Saad Rafique will inaugurate renovated Railway Heritage Museum on Wednesday
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ISLAMABAD:Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique will inaugurate the renovated hall of Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum located near Sector E-11 Islamabad on Wednesday.
The revamping of Golra Museum was started on the directions of the Minister for Railway Khawaja Saad Rafique, who has a keen interest to launch other Railway Museums in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Islamabad under the Directorate of Railway Heritage, said a press release.
The Golra station was established in 1882 during British rule and upgraded as junction in 1912. It was the logistics artery of British India during the Afghan military campaigns at the turn of the twentieth century. It has since become an imperative trade route which juts into Afghanistan.
In the purlieu of Golra Railway Station, museum was established in 2003 with an aim of preserving and maintaining more than 150 years of Rail heritage in this region and displayed in befitting manners for the visitors. Museum consists of two main galleries. The first gallery displays the objects from 1881 of North Western Railways’ time to present.
Visiting the galleria give acumen into the whole operating system of railways including signals, meters, mode of communication, emergency equipment, archival photographs, coaches with steam engines, models and other items which are now and then part and parcel under the current railway system.
In second gallery a Victorian furniture used in waiting halls with classic crockery, piano and long-arm rest chairs, self-style mirrors and other fixture and fittings, typical ceiling fan which used for fresh air in the past.
Along with these colonnades, Steam and Diesel Locomotives, historical coaches in narrow and broad gauge are on displayed in the museum. Vintage Saloons are also part of this museum. A saloon which was the part of the fleet of last viceroy of India Lord Mount Batten. It has significant of being hosted of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his travel from Karachi to Lahore.
It has a beautiful interior made of teak wood. This saloon demonstrates the glimpse of Pakistan railways. A royal saloon given by Maharaja of Indian State of Jodhpur as a bridal gift to her daughter. It was made in Ajmer Sharif Carriage Workshop in 1888. A German postal coach made in 1914, is on display which is landmarked source of distribution of postal service in the past.
Apart from museum, this railway station is currently working as railway station. One could reach at Golra Museum from Rawalpindi through train. The time table is Hazara Express arrives Golra at 08:17 from Rawalpindi and at 19:25 from Havelian and Mehran Express arrives Golra at 16:15 from Rawalpindi. APP/AFP
