February 2000 and two dozen travellers depart for India in a fortnight’s quest for new mixers for their Gin,
thinly disguised as a pilgrimage to the world famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The party land at Delhi
and wend there way across India by train, via Jaipur, Agra, Gwalior, Kamnpur and finally to New Jalpaiguri,
the souther terminus of the DHR. They arrived the same day that the DHR took delivery of their second
diesel locomotive.
Once again the Society’s annual tour was lead by the unflappable Peter (Fuzz) Jordan, a railway fan by profession who spends his spare time as an accountant (still no one is perfect are they). Kent-born Fuzz has
travelled to India many times over the past 30 years and is used to hardship as he has been conducting missionary work in the wilds of the Sheffield area for most of this time.
Surprisingly three members of the 1999 tour returned for a second dose. Whether it was because they enjoyed it so much the first time or the fact that Fuzz never gives refunds (must be that Yorkshire influence) no one could tell. Interestingly one of this trio had spent even more time in India than Peter and should have known better.
Stephen Blackmore had spent four years of his childhood at Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling in the mid 1970’s. Steve unwisely admitted that he had been given a video camera for Christmas and was instantly appointed the tour Videographer.
Sit back and watch nearly one and half hours of the DHR, filmed from every angle, from the engine cab roof to the Guards window. See the locomotives being prepared at dawn for the days work at New Jalpaiguri and tour the works at Tindhari. With Indian Railways policy of now reserving the remaining class B steam locomotives to tourist trains only, experience the unique charm of one of the worlds last remaining steam hauled service trains.
