eTurboNews Responding to the growing demand for Fairy Queen, the famous steam locomotive of Indian Railways, which completed 150 years this year and is still in working condition, has resumed its operations recently.
The Fairy Queen will take the tourists from Delhi to Alwar and back to Delhi giving them the sounds, smells and experience of the bygone era. The coaches have been specially designed for comfort of the tourists and the services include on-board catering, guide, piped music entertainment, magazines etc. Tourists will stay at Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation Hotel in Sariska where Rajasthani cultural programme and theme dinner have been organised.
The journey will start every second and fourth Saturday from Delhi Cantonment Station till February 2006. According to the Indian government, it was in 1855 when the majestic Fairy Queen rolled out for the erstwhile East Indian Railway. "This locomotive also hauled troop trains to Raniganj during the famous 1857 War of Independence. This beautiful locomotive retired from service in 1908 and was the first locomotive to be brought and conserved in National Rail Museum in 1971. The Fairy Queen rolled again on February 1st 1997 from Delhi to Alwar. Finding its pride of place in the Guinness Book of World Records and also capturing the National Tourism Award, this steam engine is the oldest working engine in the world. To improve the quality of services to the tourists, National Rail museum has also obtained ISO 9001-2000 certification for operation and maintenance of the Fairy Queen locomotive and coaches," said the Ministry of Railways.
"The demand for tickets for Fairy Queen package is increasing, as it is an innovative tourist package that provides totally different experience compared to these visits to the normal tourist spots. The feedback received from the tourists has also been very encouraging. Indian Railways plan to start more steam based services for tourists, Delhi-Riwari, which could be extended upto Jaipur depending upon the response besides in Delhi on the ring railway stations, to start with," added the Ministry. |