The Romance Of Indian Railways BBC TV 1975

I remember seeing this program when it was first shown in 1975. I thought it was wonderful and it’s still as good nearly a half century later. As much a travelogue as a railway program, it should appeal to normal human beings and Wibnista alike. Also available on the BBC iplayer but only if you are in the UK.

 

Wonderful program.
I took part in a 3 week tour around India 5 years later.
We came to the Railway museum on a Monday, and after an hour of waiting they opened specially for us. But of course, nothing in steam, but the Patiala train, hill toy trains and all the rest were there. Great achievement of Mr. Satow.
We missed our booked train on the Darjeeling, but we squeezed in on another train, and some of us got seats on bales of newspaper in the luggage van. Much better view from there. Also of the partly obscured partial solar eclipse (if we had been some days earlier, we would have made it further south where it was total).
I specially remember a small guy jumping on the train when we were approaching Thindaria, he asked if we wanted tea and scones, jumped of the train and disappeared up the hillside. When we arrived in the station 15 minutes later, he stood there with our orders ready.
We waited for a few hours in Gwalior, but due to a brake down we never got a ride.
But the hill rides to Ooty and Materan were unforgettable.
Being able to talk to the friendly railway men in English made the whole tour so much more interesting.

Could add two of the few slides I have scanned from the tour (hard work to scan Kodachrome slides).
Well known Darjeeling B class (I think it is 788) ...

...and the magnificent NH4 759 built by Baldwin in 1948 in Gwalior.

 

I remember a pregame on Indian railways where the engineer for the track blew a rock up on the track and then opened the line. There was also an elephant