history

YP class 4-6-2 passenger locomotive:

  • Year entered service: 1949
  • Units built (maker): 880+ (North British/BLW/TELCO/Kraus Maffei)
  • Wheel arrangement: 4-6-2
  • TE: 9015 kg @ 85% boiler pressure
  • Weight: 98.6-101.5 tonnes

As part of the 150th Anniversary celebrations of Indian Railways, South Central Railways organized a special steam run from Bolarum near Hyderabad. The loco chosen for this momentous occasion was a YP class (#2204) MG 4-6-2 locomotive. The loco was based at Guntakal where it had been preserved after retirement from service. It was brought to SCR’s Maula Ali diesel shed on a flatcar, and was refurbished and decorated specially for the occasion. Pictures above show scenes at Bolarum station just before the start of the run. The YDM4 locos were ran as pilot locomotives ahead of the steam special to check for track safety.

The hard labour put in by the staff at Maula Ali resulted in a loco so gorgeous, it would have won any beauty contest hands down !! Just look at the quality of the brass fittings and the brilliant firebox... not a speck of black in it. Note the thoughtful touch provided by notes against the controls to help the crew which was driving a steam loco after many many years.

And when she got, going..... it was a sight like no other. The world may take to diesels and electrics, TGVs or MAGLEVs... but the sight of a black beauty thundering down the tracks spitting smoke and steam.... embers flying and con rods hammering away till kingdom come... can never ever be surpassed. ”

As she sped away into the distance, Rudramma brought back memories of a bygone era... but as ‘Agent Smith’  remarked; “everything that has a beginning.. has an end.”