After a week experiencing the sights and sounds of steamy Kolkata a trip up to the airy Himalayan hill station of
We could have flown or driven there, but why do things the easy way when we had the might of the Indian railway at our disposal? I’m not talking about just any old railway – I'm talking about the Darjeeling HimalayanRailway or, as it's affectionately known, the Toy Train – a World Heritage, narrow gauge track that crawls up impossibly steep slopes to a height of 7,218 feet for nine long hours.
For anyone who wants an unforgettable experience, unparalleled
views and a numb backside, the Toy Train is the only way to travel. For a
start, it's the most outstanding example of a hill station railway. First
opened in 1881 to bring tea, cereals and coal down from the Himalayas ,
the railway is an incredible feat of engineering made up of a series of loops
and reverses which propel the engine up the mountain at gradients of 1 to 20. Rumbling
over 554 bridges, the winding track crosses the road 126 times with spectacular
changes in scenery, perilous bends and exotic views, all the way up to the Himalayas .
The story of the railway goes back to 1879 when the journey from the
plains of Siliguri to Darjeeling Cart
Road
We caught the overnight Darjeeling Mail, to arrive in the
sprawling town of Siliguri
With our noses pressed against the windows and heads sometimes
lolling out of them at risk of decapitation and horn blaring, the train began
its meandering journey from the outskirts of Siliguri. Houses, iron huts and
shops festooned with faded packets of crisps warming in the sun, passed within
touching distance, as in a series of vignettes, we peered in on people's lives
as they washed, shaved, had their hair cut, hung clothes out, waved at the
train or even chased after the train. This was done with an inordinate amount
of excitement considering it passed every day. However, with maximum speeds of
13km an hour, it
After leaving the plains of Siliguri at Sukna station, the
landscape began to change with an ascent through forests of teak and giant
bamboo, dotted with fuchsias and orchids as we trundled past tea gardens and
signs that told us (as if we wouldn’t notice them) to watch out for elephants.
From Chunbhati we travelled to Rangtong, location of the first and longest
reverse, where the steepest climb of the journey pushed us up to Tindharia. In
the old days, passengers would stop for tea here for the spectacular views with
glimpses of the foothills of the H
Many Europeans perished of jungle fever in the past and Tindharia
also marked the point that was considered to be above the Terai Fever level.
Leaving the station, we encountered Agony Point, the fourth loop with a minimum
radius of 59 feet, where the train almost hangs over the hillside and then
travelled up to Gayabari and the last reverse, to Mahanuddy 4,120 feet above
sea level. Mad Torrent marks the half way point; a stream that can turn into a deluge
during the rainy period. In July 1890 almost 800 ft of the road and line were
washed away here. Near Mahanuddy station is a waterfall with a drop of 150 feet
as the train then plods on towards Kurseong station passing jagged rocks and
glorious views of the plains.
Our journey was enlivened by locals, schoolchildren and hawkers
who hopped on and off the train for a free ride. Even more welcome invaders
were the enterprising vendors who boarded with tiffin dishes full of steaming
dumplings, brandishing huge kettles of sweet tea and coffee. The majority of paying
passengers were Indian tourists. From time to time, a desultory sing song would
start up but mostly, people chatted happily or attempted to sleep in contorted
positions, resting on the shoulders or backs of friends and strangers.
Conversation was inevitable and as we were the only westerners on
the train we were the object of some curiosity. We chatted to Aruna, a frank
young girl travelling to visit relatives in a nearby village who had been
married a month to a husband in Nepal Darjeeling
Bordering on Nepal
and Bhutan , the indigenous
population of Darjeeling
Seven hours into the journey and the end was in sight. From the
thriving village
of Kurseong India Darjeeling
At the famous Batasia Loop, the train worked its way round a
switchback track created in 1919 to lower the gradient. We extricated our
aching limbs to view the war memorial to Gorkha soldiers who died in the war of
Indian Independence with its stunning backdrop of the Himalayas including the
world's third highest mountain, Mt Khangchendzonga, before re-folding ourselves
back in to the train for its descent into Darjeeling and a welcome cup of tea.
The railway is currently running a limited service because of landslip so please look at www.dhrs.org for latest info.
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