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irse
Forum Admin
India
553 Posts |
 Posted - 10/14/2009 : 02:01:28
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source IRFCA
In 1932 there were four express/mail trains between Bombay and Delhi, one express and one mail on the 958 mile-long GIP route via Jhansi; and one mail and one express on the 861 mile-long BB&CI route via Rutlum, a junction being made between the two routes at Muttra, 90 miles short of Delhi.
The best-known of these was the Frontier Mail which was, in fact,
considered to be the most famous train in the Empire. It ran on the BB&CI route up to Delhi and then on the NWR up to Peshawar Cantonment.
The Punjab Mail ran on the GIP route up to Delhi beyond which some of its carriages were attached to the Frontier Mail to run up to Lahore/Peshawar Cantt.
Both the mails had through composite I and II class carriages to/from Kalka for Simla.
The GIP route had the Peshawar/Lucknow Express which was bifurcated at Jhansi, one portion proceeding to Lucknow; the other portion went up to Delhi, beyond which it continued on the NWR up to Peshawar Cantt.
The BB&CI route too had an express running between Delhi and Bombay and it reached Delhi just before the Peshawar Express arrived on the GIP route from Bombay and so it was possible to change at Delhi and proceed to Lahore or Peshawar.
I am reproducing from the October 1932 Bradshaw the timings of the part of Frontier Mails, listing ALL the stops of this legendary train:
# 3 Frontier Mail (I, II, Inter & III):
Bombay Central d 2140 54 Palghar a 2313, d 2323 121 Bulsar a 0050m d
0100 - 163 Surat a 0157, d 0207 244 Baroda a 0358, d 0413 289 Godhra
0518, d 0826 334 Dohad d 0651 - 404 Rutlam a 0850, d 0905 430 Nagda a
0940, d 0947 487 Shamgarh a 1106, d 1116 508 Bhawani Mandi d 1148 - 570
Kotah a 1331, d 1341 608 Lakheri d 1429 637 Sawai-Madhopur a 1515, d
1525 676 Gangapur City d 1618 - 724 Bayana a 1730, d 1734 750 Bharatpur
a 1809, d 1817 771 Muttra a 1844, d 1854 859 New Delhi 2122* 861
Delhi Jn a 2134, (NWR) d 2210 874 Ghaziabad a 2234, d 2239 903 Meerut
City Jn a 2321, d 2324 - 906 Meerut Cantt. a 2330, d 2338 938
Muzaffarnagar d 0026 - 974 Saharanpur a 0139, d 0151 984 (1022) Ambala
Cant. a 0305, d 0321 1002 (1040) Rajpura Jn a 0346, d 0349 1055 (1093)
Ludhiana a 0507, d 0515 1087 (1125) Jullundur Cantt. a 0600, d 0607 1090
(1128) Jullundur City a 0613, d 0617 1139 (1177) Amritsar a 0723, d 0730
1151 (1205) Moghalpura d 0814 - 1154 (1209) Lahore a 0840, d 0910 1159
(1214) Shahdara Jn a 0921, d 0924 *
. Gujranwala Town d 1020 1197
(1252) Gujranwala d 1026 1220 (1275) Wazirabad a 1054, 1102 1229 (1284)
Gujrat d 1121 1241 (1296) Lala Musa Jn a 1148, d 1156 1261 (1316) Jhelum
a 1234, d 1244 1305 (1360) Gujar Khan d 1438 1313 (1368) Mandra Jn a
1500, d 1503 1335 (1390) Chak Lala d 1548 - 1338 (1393) Rawalpindi a
1555, d 1620 (1402) Golra a 1644, d 1646 (1413) Taxila Jn a 1704, d
1708 (1422) Hasan Abdal d1731 (1434) Lawrencepur d 1756 1401 (1444)
Campbellpore Jn a 1814, d 1824 (1455) Attock d 1847 (1457) Khairabad
Khund d 1858 (1462) Jahangira Road d 1908 (1466) Akora Khattak d 1917 -
1432 (1474) Nowshera Jn a 1932, d 1941 (1487) Pabbi d 2008 (1498)
Peshawar City a 2027, d 2030 1446 (1501) Peshawar Cantt. a 2045
* Stations not stopped at going in the opposite direction
Beyond Saharanpur, the distances shown outside the brackets are those given
in the abstract timetable of the Bradshaw and are by the shortest route from
Bombay Central on the basis of which the fare is levied; those shown within
the brackets are the actual distances travelled by the Mail from Bombay
Central calculated from the detailed timetable. The discrepancy arises from
Ambala Cantt. Jn onwards because it is only 123 miles from Delhi by the
newer and shorter route via Panipat, Karnal and Kurukshetra. It is
interesting to note that the fare was levied on the distance by the shorter
route which the Mail did not actually take!
While this famous train covered the distance of 861 miles (1385 km) from
Bombay to Delhi in 23 h. 54 m. at an average of 58.0 kph (steam-hauled! ),
it took 10 h. 30 m. for the 348 miles, i.e., 560 km (actual) thence to
Lahore, at an average of 53.3 kph. On the 292 mile (470 km) leg from Lahore
to Peshawar Cantt., it became quite pedestrian like other mail trains,
taking 11h. 35 m. at an average of 40.6 kph.
In the reverse direction the Oct., 1932 timings were:
# 4 Frontier Mail (I, II, Inter & III):
Peshawar Cantt. d 0820 Peshawar City d 0836 Pabbi 0902 Nowshera Jn
a 0925, d 0937 Akora Khattak d 0957 Jahangira Road d 1007 - Khairabad
Khund d 1019 Attock 1029 Campbellpur Jn a 1054, d 1104 Lawrwencepur
d 1127 Burhan d 1139* - Hasan Abdal d 1155 - Wah d 1204* - Taxila Jn a
1220, d 1225 Golra Jn a 1252, d 1254 Rawalpindi a 1316, d 1341 Chak
Lala d 1350 Mandra Jn a 1432, d 1435 Gujar Khan d 1511 Jhelum a 1631,
d 1641 Lala Musa Jn a 1728, d 1736 Gujrat d 1757 Wazirabad Jn a
1813, d 1825 Gujranwala d 1856 Gujranwala Town d 1902 Lahore Jn a
2015, d 2100 Moghalpura 2118 Amritsar a 2159, d 2207 Jullundur City a
2314, d 2318 Jullundur Cantt. Jn a 2324, d 2331 Ludhiana Jn a 0028, d
0036 Rajpura Jn a 0150, d 0153 Ambala Cantt. Jn a 0226, d 0246
Saharanpur a 0403, d 0418 Muzaffarnagar d 0515 Meerut Cantt. a 0600, d
0608 Meerut City Jn a 0614, d 0617 Ghaziabad a 0723, d 0728 Delhi Jn a
0755, d 0910 - Muttra Jn a 1143, d 1150 Bharatpur Jn a 1221, d 1224
Bayana Jn a 1252, d 1310 Gangapur City d 1416 Sawai Madhopur Jn a 1521,
d 1529 Kotah Jn a 1652, d 1703 Shamgarh a 1903. d 1913 Nagda a 2030,
d 2037 Rutlum Jn a 2 115, d 2133 Dohad d 2314 - Godhra a 0032, d 0039
Baroda a 0043, d 0053 - Surat a 0411, d 0421 Bulsar a 0522, d 0532
Palghar a 0704, d 0716 Dadar a 0836, d 0843* Bombay Central a 0855/
Ballard Pier a 0905**
* Stations not stopped at going in the opposite direction.
** A portion of # 4 Frontier Mail ran direct to Ballard Pier [from Dadar] on
Saturdays; this train carried Homeward mail. Bombay Port Trust Surcharges
of Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Re. 1 were levied on I, II and III class tickets,
respectively. The Mail had Inter class accommodation as well.
As mentioned above, between Delhi and Peshawar, the Frontier Mail also
carried through composite I and II class carriages which were attached
to/detached from the Punjab Mail running to/from Bombay V.T. on the longer
G.I.P. route. Abstract timings of these trains:
# 5 Punjab Mail (I, II & III):
Bombay V. T. d 1530 276 Bhusaval Jn a 2258, d 2308 464 Itarsi a 0401, d
0411 521 Bhopal a 0627, d 0633 702 Jhansi a 1225, d 1240 835 Agra Cantt.
a 1653, d 1701- 565 Muttra a 1807, d 1813 956 New Delhi d 2057 861 (958)
Delhi Jn a 2112.
# 6 Punjab Mail (I, II & III):
Delhi Jn. d 0830 New Delhi d 0842 Muttra a 1233, d 1243 Agra Cantt. a
1233, d 1243 Jhansi a 1710, d 1725 Bhopal a 2228, d 2234 Itarsi a
0140, d 0150 Bhusawal a 0631, d 0641 Bombay V.T. a 1450.
The Punjab Mails too carried through composite I and II class carriage
between Bombay and Kalka.
The Bombay Kalka through carriages in the two mails ran between Delhi and
Ambala Cantt. via Panipat and Karnal:
Delhi d 2210 Ambala Cantt. Jn a 0215, d 0250 Kalka a 0525 / (NG) d 0705
Simla a 1300
Simla (NG) d 1630 Kalka a 2208 / d 2315 Ambala Cantt. a 0110, d 0135
Delhi Jn a 0620
Abstract timings of # 197 Bombay Peshawar/Lucknow Express (I, II, Inter &
III) (re-numbered as # 57 Bombay Express GIP beyond Delhi):
:
Bombay V. T. d 2115 Bhusaval a 0522, d 9532 - Itarsi a 1112, d 1137
Bhopal a 1414, d 1429 Jhansi a 2046, d 2120 Agra Cantt. a 0207, d 0215
Delhi Main a
0645, d 0735 Saharanpur a 1154, d 1209 Ambala Cantt. a 1345, d 1410
Lahore a 2047, d 2135 Rawalpindi a 0516, d 0546 Peshawar Cantt. a 1045
In the reverse direction:
Peshawar Cantt. (as # 58 Bombay Exp.) d 1800 Rawalpindi a 2310, d 2340
Lahore a 0710, d 0740 Ambala Cant. a 1408, d 1423 Saharanpur a 1552, d
1607 Delhi a 2010, d (as # 198 Peshawar/Lucknow Express) 2130 - Agra
Cantt. a 0159, d 0212 Jhansi a 0645, d 0700 Bhopal a 1310, d 1330
Itarsi a 1625, d 1635 Bhusaval a 2238, d 2248 Bombay V.T. a 0720
The abstract timings of the BB&CI expresses were:
# 19 Delhi Express, I, II & III:
Bombay Central d 2200 Baroda a 0630, d 0643 Rutlam a 1345, d 1415
Kotah a 2025, d 2100 - Delhi Main a 0605.
and in the opposite direction,
# 20 Delhi Express, I, II & III:
Delhi Main d 2200 Kotah a 0708, d 0715 Rutlam a 1411, d 1440 - Baroda a
2032, d 2100 Bombay Central a 0555
On all these trains, irrespective of whether one ran by the longer GIP route
or the BB&CI route which was shorter by 97 miles, beyond Muttra, where the
two railways met, fares were levied by the mileage on the shorter route:
Fares from Bombay (in rupees and annas):
To Agra (835 miles on GIP): I 77-0; II 38-8; Inter 30-5; III 12-12
To Muttra (868 miles on GIP; 771 miles on BB&CI): I 77-6; II 38-11; Inter
(F.M) 20-15 ½; III 12-13
To Delhi Jn (958 miles on GIP; 861 on BB&CI): I 88-4; II 44-2; Inter
24-6; III 14-9
To Lahore: I 120-7; II 60-3; Inter 31-6; III 19-4
To Peshawar: I 147-13; II 73-14; Inter 36-12; III 22-6
According to the Bradshaw, in 1932, the Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway had # 36 Mixed Fast Passenger, with three classes, originating at Muttra Jn where its jurisdiction commenced.
Starting at Delhi, one would have to board GIPs # 34 in order to connect it at Muttra; then the all-passenger journey from Delhi Main to Bombay could be completed as follows (distances in miles):
. Delhi Main d 1940 (GIP # 34 Delhi Byculla Passenger & Parcel Train, III
Class) -
90 Muttra Jn a 0243 /
. Muttra Jn d Muttra Jn d 0700 (BB&CI # 36 Mixed Fast Pass.m I, II & III)
21 Bharatpur Jn a 0815, d 0840 47 Bayana Jn a 0955, d 1010 - 134
Sawai-Madhopur Jn a 1615, d 1625 201 Kotah Jn a 1950, d 2110 284
Shamgarh a 0223, d 0233 341 Nagda Jn a 0541, d 0551 367 Rutlam Jn a
0735, d 0810 438 Dohad d 1307 483 Godhra Jn a 1640, d 1710 528 Baroda
Jn a 2000/
The train misses BB&CIs # 8 Ahmedabad Bombay Central Pass. by just 68
mins:
(
. Baroda Jn d 1652 244 Bombay Central a 0520).
One would have to wait at Baroda till the morning to take the next
passenger.
. Baroda Jn d 0740 (BB&CI # 6 Pass., II & III) 43 Broach a 1001, d 1011
80 Surat a 1205, d 1225 123 Bulsar a 1433, d 1515 243 Bombay Central a
2045.
GIPs through Parcel # 34 from Delhi Main would have reached Byculla at 0404
after a 954 mile journey. The longer time by the shorter (861 mile) route
was incurred due the long breaks at Muttra and Baroda. BB&CIs # 36 took 37
hours to cover the 528 mile (898 km) distance from Muttra to Baroda, giving an average of 24.3 kph, which was 3 kph slower than the GIPs average.
In the reverse direction, BB&CIs # 35 Mixed had two overnight stops at Rutlam and Kotah junctions imposed on it, making the all-passenger journey take even longer:
. Bombay Central d 2115 (# 7 Bombay Ahmedabad Pass., I, II & III) 163
Surat a 0605, d 0625 200 Broach a 0821, d 0829 244 Baroda Jn. a 1050 /
There was not much slack time before Baroda and the connection was to be made in 15 minutes;
. Baroda Jn d 1105 (# 35 Mixed, I, II & III) 45 Godhra Jn a 1317, d 1327
160 Rutlam Jn a 2007, d 0930 186 Nagda Jn a 1049, d 1059 243 Shamgarh
a 1400, d 1410 326 Kotah Jn a 1905, d 0625 397 Sawai-Madhopur Jn a 0959,
d 1019 480 Bayana Jn a 1602, d 1630 527 Muttra Jn a 2012/
. Muttra Jn d 0445 (GIPs # 33 Byculla Delhi Pass. Parcel Train, III) 90
Delhi Main a 1120.
Rajendra Saxena
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irse
Forum Admin
India
553 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2009 : 01:04:52
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In 1932 BB&CIs metre gauge line from Delhi Jn to Ahmedabad via Jaipur was
580 miles (933 km) long, and, changing over at Ahmedabad to the railways
broad gauge, Bombay was only a further 306 miles (492 km) away. The total
distance of 886 miles (1426 km) made this route an alternative to BB&CIs
own 861 mile (1385 km)-long broad gauge line via Rutlum (on which the
Frontier Mail and # 35/36 Mixed Fast Pass. ran, the latter between Muttra
and Baroda), and GIPs 954 mile (1,535 km) BG line via Itarsi (on which the
Punjab Mail and # 33/34 Parcel Fast Pass. ran through).
In fact, a chord between Rewari and Phulera junctions, via Reengus, was
already in place avoiding Jaipur and reducing the overall distance by 40
miles (65 km), making it the shortest (846 miles or 1361 km) of the three
routes between Delhi and Bombay, but hampered by the gauge change at
Ahmedabad.
But in 1932, there was only one passenger train each way, # 19/20, between
Rewari and Phulera on the 133-mile long Reengus chord and they ran at hours
which did not connect well with other passenger trains at either end. There
was also one pair of passengers between Rewari and Narnal (52 miles) and
other pair between Rewari and Reengus (92 miles), leaving the Rewari
Phulera section to be serviced by just # 19/20. No express or mail ran on
the chord, and it is obvious that it was constructed mainly for goods
traffic to avoidJaipur and save considerably on distance and running time
between Delhi and Ahmedabad.
According to the Indian Bradshaw of October, 1932, BB&CI Rly. had no
passenger train running through on its m.g. line from Delhi to Ahmedabad,
but # 5/6 Agra Fort Ahmedabad Passengers, running over a distance of 596
miles (959 km), covered most of the stretch. Leaving Delhi Jn., it could be
boarded at Bandikui Jn to complete an all-passenger journey to Bombay as
follows (Distances, actual, in miles from Delhi):
. Delhi Jn. d 1045 (#21 Delhi Fazilka Pass., I, II & III; MG) 52 Rewari
Jn a 1347 /
52 Rewari Jn d 1450 (# 17 Mixed I, II & III) 135 Bandikui Jn a 2135 /
135 Bandikui Jn d 2355 (# 5 Agra Fort Ahmedabad Pass., I, II & III) 191
Jaipur Jn a 03xx*, d 03xx* - 225 Phulera Jn a 05xx*, d 06xx* - 275 Ajmer Jn
a 09xx*, d 09xx* - 361 Marwar Ry Jn a 1418, d 1433 465 Abu Road a 2018, d
2033 537 Mehsana Jn a 0110, d 0145 580 Ahmedabad Jn a 0430 /
(* The minutes printed are unreadable in my copy).
A long wait played spoil-sport:
580 Ahmedabad Jn d 1303 (# 8 Ahmedabad Bomby Pass., II & III; BG) 643
Baroda Jn a 1637, d 1652 723 Surat a 2113, d 2133 765 Bulsar a 2335, d
2345 886 Bombay Central a 0520.
The all-passenger journey would have consumed 66 h 35 m, done at an average
of a mere13.3 mph (21.4 kph).
In the reverse direction (distance in miles from Bombay):
Bombay Central d 2215 (# 7 Pass., BG) 121Bulsar a 0340, d 0350 163
Surat a 0605, d 0625 244 Baroda a 1050, d 1120 306 Ahmedabad a 1455 /
Again a long wait for the m. g. train:
306 Ahmedabad d 2130 (# 6 Ahmedabad Agra Cantt. Pass., MG) 349 Mehsana a
0009m d 0035 421 Abu Road a 0500, d 0515 524 Marwar a 1101, d 1114 611
Ajmer a 1650, d 1730 695 Jaipur a 2242, d 2317 751 Bandikui a 0248 /
751 Bandikui d 0655 (# 18 Mixed) 834 Rewari a 1315 /
834 Rewari d 1525 (# 120 Local Fast Pass.) 886 Delhi Jn a 1755.
Completed in 67 h. 40 m. at an average speed of 13.1 mph (21.1 kph). Not
really an attractive proposition.
____________ ________
In 1932, on the BB&CI Railway m. g. line ran # 1/2 mail trains between Delhi
and Ahmedabad, via Jaipur, making good connections with the Kathiwar Mails
between Ahmedabad and Bombay on the railways b. g.
. Delhi Jn d 2040 (# 1 Delhi & Sind Mail, I, II & III; MG) 191 Jaipur a
0420, d 0433 275 Ajmer a 0759, d 0819 362 Marwar Ry. Jn a 1147, d 1202
580 Ahmedabad a 2113 /
580 Ahmedabad d 2155 (# 10 Kathiwar Mail, I, II & III; BG) 643 Baroda a
0004, d 0014 886 Bombay Central a 0750.
Time taken was 35 h 10 m at an average of 25.2 mph (40.5 kph), a typical
mail speed those days, but much more than the 24 h. taken by the railways
Frontier Mail via Rutlum.
In the reverse direction:
. Bombay Central d 2045 (# 5 Kathiwar Mail, BG) 244 Baroda 0338, d 0348
306 Ahmedabad a 0630 /
306 Ahmedabad d 0745 (# 2, Delhi & Sind Mail; MG) 524 Marwar Jn a 1721, d
1736 -
695 Jaipur a 0109, d 0921 886 Delhi a 0855.
Time taken was 36 h 10 m at an average of 24.5 mph (39.4 kph)
No, I have not erred in typing. In the down direction, BB&CIs BG Kathiwar
Mail from Bombay Central to Viramgam was numbered 5, and its pairing train
numbered 10! To compensate, the Bradshaw shows a passenger train between
Bombay Central and Baroda numbered 9, and its pair numbered 6!
The m.g. mails are of interest: they were named 2/1 Delhi & Sind Mails because
sections of them, split off/merged at Marwar Jn., were carried by # 2/1
Mixed (!) on the Jodhpur Railway up to/from Luni Jn, stopping at every
station, then were reincarnated as # 3/4 of the Jodhpur Railway on the
stretch between Luni and Hyderabad (Sind) via Barmer. Then by the B. G.
Khyber Mails on the NW Railway one could proceed to/come from Karachi or
Quetta:
. Ahmedabad d 0745 (# 2 Delhi & Sind Mail, I, II & III; MG) 218 Marwar Jn
a 1721, d 1758 (attached to #2 Marwar Kuchman Road Mixed! JR) 262 Luni
Jn a 2006, d 2037 (as # 3 Mail, JR) - 372 Barmer a 0138, d 0153 421 Gadra
Road a 0405, d 0420 445 Munabao
. 452 Khokhropar d 0543 529 Mirpur
Khas a 0905, d 0923 571 Hyderabad (Sind) a 1117
. Hyderabad (Sind) d 1228 (# 10 Quetta Mail, NWR; BG) 108 Karachi a 1630.
. Hyderabad (Sind) d 1341 (# 9 Quetta Mail, NWR; BG) 186 Rohri a 1905, d
1928 338 Sibi Jn a 0134, d 0159 - 426 Quetta a 0835.
The distance between Bombay and Karachi via Ahmedabad and Hyderabad (Sind)
worked out to 985 miles (1585 km) and could be covered in 43 h. 45 m. at an
average speed of 22.5 mph (36.2 kph). My fathers uncle who had worked in
the railways around there told me fifty years ago that quite a few people
travelled between Bombay and Hyderabad (Sind)/Karachi all round the year,
despite having to change gauge twice; in fact, before partition, there was
used to be close interaction between Bombay (read Gujarat) and Sind.
In the reverse direction, the train timings were:
Quetta d 1855 (# 10 Quetta Mail, NWR; BG) Sibi Jn a 2356, d 0021 - Rohri
a 0635, d 0650 Hyderabad (Sind) a 1213.
Karachi d 0930 (# 9 Quetta Mail, NWR; BG) Hyderabad (Sind) a 1326.
Hyderabad (Sind) d 1515 (# 4 Mail, JR; MG) Mirpur Khas a 1653, d 1708
Khokhopar d 2036 Munabao
. Gadra Road a 2211, d 2226 Barmer a 0037, d
0052 Luni Jn a 0635, d 0824 (attached to# 1 Kuchman Road Marwar Mixed)
Marwar Jn a 1042, d 1202 (attached to # 1 Delhi Ahmedabad Mail, BB &CI) -
Ahmedabad a 21 13.
On the BB&CI m. g. line ran a pair of expresses running between Delhi and
Ahmedabad, but they did not connect well with any mail/express to/from
Bombay:
Delhi Jn d 0820 (# 3 Express; I, II & III) Jaipur a 1750, d 1805 Ajmer
a 2209, d 2229 - Marwar Ry Jn a 0232, d 0241 Ahmedabad a 1238.
Ahmedabad d 1525 (# 4 Express) Marwar Ry. Jn. a 1721, d 1736 Ajmer a
0634, d 0654 Jaipur a 1108, d 1123 Ahmedabad a 2008.
One attractive feature of travel between Delhi and Ahmedabad on the m. g.
line those days was that though the trains went via Jaipur, beyond Jaipur
fares were collected on the basis of mileage on the chord line which was
less by 40 miles rather than on the actual (Fares in Rs. As.):
Delhi Jaipur (actual 191; charged 180): I 21-0; II 10-13; III Exp.
3-14; III ordy 3-3
Delhi Ajmer (actual 275; charged 235): I 26-13; II 13-7; III Exp. 5-0;
III ordy. 4-1
Delhi Marwar (actual 361; charged 321): I 34-13; II 17-3; III Exp. 6-9;
III ordy. 5-6
Delhi Ahmedabad (act. 580; chgd. 540): I 55-4; II 27-10; III Exp. 10-0;
III ordy. 8-8.
What amuses me is that Marwar Junction then bore the name Marwar Railway
Junction.
____________ ___
By 1975, the chord via Reengus had been put to greater use. There was a
direct Fast Passenger from Delhi up to Mahesana; connections became quicker
and one could reach Bombay in 57 h 15 m traveling passenger all the way
(distances in km from Delhi Jn):
. Delhi Jn d 0650 (NR 219/WR 19 Fast Pass; I & II; MG) 83 Rewari Jn a
1005, d 1030 232 Reengus a 1514, d 1527 298 Phulera a 1735, d 1813 379
Ajmer a 2203, d 2233 519 Marwar a 0310, d 0350 684 Abu Road a 1007, d
1040 801 Mahesana Jn. a 1705 /
801 Mahesana Jn a 1755 (# 117 Patan Ahmedabad Fast Pass., I & II) 869
Ahmedabad Jn. a 2100/
869 Ahmedabad Jn d 2315 (# 40 Bombay Pass; I & II; BG) - 969 Vadodara Jn a
0303, d 0320 1098 Surat a 0642, d 0656 1166 Valsad a 0915, d 0935 1361
Bombay Central a 1605.
In the reverse direction:
Bombay Central d 1105 (# 39 Pass. BG) Valsad a 1710, d 1748 - Surat a
2001, d 2015 Baroda a 2232, d 2252 Ahmedabad a 0430 /
Ahmedabad d 0625 (# 10 Patan F. Pass., I & II; MG) Mahesana a 0913 /
Mahesana d 0945 (WR # 20/NR # 220 F. Pass.) - Abu Road a 1436, d
1509 - Marwar
a 2212, d 2247 Ajmer a 0445, d 0525 Phulera a 0842, d 1000 Reengus a
1207, d 1226 Rewari a 1715, d 1735 Delhi Jn a 2050
I have travelled around that time by the Delhi - Mahesana Passenger from
Delhi to Ajmer; the train was fully occupied most of the way and the chord
had come of age. Then I continued S on the m. g. to Secunderabad, travelling
daytime only, on passengers throughout.
Rajendra Saxena |
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irse
Forum Admin
India
553 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2009 : 07:52:44
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source - R. Sivaramakrishnan irfca
Calcutta was linked with Bombay in 1870 with the Great Indian Peninsula
Railway from Bombay meeting with the East Indian Railway line from Calcutta
to Delhi at Allahabad. While regular mail trains ran between the two cities,
special weekly trains were introduced in 1889 to provide quick, luxurious
transport for those arriving at/departing from Bombay by the weekly P & O
mail steamer from/to England. The metamorphoses that these trains underwent
are outlined in
http://trains-worldexpresses.com/400/410.htm
In 1926, these gave way to "Imperial Indian Mail", one train being operated
by the GIPR and another by EIR. The trains had five carriages (each with a
bath) including one with a restaurant, besides 1 or 2 mail vans. There was
only first class accommodation in each train, that too for just 32
passengers; their servants were accommodated in the fifth carriage (class
not specified). The trains were hauled by Pacifics, switching over to
electric traction between Bombay and Igatpuri from 1930 onwards. The above
site provides details of the car formation besides two photographs of the
train.There is some notion that the Imperial Mail was the forerunner of the
Bombay - Calcutta Mail via Allahabad or even the Punjab Mail. The Imperial
Mail was a special weekly train introduced much after the above daily mails
had been in vogue.
The train played a role in E. M. Forsters A Passage to India, filmed by
David Lean in 1984, but much of the shooting was done in locales away from
the actual route of the train. See Railway Scenes in A Passage to India at
http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/railway.html
There was a 1939 film Imperial Mail, starring Shahjahan, Gulzar and Gulab,
directed by S. Mirza, but I have no further information on it.
In the Indian Bradshaw of October,
1932, the timings of the Imperial Indian Mail are not listed in detail in
the regular pages inside, but only in the Abstract Timetable in the
beginning, that too only in the Howrah Bombay direction. More strangely,
the Imperial Indian Mail was assigned no number, as all trains, including
the more famous Frontier Mail, were! The Imperials must have been very
special pair of trains, then. It ran from Howrah on Thursdays to the
following timings. (The distances of the stations are given in miles from
Howrah, followed by the first class fare, as applicable on the daily mails,
in Rs. As. P. in brackets):
. Howrah d 2136 (from Pfm. No. 6) 67 (8-6-6)
Burdwan a 2254, d 2302 132 (15-13-6) Asansol Jn a 0026, d 0034 169
(19-11-6) Dhanbad a 0130, d 0133 187 (21-9-6) Gomoh Jn a 0157, d 0204
215 (24-8-6) Hazaribagh Road a 0244, d 0250 292 (32-14-6) Gaya a 0434 d
0442 342 (36-3-6) Sone East Bank a 0549, d 0555 418 (41-5-6) Moghal
Sarai Jn a 0742, d 0752 458 (44-1-6) Mirzapur a 0842, d 0848 -
. Chheoki
(junction for Allahabad) a 0955, d 1005 512 (48-1-6) Allahabad*
- 567
(54-12-6) Manikpur Jn a 1140, d 1150 615 (60-12-6) Satna a 1305, d 1315
676 (67-14-6) Katni Jn a 1445, d 1455 733 (73-3-6) Jubbulpore a 1640, d
1650 886 (87-9-6) Itarsi a 2115, d 2125 996 (97-14-6) Khandwa a 0005, d
0013 1073 (105-1-6) Bhusawal a 0205, d 0213 1187 (115-12-6) Manmad Jn a
0558, d 0608 1233 (120-1-6) Nasik Road a 0716, d 0726 1264 (123-0-6)
Igatpuri a 0816, d 0821 1316 (127-14-6) Kalyan Jn a 0951, d 0956 1349
(130-15-6) Bombay V. T. *
.
. (156-15-6) Ballard Pier a 1115 The
Imperial Indian Mail (as well as the Bombay Calcutta Mail at that time)
bypassed Allahabad, avoiding reversal by taking the Chheoki chord (link).
The Imperial did not touch Bombay V. T. either but terminated at/originated
from Ballard Pier. I have included Allahabad and Bombay V. T. stations for
the purpose of indicating the approximate distances to Chheoki and Ballard
Pier. Though Chheoki was shown in the detailed EIR timetable between Naini
Jn and Karchana station with the note, not open for passenger traffic, the
two pairs of mail trains stopped at Chheoki to serve passengers bound
for/coming from Allahabad.
. Allahabad d 0925 Chheoki a 0942 The
abstract timings of the Imperial Indian Mail from Ballard Pier to Howrah are
not given in the 1932 Bradshaw. Instead, there are only the notes: About
seven hours after the P. & O. Mail Steamer is signaled, the Imperial Indian
Mail Train starts from Mole alongside the Streamer. The journey from Bombay
to Howrah via Chheoki takes approximately 39 hours and 40 minutes. The
sentence, The passengers paid eight times the standard fare and cooperation
with the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company made the train
profitable for the railways, in the first of the links cited above was
intriguing. The Bradshaw of Oct., 1932 does not indicate any such exorbitant
fares for the IIM. Instead there are the following notes: A surcharge of
Rs. 25-8-0 plus annas eight reservation fee is levied in addition to the
First Class fare to Bombay by the Imperial Indian Mail. Children of 3
years and over are charged full plus the special surcharge and annas eight
reservation fee. Bombay Port Trust Surcharge of Rs. 3 First Class, Rs. 2
Second Class and Re. 1 Third Class per passenger from and to Ballard Pier
station are charged. How could the notion eight times the standard fare
have risen then? I note that the *third* class fare from Howrah to Bombay V.
T. by the daily Howrah Bombay Mail was then Rs. 19-6-6, and the first
class fare to Ballard Pier by the IIM was Rs. 158-15-6 (including the
special surcharge and reservation fee) is almost exactly eight times the
former. So, the first class fares by the IIM and the daily mail differed
only by Rs. 26. With just 32 first class passengers and perhaps their 32
servants charged third class, the total collection for the full train would
have been about Rs. 5,650/-, excluding fare levied on luggage, assuming that
all were travelling between Bombay and Calcutta. This works out to Rs.
600,000 per year for the weekly trains in both directions, a figure in
agreement with the reported net earnings of 2 2.5 lakhs for the year ended
31st July 1928 (q. v.). The IIM covered about 1,350 (2,172 km) miles from
Howrah to Ballard Pier in 37 h 39 m, at an average speed of 57.7 kph, which
was admirable for 1932. In the reverse direction it took two hours longer
doing 54.8 kph. But the daily mails were equally fast:
. Howrah d 1941 (#3
Bombay Mail; I, II, Inter & III; EIR) Chheoki a 0849, d 0859 (as #8 on
GIPR) 1349 Bombay V. T. a 0915 in 37 h 34 m, at an average of 57.8 kph, a
shade faster than the IIM. On the reverse, the daily mail ran
. Bombay V.
T. d 2100 (#7 Calcutta Mail, GIPR) Chheoki a 2114, d 2124 (as #4 on EIR)
1349 Howrah a 1050 in 37 h. 50 m., at an average of 57.4 kph, all a shade
slower than the Frontier Mail which did an average of 58.0 kph between
Bombay and Delhi in those steam days.The Imperial Indian Mail has been
discussed quite frequrntly in IRFCA.
A posting by Jishnu Mukerji dt. 17 May 1994 in IRFCA Message archive,
http://www.irfca.org/members/archive/messages.php?index=57 Before the
advent of the likes of AC Express, the Mail train used to be
the fastest and highest priority train on the route, mainly because they
carried mail
.. the best of them was the Imperial Mail which ran from Howrah
to Bombay to connect directly with boats sailing for England and vice versa.
To keep this train moving fast, at each watering stop the engine was
replaced by a new watered and coaled engine, rather than wait around for the
tender to be filled from a watering spout. My Grandfather used to work as a
Permanent Way Inspector on the Bengal Nagpur Railway (now SER), and I have
heard my Father describe how my Grandfather used described this operation to
him. This was an incredibly high priority operation. Nothing like it exists
today in the more egalitarian society.
Another posting dated 13 Oct., 1999 by Vijay Balasubramanian, in IRFCA
message archive, gives information from the 1934 Bradshaw:
http://www.irfca.org/members/archive/messages.php?index=451 The abstract
section also indicates an Imperial Mail that would run from Howrah and
Bombay (Ballard Pier, not VT) on Thursdays conveying first class passengers
and their servants only. In the Up dirn., it would leave Howrah about 1 1/2
hrs. after the Mail. A footnote mentions that about five hours after the P.
& O. Mail Steamer (any more info. on this?) has been brought alongside the
Pier, Indian Imperial Mail train starts from Mole alongside the Steamer.
Accommodation is provided for 42 First Class Passengers only. Apparently
the first class accommodation has been increased to 42 by 1934. Images of
the Imperial Mail in IRFCA photo gallery (scans provided by John Lacey):
http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/history-scans/imperial_indian_mail_1929.jpg.html
http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/history-scans/imperial_indian_mail_2_1929_rg.jpg.html
A
view inside the dining car of the IIM
http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Carriages/CarriageInteriors/impind_mail_diner_1929.jpg.html
Harsh Vardhan has uploaded in IRFCA gallery the photograph of a train,
which he believes to be the Imperial Mail, ca. 1910-15, pulling into Nagpur
Jn.
http://www.irfca.org/gallery/Steam/broadgaugesteam/preindependencebg/IMail002.jpg.html
This
is what I believe The Imperial Mail pulling into Nagpur Junction. This is an
undated photograph reproduced from a glass plate negative. However the
shining 4-4-2 E1 class locomotive at the helm suggests that the picture
could be from 1910-5. Did any of the predecessors of Imperial Indian Mail
take the Nagpur route?
Bombay Railway History Groups page on GIPRs heritage,
http://www.brhg.4t.com/photo.html
has the photograph of a WP locomotive emerging out of Ballard Pier station,
hauling the Imperial Mail between Bombay and Karachi, but did any
imperial train ever run between those two stations?
Certain aspects require further examination. Was the IIM intended to cater
mainly for through traffic between Ballard Pier in Bombay to Calcutta and
its environs? Obviously not, because: 1. Not all the passengers arriving by
the P. & O. mail steamer would be proceeding to Calcutta. There were many
stations of commercial and military importance in between and also other
important places served by them; besides men in uniform and civil servants,
people engaged in private, commercial activities would have found the train
convenient; 2. If IIM was meant for through passengers, it would not
have needed so many halts, some of them separated by short distances (e. g.,
Asansol and Dhanbad, 37 miles; Dhanbad and Gomoh, 18 miles; Manmad and Nasik
Road, 45 miles), even for technical reasons such as change of the
locomotive. The IIM apparently covered longer distances without stopping,
e.g., 153 miles between Jubbulpore and Itarsi, 110 between Itarsi and
Khandwa; 114 between Bhusawal and Manmad. If it is argued that there were
technical halts in between (for change of loco) that were not shown in the
abstract time table, then the stations shown must have been non-technical,
catering to passenger traffic. Many of the stops were of 6-8 min duration
that was really fast engine change, as Jishnu has noted in the message cited
above. 3. Even though the route via Nagpur, 126 miles shorter, was already
open, the IIM ran via Chheoke, apparently to continue to serve the areas it
was intended to for passengers arriving from/departing by the weekly P. & O.
mail steamer. The Nagpur route traversed less populated areas of much less
commercial and military significance.In a recent posting on Extracts from
the Debates in the Indian Legislature on Railway Matters, B. M. S. Bisht
(IRFCA Message No.203744 dt 15th Dec., 2008)
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/irfca/message/203744 has reproduced
the part of the debate (6 Sept., 1928) pertaining the proposed duplication
of the IIM service between Bombay and Calcutta due to heavy booking in
London but it does not appear to have materialized.Ajai Banerji (IRFCA
message No. 156284 dt 2nd June 2007) noted that the 1944 Bradshaw had listed
the train as presently suspended.
- R. Sivaramakrishnan.
Rajendra Saxena |
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some historical fact from 1932 Bradshaw time table
