Here's some info from the museum on the engines pictured:
1st photo is overall view of the museum grounds.
2nd snap is BNR N class Beyer-Garrett
the only 4-8-0 + 0-8-4 ever built - Built 1930 - Bengal-Nagpur Railway
(Now South-Eastern Ry).
3rd: 1889 Darjeelin-Himalaya Ry. 0-4-0T, this one
was one of the prototypes, re-built in 1917.
4th & 5th: BESA (British
Engineering Standards Assoc.) standard Metre-Gauge 4-6-0 of former
Rajputana-Malwa Ry, later Bombay, Baroda and Central India Ry, (Western
Railway). BESA began in the early 1900's to standardize designs for all
of India, with 4-4-0, 4-4-2, 4-6-0 and 2-8-0 primarily both Broad and
Metre-Gauge. They were very sucessful, unlike the IRS designs of the
1920's/30's (Indian Railway Standard), whose XA - light Pacific and XC
Heavy Pacific were good but the standard Mail engine, the XB was a
disaster, being poorly balanced and tended to 'hunt' nosing side to side
and resulted in a disasterous wreck at Bhita in 1936, I believe. they
were speed restricted ever since. the XD and XE 2-8-2's were a great
success.
6th: Non-standard 4-4-0, the only engine in India with Joy
valve gear, built at Ajmer shops 1923/24, inside cylinders and valve
gear on Metre-Gauge, the first drving axle is nothing but cranks!
The last: EM-922, former Broad-Gauge 4-4-0, extended into BESA-style
Atlantic 4-4-2 in 1941 (original 1907), Great Indian Peninsular Ry.
(Central Railway).
Copyright Mike Mayer 1997
This site is for all those interested in the past present and future of Indian Railways. Users of this Web page are invited to help shape the style and content of this site. Comments and suggestions
