Restored, world’s oldest steam locomotive back in action

AROUND FIVE years after it was looted, vandalised and rendered useless in Delhi, Fairy Queen, the 166-year-old, world’s oldest functioning steam locomotive, came back to life on Saturday, resuming its run between the Delhi Cantonment station and Rewari in Haryana, some 123 km away. The long restoration process involved replacing 32 valuable parts, stolen in 2011 from its shed in Delhi Cantonment station. The parts stolen included the original steam whistle, stolen were the shiny brass coat of its dome, parts of its "crown", and the gleaming ladder next to the boiler. The boiler itself was found riddled with holes.