4 October 2006 - “Toy Train to the Clouds”
By Major (Ret’d) Paul Whittle TD
This was a most fascinating slide presentation by Paul (left) who gave a breath taking high speed talk, due to the slowness of our very good but slow meal and the onslaught or threat of the parking attendants if we exceeded our permitted time slot, so well done Paul on all scores.
Whilst Paul is obviously an expert on railway details, this was not the thrust of his talk, although in question time he replied without hesitation on all those technical matters of dates, train origin, manufacture, inclines, zigzags, etc. To sustain those of a technical, historical bent then added to this report are extracts for your consumption, I am sure if you go to a presentation for railway clubs you will get a different version of the same title.
But this event at the Probus Club of Ewell was just what the membership needed, without a shadow of doubt the slide pictures all taken by Paul on his two or more trips to Darjeeling were of excellent quality and were supported by an interesting verbal presentation.
We started in Calcutta with pictures and dialog progressing from the well cultivated central area then gradually moving downwards to the poorer areas.
Following this was the 500 mile journey by a very modern diesel train from the plains of India up to the foothill, then some delightful shots of the almost antiquated start of the narrow gauge rail track at the start of the 88 kilometre railway up to Darjeeling. Again Paul brought us back to reality with his observation about life styles and the slowness of life as well as the railway with it’s to speed of only 15 – 20 miles per hour.
It is not often you see more than two men, other than driver and fireman in a steam engine, but in one of his shots there is a coal breaker sitting high up on the tank of the engine and two men precariously sitting on the front buffers pouring sand on the lines to increase the frictional grip on the upwards journey, as Paul said Health and Safety inspectors in this country would have a field day. Likewise shopping stalls and houses, people, dogs and household wares seem to be very close or indeed on the track, but all seemed to survive; indeed any fatalities seem non existent and accidents rare. Perhaps because there are only two through trains per day (there are others not covering the full trip e.g the school train and tourist services), one up and one down, as Paul joked if you missed the 9.00 up then you had to come back the next day!
Our journey passed through very primitive stations and even at times via the main street of villages and towns, showing not just the railway but more shots of real life and dwellings that do not appear in glossy travel publications, Paul explained and showed the tea plantation that form a way of life and indeed income and the results when a plantation are forced by economics to close and then the workers have no income or indeed homes and become destitute in their own land, Paul and his charity are seen helping some of those poor folk with gifts of blankets etc.
Eventually the journey, including stops scheduled and otherwise arrived in Darjeeling after 6 – 7 hours, Paul outlined why this in the colonial days had been developed, in Calcutta in the summer month the temperature and humidity soared and to work in relatively comfort the colonial folk moved to the higher climate of the heights of the start of the Himalaya mountain range, Darjeeling being at 7,500 feet and temperature drops about 2 degrees Celsius per 1,000 feet so this temperature drop made life bearable, but as Paul said the weather can be very changeable with mists descending very quickly but still mild.
In both WW1 and WW2 this outpost was used as a recuperation centre for our casualties and indeed in the Club’s vote of thanks by David Hill, he remarked in his thanks to Paul that David’s father had indeed been sent to Darjeeling for this very purpose. The membership agreed very strongly with the vote of thanks and responded in our normal manner, well done Paul.
More details of Paul’s other talks can be found here................more.
Photographs above are Copyright © Paul Whittle
Photographs of the lunch..................more
More technical details with thanks to http://www.zubin.com/darjeeling/train.htm
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (affectionately called the Toy Train by some of us) The DHR being given World Heritage Status means that it will be protected in the location that it currently is. The Govt. of India will now have an obligation to care for the railway.
Trains came to India in the early part of the last century -- among the very first and most novel, is the famous Toy Train of Darjeeling. It is 117 years old having made its maiden trip in the September of 1881. Officially known as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, it is as much a pioneering work of achievement, projecting not only its engineering ingenuity but also a historic development of the 19th century British convalescent center in the remote north eastern Himalayas.
In 1870, an agent working for the Eastern Bengal Railway came up with a brilliant idea to reduce the costs of transport. His name Franklyn Prestage -- the idea -- the Toy Train. It took eight long years for Prestage to submit his scheme to Lt. Governor Sir Ashley Eden, who gave it immediate sanction. Named the Darjeeling Steam Tramway Co., it was changed to The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Co. on September 15th 1881. It remained as such till it was taken over by the Indian Government on Oct. 20, 1948. The construction had begun in 1879 and with the zeal shown by the workers, the first 20 miles from Siliguri to Tindharia station was opened in March 1880 for the Viceroy's special train only. After a further 11 miles to Kurseong were completed, it was opened to the public on August 23 of that year. Sonada was reached on February 1, 1881, the summit of Ghoom on April l4th, 1881 and finally on July 4th 1881 the baby locomotive and three coaches puffed right through to Darjeeling-a total of 50.75 miles.
In 1914, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was further extended down south towards Kishanganj and close to the Nepalese frontier for jute traffic and in 1915. Meantime the DHR was extended from Siliguri toward Sevoke by 10 miles and further to the north 16 miles on Kalimpong road. Until 1878, the journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling took from 5 to 6 days by the East Indian Railway from Howrah to Sahebganj, then by steam ferry across the Ganges to Charcoal, then by bullock carts on the river opposite Danger Hat, after crossing again by bullock cart or 'palki' (palanquin) to Purnea, Kishanganj, Titalya and Siliguri whence the ascent commenced via the Punkhabari road which finally joins the present cart road at Kurseong. In 1878, Siliguri was put on the map of the railway, the journey was cut to two days and another six to seven hours to Darjeeling.
Puffing along a two foot gauge track, the gradient of which stays at a maximum of 1 to 20, the train passes through a region, the sheer beauty of which starts manifesting itself as soon as one begins the journey at Siliguri, a stone throw from Bagdogra. Dense jungle with solid walls of vegetation hem in the track as the train begins its climb to its destination by a system of special loops and 'Z' crossings or switch backs. Soon the landscape changes to tea plantation clinging to the steep mountains and forming narrow terraces looking like giant steps. The first station on the line is Sunk (146.5 metres) at a distance of 10 km from Siliguri Junction. From here, the train passes through thick and magnificent foliage of Sal, Toon, Teak and other numerous trees. The dense green is dotted with the purple of bougainvillea, the scarlet of the poinsettia and the exotic mauve of the orchid. In the distance are stately trees, rocks, boulders and lovely waterfalls while further away meandering rivers look like flowing silk ribbons in the extensive plains. From here, too, the painstaking ascent of the train starts and at about 18 km is the first spiral or 'loop' which runs partly through a cuffing, and again at 20 km the train stops for its first watering operations offering a good view of the valley stretching below.
Running on south at about the 22nd kilometer, is another beautiful and somewhat complicated loop. After winding through a third loop, at Chunamandi (2,000ft) the train comes to its "Z" crossing or switchback at about a distance of 28 km. Here, it starts zigzagging or reversing to attain a higher elevation, The first big station, Tindharia, 37 km from Siliguri, is at a height of 860 metres and has a workshop for repairs. Leaving the station, the train passes another "Z' crossing and at a distance of 6 km is Gayabari station at a height of 3,516feet where the line runs close to the edge of a precipice, the mountain terraced with tea bushes and wild flowers in flaming colors while in the distance is Pagla Jhora or "Mad Torrent", a roaring, cascading waterfall. This is the chief outlet of rainfall due to the clouds striking against Mahaldiram Range and after a heavy rain this course is a roaring torrent in which large boulders are helplessly tossed about. The train has now covered half the distance to Darjeeling.
Near Mahanadi station at about 48km, the train passes through a rock cutting and a fresh view of the plains is yielded. The rocks are very bluff and a large projecting rock is known as "Artilleryman's Rock" owing to an unfortunate man having committed suicide at that spot. Above the road is the Gladstone Rock aptly named after the famous Victorian statesman and Prime Minister, whose resemblance it is supposed to bear. Suddenly, after another kilometer or so the town of Kurseong, or "The Land of the White Orchid", jumps into view. The train is now on street level and at an elevation of 1,524 metres (4,860 ft). It goes by shops and is followed by excited screaming children who never tire of greeting every train. From here a splendid view of the plains is obtained and the wide belt of the forest at the foot of the hills can also be seen making the extent of 'Terai'. An important station on the line, Kurseong maintains a good bazaar and is well kept and clean.
Soon the train leaves this delightful station, fog appears and all of sudden is gone -- a will o' the wisp -- Mount Kanchenjunga first leaps into view showing off its mighty majesty. Running generally along the old Hill Cart road, the train reaches Toong station at an elevation of 1,724 metres (5,565 ft) and 8 kilometres from Kurseong. Toong abounds in Toomi trees. Sonada, enveloped in dense fog, at an elevation of 1,997 metres (6,552 ft) is eight kilometres away. The abode of bears, Sonada provides Darjeeling with its milk and fruits. Many tea gardens converge here along the Hope Town spur. It is also an important vegetable growing center.
Looking like a caterpillar, the train continues winding along the twisted paths crawling alongside, almost hugging the side of the hill. Ascending gradually, the train reaches Jore Bungalow Bazaar, from where a road leads to Senchal Lake, Tiger Hill, Kalimpong and the many tea gardens lying ahead. Soon it will reach the last town on the Indo-Nepal frontier -- Ghoom. Situated at an altitude of 2,225.7 metres (7,407 ft), Ghoom is the highest rail-road station in the world and the home of a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. After Ghoom, the train starts descending towards Darjeeling for a distance of 6 km and the line falls about 182.9 metres (1,000 ft). In between is the graceful double loop -- Batasia -- from where a grand view of Darjeeling in all its glowing beauty presided over by mighty Kanchenjunga with all the other peaks-the land of perpetual snows, bursts before the eyes of the eager traveler.
Constructed on spurs of the Himalayan hills, the loops, once named "Sensation Corner" and "Agony Point", are very good viewing points and the passengers get the feel of the sheer drop below. No tunnels were ever dug since it was desired that the traveller got full views of the ever-changing scenery.
Originally estimated at a cost of rupees 14 lakhs, it escalated to 17 lakhs in 1881 and to 28 lakhs by 1887. By 1891 the costs had climbed to a height of 32 lakhs, or Rs. 60,000 per mile. After World War I in 1920, when the Batasia Loop on the final descent to Darjeeling had been built, the investment had reached Rupees 43 lakhs, truly a labor of love. A system of bogie stock consisting of four cars and one van pulled by a Garret or eight wheeled engine, weighing 28 tons and running on a 2 foot broad track, was introduced in 1909 and is traditionally continued till this day. From a quarter million passengers and 60,000 tons of freight in 1914, the traffic rose to 300,000 passengers in World War I and steadied at 260,000 passengers and 65,000 tons of freight in 1920. Recently the figures have been 1,500,000 passengers and 90,000 tons of freight per year.
