A 157-year old steam engine owned by Southern Railway will soon enter the Guinness Book of World Records for its legacy and the number of eco-friendly trial runs, said railway officials after flagging-off the fourth trial run to mark its 157th anniversary here on Monday.
According to records, the EIR 21, built by Kitson Thompson and Hewitson Leeds in the United Kingdom, had arrived in a shipment to India in 1855.
It served the erstwhile East Indian Railway for 55 years till 1909. After retirement from service, it was parked at Jamalpur and Howrah workshops as an exhibit for over a century.
The EIR 21 is deemed to be senior to its sister, Fairy Queen (EIR 22), which also won the Guinness title of “The world’s oldest working steam loco”. Both locomotives share a history of hauling trains and carrying troops from Howrah to Ranigunj to quell the freedom struggle in 1857.
The EIR 21 was brought by road to Perambur Loco Works over a year ago to revive its lost glory. Experts from Goldenrock workshop, Tiruchy, Chennai Integral Coach Factory and Perambur carriage works were roped in to rehabilitate the world’s oldest locomotive.
“Having completed four trial runs, the heritage train is also expected to win the Guinness title of ‘world’s oldest working steam loco’,” said a Southern Railway official. The Indian postal department has also released a postage stamp in honour of the EIR 21, sources said.
