RUNNING ON FULL STEAM

GENERATION Z hardly knows about steam loco motives. Those who have travelled on heritage lines up the Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu) and Darjeeling (West Bengal), do, but to most, they are the stuff of fiction -- the scarlet-coloured Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter series or the railways in the Enid Blyton books.

- RITAJA ROY

Sanjay Wighmal’s fascination for steam locomotives began in childhood. Born in Punjab, Wighmal travelled to Gurugram where his father was transferred. The train that brought the family there had a steam engine, and he fell in love with it. “I love steam locomotives. Its chugging, its whistle and the fact that it can move with just coal and water simply amazes me,” he says.

But he put his passion for these machines on hold for many years as he studied to become a mechanical engineer, worked for various companies and then began his own workshop. It was only in 2017 that he decided he would pursue his hobby full-time. He stresses he was able to do so because of his family’s unconditional support. “My family knew that I was a passionate man. When I explained to them that I wanted to pursue my hobby full-time, they supported me. My wife, Sudha, took over my business to free up my time,” Wighmal states.

But family support alone would not see this project through. Although he was confident that his engineering skills would help him pull it off, the making of Wighmal's first locomotive took some planning. The plan was on the drawing board from 2017 to 2019 during which time, he studied how a steam locomotive could be recreated in miniature. Once he got started, the locomotive had Wighmal's complete attention.