NEW DELHI: By all parameters, the National Rail Museum at the tony Chanakyapuri area of New Delhi is a must-visit for tourists at the capital. The museum is also fairly well-maintained, by ‘Indian standards’ at least.
But for a museum that attracts thousands of Indians and foreigners everyday, the poor condition of the once-opulent royal wagons stick out like a sore thumb. Unlike mere mortals, India’s erstwhile royal families used to have a whole bogie of a train to themselves, decked with gold-plated interiors, luxurious beds, chair and tables, wardrobes and sofas. These wagons were used during the days of the Raj to ferry no less than the Prince of Wales, Maharaja Wodeyar of Mysore and the Gaekwads, the royals of Baroda.
Prince of Wales’ Saloon. Condition: Poor
Built in 1875 by the Agra workshop for the erstwhile Rajputana Malwa Railway, to be used by the Prince of Wales, (later, King Edward VII) during his visit to India for the Royal Durbar of 1876, this metre-gauge milk-white saloon has seats for four armed guards on both sides and two emblems representing the British crown on the side. Inside, the luxurious wagon has a chair, recliner, table and wardrobe.
When The Sunday Standard visited the museum on Saturday, the luxurious interiors, fit for a king, were covered with a layer of dust. The white suit on the mannequins representing the Prince were dirty, while its hands were not visible. The shoes were in bad shape with one shoelace missing, and one can see cotton spilling out of a tear in the fabric of one chair.
Maharaja Wodeyar of Mysore’s Royal Saloon. Condition: Very Poor
Built by the Bangalore shop of the Mysore State Railway in 1899, the metre-gauge saloon was part of a special three-coach train used by Maharaja Krishna Raja Wodeyar of Mysore. Through the glass window of the saloon, one can see that bed of the Maharaja is unkempt, with the bedsheet falling off the bed. The clothes on the mannequin of the Maharaja are badly soiled, and his attendant’s left hand is not visible, probably broken. It’s clear the royal saloon hasn’t been cleaned in a long time.
Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda’s Saloon 886. Condition: Extremely Poor
Built in 1886 by the Parel workshop of Bombay Baroda and Central Indian Railways, this six-wheeler saloon was used by the Gaekwads of Baroda. With ornate, gold-plated ceiling is a real beauty. It was therefore shocking to find copious amounts of dirt accumulated inside. The bed, chair and table inside were all filthy, covered by a thick layer of dust.
Vice-Regal Dining car. Condition: Bad
Built by the Ajmer shop of the erstwhile BB & CI Railway in 1889, the 18-seater, eight-wheeled wooden-bodied dining car in milky white, was part of the five-coach train used by the Viceroy of India.
Inside, the clothes on the mannequins were unwashed for ages, while the mannequin of a woman sitting at the table with a man, that was visible through the window, had lost its wig and appeared bald.
In addition, there were old wagons like the RMC14, equipped with sofas that were barely visible under a thick layer dust. The door of the Dodge Broth engine (coach number 0812) used on the Matheran Railway in Maharashtra was broken and hung from a hinge.
The museum staff, on the condition of anonymity said that the coaches are expected to be cleaned and thrown open for the public to walk in and see them from the inside in the near future. “The museum is sprawling campus with lots of rare and vintage objects, but has a measly budget of `2.25 crore, out of which an estimated `1 crore goes towards the salary of the staff,” he said.