This happened almost 15+ years ago. This train had a different TT then and used to start from Muzzafarpur and GKP on alternate days. NER used to issue unreserved SL tickets back in the day and of course, it was all ICF livery with very less nos of AC coaches, so good chance of getting a daytime seat in SL class. I was travelling from Babhnan to Barabanki. The train used to come at 1500+ hrs at BV and estimated to reach BBK at 1900+ hrs. It was single line section then between BV to Gonda, double from Gonda to Burhwal, I think, with single line on the Elgin Bridge over Saryu.
I...
more... had a Window seat and the train had crossed Gonda with minimal delay. However, all heck broke lose around Elgin bridge when our train was looped for crossings, both for xings and overtakes. I think the Vaishali also overtook us. We were looped furthur at Jahangirabad Raj[one station before destination] for an hour and some in the coach assumed that the engine had failed. The train was delayed by nearly ~3.5+ hrs and it had barely covered 30 kms in past 3.5+ hours. We reached BBK around 2230 hours with a delay of 3+ hours.
please wait...Translate to EnglishAround 15 years back, man, some crazy stuff happened on this train trip! This train used to kick off from Muzzafarpur and GKP on different days. Back then, NER used to hand out unreserved tickets and this train barely had any AC coaches, so snagging a day seat in sleeper class was quite doable. I was cruising from Babhnan to Barabanki. The train would roll into BV around 3 PM and we were expected to hit up Barabanki by 7 PM. The tracks were just one line from BV to Gonda, then they'd double up all the way to Burhwal, I reckon, before switching back to single line on Elgin Bridge over Saryu.
I scored a window seat and we smoothly passed Gonda with minimal delays. But all hell broke loose near Elgin bridge when we got held up for ages, waiting for other trains to pass. I think even the Vaishali zipped past us. Then, can you believe it, we got stuck for another hour at Jahangirabad Raj, just one stop away from our destination. Some folks in the coach even thought the engine had conked out! We ended up being delayed by a whopping 3.5+ hours and barely covered 30 kilometers in all that time. We finally limped into Barabanki around 10:30 PM, over 3 hours off schedule.
