"Mere sapno ki rani kab ayegi tu…",
The moment this song plays, one iconic image comes rushing back — the toy train gliding along Darjeeling’s Hill Cart Road in 'Aradhana', with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore bringing the scene to life. The steam engine’s whistle, the winding mountain tracks, and the billowing smoke have long been part of Darjeeling’s nostalgia.
Among those engines was the legendary 799B locomotive, a century-old steam-powered beauty that once ran through the hills. With age catching up, it was retired and placed in the National Railway Museum in New Delhi, where it remained for nearly 30 years.
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Now, the engine has finally returned home.
On Friday, the 125-year-old locomotive was brought back to Kurseong, marking what many are calling the ‘breaking of its retirement.’ Railway officials have confirmed that the plan is to restore the engine and run it again for passenger toy train rides.
According to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) sources, repair and maintenance work has already begun at the UNESCO Heritage-listed Tindharia Workshop — the only workshop in the region equipped to repair steam engines and craft their essential machinery.
Before the engine hits the tracks again, it will also get a new name. DHR Director Rishav Chowdhury shared that three to four naming proposals have been submitted, and a final decision will be made soon.
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“We hope tourists will be thrilled once this engine starts running,” Rishav said. “This was an engine that stopped due to age, and reviving it has already sparked excitement among locals.”
DHR officials believe the historic engine will soon become one of Darjeeling’s biggest tourist attractions — offering travellers the perfect blend of mountain scenery and a ride through living history.
However, workers say it’s too early to announce when the locomotive will return to the narrow-gauge tracks. It may take several months of restoration before it becomes fully operational again.
