An introduction to India
5th January 2009 to 18th January 2009

These pictures were taken during a multi centre holiday in India in January 2009, my first visit to a truly amazing country. Starting in a cold and foggy Delhi we visited Agra, Bangalore, Mysore, the Nilgiri Hills, Tiruchchirippalli (Trichy), Thanjavur (Tanjore) and finally India's fourth city, Chennai (Madras) from where we flew home. All in all it was one of the best holidays ever. India is an endlessly fascinating country, so different and yet in many ways, so familiar.

Transport was a mixture of plane, car and train. In total we rode four trains; the Bhopal Shatabdi to Agra, the Chennai to Mysore Shatabdi from Bangalore to Mysore, the steam train down the Nilgiris from Coonoor to Mettupalaiyam and the Vaigai Express from Trichy to Chennai.

And like the country the railways are also a strange mixture of the exotic and the familiar. The sheer volume of passengers and size of trains is extraordinary to our eyes whilst the multiple aspect colour light signals with feathers for junctions, left hand running and cwr secured by pandrol clips would be right at home on, say, the East Coast Mainline.

Most trains away from the large urban mega-cities are loco hauled, increasingly electric although many thousands of diesels remain in service. And what diesels; the vast majority are powered by domestic versions of Alco's 251 series prime mover, coming from the DLW at Varanasi. I'm not sure Alco was India's first choice, but unlike EMD Alco agreed to enter into a technology transfer agreement, which kick started the domestic loco manufacturing industry. Electric locomotives come from the other big Indian builder, Chittaranjan in West Bengal.

Away from the railways the country is stuffed with so much to see and do, that it would take a lifetime to explore it in it's entirety.

Our one almost disaster was when my Nikon D300 developed a fault and stopped writing images to the memory card. This necessitated a side trip to Mysore to either get it repaired or find a replacement. As it was I bought a new camera - a Sony A200 - which will now be my backup.

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My first picture, taken in the mist from the Red Fort, Agra. A train crosses the Yamuna River approaching Agra Fort Station.
My first picture, taken in the mist from the Red Fort, Agra. A train crosses the Yamuna River approaching Agra Fort Station.
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 A passenger takes a shortcut at Bangalore City Junction station. This used to be the metre gauge side of the station but, like elsewhere in southern India gauge conversion has relegated metre gauge operations to the periphery of the network.
A passenger takes a shortcut at Bangalore City Junction station. This used to be the metre gauge side of the station but, like elsewhere in southern India gauge conversion has relegated metre gauge operations to the periphery of the network.
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 My first close up of a WDM2, Indian Railway's maid of all work. Built by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi to an Alco design derived from the Century series. Thousands of these locomotives (and upgraded derivatives) have been built in the last 40 years
My first close up of a WDM2, Indian Railway's maid of all work. Built by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi to an Alco design derived from the Century series. Thousands of these locomotives (and upgraded derivatives) have been built in the last 40 years
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 Another WDM2 shunting passenger cars. the residential blocks in the background are witness to Bangalore's prosperity.
Another WDM2 shunting passenger cars. the residential blocks in the background are witness to Bangalore's prosperity.
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Another WDM2 sitting at the head of ecs at Bangalore City Junction.
Another WDM2 sitting at the head of ecs at Bangalore City Junction.
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 A pair of WDG3s approaching Bangalore City Junction from the direction of Chennai. These are heavyweight freight haulers, the lead engine allocated to the shed at Erode.
A pair of WDG3s approaching Bangalore City Junction from the direction of Chennai. These are heavyweight freight haulers, the lead engine allocated to the shed at Erode.
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 Right on time at 10:50 WAP4 22218 arrives in Bangalore City Junction...
Right on time at 10:50 WAP4 22218 arrives in Bangalore City Junction...
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 ...on the Chennai to Mysore Shatabdi Express
...on the Chennai to Mysore Shatabdi Express
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The interior of an AC Chair Car on the Shatabdi. Plenty of space and lots of leg room. Food and drink is served at your seat.
The interior of an AC Chair Car on the Shatabdi. Plenty of space and lots of leg room. Food and drink is served at your seat.
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 Mysore in Karnataka was one of the pre-independence Princely States ruled over by a fabulously wealthy king. The Maharajahs of Mysore were very interested in the development of their state and so were enthusiastic sponsors of railways, the Mysore State Railway was a metre gauge system. Today the metre gauge is no more, the broad gauge is now dominant and electrification is on the way.
Mysore in Karnataka was one of the pre-independence Princely States ruled over by a fabulously wealthy king. The Maharajahs of Mysore were very interested in the development of their state and so were enthusiastic sponsors of railways, the Mysore State Railway was a metre gauge system. Today the metre gauge is no more, the broad gauge is now dominant and electrification is on the way.
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 A WDG is the shunter in the coach yard.
A WDG is the shunter in the coach yard.
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 A pair of carriage cleaners finish their lunch and head back to work. The WDG just chunters.
A pair of carriage cleaners finish their lunch and head back to work. The WDG just chunters.
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A typical second class car. Open cars they seat three plus three, thanks to the 66' gauge.
A typical second class car. Open cars they seat three plus three, thanks to the 66' gauge.
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 The Shatabdi express from Chennai and Bangalore arrives in Mysore behind one of the domestically produced EMD-powered WDP4
The Shatabdi express from Chennai and Bangalore arrives in Mysore behind one of the domestically produced EMD-powered WDP4
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 The journey from Bangalore has taken two hours, nominally non-stop but on single track it may well have had to stop to pass other trains.
The journey from Bangalore has taken two hours, nominally non-stop but on single track it may well have had to stop to pass other trains.
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 The WDP4s are very different from the Alco derived WDMs
The WDP4s are very different from the Alco derived WDMs
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An Alco WDG switching cars in the coach yard at Mysore.
An Alco WDG switching cars in the coach yard at Mysore.
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 Out on the main line a three aspect colour light guards a level crossing near Srirangapatna.
Out on the main line a three aspect colour light guards a level crossing near Srirangapatna.
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 The Shatabdi heads back to Chennai (14:20 ex-Mysore), long hood first - not the WDP4s best aspect!
The Shatabdi heads back to Chennai (14:20 ex-Mysore), long hood first - not the WDP4s best aspect!
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 It was followed 15 minutes later by a much longer local to Bangalore...
It was followed 15 minutes later by a much longer local to Bangalore...
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...behind a much more attractive WDM2
...behind a much more attractive WDM2
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 A metre gauge YDM4 sitting at Coonoor awaits the arrival of the train from Mettupaliyam (as it happens it was running 75 minutes late)
A metre gauge YDM4 sitting at Coonoor awaits the arrival of the train from Mettupaliyam (as it happens it was running 75 minutes late)
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 A lovely lattice post home signal at Ooty, the end of the Nilgiri Hills line.
A lovely lattice post home signal at Ooty, the end of the Nilgiri Hills line.
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 The 15:00 leaves Ooty
The 15:00 leaves Ooty
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© 1998-2009 Nick Slocombe - All copyrights rest with the Author
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