Test Run of The Nilgiri Mountain Railway’s Steam Train, 1899 Photo
An 1899 photo of Nilgiri Mountain Railway steam train’s probable test run on the way to Ooty. This is another of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway’s (NMR) test run photos. See earlier post on Test Run of The Nilgiri Mountain Railway Train, 1899 Photo. The special steam train is shown halting at the Kallar Bridge.
Interesting to note people are seen standing on the two pillars top and at the base. After the completion of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in 1891, the second mountain railway to be built was the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR). The journey starts from Mettupalayam station onto Ooty or Ootacamund.
Ooty is dubbed the Queen of Hill Stations with beautiful scenery of forest, meadows, mountains, and streams. The NMR came out to be a far more difficult to construct than the Darjeeling Himalayan line. It required a series of tunnels, viaducts, and bridges to be carved out of the side of a valley.
From Mettupalayam to Kallar which is the first station on the way, the line runs for the most part skirting several hills on a steep ascent. Beyond Kallar, the line takes a serpentine course through sloping hills necessitating sharp bends. Between Kallar and Coonoor the rack system is adapted with powerful Swiss-built steam engines to push the train. The scenery is spectacular all the way up to Ooty. Click on the photo for better view.
Did you know- over the 46 km between Ooty and Mettupalayam there are 16 tunnels totalling 3090 feet in length.
From the collection- Raja Ravi Varma Paintings Depicted In Postcards., The French Colonies In India – Vintage Card 1920., Arrival Of The Emperor At Bombay, Old Print 1912., Early Vintage Cars In Bombay – 4 Old Postcards
