Fairy Queen’ Ready to Haul Heritage Train Once Again

Fairy Queen’ Ready to Haul Heritage Train Once Again

Question: World’s oldest working steam engine is also known as
(a) Fairy Queen
(b) Iron Horse
(c) Prabal
(d) Shaktiman
Ans: (a)

  • The ‘Fairy Queen’, the oldest surviving functional steam engine in the world is once again ready to haul a heritage train from National Capital Delhi to Rewari, Haryana after a gap of 5 years.
  • This train will run between Delhi Cantt. Station and Rewari from 11th February 2017 for a single day trip.
  • The locomotive was constructed by Kitson, Thompson and Hewitson at Leeds, in England, in 1855, and reached Kolkata in the same year.
  • On arrival, it was given fleet number “22” by its owner, the East Indian Railway Company, not receiving a name until 1895.
  • Initially, the 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge locomotive was used to haul light mail trains in West Bengal, operating between Howrah and Raniganj, and during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 hauled troop trains. It was later consigned to line construction duty in Bihar, where it served until 1909.
  • It was restored and given a special spot in the newly built National Rail Museum at Chanakyapuri, in New Delhi which was opened to public 40 years back on 1st February, 1977.
  • It was certified by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998 as the world’s oldest steam locomotive in regular operation. The following year, the train received a National Tourism Award for the most innovative and unique tourism project.

Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158386