What: 88 years of Deccan Queen
When: June 1, 2018
Where: Mumbai CST to Pune
- The Deccan Queen has completed 88 years of its operation.
- The ‘’Deccan Queen’’ commenced its operation between the two premier cities of Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune on 1st June 1930.
- It was a major landmark in the history of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the forerunner of the Indian Railways.
- This was the first deluxe train introduced on the railway to serve two important cities of the region and was aptly named after Pune, which is also known as ‘’Queen of Deccan’’ (‘’Dakkhan ki Rani’’).
- Initially, the train was introduced with 2 rakes of 7 coaches each one of which was painted in silver with scarlet mouldings and the other with royal blue with gold lines.
- The under frames of the coaches of the original rakes were built in England while the coach bodies were built in the Matunga Workshop of the GIP Railway.
- The Deccan Queen, initially, had only first class and second class accommodation. First class was abolished on 1st January 1949 and second class was redesigned as first class, which continued up to June 1955 when third class was introduced on this train for the first time.
- The coaches of the original rakes were replaced in 1966 by anti-telescopic steel bodied integral coaches built by Integral Coach Factory, Perambur.
- Over the year the number of coaches in the train has been increased to the present level of 17 coaches.
- The distinctive colour scheme of cream and oxford blue with red band above the window level has been recently adopted as the colour scheme for this train.
- The management systems of Deccan Queen (2123 Dn / 2124 Up) have been assessed by International Services Ltd. and found to comply with the requirements of ISO 9001-2000 under the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand in November 2003. At Present Deccan Queen (12123/12124) runs with 17 coaches including 4 AC chair car, one Buffet Car, 10 second class chair car and two second class cum brake vans.
