Steam's Indian Summer - English • Great Railways

The final years of steam in India were recorded by film maker Nick Lera in the distinguished company of veteran broadcaster and long term resident of India Sir Mark Tully, Vice President of the Indian Steam Railway Society. Broad gauge locomotives of the WP and WG class haul us across the Punjab, metre gauge steam takes us across central India and banks us over the Mhow Ghat, with Sir Mark on the footplate, while a 2ft 6in gauge Pacific breathes its last in Western Bengal. In a classic archive clip a 1920s broad gauge mail engine ‘puffs pompously’ across the former Raj en route to Calcutta. A Maharajah in his palace describes how his grandfather built his own railway, and Sir Mark ends his farewell odyssey in Gujerat riding behind a metre gauge Mikado hauling its traditional cargo of salt, reflected in the still waters of the Great Rann lagoon. Filmed 1994-7.

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[leopardtiger]

1957 to 1966 every year I travelled on steam locomotives from Varanasi to Trichur in kerala from Asandol to Trichur in Kerala via Calcutta Chennai, always on unreserved 3rd class and on summer months of April May. Oh God those journies lasted 3 nights 4 days through Central India. Hot very hot drank water from taps provided at the railway stations. Ate food in railway restaurants of the stations. Grit from fly ash troubled eyes often, I was young so it was all adventure. Today at 83 i can not do such lo g trips on steam locomotives.i liked those big Canadian steam locomotives which pulled those trains.

[dipack]

My grandfather was Grade A locomotive 🚂 pilot pre partition. He use to take train from Lahore to Delhi via saharanpur. He retired late sixties. Bless him

[aliafaaqkhan]

The transformation of India from when this documentary was made, to present day when India landed on moon, is mind boggling to say the least. India is truly an inspiration. With great admiration and respect from Pakistan.

[gaditya]

This entire crew who made this video certainly deserves a huge round of applause.

[rsknjn]

Myself being a 30 year old and a station master in southern railway watching this in the year 2023, 29 years after which it is documented.
Can feel the exact nostalgic steam era and least developed bizzare countryside.

[alokchowdhury]

What a beautiful documentary by my country 's friend Mark Tully!

[dinshawmuncherjee]

My father was Mechanical Engineer and joined the railways in 1928 as what was then called 'Special Class Apprentice' and did his initial training at one of the major loco workshop at Jamalpore, Bihar.. I imbibed his passion for these majestic Steam Engines. From the 30's to the early 70s, most of the engine drivers were a select lot; anglo indians, parsis, upper caste hindus and a special breed of moslems from the UP and Bihar. As he was initially an EIR man. The lcos were maintained spick and span with each driver adding on his own trimmings and garnishings. What I saw in the documentary were a pathetic example of what was. Devotion and pride in his job was the hallmark of a railwayman in those days. Thoroghly enjoyed this documentary; Thank you Sir Mark Tully

[judefernandez]

My Father Father in law Uncles and cousins all served in the Indian Railways with honour and distinction on the Southern Railway for many many years . Cheers and thank you for this beautiful video .

[jimgraham]

I met the Maharaja of Wankaneer in 2006 and stayed in the very same Guest House suite. The Maharaja showed us the sights in his trusty jeep. In the garage was a Silver Ghost Rolls Royce and a 1930's Dodge still on the road. What great memories I have of it all....

[regenitin]

Wow I just wonder how the loco staff could drive such rusty engines with so much noise. Hats off to the railway staff and the workers who kept the Steam Era in India alive !!

[stingable]

Born in 1976 am lucky that i got a chance to travel in these trains . They are Marvelous

[tiwaringp]

What a lovely documentary. Made with love and empathy. They don't make like Mark Tully anymore..

[subhamax]

makes me feel nostalgic. I too grew up watching steam locos hauling passenger and goods. The smell of coal, the sparks generated from coal looking like fireflies in the night train and especially the whistle, which was audible from miles in quiet night in rural areas. We used to look at the driver with awe. Miss the steam locos, yes we have semi high speed trains, modern electric locos but nothing can beat the steam!!!! Thank you for the documentary, relieving my school days through this video

[AnandSingh-nsdv]

Wow, Mark tully made a beautiful film about our Old legendary steam railway era.

[willhovell]

Mark Tully an icon. Besides all the nostalga, it makes you realise how much the British Raj held back the technological & economic development of India and made far worse by partition. It was a negotiating ploy by Md Ali Jinnah and criminally fallen for by Mountbatten and the Atlee government. The recent terrible crash on Pakistan railways is a tragic product of neglect and the backwash of partition of India over 75 years ago

[sunderiyer]

I am from Mumbai . When I was young I use watch stem engines good train at kings circle stn a local stn in Mumbai . I Las a child we use travel by stem train to south India for Pune . It was awful steam l sound and whistle . It is a memory now . I am 74 yrs living in usa last I saw Canadian steam engine . I love steam engine .

[movieman]

August 2023. I m watching this and I m mesmerized. The journey of the Indian railways. From what I saw to today's vande bharat. It's a long way indeed. And the shots, the language, script, the last shot, profound ❤

[Ronnieism]

England, India & the railways all are intertwined like a song, music & lyrics.

[muralinathtalisetty]

I was retired railway personnel, my fore fathers worked as a dream loco driver's and guards, formans, in PROUD INDIAN RAILWAYS. STILL 2016 I SEEN SO MANY NUMBER OF STEAM, DIESEL, ELECTRICAL LOCOS AND VARIOUS TYPES ROLLING STOCK OF COACHING AND FREIGHT WAGONS, I RETIRED IN 2016 FROM INDIAN🎉 RAIWAY SERVICE. STILL I PROUD ABOU THE GREAT INDIAN RAILWAYS.

[oasisportal]

I always do random searches on youtube to find and enjoy such documentaries about steam locos. My grandfather used to drive a steam locomotive from Chittorgarh to Ratlam section. they started their job from 60s as fireman till senior loco pilot in 90s, they mostly did his job on goods train.