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Select few get to ride 162-year-old loco in Chennai
Southern Railway (SR) on Sunday successfully operated the world’s oldest steam locomotive for the record sixth time. Steam locomotive “Express EIR-21, which is 162-year-old, hauled a coach from Egmore to Kodambakkam with a select few on board.
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migrator
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Chennai
Like in the past, the century plus locomotive did not fail to disappoint onlookers who thronged to catch a glimpse of it chug along.
EIR-21 was decommissioned in 1909 and it had remained at Jamalpur Workshops and Howrah Station for 101 years during which period it was battered by rain and sun, resulting in corrosion of several parts.
Brought to Perambur Loco Works, it was revived in 2010 and since then it has completed six successful runs.
The last time the colonial era locomotive made a trip was on in 2013 when it hauled a 60-seat coach from Chennai Egmore to Guindy on Republic Day.
The maiden heritage run of the 19th century locomotive was conducted from Chennai Central to Avadi with two coaches on Independence Day in 2010.
In the following year, again on ‘I’ day, the engine pulled a coach from Egmore to Guindy, covering the entire 11km journey completed in 35 minutes.
Its 3rd heritage run was on January 26, 2012 when it hauled a 60-seat coach from Chennai Egmore to Guindy.
The fourth run was on February 6 from Chennai Central to Perambur with one coach having 60 seats covering 5 km.
The fifth run was on January 26, 2013 between Chennai Egmore and Guindy with one coach having 60 seats covering 11 km.
It was named EIR 21 by its manufacturers Kitson Thompson and Hewitson of England. It was shipped to India in 1855. SR also has a Fairy Queen EIR-22, which won the Guinness title for the world’s oldest working Locomotive.
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