India

[IanC]

Rik,

I suspect most of the forum users would be happy to see and hear more of your adventure.

Thanks for keeping us enthralled, despite the technology struggles.

Ian

[daan]

ge-rik, it has been an privilege to read your story's and watch the photo's. Seen the impression it has left in me, I guess this country really does get under your skin big time when you're actually there. Thanks very much for taking the effort to share your story and fight the monkey's in the computer for us to get the pictures online. Much appriciated!

[FWLR]

Nothing wrong with having an adventure down Sarth’ or the North East or North West or anywhere in the UK Rik…..

The way you tell your adventures, is like listening to a teacher reading a story to us and we all imagine were are there too.

[markoteal]

Rik - following this post has been fantastic - thank you - definitely tempting me for a trip over there

If there is more to share, sure people wouldn't mind but appreciate you don't want to keep spending hours typing and trawling through photos

Maybe we ask you a few questions?????? Like when you go to a presentation/slide show - the person presents and then opens up the floor Here's one to start you off

If you were to model something from your Indian Railway adventure on your line, what are your top 3 candidates?

[ge_rik]

If you were to model something from your Indian Railway adventure on your line, what are your top 3 candidates?

Interesting question, Mark.
As I mentioned in the above thread, I was really taken with the little Sharp Stewart tank loco in the museum yard at Ghum. Though I must fight the temptation to make another loco - I have too many already.

DSCI1136.JPG (123.08 KiB) Viewed 4416 times

.
I really like the way the DHR follows the old cart road on a shelf in the hillsides and how the communities have grown alongside the railway and road. Even though I am modelling in the garden, where space ought not be at a premium, I'd be really interested in building a layout which mirrors this. Doesn't have to be Indian based, just like the concept.

DSCI1192.JPG (136.63 KiB) Viewed 4416 times

.
The turntables at Darjeeling and at Shimla are very basic but functional. I've got the makings of a Donegal Railways railcar which I must construct sometime and so I'm going to have to install turntables at each of the termini. So a couple of simple turntables based on those I saw would be ideal.

DSCI0304.JPG (130.8 KiB) Viewed 4416 times

.
Rik

[ge_rik]

If there is more to share, sure people wouldn't mind but appreciate you don't want to keep spending hours typing and trawling through photos

I've been steadily trawling through and editing the photos. I narrowed down those which I want to put into an album (I like having a physical paper-based album to flick through) and the shortlist ended up as 246 'essential' photos. Rather than knackering my printer, I went into town and printed them off at Boots (8p per 6x4 print). OK a few quids-worth but I feel it's worth it for the memories they invoke. Will spend the next couple of days mounting them in a couple of albums and annotating them while they are still fresh in my mind.

I'm also considering running off some larger prints on my home printer and framing them for the study. In addition, I'm going to make a smaller album for James - I seem to have quite a few of him.

More than happy to share more photos - doesn't take long to sift through and reduce them in size for the forum (on my laptop), so if there are any special requests....

Rik

[markoteal]

Cheers Rik - well your 3 answers were most illuminating - I know the feeling about having too many locos ( having just finished one, one that is waiting for RC fitting and a new kit of HGLC's small shunting loco to start) but I would have thought you tackling a DLR loco would be a great way to remember your trip! LOL

I also love the way the line follows the road - I think this is very endearing on any railway - I love the cob at Porthmadog for that reason as well as at Penrhyn above the station to the LC where I stayed earlier this year - also the W&L near Welshpool - I also remember when being small in the back of my dads car going past any railway near a road praying that a train would come along and race (well beat) us! Memories of road leaving Bradford Foster Square to Shipley was good for this as well as the S&C not far south of Settle which included a signal box, the Morecambe junction and proper junction LMS signals - but there are loads of places around the country where this happened - and of course many other long gone lines like the Glyn Valley etc

But my fav has to be that turntable - I also hanker after a railcar with one proper end so I also would need turntables at each end of my line - the turntable looks simple but elegant at the same time - and in good nick, more so than many other elements on the line - I like particularly you can clearly see how it all works- and the fact it uses two rails at what looks like the same gauge as the line it carries - most I've seen in this country and europe use a single rail

So not wanting to hog this post with my requests but any other interesting infrastructure pics you haven't shared would be lapped up

I also would be interested to know your feedback about using Air BNB - on the face of it , it seems to have worked on your trip and reading between the lines, your hosts have added to the experience of your trip - I could be tempted to try something similar (just got to convince Mrs H!) - no rush on this one!

[ge_rik]

I also would be interested to know your feedback about using Air BNB - on the face of it , it seems to have worked on your trip and reading between the lines, your hosts have added to the experience of your trip - I could be tempted to try something similar (just got to convince Mrs H!) - no rush on this one!

AirBnB
I'm now a great fan of AirBnb. I've used it a few times before in the UK and been favouraby impressed, but for the trip to India it was exactly what we wanted - an opportunity to mix in with the local population and gain an insight into the lives of 'real' people.

My observations are:

1. Read all the reviews. They give a pretty good insight as to what people who have stayed there really think about the accommodation, the location and the host(s).

2. Read the descriptions carefully and cross reference them with the photos. All our accommodation was listed as 'Two beds' - but apart from two, this turned out to be a double bed. Fortunately, James and I have known each other for over 40 years and it didn't bother us. Interestingly, both our wives complain about our snoring, but neither of us noticed the other's snores.

3. In India, we discovered that paying a little bit more (ie £20+ per night (ie for both of us)) resulted in some very plush accommodation. Two of the places (in Jaipur and Kolkata) were large houses with servants in leafy suburbs. Looks like quite a few older couples are letting out rooms now their offspring have flown the nest. However, in the mid-priced accommodation (£10-£20), you are more likely to find ordinary people willing to spend some time showing you around and taking you to places.

It's unlikely you will be ripped off but some of the lower priced hotels use AirBnB - but they are usually easy to spot, especially through the reviews. The one we stayed at in Delhi was a bit seedy, but clean enough and very close to the station - which is what we wanted (for a very early start). The review system works well in favour of the guests. Hosts fall over themselves to be helpful in order to get good reviews - after all, their booking depend on them.

Incidentally, the AirBnB we loved the most was the one we were least sure about - because it had only a few reviews. It was the Yoga House in Varanasi. Its description and reviews just did not do the place justice. It was literally on the banks of the Ganges, out of the clamour of the noisy city within easy walking of the main sights and did the most amazing food for a reasonable price. It's on the top floor of the Ashram and independent of it, so yoga at dawn is not compulsory - though James and I did do some of our Tia Chi.

I'll put photos in a separate post.

Rik

[ge_rik]

Our AirBnBs

New Delhi
Tucked away in an alley (past a very smelly gents urinal) off the main bazaar near the station, it was a bit off-putting, initially. It was clean enough inside (for India) - and only for one night. The staff were really great and we met a real mix of guests from France, Australia and even the UK! The tangled electricity wiring is a common feature in Indian streets.

DSCI0069.JPG (143.63 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Shimla
Our host was a recent widow whose children were grown up. She had bought the flat opposite her own and was letting it out. It was a bit drab - must have been owned by an elderly couple previously, but clean and comfortable - we each had our own bedroom. She was planning to buy another couple of flats. She was new to AirBnB but doing a great job - her meals were authentic Indian and tasty. She recommended places to go and told us that if we had been staying more than two nights would have taken us on a tour of the countryside nearby.

DSCI0352.JPG (148.29 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Jaipur
The house of an interior designer and artist. Very plush and artsy. The bathroom was large and very like a hotel's. We didn't read the blurb in the room until the evening of the first day and so missed out on breakfast. Really good Indian breakfast the next morning (cooked by servants) with plenty of choice. This is the front door.....

DSCI0483.JPG (117.96 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Varanasi
Wonderful place, great location. It didn't look promising though. Down a narrow street with a rubbish tip at the entrance which was being browsed by cows, buffalo and goats. Our tuk-tuk driver told us it was a bad area with lots of mosquitos. He was trying to take us to one of the hotels where he would get commission. Inside the ashram was peace and tranquility, with wonderful food, very clean and comfortable rooms and a wonderful view (this is the view from the door of our room as dawn broke). PS - And not one mosquito!

20180409_063811.jpg (152.92 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Darjeeling
The most humble of our AirBnBs - but our host was the most welcoming and helped us become part of the community. He had only the top floor of the wooden shack, and so we had two rooms and shared the dining room/kitchen and bathroom with him and he had one room to himself. Somehow it worked out really well. The reviews were what attracted us as we knew we would be given a bespoke introduction to life in Darjeeling. We might go back one day and do a six day Himalayan trek with him.

DSCI1100.JPG (123.93 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Kolkata
The poshest and most expensive (£44 per night for both of us). The bathroom was bigger than our bedroom at home and featured a double jacuzzi (no, we didn't try it!). We were allowed to check in early as they had no other guests (6.30am) and we went out to explore the city so we missed out on meeting the family (and having breakfast). We met the owner - a very nice retired teacher - later in the day and she told us she would get up early the next day to make us breakfast before we had to leave for the airport. Very nice breakfast with fresh fruit salad and specially cooked gram flour cakes. Had we stayed longer, no doubt we would have spent more time talking with the owners and finding out more about the city.

DSCI1317.JPG (130.13 KiB) Viewed 4312 times

.
Rik

[markoteal]

Cheers Rik - thats really useful - I shall have a browse on the web site to look how they are described

[Soar Valley Light]

Hello Rik,

Welcome home! I hope your metabolism has returned to normal.

What a trip, what an experience. I doubt I shall ever be able to follow in your footsteps but your account of the trip has brought it all very much to life for me. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to record and share the adventure with us. You have confirmed my belief that India is a remarkable country.

Andrew

[Peter Butler]

I love the interior shots Rik, so many cultural influences and vibrant colours.... no doubt the natural light has something to do with the choice of colours used.

[ge_rik]

Thanks chaps. Guts are back to normal - only lasted less than a day. My own fault. Got up at 3.30am (8.00am Indian time) and started editing the photos in my dressing gown. Hadn't realised how cold I'd got sitting at the computer (heating wasn't on) until I went back to bed two hours later, shivering - which is when the fun started! The other occasion when I had a mild attack, I ate a cheese roll which I'd bought on Shimla station, but which I'd left sitting in my bag for 12 hours - not a clever idea in that heat! I hadn't realised they would give us a hot meal on the downward Shimla train and hated the thought of wasting good food (or not so good as it turned out).

BTW - the water tanks in the Shimla photo are essential (one or more tank for each flat). They get water for an hour every three days and so have to store it. The shower in the flat was pathetic, not much more than a dribble - but somehow it seemed churlish to compain. Ironic that down on the arid plains there's not similar shortages - the showers in Jaipur and Kolkata were of tidal wave proportions by comparison.

Rik

[ge_rik]

Road and Rail on the DHR
A few more shots showing the interrelationship between the road and the railway - for those still interested.

The route out of NJP

DSCI0828.JPG (127.07 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
Then into the forest as the climb begins

DSCI0840.JPG (137.47 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
The first reverse zig zag

DSCI0855.JPG (161.15 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
On occasions, the road and railway parted company, but were never far away from each other.

IMG_20180411_151515.jpg (45.67 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
I think the towns would be the most interesting parts to model

IMG_20180411_152620.jpg (75.27 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

IMG_20180411_145815.jpg (40.96 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
Particularly at Kurseong where the station is on a spur off the mainline and so the train has to reverse into it when coming down (or out of it coming up)

DSCI1206.JPG (136.18 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

.
Rik

[Soar Valley Light]

Road and Rail on the DHR
A few more shots showing the interrelationship between the road and the railway - for those still interested.
Rik

Thanks for more lovely pictures Rik. I, for one, shall never be anything less than interested.

Andrew

[IanC]

I agree with Andrew, Fascinating.

There's loads of inspiring pictures and information.

It is unlikely I will be fortunate to experince India for myself. If other forum users are not interested, they don't have to read your thread. I doubt this is the case for many of us.

Ian

[DG]

Rik,

many thanks for a superb account of your great adventure and a taste of real life in India.

Dave

[FWLR]

Will always love looking at the photo’s and hearing about them Rik.

BTW, I haven’t got a lot of loco’s….so if you want to pass some on…

[Peter Butler]

Wrong gauge for you Rod!

[markoteal]

Cheers again Rik - love the idea of a train reversing in and out of the station on and off the main line - sure there are quite a few garden railways that could easily operate like that where a station area has been added to a line too take the advantage of some space in the garden - everyone can now claim its been done or purpose to re-enact the DHR!