Date-28 Nov 2013
Took a taxi from home to Sealdah station and reached at 3:15 PM. I was surprised to see the uniform red-silver LHB rake(yes all of the coaches were of the same livery, no duronto, NSE or BSNL coach in the whole train) parked at platform-9B that early. After getting my luggage screened in the X-ray scanner kept on the mouth of platform 9A/B went straight to my coach B1. I had got the seat no.55, a SLB with green tinted window pane. Experienced a sudden jerk which meant that the loco was being attached. Went to check that it was a GZB WAP-7 #30247. Departed with another jerk at exactly 4:50 PM. Soon after departure we were given water...
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bottles and as soon it started skipping DDJ, snacks were served. sandwich, juice and toffees were missing. we were given a soan papdi, salted peanuts, samosa and tea. It overtook and crossed many trains including EMUs. In SDAH-BWN chord, it clocked max speed of 135kmph(as shown by my GPS device) and skipped BWN at 40kmph. Crossed RNC-HWH Shatabdi between Panagarh and Rajbandh before coming for a 2mins halt at Durgapur. Next stop was at ASN where it crossed the NDLS-HWH Poorva Express. Soon after the 5 mins halt at ASN, it crossed the DHN-HWH Double Decker. Soup was served, they provided us butter chiplets(some recent experiences of others on HWH, BCT and AK Rajdhanis confirmed their absence). The soup sticks were warm and very crispy which made the soup experience awesome. After another 5mins halt at DHN, dinner was given. Taste was good and the portions of chicken were big and tasty. Salad was absent from the tray. At Gomoh we overtook the BBS-NDLS Rajdhani headed by a GZB WAP-4. We crossed DDN-HWH Doon Exp at Gaya. After a good night sleep I woke up at Kanpur. Soon we were given morning tea. We crossed DLI-MLDT Farakka hauled by a GZB WAP-1 at Rura, NDLS-CNB Shram Shakti hauled by a CNB WAP-4 at Jhinjhak, DLI-ALD spl at Phaphund and KLK-HWH Kalka Mail at Etawah. In breakfast, jam wasn't given but juice was present this time. Crossed NDLS-LKO Swarn Shatabdi at Hathras Jn.at CNB-NDLS section, reached max speed of 130kmph. Cleanliness was outstanding as the cleaning staff moped the floor after every course of food. Toilets were also clean and dry. Finally we reached NDLS pf-12 1hour and 40mins late. BSP-NDLS ICF Rajdhani had been occupying the pf-13 at that time.