The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway part two

For the first time ever, a Driver's eye view of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.  This famous Indian 2 foot gauge line runs for 55 miles from New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal up to Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas. We ride aboard a steam charter train into its second day, starting roughly half way up the line at Tindharia.

The sunny weather, coupled with state of the art cameras, provide a spectacular view of this unique hill railway. Our iconic B class steam engine climbs relentlessly through the magnificent scenery over gradients as steep as 1 in 18! Following the Hill Cart Road most of the way, we cross it dozens of times to ease the gradient or lessen a curve. We run on the very edge of the mountains, squeeze through the narrowest of ledges and pass through towns and villages to the summit of the line at 7,407 feet above sea level at Ghum. After Kurseong we jump forwards to Tung and follow the line all the way to its conclusion.

The railway is so unique and precious that it has become a UNESCO World heritage site. Much of the fascinating history of the line, fully opened in 1881, is in the narration.