A Win for Coal at Darjeeling

In a recent meeting with DHRS Vice Chairman Paul Whittle, the DHR’s Director, Shri Subrato Nath has confirmed that coal will be the sole fuel source for the line’s historic fleet of fourteen B Class steam locomotives.

The decision comes after several years of experimentation with oil-firing (including expert advice from several UK sources) and reflects the technical difficulties in applying oil-firing technology to an old design of locomotive, and specifically the problems of getting the oil burners to do their job effectively. Other factors are the increased cost of oil, the continuing availability of comparatively cheap good quality fuel from the Bengal coalfields, and the advantage of having the whole steam fleet on one fuel source, both for supply and maintenance.

B Class No 787, converted to oil firing in 2002, will return to the DHR’s Tindharia Works at some stage for retrofitting to coal burning. No 1001 which arrived on the DHR as an oil-burner in 2005 is already converted to coal and, bar a few minor problems, running well. No 1002 remains at Golden Rock Workshops, Trichy and it is suggested that this may eventually be used to revive a steam presence on the Gwalior system.

Continued Investment in Steam

Linked with the coal burning decision is continued investment in the steam fleet. New maintenance procedures are about to be introduced to improve day to day reliability, two locomotives have recently received new boilers at Tindharia Works, and a further three boilers are on order.

Allocation of Steam Locomotives as at 1 November 2008

On a typical day at least four steam locomotives will be active, one at Tindharia as works shunter and three at Darjeeling working the Joy Trains to Ghum, the daily return service to Kurseong and the station pilot.

Diesel Fleet

Trials have been held with five (rather than the usual four) carriage trains but the four NDM6s have insufficient power. The line’s Director confirms several new and more powerful diesels (to a new design) are needed but are unlikely to arrive for 2/3 years.

Darjeeling Loco Shed

Well over a year after being partially demolished by an earth slip, Darjeeling’s historic locomotive shed is still awaiting repair.
The structure was badly damaged on 17 July 2007 when an embankment loosened by continued monsoon rains collapsed, demolishing almost half of the century old building. The open-sided two-road wooden structure dates back to the earliest days of the line opened in 1881 and over the years has been used as a goods shed, for carriage stabling and more recently as a depot for a small fleet of the DHR’s world famous B Class steam locomotives. Similar damage was caused by heavy monsoon rains in 1950 and the building was subsequently rebuilt to its original design.
Said Paul Whittle Vice Chairman DHRS “ The damaged building gives a very poor image of the railway and inhibits maintenance of the locomotives. We have expressed our concerns at the continued delay in starting repair work. The Line’s Director is very supportive but the contractual arrangements are not in his hands”.