The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) — a Unesco-recognised world heritage site — has become the source of inspiration and income for a 30-year-old man from Darjeeling district.
Anurag Lakandry, a resident of Tindharia in Kurseong subdivision, has been making miniature models of toy trains for 10 years and selling them to clients ranging from hotels to train enthusiasts.
“I grew up with the toy train as my house is near the railway loco shed in Tindharia. Some of my family members have served in the DHR. I have developed a natural interest in the mountain railway,” said Anurag, who has made over 500 mini-models of the toy train.
Anurag uses metal sheets and scrap items. “I started making the models with cardboard and gradually switched to metal sheets. Also, I use nuts and bolts, fuse snips and wires to build the miniatures. I visit different shops to collect scraps and use those in making the models.”
The model trains are priced between ₹3,000 and ₹12,000.
Over the years, his work has earned him appreciation from various quarters. He even gets orders from the UK, Singapore and Russia.
Anurag said he got help from Michael Whitehouse, the chairman of UK-based Vintage Trains. “His help made me build perfect replicas of the toy train. He was the one who had sent me the motor tracks to make the models accurate,” he added.
In 2014, Anurag visited Thailand and Myanmar to attend workshops to improve
his skills.
