Fairy Queen to be resurrected in Chennai

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Elegies may have been written about world’s oldest steam locomotive Fairy Queen after some of its famed components were stolen last year but engineers in Perambur Loco Works have not given up hope as they are resurrecting the famed locomotive.

A proud chief workshop manager of Loco Works M A Inbarasu says Fairy Queen will be brought back to life in Chennai and we are working to set right the boiler.

The theft of 32 valuable components of Fairy Queen was reported in April last year. The locomotive was certified as the oldest operational locomotive by Guiness Book of Records after Rajasthan government brought it into use in 2004.

“The work on resurrection of EIR 22 rechristened as Fairy Queen will begin soon as the locomotive is in Perambur Loco Works. The boiler, which is found riddled with holes has to be set right. We will put it into real shape to set it chugging again,” said Inbarasu while highlighting the faith railways has on Perambur Loco Works.

The Fairy Queen was built in England in 1855 and was shipped to Kolkata and given the number 22 by The East Indian Railway. It was later consigned to line construction duty in Bihar, where it served until 1909.

In 1997, the locomotive was restored to full working order in preparation for its first mainline journey in 88 years and its return to commercial service on July 18 that year. The locomitive used to ply from New Delhi to Alwar to the Sariska Tiger Reserve accommodating 38 passengers