OOTY: Their love for steam locomotives and mountain trains propelled a Euro couple, who got married two weeks ago, to book a chartered train in Nilgiri Mountain Railway(NMR) for Rs 3 lakh and travelled on Friday between Mettupalayam and Ooty to make history of sorts, a train romance that drew instant global attention.
It is learnt that in the annals of the century-old NMR, this is forthe first time a charted train was operated for a journey by just two persons.
For England-born Graham William Lynn (30) and Poland-born Silviya (27), it was their cherished dream come true as they enjoyed their honeymoon trip in the NMR, as lone “privileged pair”.
Of course, the blooming of their love story itself is very interesting as it began in a steam locomotives yard. Mr Lynn, an engineer, while talking to DC, said that from his childhood he was attracted towards the steam locomotives.
“I travelled to Poland in 2010 to study about steam locomotives there. At Wolsztyn in Poland, I met my sweet heart Silviya there, who is also interested in the steam locomotives. From then onwards we wereattracted towards each other and fell in love. But, only two weeksago, we got married and decided on the honey moon trip in India,especially in NMR,” he said.
When asked what kindled his interest for choosing NMR special trip, he said, “Lorry Marshall, a 89-year-old Britisher in London, asteam locomotive and mountain train aficionado who travelled in NMR 28 times in his life, asked me to go for the NMR trip. Naturally, I and my wife Sylvia decided to take the honeymoon trip in NMR, which is a world heritage site, for which IRCTC made the arrangement,” he said.
“NMR journey is unique, adventurous and takes one close to nature. The hills, valleys, streams, bridges, jungles, birds, the racked track and chugging through the tunnels make NMR journey very special andeverlasting experience. NMR is truly an engineering marvel. The upper reaches of Nilgiris resemble Britain's environs,” Mr Lynn said as
Silviya approvingly nodded to her husband’s comments.
