‘Seagull Boy’ Cooper set to visit DHR in April

Darjeeling: Cooper Wallace, the 10-year-old British sensation famously known as ‘Seagull Boy' for his award-winning European gull-screeching performances, will visit the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in April. A railway enthusiast, Cooper will be accompanied by his younger sister, Shelby, who plans to explore Darjeeling and learn Nepali dance on the visit.Cooper's fascination with the DHR runs in the family. His grandfather, David Charlesworth, is a longstanding member of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS), while his mother, Lauren, shares his passion and is revisiting the DHR after more than two decades.
From Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Cooper first made headlines in 2024 as the first UK participant in the European ‘Meeuwenschreeuwen', or gull-screeching championship in De Panne, Belgium. He won the title twice, competing against 21 participants, including Shelby, who finished fourth. Speaking to TOI from the UK, Charlesworth said Cooper's admiration for the railway was rooted in childhood experiences. "Cooper even recognises Darjeeling No 19 ‘Alfred', the only class ‘B' engine to leave India preserved at the Statfold Barn Railway Museum. He knows what the DHR looks like and is keen on seeing it in person. Shelby is excited to learn Nepali dance while we all enjoy the hills and the historic railway," said Charlesworth. The DHRS, based in England, was formed in 1997 with the mission to promote awareness and appreciation of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). Born in 1954, Charlesworth is an English fine arts artist, designer and author with a wide portfolio including graphic design and illustrations and cartoons. He is acclaimed for his paintings and drawings of transport and historical subjects, and is regularly commissioned for portraits and book illustrations. Raised by his maternal grandparents, he has been fascinated by India all his life as his grandfather was in India and Burma in 1943 and brought back books and photographs from Darjeeling. Charlesworth was a co-founder of the DHRS and has just completed 113 issues of their magazine, ‘The Darjeeling Mail'. The 10 volumes are now recognised as a highly prized source of historical reference. He is also the author and producer of ‘Up the Line to Darjeeling', where he has mapped and described the whole length of the line and the current DHR guide book. His children's story book ‘Baby Sivok', released by Foothills Publishing in Siliguri, aims at driving new interest in the DHR.The DHRS, based in England, was formed in 1997 with the mission to promote awareness and appreciation of the DHR. DHR director Rishab Choudhary confirmed the family's visit, saying it promises to be a memorable experience combining family tradition, cultural exploration, and a young champion's quirky talent. The family will reach Darjeeling on the evening of April 2. "Lauren is also a DHR enthusiast and visited in 1999, when she was 13. She has finally got time to make her second break during the Easter holidays," Charlesworth said. Charlesworth also shared a humorous update on the siblings' gull-screeching skills. "Cooper's voice is starting to change, and Shelby can now hit higher pitches. She might just beat Cooper next time." Cooper's fascination with seagulls began with a personal encounter when he was pecked by one. Reflecting on the moment, he told the media, "Spiderman got bitten by a spider, and I got bitten by a seagull — so now I am Seagull Boy."