By
Kaushal Kishore
Materials Engineer, Roorkee
The above engine model was made at Amritsar workshop of Northern Railway. It was unveiled infront of Roorkee railway station in July, 2005. This engine model is replica of the first rail engine used to transport construction materials for the construction of Ganges canal project brought from England and arrived in India in 1851. The engine was designed by David Joy and build by E.B.Wlson of Leeds.
Initially two wagons were attached to the engine with capacity to load 180-200 tons of construction materials between Roorkee and Piran Kaliar on the line of 4 ft 8 and half inch gauge a distance of two and half mile cover in 38 minutes. This was the first train in India running between Roorkee and Piran Kaliar.
The train remain operative for 9 months until the engine boiler burst or caught fire one day in 1852, But by the time, the Roorkee aqueduct had been completed.
The picture was taken by my domestic help Raju on 15/11/2025
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