WP-7000 'Shaktimaan' --- Following the successful trials with the prototypes, Indian Railways started full scale usage of WPs for the mainline passenger traffic and in 1949 a total of 300 locomtoives were odered from different loco builders which were numbered from 7216 to 7515. Of these a batch of 100 came from Baldwin Locomotive Works of USA, another 120 locos arrived from Montreal Locomotive Works of Canada and rest 80 arrived from the Canadian Locomotive Company. Between 1955 and 1959, another 180 locomotives were imported of which first 120 units are manufactured by the Canadian Locomotive Company and were allotted road numbers 7516-7635. Next 30 units arrived from Fablok (Fabryka Lokomotyw) of Chrzanów Poland which were numbered from 7000 to 7029. And the final batch of 30 locos were from Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf of Vienna, Austria numbered as 7030-59.

The above photo features the first of the 30 WP locomotive imported from Fablok (Fabryka Lokomotyw) of Chrzanów Poland built in the year 1958 as discussed earlier. These 2680 hp, 101.5 ton steamers with 'Pacific' 4-6-2 wheel arrangement were capable of doing up to 110 kmph and are equipped with Walschaerts valve gear. With two outside cylinders, 18.5 ton axle load & a tractive effort of 15.03 tons, these locos used to carry 25,000 litres of water & 15 ton of coal at a time. Of the 30 locos from Fablok, all were decommissioned & eventually scrapped except the WP # 7000. Following its retirement in 1991, it was initially preserved inside the Bhusaval shed from where it eventually managed to find a berth at National Rail Museum. And later it was restored to working condition at Amritsar Workshop & finally homed at Rewari Steam Loco Shed. Photographed by Somsubhra Das. D.O.P. - 16th August 2019.