Before 1947, when India became independent, the then railway companies like Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) and Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway (BBCIR), took the lead in naming their engines. Some engines were named after the then Viceroys and Governors like Lord Irwin,, Lord Reading, Lord Elgin,  Lord Minto etc.

Some were named after birds, animals and insects like Gnat, Locust, Ant, Hornet, Bee, Cricket, Raven, Spider, Deer, Eagle, and Fox etc.

Some were named after Greek and Roman mythological characters like Ajax, Atlas, Hercules, Phoenix and Samson.

However, one engine that is special in this sense is "RAMGOTTY" as it was perhaps the first and only locomotive named after an Indian. Ramgotty Mukherji was the much admired Manager of Nalhati- Azlmganj section of the East India Railway (EIR), in the then Bengal now West Bengal.

Ramgotty, built by Anjubault of France in 1862 is the second oldest railway engine exhibited in the National Rail Museum at Delhi, the first being Fairy Queen.

It was used until 1895 on the 4-foot gauge Nalhatl Azimganj section of the East India Railway

It is perhaps the only locomotive in the world that has undergone a change of gauge. It was modified for 5-1/2-foot gauge (broad gauge) and used as a shunting locomotive In the Jamalpur Workshop of Eastern Railway (ER). . Ramgotty too was consequently regauged to BG, and became a shunting engine at the Jamalpur Workshop of the then EIR, until she was sold In 1951 to the Calcutta Municipal Corpn.

Tragically, the Ramgotty ended fts working life In disgrace, hauling garbage wagons to Entally in Kolkata for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The engine was consigned to the scrap heap in her centenary year, but happily, in 1974, was rescued, and returned to Jamalpur, before being retired to the NRM.

But now it has  been revived and all set to get a fresh lease of life. After the Fairy Queen was moved from the Indian Railway museum when she started hauling tourist trains, the pride of place has now been given to the Ramgotty.

‘’Fairy Queen" built in 1855 is the oldest working engine in the world and has found its pride of place in the Guinness Book of World Records.