2 British tourists dead and 8 injured in Shimla as train derails

 

Two British tourists dead and 8 injured   after the Kalka-Shimla Railway narrow gauge ( 2ft 6in , 762mm) railway train in North- West India, which covers the mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh, derailed at 12:58pm( 5:28 GMT), close to Taksal station, one mile from Kalka. The toy trains cross the longest tunnel 0.78 miles long at Barog in three minutes and the route has 107 tunnels. This railway line was first drawn in November 1847 and it was constructed in 1903.

The chartered train with four bogies had been hired by  37 British tourists privately through a local agent.

More than dozen injured passengers had been admitted to the ESI hospital in Parwanoo, and some of them referred to Max Hospital at Mohali, Chandigarh. Three of the injured in critical condition, with two of them sustaining head injuries and the other one suffered a fractue. Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said he was “deeply saddened and my thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time. The two Briton who died are Loraine Toner and Joan Nickolas (71) in their 60s. The railway climbs more than 4000 ft through the Himalayan foothills famous for its panoramic views and many bridges.

Three carriages came off the rail.