FROM SECUNDERABAD WITH LOVE AND CHICKENPOX:-
A sudden attack of chicken pox and I was forced to return to Calcutta.
A Tatkal booking and I found myself shivering in the B10 3AC compartment at 05:00 AM at Secunderabad Junction. At 05:30 sharp Lallaguda WAP4 22264 dragged out 12774 SC-SHM AC weekly out of a sleepy SC Jn.
Since I was very ill (I...
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was already full of rashes and had a high temperature by then) I couldn't click any pictures. The AC was bone-chilling and I lay their full-body face-first covered in blankets and mattresses, trying but in vain to keep myself warm. Somehow I had to last 28 hours, I thought! Took a Paracetamol and slept........
FOR FIVE HOURS! At 11:30 we reached BZA aka Vijayawada Jn, the heart of South Indian Railways. Since I could no longer bear the AC, and also because the train had a 20 mins halt, I stepped out! The Sorching Sun further fuelled the painful itch in my rashes, nevertheless the railfan in me kept on goading me, and I managed to creep to the front and took a snap of the blood-red LGD WAP4. The train changes direction at BZA, and a new loco was attached to the other end of the train. I was simply in too much pain to visit the front end of the train.Trust me Chicken Pox takes a lot out of you,however now I am proud that I managed to click all this pictures.
6 HOURS LATER AT VSKP aka Vishakhapatnam, the train would reverse once again. I strolled out to check which Loco was assigned to do the honours at BZA. To my genuine surprise it was a BZA WAM-4P numbered 21262. I bought some guavas and climbed back in the coach again. I took another Paracentamol and slept.
I woke up at 08:00 AM the next day. By then Kharagpur was crossed over, and the train speed towards it's terminal station Shalimar. I witnessed the crossing of the Damodar river and several high speed crossings in the triple lin HWH-KGP section. Unfortunately I couldn't photograph or videograph any of them.
At 10:00AM the train chugged into Shakimar station. My Uncle and my cousin was anxiously waiting for me. I got off the train and asked my cousin to take a few snaps of Shalimar stn.
The last fews snaps were taken by him.........
Nevertheless to clear things up,for the last leg of the train's journey i.e VSKP-SHM stretch, the locomotive duties rested with WAP4 22537 of SRC ELS.
It tool me an entire month to recover fully.Still, however a few dark marks still remain on my body, probably reminescent of those incredible 30 hours that I spent inside the 12774!
Now for the picture roll:-
Picture nos 1,2,3& 4 were taken at BZA JN. Picture no 1 shows the LGD WAP4 22264 drawing 12774 to a rest. 2 shows unloading of goods. 3 shows LGD WAP4 22251 dragging an unknown train into BZA.
Picture 5&6 were taken at VSKP. 5 shows the BZA WAM-4P 21262. 6 shows the beautiful VIZAG skyline.
7,8,9,10,11,12 were all taken at SHM by my cousin. These are undoubtely better than my snaps. 7 shows SRC WAP4 22537 taking a breather after pulling in the 12774 at SHM.