Steam in India 2005 -- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Part 1

Darjeeling is a small town nearly 7,000 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Himalayas in the north east corner of India. On a clear day the massive snow-clad peak of the third highest mountain in the world, Kanchenjunga can be seen towering over the town. The DHR, opened in 1881, was built to take expatriates into the hills for a respite from the heat of the plains. Some of the diminutive but vociferous 0-4-0 B class steam locomotives built at the beginning of the 20th century are still in use. Each loco usually carries a crew of six. A driver and fireman, two coal pushers and two sitting on the front buffer bean spreading sand on the rails. The 55 mile journey to Darjeeling takes about seven hours. Currently part of the DHR is closed by a landslip, it may fully reopen by the end of 2013. This two part video is my record of a visit made in December 2005.