Helen Stephenson's India Trip - June-July, 2006 - National Railway Museum

This page contains clickable images.

If you want to see a larger image of any of these pictures, please click on the picture.

View slideshow Images only (no text) and any animations will be omitted.


bar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday July 1st


Knowing that I could be quite late on Friday, I booked my car for 11:00am on Saturday morning. My objective was the National Railway Museum in Delhi. I do like trains. I spent a couple of very enjoyable hours in there and was impressed with the beautiful designs painted on the fronts of the steam engines. A work colleague later told me that these designs are not purely decorative, but are the same designs as housewives make outside their houses.

I have reproduced the text from some of the signs around the museum, and have highlighted it to disgtinguish it from my own words.


There is a plan of the museum at the entrance.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2347_ed_cr

 


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE "MTR-2"

Originally built for the Karachi Port Trust by the British firm of Dick Kerr & Co in 1910, this beautiful 2'6" locomotive with an oversize chimney also worked at the Marala timber depot from 1917-1922 after which it was finally brought to the creosoting plant at Dilwan on the Northern Railway.

This locomotive is on display at the entrance to the museum.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2348_ed_cr

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2349_ed_cr

 


On entry to the museum, I visited the indoor exhibition first. It contained scale models, memorabilia and educational materials, including railway history and a section devoted to the Metro which is being built in Delhi.

SKULL OF WILD ELEPHANT

Run into by the up mail of September 28th 1894 at about half past nine at night. The accident occurred in the Saranda Jungle near Goilkera at a distance of 220 miles from Calcutta. As a result of the collision, the engine and seven vehicles were derailed whilst the elephant, which was apparently trying to cross the line, was subsequently found dead and considerably mutilated at the bottom ot the bank which is 40 feet high at this point. One of the tusks of the elephant has been preserved at the board office in London whilst the other became the property of the engine driver, Mr.James Bell.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2352_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2353_ed

 


I haven't done my "scholarship" properly on the next exhibit, as I cannot read the label on the glass case, and didn't separately photograph it to job my memory later.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2354_ed

 


More scale models. The one on the right is showing recovery equipment for use after a derailment.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2359_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2355_ed

 


A piece of railway history that you simply must read:

Letter written by Okhil Ch. Sen in 1909 to the Sahibganj divisional office West Bengal after which train compartments came to have attached toilets.

Dear Sir,

I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. Iam therefor went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with 'LOTAH' in one hand & 'DHOTI' in the next when I am fall over & expose all my shocking to man & female women on platform. I am got leaved Ahmedpur station.

This to much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train minutes for him. I am therefor pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers.

Your's faithfully servent, Okhil Ch. Sen.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2356_ed

 


A telegraph machine and another scale model.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2360_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2361_ed

 


A cross section of a steam locomotive.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2363_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2364_ed

 


The bookshop.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2365_ed

 


The Joy Train. It's pretty realistic-looking.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2380_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2395_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2392_ed


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2366_ed

 


The Canteen, set in a shallow lake, with some of the exhibits close by among the trees on the other side.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2367_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2368_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2369_ed_cr

 


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2372_ed_cr

STEAM LOCOMOTIVE PHOENIX

This broad gauge 5'6" locomotive was originally built in 1907 as a rail motor car by Nasmyth Wilson & Patricroft UK and used on the branch lines of East Indian Railway. In 1927 the coach portion was removed and the locomotive was converted to a shunting locomotive. Its sister locomotive Hercules is preserved at the Jamalpur workshop of the Eastern Railway.

I loved the pattern painted on the front of the boiler case of this locomotive.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2371_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2391_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2390_ed


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE EM-922

This glamorous broad gauge locomotive built by the North British Locomotive Company in 1907 which had the proud privilege of hauling V.I.P. royalty trains in the past also adapted itself by changing its name matching the dignitary it carried. It changed names from Lord Clyde to Roosevela to "Queen Empress". This locomotive which hauled passenger trains on the Great Indian Peninsula & North Western Railway systems was converted to super heated type in 1922 and was rebuilt in 1941 at the Mughalpura workshop when its classification was changed from E-1 to EM.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2370_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2374_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2375_ed_cr


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2373_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2377_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2376_ed_cr1


The monorail.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2379_ed

 


"Fairy Queen", one of the oldest steam locomotives in the collection.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2386_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2389_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2382_ed


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE B-26


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2383_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2384_ed

 


A steam locomotive for which I have recorded no details, and another bearing the number 37156 PT.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2396_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2397_ed_cr

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2398_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2399_ed_cr


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2400_ed

SIMLA RAIL CAR - INSPECTION

Built by the British firm of Wickham Co. 1931 this 58 HP 4 cylinder petrol engine driven 2'6" gauge rail car was mainly used for inspection purposes on the Kalka Simla section of the erstwhile North Western Railway. Weighing less than a truck (weight 2.6 tons) this light weight exhibit is provided with a bottle jack to turn the vehicle for the return journey.

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2401_ed_cr


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2403_ed

On the left is a fire-less engine, which is charged up with steam and then sent out to work, returning to the depot to be recharged as necessary. On the right is a crane. This exhibit appears to be in less good condition than many items on display.

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2404_ed


Another locomotive for which I haven't noted down any details. I admired the pattern painted on the front of the boiler housing of this locomotive.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2410_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2406_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2408_ed_cr


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2408_ed_cr3

 


Steam locomotive bearing the identification X-37385.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2411_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2412_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2412_ed

 


Diesel electric locomotive.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2405_ed

 


"Beyer-Garratt" Locomotive 815 BNR (Bengal Nagpur Railway)


 

Beyer, Peacock & Co Ltd
G594
"Beyer-Garratt" Locomotive
H.W.Garratt's Patent No 17165
Beyer Peacock & Co Ltd Patent Nos
290137 - 288422
and patents pending
Manchester, 1930

 


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2413_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2414_ed_cr

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2415_ed


Electric locomotives "Sir Roger Lumley" and "Sir Leslie Wilson".


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2416_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2417_ed_cr

 


Maintenance on a railcar, and a small steam locomotive for which I haven't recorded details.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2418_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2419_ed

 


Steam locomotive bearing the number 37385.


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2421_ed

On the left is a close-up of the sign on the footplate. There is a large railway workshop at Ajmer.

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2420_ed


Steam locomotive with carriages set up as living accommodation for a dignitary who was travelling around India.


 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2424_ed

 

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2425_ed

 


Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2428_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2426_ed

Railway_Museum_20060701_IMGP2427_ed


After I’d seen enough trains, my driver took me back to the hotel, where I planned to have a swim, and that’s where my trip to India went a bit wrong, as one of their water features had overflowed onto some outdoor steps due to a frangipanni leaf floating to the edge of a pool, and I incorrectly assumed that as they were outdoor steps that they would be passable with care when wet. Unfortunately I was wrong and my feet shot out from underneath me and I landed hard on my nether regions and then bumped down a further three or four steps.

Another guest helped me back onto my feet and suggested that I took my shoes off, which I did. A hotel employee saw me without my shoes and commented, and the whole story came out. They were very apologetic, and when I asked for an ice pack, they decided that maybe I was sufficiently injured to need a doctor, so they called the hotel doctor who duly turned up and tested my reflexes and made sure I had feeling in my feet and toes. He prescribed a very good anti-inflammatory gel and also advised me to take Ibuprofen.







More from my June-July 2006 business trip to India: July 2nd: Jai Guru Dev Temple The road to Agra

Back to June 30th: Global Technology Day and Quarter-End Party Disco pictures

bar

Back to top

View slideshow

bar

India Trip - June-July 2006 - Index Page

India Index (Pictures Page)

Pictures Page

Home Page

Webring Page

Last Revised: 25th June, 2007.