The 1950-make German locomotive beauty that was gathering dust at National Bal Bhawan (NBB) for more than a decade chugged off smoking fresh and steam emanating through the coal laden on the minis team engine. The golden whistle sound reverberated within the premises soon after the glorious smoking beauty was flagged off by Chairman Railway Board Ashwani lohani on Friday at NBB Station.
The historic mini steam engine at gifted by first Prime Minister of Jawahar lal Nehru to National Bal Bhawan (NBB) in 1958 and was use till 2007. It has been restored by the Indian Railways team of Northern Railway Heritage Steam loco Shed Rewari.
General Manager Northern Railway Vishwesh Chaube, DRM Delhi RN Singh, top officials of HRD and Railway Ministry were present on the occasion besides children undergoing summer camp at the NBB campus who greeted the first smoke puffed from the engine with a great round of applause.
NBB Chairman Shalu Jindal too was present and the children celebrated the occasion with cultural extravaganza including a song with dialects from all Indian States coined for the day. The list of noted personalities who have enjoyed the rides of this mini steam engine include Nehru, former Presidents of India S Radha Krishnan, R Venkatraman, former Prime Ministers lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and First lady Jacqueline Kennedy (Wife of US President John F Kennedy).
Addressing the huge gathering, lohani urged the students to take a pledge of hard work throughout life and career, develop honesty and even though they grown in age, their heart should be as tender and pristine as that of a child. lohani promised for complete maintenance of the steam beauty by Indian railways.
lohani is a noted steam enthusiast and has also authored a book titled Smoking Beauties: Steam Engines of the World. Earlier he has been instrumental in reviving the Fairy Queen, also known as EIR 22, an 1855 M/s Kitson Thompson and Hewitson leeds, UK, make steam locomotive restored and maintained by Heritage Steam loco shed Rewari. It has been used to haul the Ceremonial Heritage run of “69 Up Ganrajya Express” Republic Day this year.