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Built by the Swiss over a hundred years ago, the Nilgiri (Blue Mountain in Tamil) Railway now enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status. The rails are only a meter apart and between them runs a third rail of cogs which mesh with gears under these original locomotives to crank the train forward at a leisurely pace with great belches of smoke and steam - there are stretches where you could walk faster.

The steepest grades (1:12) are between Mettupalayam and Coonoor. During the full 46 km ride, where the train climbs 326 meters, the running time is 5 hours uphill and 3½ down. If photos of this train look familiar to you, it may be because you remember it from David Lean's film, A Passage to India.