Heritage steam engine now running at Bal Bhavan

A mini steam engine on which Jawaharlal Nehru, S Radhakrishnan, R Venkatraman, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and former US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had enjoyed rides, is now up and running at Bal Bhavan, the Northern Railway said today.

Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani flagged off the engine gifted by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Bal Bhawan in 1958, it said in a statement.

The engine continued to run till 2007, providing fun-filled rides to children and evoking a sense of nostalgia in adults.

This is the latest in the line of steam locomotives that have been restored in recent times by the Indian Railways.

The first among the restored engines was the Fairy Queen, used to haul the ceremonial heritage run of "69 Up Ganrajya Express" on January 26 this year.

Then the Azad Steam loco was restored and used to haul the ceremonial heritage run of "63 Up Saptah Express" from New Delhi to Delhi (main) station on April 12 this year.