Ross Sadler will present on the following subject:
Darjeeling Action 1996
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is a world heritage listed site, some 88 kilometres long which connects Siliguri (New Jalpaiguri) and Darjeeling. In the process, this 2 ft gauge line climbs from about 328 ft above sea level at Siliguri to 7,407 ft at Ghum, before descending to Darjeeling (7,218 ft above sea level), using six zig-zags and five loops to gain altitude. Construction took place between 1879 and 1881, with subsequent modifications such as the Batasia Loop which was built in 1919 to ease the grade for trains climbing out of Darjeeling. Over the years, the line has seen a variety of motive power, ranging from the 0-4-0ST B-Class, built by Sharp, Stewart and Company and later the North British Locomotive Company, through Beyer Garratts to diesels, which are the present-day motive power on the line. Attempts to covert one of the 0-4-0ST B-Class into a modern steam locomotive were unsuccessful, Indian Railways turning their back on offers from DLM (formerly SLM Switzerland).
Today, steam is restricted to running special trains on the upper sections of the line, but in 1996, the DHR was a 100% steam operation. The presentation is the result of three days’ linesiding on the DHR in that year, at a time when the track was fortunately free of the avalanches that have bedevilled its operation throughout its history.
