November 2009). James Waite and Thomas
Kautzor were
here on a visit in January 2010 and have provided a comprehensive
survey of relics
in Colombo which goes beyond just railway items (updated with
pictures of Port Locos
26th
January 2011). Clive Hepworth was here in February 2013 and his
report updates that from 2010, including a visit to Ratmalana
Works (12th
March 2013). Simon Colbeck had a 'vintage tour' Colombo on
1st
August 2014 which included Ratmalana Works, Dematagoda Shed and both a
steam
crane and a Robey lorry in steam, read
about it
(4th September 2014). Restored CPC
0-4-0ST No 3 was Dematagoda
when Clive visited has
now been relocated to Rambukkana (very far from the port and the sea)
with a
4-wheel coach, which is the same type as the one that is stored at
Dematagoda, https://www.flickr.com/photos/68463452@N06/sets/72157649733108502/,
thanks to Thomas Kautzor for this (15th December 2014).
As of 27th December 2014, there
is a National Railway Museum at Kadugannawa, west of
Peradenya. It doesn't have a website, but you can probably work out
quite a lot by looking at the
pictures here, For opening hours etc see the brief
Wikipedia entry (all this 16th October 2015).
 |
The
Railway Touring Company ran another trip here in March 2006, Robin
Patrick has sent me a
brief account
together with some pictures (added 2nd October 2006). Richard Gennis
found 340
in use on an evening excursion in December 2007. Read
his report (22nd January 2008).
The
Railway Touring Company successfully relaunched the Viceroy Express in
February
2004 reports Phil Lawson
(1st
April 2004). Things are not yet perfect but the potential from this
once war torn
country is excellent, the tsunami will have caused further problems in
the
tourist industry.
|
A repeat
trip in March 2005 (added 26th
March 2005) saw the following steam legs:
251
Airport - Mount Lavinia
251 Mount Lavinia - Kandy
340 Rambukkana - Kandy
340 Kandy - Nanu Oya / Badulla - Nanu Oya
251 Palugaswewa - Trincomalee
251 Palugaswewa - Maho Junction - Polagahawela
251 Mount Lavinia - Chilaw (on Puttalam line)
Diesel
assistance was made on the incline beyond Rambukkana and beyond Gampola
'up country' - apparently this is compulsory following an accident.
In addition, the Sentinel railcar V2 331 was steamed specially on a
short section at
Dematogoda Shed (Colombo) along with the other
serviceable narrow gauge steam loco Hunslet tank 220.
Vic Allen
tells me (15th December 2002) "All steam train operations
suspended (including/especially the Viceroy Express workings) because
of lack of coal in
Ceylon." Obviously only a temporary setback, but it seems at least
three UK tour
operators have postponed their planned 2003 tours. The potential for
steam tours here is
enormous, now it looks as if there is a better chance of peace than for
some long time
past, the local organisers are JF tours, http://www.jftours.com.
However, there are several tours were being promoted for 2004 so it
seems that the problem may
be resolved.
Preserved
steam has been used here for some time mainly under the imprint of the
'Viceroy Express'. Chris Lewis (22nd March 2002) travelled on one such
tour with the
Railway Touring Company. "Excellent week with Viceroy Express. Steam
engines were
213, 240 and 340. 213 proved to be a little belter! Managed all the
planned routes with
steam at least in one direction, usually in two. (Colombo-Homegana
(narrow gauge no longer
available), Colombo-Kandy-Badulla, Harbana-Colombo, Colombo-Galle).
Highlight was a trip
from Kandy to Matale with steam at 21.00 with just a third class coach
(no lights) after
regular service had finished for the night. The Hunslet and Sentinel
were working at
Dematagoda works. The Garratt at Ratmalana works is in danger of being
scrapped. We
implored this was not allowed to happen, and our guide was going to
take this up with the
works management. The engine under major overhaul 251 was said to be
ready in about six
months. The two Sentinel lorries had been moved to the training centre
(two very nice lady
instructors), were said to be steamable, but may be plinthed.
Despite an initial
reluctance for run pasts, cab rides, etc it soon changed to absolute
freedom to do what we
wanted. Trip included double heading and banking."
After a long
break in news about steam action,
Francois Lanoue travelled here with the
Railway Touring Company in February 2014, read
his report (25th March 2014). Ultimately the
trip was a success but 'strength in depth' is clearly lacking. Chris
Cairns
joined the January 2015 LCGB Tour which made several notable
achievements, read
his report (4th February 2015). There is
now a second picture
report from Robin
Patrick (10th February 2015).
As of early 2018, there were two serviceable
broad gauge steam locomotives, 213 and 340 and both were used on the RTC Viceroy
Express tour in February, neither performed perfectly according to Mark Enderby
(18th March 2018), the same two would have operated for FarRail just
before.
Syria Index
Amid all the carnage some steam activity survives
in the country. Roland Beier tells me (14th June 2018)
"I just came across a report from a Swiss group who made a tour to Syria which included a charter train on a 20 km section of the former Lebanon Railway starting at Al Rabwah in the outskirts of Damascus. The train consisted of a SLM steam loco plus 3 wooden coaches. Obviously this area is safe and had not been affected by the war. The trip took place on 6th April 2018."
Previously the BBC carried a 2015 report (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32561050)
of the reestablishment of a tourist service here but the accompanying picture
shows a diesel in charge. There is another report https://sputniknews.com/society/201612221048893974-syrian-train-damascus-civilian-life/
(Link dead by May 2023) which says there was a public steam trip in December 2016.
10 years
ago, a story circulated that a revamped Hejaz railway around Amman
was to become the answer to the city's traffic problems. Now the story
re-emerged in the London Times with bells and whistles as an eventual
reasonably high speed link
with Damascus. If it were half true then it might just be all
over for those steam charters (28th May 2007), but on reading
carefully, it is the lesser used line north to Zarka which will be
rebuilt first, not the spectacular climb south and the devil is in the
detail as
always "A private Chinese company, Infrastructure Development, in
tandem with Pakistani contractors, is to start work in 2009 to
transform a short stretch of the neglected line, creating a light
commuter railway between Amman and Zarka in the northeast. There are
plans then to rebuild the line all the way to Damascus."
Don't hold your breath waiting!
 |
Thomas
Kautzor has passed me news that Cadem
Works in Damascus has received a make over and is now effectively
a public museum (24th December 2008), he now adds (4th
July 2009). Mark Enderby was here in October 2010 and has provided a
list of steam locomotives present (6th November 2010). Of
course, Syria has
hardly been on most enthusiasts' lists of places to visit for some
time. Thomas
Kautzor has sent me this link to a YouTube clip which shows graphically
why
Cadem Works in particular was best avoided in 2013 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smxIL3lnkfc
(15th January 2015)..
|
According
to this post http://www.drehscheibe-foren.de/foren/read.php?30,4318482
a daily service has been reinstated on June 20, 2009 between Ain-Fijeh
and El-Hame by a private operator, with one of the SLM and three
coaches restored/repainted, another three coaches under restoration.
The timetable reads: Ain-Fijeh 09.00 -
El-Hame 11.00/16.00 - Ain-Fijeh 18.00. Tickets can be bought from a
small kiosk at the old Hejaz station in Damascus.
According to the posted response, the same operator was trying to
reinstate a weekly steam train service from Cadem to
Dera'a, also starting in June.
Chris Jeffery and Aya Kakuma followed this up and reported "There is
indeed a daily service on the Barada Valley line, which looks set to
continue at least through October. Whether such
intensive activity can be sustained during the winter months remains to
be seen, but things are certainly looking brighter than they did a year
or two ago.
The journey is now about 50% longer and actually starts at Al-Rabweh (a
short bus or taxi ride from the centre of Damascus), the train having
come down empty from
Hame. It then runs up to Ain-Fijeh as usual, where the driver pointed
out a nice restaurant for lunch, before returning in the afternoon. The
advertised departure time of 9:30 a.m. is, of course, highly flexible.
We had three rides in the space of nine days before we stopped rubbing
our eyes in disbelief. 25th September
2009 was a particularly busy day on the line with a Railway Touring Co
charter hauled by Hartmann 0-4-4-2T No 962 following the regular
service behind SLM 2-6-0T No 755.
We guess the service was suspended for Ramadan, but it was very well
patronised during the Eid
al-Fitr festivities, though much quieter a week later."
This report was received in early October 2009 while I was away and
uploaded on 9th
November 2009.
In February
2010, it was suggested Aïn-Fijeh and Zebdani, through the Barada Gorge,
would be reopened in May 2010. That is an additional 25 km of track
(El-Hame - Aïn-Fijeh is a little under 10 km). Aside from Hartmann
2-8-0 90 and SLM 2-6-0T 755, which have been on the line for a while,
newcomers since last summer are SLM ex-rack 0-6-2T 805 (formerly stored
in good condition on track 1 at Cadem) and Hartmann Mallet
962 (as above). Three freshly-restored bogies coaches have also been
transferred to the line to run with the Mallet. The station building at
El-Hame has been restored (Cadem-style), the station area ballasted and
the trackwork extended to
accommodate all the additional rolling stock (formerly there was just a
loop there).
A first hand report would be appreciated. Chris Jeffrey went back again
and
reported (4th October 2010) "Just back from Damascus. The train does
now run from El-Hameh (not Al-Rabweh) all the way to Zebdani every
Friday and Saturday during the summer (approximately
May-October), and is well patronised. It also goes just as far as
Ain-Fijeh on other days during school holiday
periods. The section through the Barada gorge is spectacular, not
unlike the Yarmuk valley. On any given day there are the usual ad hoc
stops for fruit-picking, socialising or running repairs.
The presence of the RTC meant that two engines were working on
September 24th
2010 - SLM 0-6-2T No 805 (ex-rack) and Hartmann 0-4-4-2T No 962. At the
southern end, trains can again run into Dera'a from Jordan (the
apparently regular Saturday diesel from Amman and of course the RTC
steam charter)."
Dan Gibson's
website (5th May 2005) to chart the history
of the Hejaz Railway is a wonderful starting point
for here, Jordan
and Saudi Arabia.
Jan Willem
van Dorp has been here in search of steam activity, suffice to say
he was disappointed. Read his
full report (6th
October 2005). The Summer Friday picnic train has ceased - apparently
some time ago! The railway here was the subject of a talk on the BBC's
'From Our
Own Correspondent' in January 2006 - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4609450.stm
but here in China I can't check to see if the link is still valid
(added 10th
February 2006).... Bill Alborough was here researching a tour in mid
March 2006. He found signs of regular (alleged daily) steam freights
from
Damascus to Dera'a, Hartman 260 was seen at both ends and 90 was being
prepared
to go out too. More good news was the re-establishment of a tourist
service on a
12km section of the Sergaya branch, from El Hame to A-in Fidje every
Friday out at
09:00, back at 16:00. The trip takes an hour, four locos are still
outstationed
at El Hame – 91 and 755 are usable, 754 and 751 are not working (18th
March 2006). Charles Towler adds similarly (30th
April 2006) "As of Early April Syria Hejaz Railway Hartmann 2-8-2
number 260 was trundling from Damascus to Der'a (123 km) with a
mixed train a few times a week. Borsig 2-8-0 number 90 also sees use. "
 |
You
can read the full report
of Glyn Dawson's
visit (25th November 2003) with the Railway Touring Company. Manfred
Schoeler went with a small
group in April 2003 to sample Syrian steam, highlight
was the return to service of one of their Mallets (11th May 2003). I
have a
report from Roland Beier of a
May
2004 visit (21st June 2004), to which I have appended a few
notes from Ray
Mason of a Railway Touring Company trip in
October
2004 (7th November 2004). Thomas Kautzor joined a tour group
in October
2007, read his report
(30th
October 2007).
|
Christoph
Oboth was here in March 2001 and found the Friday Serghaya train
running.
Read his full report
(6th April 2001), for the pictures
look on http://www.eisenbahnbildarchiv.de/main.html?E7=./pages/syrien01.html
and http://www.eisenbahnbildarchiv.de/main.html?E7=./pages/syrien02.html
(17th August 2001).
Working
steam existed here after a fashion. Certainly the Fridays only (Summer
holidays,
mid-July to mid-September) Damascus - Serghaya train was regularly
steam hauled in 1997.
In addition, locals spoke of regular sightings of steam at work in
Damascus station,
presumably as a result of diesel failures. There are several locos kept
in working order
and in September 1997 I joined a tour here. Read about what I
found.... and also an
update covering May/June 1998
(15th September 1998). Don't rush out and buy an air ticket,
but if you are passing
through anyway, ask at the station or Cadem works if any steam
movements are planned. Hugh
Ballantyne was here with the
Dorridge Travel Tour in May
1999 (11th June 1999) and was here again
in September 2000
with Enthusiast Holidays (25th October 2000).
Tajikistan
Index
|
No
real steam here, but Harvey Smith has sent this picture of
a preserved E class in a park near the station at Dushanbe (14th
August 2008):
|
Turkmenistan
Index
Tim Littler
reported after a visit in late 2002
with 2 Russian L class steam locomotives (9th November 2002): The line
from Turkmenbashi through the Kara Kum desert was the first in
the USSR to be dieselised in 1946, however, there was still some steam.
A derelict FD in
Turkmenbashi, 2 x FD and 5xEr on the way to Ashgabat and 2xEr on
Ashgabat depot.
Turkmenistan had positioned water tanks every 70 km and were very
efficient. We took a new
(1996) branch to Saraks 500 yards from the Iranian border and 30 km
from
Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan
Index
 |
Tim
Littler reported after a visit in late 2002
with 2 Russian L class steam locomotives. "Despite us running regular
trains here every year, the most difficult
country. They still have a working steam reserve of 20 x Er at Kokand
in the Fergana
Valley. Tashkent Museum contains an excellent and complete selection of
former Soviet
steam."
No
real steam here, but Torsten Schneider has sent me some
pictures of his visit to the Tashkent
Railway Museum in September 2003 (added 9th October
2005). Colin Young has added some further
images of different locomotives (10th December 2007).
|
Railway
Cranes (Steam and Hand) Index
Steam cranes have always been
the 'Cinderellas' of the railway steam scene, but as their more
glamorous steam locomotive sisters ended their working days, they have
often continued to be active in countries with no other real steam, but
in this region the only known active survivors are in India, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka and maybe Pakistan. You can read more about these and other survivors
(updated 20th April 2020)..
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