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It was in a livery I recognised from a history book at school – the livery of the East Indian Railway Company, one of the original companies formed to run trains in territory governed by the British Empire. The passenger carriages that formed the front half of the train were remarkably ornate and looked luxurious. By contrast, the box-cars which made up the back-half looked unfit even to carry cattle. Here’s the thing: the train had no engine at the front. The means of propulsion was unusual, and probably unique for a train. But more of that later.
Two lanes had been set up in front of the station with ropes attached to moveable stands similar to those you used to see at cinemas, flanked by yellow and black taped DO NOT CROSS signs. One of the lanes was teeming with the laughing crowd
