Take a ride behind the world's oldest operating steam locomotive. The Fairy Queen is also the oldest exhibit in the NRM treasure trove, and is the oldest locomotive still in revenue earning commercial service. And if that doesn't fascinate you enough, read on:

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18 October 1997 was a red letter day for the NRM. This was the day when the venerable matriarch of the museum, the Fairy Queen locomotive, earned the NRM   a place on the world heritage steam railway operators map. In other words, on this day the NRM joined the prestigious band of railway mueums worldwide who actually operate steam hauled heritage trains.

This unique prestige was re-inforced yet again on 13 January 1998 when this was acknowledged by the Guiness World Records administration, who awarded this achievement the coveted Guiness World Record Certificate.

And wait, it isn't over yet. The Fairy Queen went on to further win the coveted National Award as the most innovative and unique tourist product  introduced. The date was 25 January 1999.

OK, OK, so the Fairy Queen is a celebrity. So whats the big deal, I hear you ask.

Well, the big deal is, you can actually see this engine in action between October and February every year, and you can even catch a ride behind this engine, and choo and chuff all the way from Delhi to Alwar and back.

The Fairy Queen takes 50 discerning passengers from around the world on unforgettable weekend trips from Delhi to Alwar, in neighboring Rajasthan. From Alwar, the tourists are taken on a visit to the Sariska Tiger sanctuary. They board the train again on the next day for the return journey to Delhi.

The TYPICAL itinerary for this delightful trip is:

DAY-1: Dep. Delhi 0900  hrs, arrive Alwar 1500 hrs.

DAY-2: Dep. Alwar 1300 hrs., arrive Delhi 1830 hrs.

Visit the Sariska tiger sanctuary during this tour.

The 1999-2000 Fairy Queen excursion brochure outlines the following itinerary for the current (1999-2000) season:

THE ABOVE INFORMATION APPEARED IN THE TOUR BROCHURE FOR THE SEASON 1999-2000.

TARIFF: ROUND TRIP PACKAGE PRICE:         INDIAN RUPEES (Rs./INR) 10,000/- PER HEAD, ALL INCLUSIVE. (EXCEPT LIQUOR)

DETAILS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF UPLOADING OF THIS WEBSITE

For bookings and further information, contact:

• The Fairy Queen's train to Alwar consists of two cars: 1. A 60 seater first class air-conditioned chair car which has a front glass panel for a view of the engine while on the run. 2. The second is a service car which houses a pantry, a generator (230V) and a compressor for the air brakes.

• Full credit for making the Fairy Queen a fully operational relic (up from the previous annotation as a fully 'operable' relic) should be given to the then Director of the NRM Mr. Ashwin Lohani. In fact, this entire project was the brainchild of Mr. Lohani. To pull out a vintage engine from oblivion and earn her a place in the Guiness Book does deserve commendation!

• After several being mothballed for decades, restoration work on the Fairy Queen commenced in late 1995. The locomotive was ready to be steamed by January 1997. (Ref. calendar of events further down on this page)

• Full credit for restoring a stored locomotive to full working order goes to the Perambur Loco Workshops in  Madras. (Chennai).  The Perambur Workshops continue to service the engine every year in time for her annual steaming, and carry out any repair or modification work that might be necessary from time to time.

• Major changes made to the Fairy Queen were retrofitment of air brakes, a cowcatcher and a headlight. Barring these, and a few external brass fittings added on, the locomotive is completely in her original form. In 1999, the locomotive was fitted with a small compressor (for air brakes) so as to make her an independent unit.

• Moving the venerable Fairy Queen out of her glass house was a major project in itself. It involved a large scale re-organization of the outdoor exhibits in the museum, several of whom had become virtually immobile due to remaining static at one place for several decades. A 120 ton breakdown crane had to be deployed.

• The Fairy Queen is now in its third successful year of operation. This project has paved the way for more revival projects of steam in India. In fact,a couple of more schemes are about to be revealed very soon. Stay tuned.

The FAIRY QUEEN has had a chequered history, and has come a long way since her rolling out of the works in 1855. Interested in knowing about her  from her  younger days? Allow me to present the calendar of events in the Queen's life:

To sum up, here is an excerpt from the Fairy Queen tour brochure for the year 1999-2000, which sums up whatever we have said so far:

(QUOTE) JOURNEY BACK INTO TIME (sic):

1855. The year when the majestic Fairy Queen rolled out for the East Indian Railway. The engine is probably the oldest working engine in the world. After over 142  years, the Fairy Queen rolled again on Feb. 1st 1997 from Delhi. Finding its place in the GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS and also a NATIONAL TOURISM AWARD WINNER (sic), this prestigious pristine bearty, that graces the National Rail Museum, New Delhi  is running again. The Queen with the previleged ones aboard reaches the picturesque town of Alwar in Rajasthan the same day, from where the guests will then be taken to Sriska Tiger Reserve for an overnight stay. The select 50 guests will go back with fond memories once-in-a-lifetime-experience. (sic). If you are fast enough, you could be one of them too. (UNQUOTE)

NOTE: The above is a word-for-word quote from the official Fairy Queen Brochure for 1999-2000.