Just sharing a memory. I very well remember those 2003 to 2005 years while I used to stay in Ponda, Goa and used to travel from Goa to Balasore Odisha to village.
In those days, there used to be a Vasco-da-gama-Vijayawada Junction Amaravati express which was i think triweekly and rest of the days, this Hubbali-Vijayawada Amaravati express used to run. Many times If our journey days was not coinciding with Vasco Bound amaravati, then we used to alight at Hubbali and take a KSRTC/Kadamba Buses to Ponda.
From Vijayawada, we used...
more... to take the ever slow East coast express till Balasore. Even I remember, once in 2003 the East coast express got a black Steam engine also.
We used to take a nearly 8-10 hours full day buffer at Vijayawada station. I very well remember those tasty Rs. 20 lunch plate with ample amount of rice and other sabjis at a restaurant which was nearly 2 km away from station. A lady used to manage the whole restaurant. Recently in 2014 after a gap of nearly 11 years I went to that same restaurant. The prices were increased to Rs. 70 per plate , the lady was same and the taste was exactly excellent as it was earlier.
Now both these Amaravatis are seperated and this Hubbali one is daily running whereas the Vasco one is now extended till Howrah with a dedicated timeslot.