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Here are a some pics taken in December 1978/January 1979. These were all taken from Agfa CT18 colour slides, scanned and then converted B & W.
First up my personal favourites - the broad gauge (5'6") XE class 2-8-2s - this one on shed at the delightfully named Jha Jha
At the time, with the exception of China, Asansol, north of Calcutta, would have been possibly the world largest steam shed - another XE alongside a WP 4-6-2
Sitrampur, near Asansol, had between 20 & 30 of these vintage 2-8-0 HGS class alloocated for use on the Bengal coalfields branches
At Ranchi on the South Eastern Railway, two 1920s built narrow gauge (2'6") 2-8-2s are prepared for work on the branch used for carrying iron ore.
Thank you Br. Bing. These are most excellent. Those five foot fucken SIX 2-8-2's must be mean beasties when they're up close and personal. The narrer gauge is sweet too.
Nice work.
Most remiss of me never to have been to India. I'd love to go. It's probably top of my list.
_________________ Here's to Daddy Claxton May his name forever stand And always be remembered in the courts throughout the land. His earthly race is over, and the curtains 'round him fall They'll carry him home to Dixie on the Wabash Cannonball.
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:20 pm Posts: 338 Location: Six and a half inches from destiny
I am most jealous, Wor. Bro. Bing. I traveled in India a couple of years ago, and such sights are extinct. I must take the time to post some of my Darjeeling photos - a most marvelous place.
However i have a religious conviction that prevents me from undertaking such activities in my own time. Give me a couple of days
_________________ Sig? Ahh fuckit I'll think of one later. OK?
I am most jealous, Wor. Bro. Bing. I traveled in India a couple of years ago, and such sights are extinct. I must take the time to post some of my Darjeeling photos - a most marvelous place.
However i have a religious conviction that prevents me from undertaking such activities in my own time. Give me a couple of days
Thanks Ned. My mother grew up in India and Burma and used to attned boarding school in Darjeeling, catching the 'Toy Train' to and from at the beginning and end of term.
I think it was her stories that inspired me to travel and follow my passion for steam trains. I've been to Darjeeling a couple of times, but it would be great to see your recent shots.
THE XE class were reputedly the largest/ heaviest non-articulated locos ever exported from Britain, though this only related to the loco itself. When the tender was also factored into the equation, the gong I believe went to the South Australian 500 class.
XE22512 at Asansol, West Bengal (birthplace of Sir Cliff Richard)
Classic WP class 4-6-2 of the Central Railway leaving Gwalior
Another fave, the Edwardian CC class narrow gauge 4-6-2s of the South Eastern Railway
I've always liked the classical beauty of Indian steam locos. I don't like to over-use the word "unique" but when each loco has it's crews own touches they become just that little bit more special.
_________________ There is the right way, the wrong way, and the Railbastard way.
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:30 pm Posts: 190 Location: I wish I knew that myself
From what I understand, it was traditional practise to have a single locomotive crew allocated the same steam locomotive for life and this applied to both Indian and Pakistani Railways. It was there for commonplace to decorate one's locomotive with numerous personal touches. Various Hindu gods, photographs and highly polished brass were all common place. During the final years or steam in India though (like most steam railways across the world in their final years), things naturally got grubbier and grubbier. That is what I understand anyway.
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:00 am Posts: 5933 Location: Northcote, breeding prime export lesbians for Daylesford and Alice Springs
In fact, it was common in Victoria until about the first decade of the 20[sup]th[/sup] century.
I've never actually been able to find the date of when this practice stopped, I am pretty sure that the C class steamers never had them, but D[sup]D[/sup]'s had specific drivers and firemen. I have heard stories of people structuring their annual leave at the same time as their loco underwent major overhauls.
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While crews were often allocated specific locomtives for lengthy periods, I think 'for life' is a bit of an urban myth, although of course in India it would be a 'turban myth'.
While some individual crews would have added their own embelishments the most spectactular decorations were usually the result of a depot initiatives rather than the crews.
While many of the Pakistani locos were kept clean, there wre rarely any other embellishmenst other than a bit of extra paintwork.
South Africa was another place where regular crews were allocated their own locos and often compeeted amongst each other for the best result.
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