India

[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!

[TonyW]

Killarney in Ireland has the same reverse in/propel out arrangement.

[IanC]

I have a vague recollection of arriving in and then reversing out on a journey in the UK. Memory is not good enough to recall the location though.

For a short while we used to do that at Bury on the East Lancashire Railway before the signalling and trackwork was complete at Bury Bolton Street, South Junction.

Ian

[markoteal]

I thought that - I think it was somewhere on the Cross Country Route below Birmingham - Gloucester? Mid 80's on a trip to Devon

[TonyW]

I thought that - I think it was somewhere on the Cross Country Route below Birmingham - Gloucester? Mid 80's on a trip to Devon

At Gloucester maybe? Brum-Bristol trains calling there have to reverse. Slightly different though as it is not a terminus.

[FWLR]

Wrong gauge for you Rod!

Oh Heck I forgot Rik does 45mm…

[markoteal]

I thought that - I think it was somewhere on the Cross Country Route below Birmingham - Gloucester? Mid 80's on a trip to Devon

At Gloucester maybe? Brum-Bristol trains calling there have to reverse. Slightly different though as it is not a terminus.

Yes must have been Gloucester - hadn't realised it wasn't a terminus - would put it on a par with London KX - Skipton reversing out of Leeds

[Soar Valley Light]

I have a vague recollection of arriving in and then reversing out on a journey in the UK. Memory is not good enough to recall the location though.

For a short while we used to do that at Bury on the East Lancashire Railway before the signalling and trackwork was complete at Bury Bolton Street, South Junction.

Ian

Dorchester was the famous example in this country.

i get the distinct impression that setting back with passenger trains was far less of a 'hang up' in some parts of the country than some people might have us believe!

I guess that in less regulated countries there was no hang up at all and people just 'got on with the job' and ran trains in the most convenient way - even without the benefit of facing point locks, as some of Riks pictures appear to demonstrate. Indeed, I think Rik's account of his travels and the pictures he's shared with us clearly show a much more relaxed method of operation. I find it quite refreshing to be honest.

Andrew

[tom_tom_go]

In regards to safety Andrew I think British people value human life more than in countries with mass population where there are 100 or more people trying to beat you to or for something.

[Soar Valley Light]

In regards to safety Andrew I think British people value human life more than in countries with mass population where there are 100 or more people trying to beat you to or for something.

You make a very valid point there Tom.

One thing I didn't notice a lot of in Riks photo's was the trains festooned in people that one so often associates with Indian railways. I guess it may be more of a suburban feature where the traffic density is high. Did you see much of it around the major cities Rik?

Andrew

[11thHour]

I had a friend who mounted the roof in New Dehli. Caused an almighty disturbance! they refused to allow the train to depart until he got down.
Apparently it is not acceptable for Europeans.
Tim

[FWLR]

In regards to safety Andrew I think British people value human life more than in countries with mass population where there are 100 or more people trying to beat you to or for something.

Not if your trying to get too a Debenhams New Year sale your’e not Tom….

[ge_rik]

One thing I didn't notice a lot of in Riks photo's was the trains festooned in people that one so often associates with Indian railways. I guess it may be more of a suburban feature where the traffic density is high. Did you see much of it around the major cities Rik?

Andrew

Hi Andrew
Didn't see it at all on any of the journeys we took. The trains were enormously long and the majority of the coaches were 'unreserved' and these were generally very crowded. Often saw people sitting in open doorways, but that was probably because those coaches had no air conditioning.

Here's our train pulling into Kolkata, fore and aft just to give you a sense of scale.

DSCI1298.JPG (124.61 KiB) Viewed 2515 times

DSCI1293.JPG (128.74 KiB) Viewed 2515 times

Rik

[Soar Valley Light]

Thanks Rik,

Those are looooooooooooooooooooooong trains!

I expect that rapid and recent spread of overhead equipment has put an end to the practise, either through common sense or Darwinian selection!

The continuing and all encompasing conversion to broad gauge appears to be altering the character of the Indian railway system out of all recognition. This, in no small measure, seems due to the modernisation that sweeps along with it. Great to see the country developing but sad to see the history being swept away and even sadder to see the effect it's having ecologically.

You can always rely on India to be a paradox!

Thanks for the pics Rik.

Andrew