Golra Sharif Railway Museum, also known as Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum, is a railway museum located near Sector F-13 of Islamabad, Pakistan. It is located at the Golra Sharif railway station, a junction station in the Rawalpindi Division of Pakistan Railways, located at 1,994 feet above sea level, in the southeast of the Margalla Hills and east of the cradle of Gandhara civilization, the ancient city of Taxila.[1][2]

Established in 2003 and renovated in 2018,[3] the railway museum consists of two galleries housing the relics and memorabilia associated with more than 150 years of rail heritage dating back to the days of the British Raj. The railway station, with its museum, is a major attraction for tourists and locals alike and is becoming a major attraction for railway enthusiasts.[1]

Golra Sharif Junction railway station

An original sign for 'Hot Tea' (Garam Chai) at the Golra Sharif Junction Railway Station in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali and English, five major languages used in British India.[4]

Golra Sharif Railway Station

A platform on the Golra Sharif Railway Station
Main article: Golra Sharif Junction railway station
The Golra Sharif Junction railway station lies on the main line of the Pakistan Railways which connects the rest of the country in the south and Peshawar in the north. More than 20 trains pass through this station every day.

It is situated southwest of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, at the altitude of 1,994 feet. Its magnificent building has Victorian architecture and is composed of yellow stone masonry. It consists of five hall-like rooms. The station that once linked Peshawar, Kohat, Havelian, and Multan now enjoys more importance due to its museum.[5]

The station was established in 1882 during British rule and upgraded as junction in 1912.[4] It was the logistics artery of British India during the Afghan military campaigns at the turn of the twentieth century. It has since become an important trade route which protrudes into Afghanistan through the famous Khyber Pass.[2]

The museum
Development
The museum was envisioned by Ishfaq Khattak, the DS of the Rawalpindi division. In late 2002, the headquarters issued instructions to all the divisions of the Pakistan railways to scrap all the old items including crockery, furniture, locomotives, and saloons for narrow gauge lines. Ishfaq Khattak saw this as an opportunity to accumulate all the relics and create a heritage site. By the end of 2003, this feat was achieved mostly due to the diligence of officers working on the project without any funding from the government. Pure unabated love for the railways had been the major driving force towards the completion of this venerated project. Though the museum was inaugurated officially on 5 March 2007, it had already opened its doors to the public on 26 September 2003.[2]

Collection
The Railway Heritage Museum was established in October 2003.[6] From relics dating back to the inception of railways in the subconti