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Heritage run for ancient railway engine

Chennai: January 26, 2012.
It was a special day at the Chennai Egmore railway station on Southern Railway as the 157-year old steam locomotive – the oldest in the world -- embarked on its third heritage journey to mark India’s 63rd Republic day. The platform at Egmore wore a festive look as officials of the Southern Railway, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), mediapersons and others boarded the single-coach heritage train amid a huge crowd and police arrangement.
The Heritage run was a 10-km journey from Egmore to Guindy, and it was the third in so many years.
The locomotive, East Indian Railways (EIR) 21, created by Kitson Thomson and Hewitson of England in 1855, was attached to a 25-year-old compartment that also completed its shelf life in 2010 and was converted into a heritage special. The Southern Railways general manager Deepak Krishan, chief mechanical engineer of ICF Hemant Kumar, director general of police K Ramanujam and other officials were among those who undertook the journey.
The engine, shipped to India in 1855, had served in the East India Railway (EIR) till 1909. It was turned into an exhibit in 1909 and was kept in Howrah and later at Jamalpur for more than a century. It replaced Fairy Queen EIR 22 as ‘the oldest working steam loco’.
The locomotive completed its first heritage run from Chennai Central to Avadi on August 15, 2010 and a second heritage run from Chennai Egmore to Guindy on August 15, 2011. On this third run, it was piloted by driver Devrajan for whom it was a trip of a life time.
The maximum speed of the 130 horsepower engine is 30 km per hour. After its renovation, the locomotive has been provided with a GPS-based speedometer now and receives signals through satellite for longitude or latitude with respect to time.
The coach that followed the locomotive is actually an old Guard’s compartment which has been modified at Perambur Carriage Works. It has a watertank to feed water to the steam locomotive besides a generator to supply current to the fans and AC equipment. The generator will also help run the water pump to feed water to the steam engine. Chairs had been placed in coach for 60 persons and at least two dozen persons completed the journey standing. And they did not complain.
The train clocked a mean speed of 41 kmph and completed the trip in just 27 minutes flat. The Heritage train had a six-minute stop-over at Kodambakkam station to facilitate the cheering public to have a look at the colourful train.
For me, it was a great opportunity to be part of this memorable trip, thanks to Hemant. With myself, Shikha and Shikhar, besides Hemant, Seema and Nanya, it was an outing that will be remembered by all of us for a long time.  

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