Thad Thad Thad Thad Thad Thad " - the sound like a bursting cracker jolted me up. I wasn't having a sound sleep, but the silence of the coach was disturbed by the thundering sound. What was happening I shuddered, only to realise it was the train on opposite track. It was about 5 mins we left Jolarpettai Junction and I hadn't slept till then, tossing and turning. The berth was pretty comfortable, the wheels were smooth as butter, and air from fan was sufficient. May be the silence around was stopping me from sleeping. Wasn't feeling thirsty as well, but I just couldn't sleep .
Passengers...
more... kind attention please- Train number 06021 Mysore bound special will be leaving PF-2 said the announcement at Jolarpettai . The watch showed 0050, we had had a very slow run from JTJ outer to inside PF and still reached JTJ in 2 hrs 10 mins of leaving SBC . Good run by sleep killer as usual , my 1st experience with the LHB rake of this train. It was the 1st LHB SL experience in UB and overall 3rd experience of a SL LHB, previous being the 12251 from YPR to KRNT (MB) . Other few experiences had been by the 16527 from YPR to CBE (SUB) and the AC 2A experiences in 22692 & 12551. The sliding windows in Mail was a new experience and the brightness in the coach was good. The coach, a 2020 product was qute a fresh piece with our bay having the dining table broken. We had the same coach, said my parents, who had travelled from Chennai the previous week
PF-8 to PF-10 were quite busy in the period, with the 06582 Hampi from Mysore reaching late by 15 mins, throwing the display board into chaos. Rani Chennamma was given the proceed as the departure of 06582 went on changing from 2210 to 2230 that Jodhpur express departure announcement was heard for 2240 but Hampi stayed on. However, at same 2240 hours we too got the starter and such a smooth start never ever experienced
Our train was full, not overcrowded, and there were no RAC allocation in coach. The wheels went smooth as butter as we entered into BNC in allotted 10 mins and surprisingly TTE had finished checking. This gives us 5 hours of lying down time and I just wished if it could extend a few more minutes into the dawn. But sleep killer is sleep killer after all
The cracker bursting of Palghat express had ceased and didn't pay much attention to any sounds therafter. May be I had taken a few winks in middle, for the next announcement heard was of the departure of the Chamrajnagar Tirupati express from PF-4 of Katpadi . Didn't see the time, assumed it must be around 2AM
We got the clearance too and the darting continued . Before long and after what seemed like a long sleep, woke up to find us departing a station. The time was 345AM and from the middle berth saw my dad craning out of window and then turning towards me. Get up he said, we have left Perambur
Slowly got up and packing the bedsheets and water bottle , woke my mom up, just as we proceeded past Basin Bridge junction, pulling into Chennai Central at 4AM after a 5 hr 20 mins run into PF-8, with Howrah Mail on PF-9 and announcement on for the incoming GT express onto PF-5 in few minutes , as rake of Sapthagiri occupied PF-7 for its scheduled departure at 620. The HOG LGD WAP7 that had slogged the night for us, gave out a huge breath as it prepared to rest for the day before the next allottment .
Thanks for reading !!!
