The Rewari Railway Heritage Museum (formerly the Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed) is a c.1893 railway museum in Delhi NCR at Rewari city in Haryana, India. Built in 1893, it is the only surviving steam locomotive shed in India, and houses some of India’s last surviving steam locomotives as well as the world’s oldest still-functional 1855-built steam locomotive the Fairy Queen. It is located 400 m (1,300 ft) north of the entrance of the Rewari railway station, 50 km (31 mi) from Gurgaon and 79 km (49 mi) from the National Rail Museum at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.[1]
Steam locomotive shed
Built in 1893, the Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed was the only locomotive shed in North India for many years, and part of the railroad track connecting Delhi with Peshawar.[2] After steam engines were phased out by the 1990s and steam traction on meter gauge tracks was discontinued in January, 1994,[3] the loco shed remained in neglect for many years before it was rehabilitated. The steam shed reopened in May, 2002.[4]
Heritage musueum
The Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed was refurbished as a heritage tourism destination, its edifice restored, and a museum added by the Indian Railways in December 2002.[4] The shed exhibited Victorian era artifacts used on the Indian rail network, along with the old signalling system, gramophones, and seats. The refurbished heritage museum was opened in October 2010. The engines are still available for live demonstrations.[2][5][6]
Exhibits
The shed and compound has 11 (of 16 functional in India)[7] of the world’s oldest steam locomotives,[8]> restored and still functional, including the following:[9]
- Baldwin AWE, built by the American company Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1945[10]
- Akbar WP1761, named after the Mughal Emperor, Akbar, built in 1963 at Chittranjan Locomotive Works was inducted into active service in 1965. It has 4-6-2 wheel arrangement, 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge and 110 km/h (68 mph) maximum speed now-restricted to 45 km/h (28 mph) The locomotive was based at Saharanpur railway shed after being retired from active service and it has been restored and housed at Rewari shed.[11][12][13] It is now used to power the 150UP Delhi Cantt – Alwar Steam Express heritage train.[14]
- Shahanshah WP/P, is one of the original bullet-nosed American Baldwin prototype number 7200 Shahanshah, which was at the Charbagh workshops in Lucknow division. It was restored for use in steam specials by the Northern Railway. It has also run several steam specials, including one between Royapuram and Tambaram on 26 January 2009, to commemorate the 153rd anniversary of Royapuram railway station (built 1856), the oldest railway station in India. It ran the Steam Express on 14 January 2012. The engine is considered a lucky mascot for the film shoots and is rented out at INR4 lakhs (INR400,000 or US$6,150) a day.[9][15]
satish verma 