In the Midday Sun

The film records human and animal life on Indian railways in early 1978 and 1986. Much of it was filmed during the heat of the day.

The film starts at the small station of Daruta where a Class WG 2-8-2 (built at Chittaranian Locomotive Works) passes through light engine. An express train hauled by an Class XP 4-6-2 (built at Chittaranian Locomotive Works) loco rushes through from Agra to Delhi. The rest of the film then shows different aspects of Indian railways from dawn to dusk.

Early in the morning, filmed mainly in Agra but also in Baroda and Delhi, preparation work takes place on Class CWD 2-8-2 (supplied by the Canadian Locomotive Co, Kingston) and Class WG 2-8-2 at the steam locomotive shed, while laundry workers (Dhobi) begin their work at the riverside and track maintenance gangs stride off to their work carrying their simple equipment. The film shows these locomotives shunting and hauling heavy trains between Tundla and Agra (a single line requiring exchange of tokens between drivers and signalmen), interspersed with shots on the footplate of a Class H 4-6-0 (built in 1922 by North British, Glasgow) shunting in Baroda.

Then the film depicts life on the station at Rishikesh, an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. This is complemented by scenes on a footbridge at Agra Station. It is approaching midday and the pace of life slows down as people seek relief from the heat. However the trains keep moving - shown here, hauled by the above classes of broad gauge steam locomotive, at Agra, Baroda and Ahmedabad. At Ahmedebad we also see metre gauge Class YP 4-6-2 (built at Chittaranian and other workshops) and Class YL 2-6-2 (built by Henschel), where track maintenance work is being carried out on the line to Delhi and where trains are often overloaded. This leads to a chase through Sasangir forest in western Gujarat to glimpse another YL-hauled train.

In late afternoon a Janata Express makes its stop in Agra. The Class XP locomotive is lubricated before departing into the setting sun. Shunting and other daily duties performed by Classes H, WG and YL continue as usual.

In the Midday Sun	Date of Film: 2005	18 Minutes
Places and Dates of Identifiable Locomotives: No further information available

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