Heritage revived, Romance rekindled. This is the story of Fairy Queen Project. In 1855, the Fairy Queen locomotive was a charming train that chugged its way majestically across Indian terrian - an ode to human technology in an era of cargo and mail delivery by horses or by foot. This was one of the first locomotive in India introducing the early days of the revolutionary Steam Engine.

In 1909, the locomotive having done yeoman service was taken out of operations. In 1996, the National Rail Museum took up the challenge of getting the locomotive restored in heritage interest thereby making it the oldest working locomotive in the mainline anywhere in the world. The restoration and maintenance work took an entire year and in 1997 began to function as a moving train. An exclusive tourist train for a journey back into time was conceived and the Fairy Queen took its first load of delighted passengers on a maiden restoration run.

In 1999, Fairy Queen wons the National Tourism Award for most innovative & Unique Tourism Venture. Proper restoration is necessary for its safe, steady & continued working. It is again taken to the workshop for a rectification of inter alia suspect boiler & axle. It begins operations for 1999-2000 and the International Council of Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) selects Fairy Queen as a heritage venture for award at ITB Berlin on 14-3-2000. The Fairy Queen enters the new millennium as a living legend.

National Rail Museum (NRM) is a prime attraction & focus of the remarkable heritage, unique constructions and many works of genius of the Great Indian Railways(IR), the lifeline of India for economic,social,cultural,technological and political progress spanning over 150 years. NRM attracts all age groups of Indian & foreigners. The steam engine has a very special appeal through its display of awesome power, chugging sounds, romance & nostalgia and social and cultural aspects of the industrial revolution. One of the treasures here is the Fairy Queen of 1855. A living legend and much older than the Titanic. Through the media, scholars, rail enthusiasts, sponsors and travel industry, this could attract visitors to the Rail Museum like the Taj Mahal or Eiffel Tower. Also, Rail Museum has many other exhibits and working steam possibilities. To revive the Fairy Queen and make it working was like a dream.

The objectives can be briefly summarized as follows:-

 • Keep alive the Fairy Queen as the oldest working locomotive in the world on the mainline.
 • Rekindle the Romance, Revive the Nostalgia.
 • Heritage preservation & bringing it to life.
 • Tourism in India and new heritage ventures.
 • Social, Cultural & Educational values as the old turns gold and comes back to life.

The work on the locomotive is being done from within the existing resources of Indian Railways including staff and material in heritage interest. Restoration has been carried out with special initiative within the existing sphere of working. The tourist train is being worked in a section where capacity is available. Publicity & promotion is also part of normal Railway working. Miscellaneous expenses towards promotion, operation, special events etc are as being permitted from time to time within the Railway working. Consequently, only marginal costing is being done so far for running the locomotive. Briefly, this is as follows:-

National Rail Museum co-ordinates the restoration with Perambur Workshops of Southern Railway, maintenance, operation and all technical requirements with the Northern Railway . The Tourism wing of the Indian Railways co-ordinates the publicity, promotion and commercial aspects of the tourist package.

Fairy-Queen (1855) is a locomotive of 1855, the days before the use of Electricity, Telegraph, Telephone, Wireless, Steel etc. The Steam Ship had revolutionized travel across the seas. However, inland movement was best done with horses at 5 miles/hour. The earliest steam locomotives for inland travel had begun to appear only in the 19th century. This made it possible to travel at 15 miles/hour. Now, the Fairy Queen is the oldest one of its kind in working condition after almost 150 years. The restoration of the locomotive is thus a remarkable initiative for heritage interest.

This locomotive is amongst the treasure at the National Rail Museum from the beginning i.e. 1971, was brought back to life thus making it a living legend and the oldest locomotive in the world working on the Main Line. This was an innovative & unique initiative of the National Rail Museum. Also, it was a challenge to the Mechanical department of Indian Railways to return to life a locomotive that was not used since 1909. The overhaul at Perambur workshops of the Southern Railway and maintenance by Northern Railway was done with a great degree of initiative & enthusiasm. This has recieved appreciation both in India & abroad. The Guiness book of World Records has certified this as the oldest working locomotive anywhere in the world.

A formal launch was held in the National Rail Museum in August, attended by Travel Industry, Press, Ambassadors/High Commissioners and top officials. National Television carried it in the evening National News. Commemoratives trip in October with travel Industry & Press again generated enthusiasm. The publicity in print & electronic media was unprecedented.

Thus, an innovative step in heritage has been successful and opened possibilities for many more heritage tourist ventures utilizing the vast Railway heritage. The new thinking, the world over, is that the industrial revolution & Railways in the last 200 years has seen developments that are of lasting significance to mankind and should be considered World Heritage. For around 150 years, the Indian Railways have been the blood stream of the country in its economic, technological, industrial and social growth. Fairy-Queen apart other priceless treasures of the Indian Railways open new avenues for Heritage tourism, maybe more than all other forms of tourism. The Fairy-Queen is a forerunner to many heritage tourism possibilities focussed through the National Rail Museum.

It is stamped for posterity as a prestigious icon of Indian Railways. While continuing to go full steam ahead as a gallant stalwart, proving it's mettle(also metal), defying time & age, from the early days when the Steam Engine created a revolution to the new millennium,it stands as a glorious testimonial of heritage and worth its weight in gold. A pulsating past, a dream revival, a living legacy and now moved into the new millennium.