It was a joyride with a difference.

A group of 31 elderly and destitute inmates of Missionaries of Charity who stay at Shishu Bhawan in the hill town of Darjeeling took a joy ride in the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) toy train between Darjeeling and Ghoom railway stations on Sunday, a day after the heritage mountain railway celebrated its Foundation Day.

On this occasion, DHR partnered with the social outfit Yashashree Foundation for this treat for elderly women staying at Shishu Bhawan. They were taken to the Darjeeling railway station, where they boarded a heritage steam service from Darjeeling to Ghum and back.

On the way, the train made a 15-minute halt at the Batasia Loop. Also, at Ghoom, a 20-minute stop was arranged, allowing the guests to explore the Ghoom heritage railway museum, before the train made its return journey to Darjeeling.

“For many of these elderly inmates, it was their first-ever train journey, and witnessing their joy was deeply fulfilling. This joyride is a small gesture to remind them that they are valued and loved,” said a representative of the foundation.

“We celebrated the Foundation Day on August 23 to commemorate the historic occasion, with the first toy train service being introduced in 1880 from Siliguri to Kurseong. On this very day, around 145 years back, the whistle of the toy train echoed through the hills for the first time, forever transforming the way Darjeeling connected with the plains and inscribing itself in the cultural and historical identity of the region,” said a DHR official.

In 1999, UNESCO conferred the world heritage status to DHR. In India, it is the first mountain railway to get such recognition from Unesco.

Special Services

DHR authorities announced three special additional services during the ensuing festive season. Among these is a Tea & Timber Special, which will run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between Siliguri and Rongtong.

The train will depart from Siliguri Junction at 12pm and will reach Rongtong at 1.30pm.

“There will be a layover of four hours at Rongtong will allow passengers to visit the nearby tea estates, enjoy tea factory tours, plucking sessions, and organic local lunches, before returning by train to Siliguri,” said an official.

The second service will be the Darjeeling – Kurseong Steam Special, which will operate on Saturdays and Sundays.

“It will be a premium steam-hauled train from Darjeeling to Kurseong every Saturday, while the return service will be on Sundays. En route, there will be halts at prominent tourist viewpoints, in addition to regular stations,” the official added.

The third service will be the Kurseong-Mahanadi Sunrise Special, which will run only on Sundays. It will depart from Kurseong at 7.15 am, reach Mahanadi, and return to Kurseong by 10am.