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India_BG_CWD 12311 Bandel Here is a classic dirty, smoky shed scene from Bandel depot in the heart of north east India’s coal mining district. 2-8-2 CWD 12311 is being made ready to leave the shed for its next duty. Some WG class 2-8-2 are also just visible through the murk. 2 December 1979. Photo and scan Roger Griffiths; roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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stern Railway Bandel engine shed where BG 2-8-2 CWD 12311 (Montreal Locomotive Works 73562/1945) is receiving running repairs to is motion. The connecting rod has been removed - a fitter's assistant is sitting on it! - while the senior fitter makes some adjustments to the Walschaerts valve gear's radius bar. Maintaining the Eastern Railway's tradition, the locomotive is in a filthy condition! 2.12.1979. Roger Griffiths roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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India: Delhi Junction No.17: On the north side of Delhi Junction station was a Northern Railway, Broad Gauge locomotive servicing area. There were no shed buildings but supplies of coal and water were laid on, together with a turntable and servicing pits. These photos were taken on the morning of Tuesday, 11 December, 1979. Wearing Northern Railway passenger livery BG 2-8-2 CWD 12552, a Canadian-built War Department locomotive, is attended by its crew. It seems the engine has been subject to a rather hard “shunt” at some time, to judge by the way its cab is bending down! Colour slide and scan by Roger Griffiths; roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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India: Delhi Junction No.5: Double-track broad gauge (BG) and metre gauge (MG) lines entered Delhi Junction station from the west. The BG was used by Indian Railways' Northern Railway while the MG was shared by the Northern and Western Railways. Just outside the station BG and MG lines diverged south to enter New Delhi station. Each weekday morning there was a 95% steam-hauled, “rush hour” of commuter and long-distance trains, on both gauges, with a large number of movements to be seen in just a few hours. Add to this the use of the railway tracks as footpaths by the local population and you had a very interesting scene. These photos were taken on the morning of Tuesday, 11 December, 1979; nowadays, all lines are broad gauge and overhead electrified. Unusually crossing over from Up to Down BG lines, thereby scaring the wits out of the walkers(!), BG 2-8-2 CWD 12552 rattles past with a “Delhi Shuttle”. The CWD was a Canadian-built War Department locomotive. Colour slide and scan by Roger Griffiths; roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

India_Delhi_Jct_No_8_CWD_12465_Shekurbasti_Shuttle_11_12_1979.jpg (36095 bytes)

India: Delhi Junction No.8: Double-track broad gauge (BG) and metre gauge (MG) lines entered Delhi Junction station from the west. The BG was used by Indian Railways' Northern Railway while the MG was shared by the Northern and Western Railways. Just outside the station BG and MG lines diverged south to enter New Delhi station. Each weekday morning there was a 95% steam-hauled, “rush hour” of commuter and long-distance trains, on both gauges, with a large number of movements to be seen in just a few hours. Add to this the use of the railway tracks as footpaths by the local population and you had a very interesting scene. These photos were taken on the morning of Tuesday, 11 December, 1979; nowadays, all lines are broad gauge and overhead electrified. Another BG, Canadian-built War Department 2-8-2 CWD 12465, coasts towards Delhi Junction station with a “Shekurbasti Shuttle” commuter train. Passengers hang out of the doors ready to make their dash as the train pulls into the platform. Colour slide and scan by Roger Griffiths; roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

India_Pune_engine_shed_CWD_5513_MLW_71199_1943_22_11_1979.jpg (158490 bytes)

India_Pune_engine_shed Central Railway Pune engine shed with BG 2-8-2 CWD 5513 (Montreal Locomotive Works 71199/1943), provided under a World War 2 emergency programme; 22.11.1979. Photo and scan by Roger Griffiths: roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

India_Vadodara_shed_CWD_12634__marked_AWD___MLW_73009_1945__14_12_1979.jpg (155050 bytes)

India_Vadodara_shed_CWD_12634 The Western Railway’s broad gauge engine shed at Vadodara, formerly Baroda, though situated on an electrified main line, had, in 1979, many duties for Pacifics and 2-8-2s, off the electrified sections. Eventually though, steam was totally superseded and today, a large electric locomotive depot occupies the former site of the steam shed. The Second World War saw no fewer than 809 broad gauge 2-8-2 supplied to Indian Railways by American and Canadian builders. They were classed AWD (American War Department) and CWD (Canadian War Department) and one such is seen here, AWD 12634. However it has been incorrectly classified, probably after a major repair, as it should be a CWD, having been built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in 1945 (Works No: 73009) 14.12.1979. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com