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According to a release by the Ministry of Railways, dated February 10, 2017, the ‘Fairy Queen’ is the oldest surviving functional steam engine in the world and is a great attraction among train enthusiasts.
The locomotive was constructed by Kitson, Thompson, and Hewitson at Leeds, in England, in 1855, and reached Kolkata (Calcutta) in the same year.
The Ministry of Railways release further mentions that upon arrival, it was given fleet number "22" by its owner, the East Indian Railway Company.
The 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge locomotive was at first 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.
The locomotive was restored to full working order in 1997, in preparation for its first mainline journey in 88 years and its return to commercial service on 18 July.
The locomotive was restored and given a special spot in the National Rail Museum at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
The Fairy Queen was certified by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998 as the world's oldest steam locomotive in regular operation.
The train has also received a National Tourism Award for the most innovative and unique tourism project from the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Photo Credit: All Representational Images/ Freepik
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