The Hindu : National : ‘Fairy queen’ to be back on track from October

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Friday, Aug 17, 2007
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National

‘Fairy queen’ to be back on track from October

Sujay Mehdudia

It will haul tourist train on Delhi-Rajasthan heritage circuit

It will target foreign travellers
It is the world’s oldest working steam engine

NEW DELHI: After tasting great success with the royal heritage train “Palace on Wheels,” the Railways are all set to put back on track the famous tourist train, hauled by world’s oldest working steam engine ‘Fairy Queen,’ from this October.

Officials here said the train, running on the heritage circuit of Delhi and Rajasthan, would take passengers from Delhi to the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar. The train would commence its journey from the new tourist season beginning October. It was intended to target foreign travellers and non-resident Indians.

Infrastructure

The Railway Ministry has issued instructions to the authorities to take necessary action and put in place the infrastructure for the successful running of ‘Fairy Queen.’

The heritage train will run on October 27 and November 10 and 24, December 8 and 22, January 12 and 26, February 9 and 23 and March 8. The itinerary of the train with revised timings is: Delhi Cantonment departure 9 a.m. and arrival at Alwar at 4 p.m. It will start the next day from Alwar at 1 p.m. and reach Delhi Cantonment at 6.45 p.m.

150 years

The ‘Fairy Queen’, the famous steam locomotive of the Railways, which completed 150 years in 2005, will provide the tourists the sound, smell and experience of a bygone era. The coaches have been specially designed for comfort of the tourists and the services include catering, guide, piped music entertainment and magazines.

Finding its place in the Guinness Book of World Records and a recipient of the National Tourism Award, ‘Fairy Queen’ is the oldest working steam engine in the world. It was in 1855 when it rolled out for the erstwhile East Indian Railway. This locomotive also hauled troop trains to Raniganj during the famous 1857 War of Independence.

It retired from services in 1908 and was the first locomotive to be brought and conserved in the National Rail Museum in 1971. To improve the quality of services to the tourists, the National Rail Museum has obtained ISO 9001-2000 certification for the operation and maintenance of ‘Fairy Queen’ locomotive and coaches.

The Railways have also decided to run a second version of ‘Palace on Wheels’ from this year end following the overwhelming response to the present ‘Palace on Wheels,’ which is booked up to 2009.

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