What a day
today! They say life comes a full circle and was a witness to the momentous
event today when the Sir Leslie Wilson or EF/1, India’s first electric freight locomotive
class that was introduced in 1928 returned home at Mumbai CSMT or formerly
Bombay Victoria Terminus station.
I say home because the engine was in active service till 1992 and had spent its lifetime here and after retirement shifted to Kalyan electric loco shed. The engine has now been brought here to be a part of the ‘Heritage Alley’ on World Heritage Day 2018 and will be on permanent display. Sir Leslie Orme Wilson was the Governor of Bombay in 1928 who inaugurated the loco and hence named after him.
It was transported by road, splitting it into three parts that were later assembled here. It features the original livery of India’s first railway company, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, now Central Railway. EF/1 20067 is one of the two remaining of the class, the other one being at National Rail Museum in New Delhi.
