Western Railway Heritage Gallery at Churchgate in Mumbai

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Western Railway Heritage Gallery is on the ground floor of the Western Railway Head Office, which is exactly opposite to Churchgate Railway station on the Maharshi Karve Road.

Western Railway Head Office

I have traveled  so many times on the Maharshi Karve Road, the Western Railway Head Office is a British built building and is itself more than 100 years old. Gothic Structure, like the BMC building, CST Railway Station and St. Xavier's College and many more surrounding it. I have even noticed the Steam Engine  kept outside it, but never knew about the Heritage Gallery it housed in it. 

Museum premises

The green colored engine, which is in spick and span condition was built in 1923 by WG Bagnall Limited in Stafford in UK. It was in use till 1993, thereafter it was bought and stationed here. Now it can only be towed away from here.

There are security guards places outside the entrance of Western Railway Head Office, luckily they didn't question us and we walked to the entrance of the building. 

Auxillary Warning Centre

Once you enter take a left and it leads to the Heritage Gallery. There was not a soul there, I believe it was lunch time. We started walking towards the artifacts, suddenly I heard a thud thud sound, I though there was someone following us, I was surprised to see that it had a wooden flooring. 

The Heritage Gallery is very small in size. 

Steam Engine Model

It houses a small Auxillary Warning System. There was a switch box next to it, sadly there was no one who could show us how it was operated nor was there any engine on the tracks.

It had miniature models of Steam engines, electric engines, compartment of local train.

Rail

The different types of rail used over the decades, are put up for display here. 

Tilley floodlight used then are also placed on display, these floodlights might still be use in the rural parts of the country. 

Modes of Communication

Telephone, Central battery exchange, Railway control telephone are some of the modes of communication along with the Relay which are placed on display.  

Other Museums in Mumbai are Bhau Daji Lad Sangrahalaya and BEST Transport Museum. 

Mysore Rail Museum is another Railway museum I had visited when in Mysore

In a matter of 10 minutes we were done, we then headed home.