Feels great to see बनारस की रानी in LHB avatar. This takes me back to 1986 when I saw a New Delhi-Varanasi superfast for the first time in the Bradshaw timetable - I was delighted. (My roommate had specially purchased a 1986 Bradshaw to bring it back to me in US) This train went via Kanpur, Lucknow, Faizabad and shared slots with the Neelachal Exp. between New Delhi and Lucknow, and had a non-stop NDLS-CNB run. Later, it was renamed as the Saryu Yamuna Exp. Imagine my chagrin when they decide to extend this train to Muzaffarpur. And this turned to horror when they rerouted this train via Shahganj-Mau totally bypassing 'my' Varanasi. Naturally, I was elated when the Shiv Ganga was introduced taking the shortest route between Delhi and Varanasi with just two halts at CNB and ALD...
more... (MUV was added later on). The LHBfication of the train is a definitely a boon for Banaras-dwellers and I am excited.