CHENNAI: Elegies may have been written about the world’s oldest steam locomotive ‘Fairy Queen’ after some of its famed components were stolen last year. But the engineers at Perambur Loco Works have not given up hope as they are resurrecting the famed locomotive.
The chief workshop manager of Loco Works, MA Inbarasu, says, ‘Fairy Queen’ will be brought back to life in Chennai and that they 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 the Guinness Book of World Records after the Rajasthan Government brought it back to 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 was found riddled with holes, has to be repaired. We will put it into its real shape to set it chugging again,” says Inbarasu.
The ‘Fairy Queen’ was built in England in 1855 and was shipped to Kolkata. It was 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. It was prepared for its first mainline journey in 88 years and its return to commercial service on July 18, same year. The locomotive used to ply from New Delhi to Alwar to the Sariska Tiger Reserve accommodating 38 passengers.