A schools’ initiative from The Express Group
Quest is a project conducted by The Indian Express in schools in and around Delhi. It covers more than 50 schools in Delhi and NCR.

Quest aims at stirring awareness and opinions. Today, when all that children see are shopping malls and cineplexes, we at The Indian Express want to show a completely different picture of this city to them. Delhi has changed beyond nostalgia and recognition since Independence. How many of these kids know of the ‘Seven Cities’ of Delhi or the stories of the pigeon fliers of Old Delhi?

The idea behind such an activity is to create awareness about the various structures and monuments that the students do not know about. This is a specially designed programme, which will help the students appreciate the rich culture and background of this city. In association with INTACH and ASI, this is a small effort on our behalf to depict a phase of our national life and the decay of a whole he students sending in articles, pictures, poems, paintings, and collages to express their experiences about the heritage walk.

We invite schools to be a part of this Express Group initiative. For queries mail to heritagewalks@expressindia.com

Eleven acres of land, intricately designed, 82 full-scale exhibits including 47 locomotives, 20 carriages, three wagons and 12 special purpose vehicles, as many as five track gauges: broad gauge, meter gauge, narrow gauge and monorail. And the Fairy Queen — the world's oldest operational steam locomotive. All this, and more, comprises the experience of the heritage walk at the National Rail Museum.

The reception we got as soon as we reached there was fabulous. As soon as we reached there, we were led straight to the auditorium. There we were greeted by the managing director of the Rail Museum who further introduced us to the members of the team who were going to be our hosts for the afternoon.

As we were settled into our seats, the staff at the museum distributed pamphlets. The main purpose of this exercise was that if we had any questions about the museum, we could find the answers in the pamphlets. We also received caps as mementos.

Thereon, we participated in a short interactive quiz which was fun and educative at the same time. The students participated with great zeal as there was the satisfaction of receiving a gift after getting every right answer. On top of that, it was very educative as we got to know many things that we had not had any idea about. They showed us how trains conquered steep gradients without the slightest hitch, and many things apart from that.

After the Q and A round got over, we all left the auditorium and were divided into two groups. I really appreciated the way they handled all of our questions, because as kids we tend to be very inquisitive. They explained every little thing about the functioning and mechanics of each exhibit, that too, without wasting too much time. Soon we completed our tour of the area, and surprisingly, and efficiently, we had covered every type of train in less than 45 minutes. That in itself was a great achievement for the museum staff.

We marched on and we reached the magic exhibit. The good thing about the magician was that he did not keep us in the dark about the working of his tricks. He explained to us how he did all of his tricks and even leaked the secrets behind every trick. He explained that there is nothing such as magic and every trick he did was backed by science and logic. He also told us many other secrets that I am sure I will remember later on in life. It was a memorable trip and will be etched in my memory for years to come.
— Anirudh Bhatia, IX B

On January 21, the IX graders from G D Goenka Public School were given the opportunity to visit the National Rail Museum which was quite interesting.

The museum radiated the effulgent history of the Indian Railways, which was quite impressive. All authorities present there gave us their undivided attention and every fact revealed about the museum had us wanting more!

Right from its inception 150 years ago, the Indian Railways has been a masterly, neat and well-executed public service. The Indian Railways has run smoothly into the 21st Century and the trip gave us yet another reason to be proud of our country’s historic past. The train models that we saw were quaint and majestic. In the auditorium, right at the beginning, the video clips shown to us set the tone for the rest of the excursion. Be it Shah Rukh Khan dancing atop a moving train or Saif Ali Khan serenading his beloved — the Indian Railways has seen it all.

The trip was enhanced by the friendly and highly informed staff that went all out to answer our queries and provided us with valuable information about this museum that we can truly be proud of. It was, to say the least, a unique learning that will remain in our minds for a long time to come.
—MALVIKA SINGH, IX B,
— MANVITA GANDHI, IX A

Spread over 10 acres of land and one of the finest outdoor museums, the Rail Transport Museum or the National Rail Museum is one of the most suitable places to be visited by the people of all ages, professions and regions. I was fortunate to be taken there along with my classmates. The National Rail Museum displays a wide range of locomotives and carriages. It wonderfully chronicles 150 years of proud service of the Indian Railways. We were all amazed to see the collection of Royal Saloons and their grandeur. It was like a visit to Fairy Land. The museum also has a little toy train on which the children are take for a joyride which is loved not only by children but their parents as well.

Constructed by British architect M G Satoo in 1957, the National Rail Museum is a heritage site now. Even the skull of an elephant which struck a mail train in 1894 is showcased here. Restaurants and libraries are also there. Beautiful Tibetan handicrafts brought with the Dalai Lama are also on display.

The museum has some fantastic collection of locomotives. Some of the saloons that are on display and are still in working condition are the Viceregal Dining Car, Prince of Wales Saloon, Maharaja of Mysore’s Saloon and the Maharaja of Baroda’s saloon. The elaborate interior design of the royal saloons is definitely worth a look. The Fairy Queen is the star attraction in the museum and is the best preserved locomotive. The very first steam engine that rolled in India from Bombay to Thane is also proudly displayed at the museum. The locomotives are displayed in the open, even though there is a shed. This is a treasure trove of information on the Indian Railways.

For all those people who love to travel by train and consider the train as the most pollution-free and beautiful mode of transport, this museum is an ideal destination. My visit to this iconic museum was very enjoyable.
— NIKITA SINGHAL, IX A

My experience at the National Rail Museum was very inspiring. The staff welcomed us with great enthusiasm and I was really looking forward to it all as it was my birthday as well. In the beggining of the tour, we watched some movie clips and were told about the history of trains and the Indian Railways, I was surprised to learn that the railways had influenced the time zones of all countries. They also asked us a few questions and gave chocolates to those who answered correctly. They then took us for a walk and showed us some locomotives which had been brought in from all over the world. It was amusing to learn that some kings actually had their own ‘saloons’. After that they showed us how steam engines worked. A lot of coal was used in the process and quite a bit of smoke was produced. “No wonder we face global warming” was one of the comments I heard from my fellow classmates. Then they took us to see how toys worked on the basis of the laws of Physics and a there was also a man who conducted a magic show. After that we climbed up about 50-100 steps and reached an amphitheatre. We were served lunch and then we walked back to our buses.

The whole experience was great. I did not know so much about trains earlier. I also learnt that a few places in India where trains run have been declared as famous heritage sites. Last but certainly not the least, the staff and volunteers were very hospitable. They took a lot of trouble to show us around. They were extremely friendly. Each one of us felt free to ask questions. I left the museum extremely satisfied. It was a memorable day and the best birthday gift I could get.
—NIKITA LAMBA, IX A

I never thought visiting a museum could be so much fun. We thought it would be boring as usual because museums are associated with our heritage which is old and quite outdated. But the way it was presented, it was a right combination of old charm and music from Bollywood. It is a major attraction because of its compilation of trains, locomotives and carriages.

The National Railway Museum is a must for rail buffs. It was established 150 years ago and is spread over 10 acres of land. The museum is a part of the cultural heritage of Delhi as it records the growth of Delhi from marvel to marvel. It exhibits the models of railway coaches, engines and the like of the railway department ranging right from the period when the railways was first introduced in India. The trains and coaches mark the development typical to each era of progress.

The first steam engine that travelled within the Indian subcontinent is displayed at the museum. The locomotives are show cased in the open and hence, one gets a feeling as if one is walking into a garden full of coaches. Children love the ride in the toy train on the miniature rail tracks around the museum. One can also buy a running toy train as a souvenir. If you want extra knowledge, a library is there and if you get hungry walking through the huge campus, visit the restaurant to enjoy delicious Indian food.

There are also Tibetan handicrafts on display and sale in the Tibetan House. The museum preserves the model of India’s very first train, a steam engine that made its way from Mumbai to Thane in 1853. One of the exciting attractions of the National Railway Museum is the Fairy Queen of 1885 — the oldest working steam engine. Some of the wagons that were meant for the transport of the rich are on display: theViceregal Dining Car(1889), the Prince of Wales’ Saloon(1875), Maharaja of Mysore’s Saloon(1899) and Maharaja of Baroda’s Saloon(1886). Interestingly a few of them are still in working condition. The intricate designs of these royal saloons are worth a look. The saloons that were built especially for the imperial personages display the elaborate interior designs befitting the grandeur of the sovereigns. These coaches are unique in the world and nothing can match up to their splendour.

The museum also maintains a collection of 26 vintage locomotives, 17 carriages and saloons of the 19th Century. A glimpse at these will help us to get the flavour of Indian royalty, as well as the aristocracy of the Victorian era. The museum has a wealth of information on the Indian Railways. For people who love moving on the fast engines, a visit to the National Railway Museum is no less than an adventure.
—Nikita Khurana, IX B