The Darjeeling under threat ?

....See this A landslide is rapidly destroying a World Heritage site in India - The Landslide Blog - AGU Blogosphere

 

More Pictures on the DHR Society site plus Sonada station was gutted by fire yesterday, having a pretty grim time of it, doubt they can do much about the landslip short of very expensive engineering works.

 

Yes things don't look too good at the moment.

 

Yeah I too have come across such kind of news and much worried for the destruction of the Indian Heritages. It is going to be the hard nut to be cracked about the heritage in the future again and much to concern about it.

 

I'm guessing that Indian Railways will be see this as a gift from the gods [or whichever Hindu god oversees the railway] if the damage can be shown as irreparable. Even though it is a world heritage site I'm guessing they will not be rushing to find a solution Maintaining a line of that length must cost a fortune and the income from passengers must nowhere near cover the cost- most local people use 4x4 taxis that have alternative routes that bypass the slips.. The BBC programme about the line depicted how little was spent on maintenance. While there is the potential for some tourist traffic on the lower portion of the line a whole line journey can take 12 hours [yes I have done the line by special and regular service] which will put off all but the determined.

Currently the tourist traffic is concentrated on the upper stretch from Darjeeling to Ghoom [ the rather sickly titled 'Joy Train'] with an infrequent regular service to Kurseong. This section is less prone to landslips. Some serviceable steam locos and an additional diesel were recently transferred from the lower section to the now isolated upper portion and Kurseong shed staff have overhauled one of their locos.

 

I can't see anything much happening any time soon. Probably end up as two tourist lines, maybe any money if there is any which I doubt, would be better spent on trying to maintain the surviving sections.
It's amazing to think how long the DHR has managed to survive barely clinging to the hillside as it is. Just to add to the gloom seems the Station fire is suspected sabotage.

 

As reported here:
http://www.dhrs.org/

Things are looking up for the DHR, it is planned for steam services to resume from Christmas 2013.
The back wall of the workshops at Tindharia did fall down the hillside, but a new alignment for road and rail has been constructed.
This picture is from Sept 2013


Compare the picture after the initial landslip:


to the new alignment:

 

Having wandered off and had a good read of the websites above. I have a few questions about DHR No.19, when it came to the uk was it re-gauged to run in the uk? Also given the distance of the line how come tender versions where never considered when in service.

Hope not to vague..

 

Possibly carrying water and coal on the loco improves adhesion on what is a very steep route? The frequent water stops also allow passengers toilet drink and snack opportunities. Much appreciated on such a long journey, my second trip on the entire line took 14 hours!

 

Regauged? I wouldn't have thought so. DHR is 2ft, no 19 has run on both 1ft 11 1/2 in and 2ft UK lines, gauge is close enough in most cases to not be a problem.

Tindahari, looks much better now, think they need to do something about the works though, another heavy downpour and the whole lot could slide down the hill.

 

So if Mr Shooter ever fancied it he could take no.19 back to India ? Now that is something I'd like to see, to be able to compare it to one in original condition would be an interesting exercise.

 

...bit of a gloomy view of things ...!http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32995131

 

I heard the story on R4 ' From Our Own Correspondent,. Not well researched, the DHR is a World Heritage site and as such unlikely to close. It might become, or already is, purely a tourist attraction but that is the way of many ng railways. Maybe the guy featured sees a way of gaining some cheap asserts. A lot of money spent recently repairing landslide.

 

......can you believe the price of his tea, not for the shaky hand !.....

 

Through services between the broad gauge interchange at New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling resumed on 12 th June following repair of the landslips.

 

It's also a Government owned railway. Just because it's a World Heritage Site doesn't mean it has to be an operational railway

 

Given the amount of political unrest present last time I was there I think it unlikely that taking away Darjeeling' s most famous tourist attraction will be likely to happen. Closing part of the line ie the lower portion is a slight possibility, keeping the Kurseong to Darjeeling section as the whole line journey can take 12 hours in my experience. The upper section with the Batasia spiral is popular with Indian tourists.