Flying 8,000 km from Australia, 78-year-old Joie Creswell took a joyride on Sunday aboard this winter’s first toy train service of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a line her grandfather helped engineer 140 years ago.
Travelling along the 88-km narrow-gauge stretch from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, Creswell joined fellow passengers in marvelling at the scenic mountain views.
The railway, constructed by the British between 1879 and 1881, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"I dreamt of travelling the Himalayan tracks my grandfather engineered. It’s thrilling to be here," said Joie, who is an officer in Australia’s railway service.
Her grandfather, George Belban Creswell, was the DHR’s first chief engineer and later its general manager. He lived in Kurseong, a picturesque hill town in north Bengal.
“I heard I travelled this route as a child with my grandfather. Decades later, I’m back to connect with his legacy in this stunning region,” she said.
Joie’s journey was inspired by photographs she discovered while marking her grandfather’s death anniversary in November.
These pictures of the toy train and Kurseong reignited memories and prompted her to relive the heritage.
The DHR’s two-foot gauge railway climbs from 100 metres above sea level at New Jalpaiguri to about 2,200 metres at Darjeeling, passing Ghum—the highest railway station in India—at 2,258 metres.
The tracks feature six zigzags and three loops to manage the steep ascent.
The joyride, a favourite among tourists, resumed after a four-month hiatus for track maintenance. “I was eagerly awaiting this service. Learning the start date, I ensured I was among its first passengers,” said Joie.
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