The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is set to revive one of its oldest steam locomotives—Steam Locomotive Sharp, Stewart & Co: 777-B—just in time for the Durga Puja season. The move is expected to add fresh charm to the iconic “toy train” rides through the misty hills.

The 16-ton engine, built in 1881 at the Atlas Works in Glasgow, once thundered along the narrow-gauge tracks of Darjeeling before its retirement in 1957. For decades it was displayed at the National Railway Museum in Delhi, admired but inactive. Now, it is being transported back to the Tindharia Workshop in Darjeeling—the very workshop that restored it in 1917.

“The green signal has already been received,” confirmed DHR Director Rishabh Chowdhury. “Once the engine reaches Tindharia, our team—along with experts from India and abroad—will attempt to bring it back to life. Imagine not just riding in a toy train, but in a living, breathing chapter of railway history.”

The Tindharia Workshop, established in 1913 and later expanded in 1927, continues to serve as the lifeline of the DHR, maintaining 13 working steam engines. Spread over 6,670 square meters, it has become synonymous with the survival of Darjeeling’s steam heritage.

Boost for Durga Puja tourism

The revival has been timed to coincide with Durga Puja, when Darjeeling sees a surge of domestic and international tourists. The sight of a steam engine puffing its way through tea gardens and mountain cliffs is expected to draw heritage enthusiasts.

“World Railway Day is approaching. If the DHR receives such a gift at this moment, it will be an extra treat—not only for tourists but for heritage itself,” said Samrat Sanyal, editor of Himalayan Hospitality Travel and Tour Development Network.

A symbolic return

The 777-B has had a long journey—from service in Himachal Pradesh to Darjeeling, and then to decades of display in Delhi. Out of the 32 locomotives built in its series, very few remain today, making its restoration a matter of pride and poetic justice for the hills.

If successful, the 777-B’s revival could pave the way for the resurrection of other forgotten locomotives currently lying unused in Guwahati, Howrah, and Delhi. For now, Darjeeling waits eagerly for the day when the whistle of the 777-B echoes again, carrying with it not just tourists, but the weight of history itself.

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