Summer afternoons are usually not a very good time for railfanning. But here, it was an opportunity that I was waiting for, and had no choice! At around 1100 on May 8, 2008 - I headed to Thrissur railway station from my Home in Kodungallur on a Private bus. The bus driver ensured that I reached Thrissur station by around 1215. The queue for tickets was pretty long. Just as I neared the ticket counter, a WDM3D of Erode pulled in with the Trivandrum bound Netravati Express. The train made a 10 minute halt at the station before starting.
I headed on to the platform to get a few pics. RPF guys were too high in number as compared to Panvel, and I was a bit scared to get my camera out. My first spotting was WAP4 #22549 of Erode with the Trivandrum-Shoranur Venad Express. The train was pretty crowded, and off-loaded about 75% of its crowd here! Just the train started to pull out of the station for its journey ahead, another WAP4 of Erode (#22661) pulled in with the Hyderabad-Trivandrum Sabari Express. Just as Sabari Express pulled out, the Mangalore bound Parasuram Express pulled in WDM2 #16671 of Ernakulam in charge. After clicking a coupled of pics, I headed straight to the station restaurant for lunch, but was too crowded. I headed out in search of Karnataka SRTC's Ticket booking counter to get a ticket for me and my dad to head back to Bangalore.
I got a ticket, and headed straight towards the railway tracks. I walked over towards the flyover running across the railway tracks just to see the Hyderabad bound Sabari Express in tow. I found out a way to get on to the tracks, and found a well built stone steps leading to the railway tracks! Just as I reached there, I saw WAP4 #22728 of Erode pulling in with India's Longest train - the Jammu Tawi - Kanniyakumari Himsagar Express. It was now time to hunt for another spot to click pics since the location I was in wasn't very good a point to get trains starting from Thrissur.
I walked towards Punkunnam on the railway tracks. It was now that I found out that the area that i was in was a slum earlier, and the authorities had just pulled down the shanties a couple of days back! Some slumdwellers were still squatting over the area, and they gave away a look at me. I walked over and found out a shady area to wait. The Thrissur home signal went amber indicating that some train was coming in from the Punkunnam side - that was WDM2 #17474 of Ernakulam with the Guuvayur-Thrissur Passenger.
After this spotting, I headed in search of another place, and walked up a slight grade. Suddenly I sensed another train approaching from the station. That was WDM2 #17473 of Erode with a Departmental rake. I then went to have some refreshments, and looked at a few other places, but did not find any interesting! I then headed back to my old place. After about 15 minutes, the advanced starter of the station turned green indicating a train coming from Thrissur. That was WDM3A #17894 of Ernakulam with the Nizamuddin bound Mangala Express. Just as Mangala Express went, WDM2 #16459 of Ernakulam headed towards Thrissur with a BTPN rake in tow.
It was getting too hot, and there was no action for another half-an-hour. The ex-slum dwellers now came around enquiring what was I doing! They couldn't understand half of what I said and headed back with a '?' on their faces! I decided to have a walk towards the station once again. Just as I reached the station, I noticed that the advanced starter was already green for the Mumbai bound Jayanti Express. WAP4 #22357 did the honors of the train. Just minutes after the express cleared out, the Mumbai bound Garib Rath express pulled in with Kalyan WDG3A #13302 in charge...
I headed on to the platform to get a few pics. RPF guys were too high in number as compared to Panvel, and I was a bit scared to get my camera out. My first spotting was WAP4 #22549 of Erode with the Trivandrum-Shoranur Venad Express. The train was pretty crowded, and off-loaded about 75% of its crowd here! Just the train started to pull out of the station for its journey ahead, another WAP4 of Erode (#22661) pulled in with the Hyderabad-Trivandrum Sabari Express. Just as Sabari Express pulled out, the Mangalore bound Parasuram Express pulled in WDM2 #16671 of Ernakulam in charge. After clicking a coupled of pics, I headed straight to the station restaurant for lunch, but was too crowded. I headed out in search of Karnataka SRTC's Ticket booking counter to get a ticket for me and my dad to head back to Bangalore.
I got a ticket, and headed straight towards the railway tracks. I walked over towards the flyover running across the railway tracks just to see the Hyderabad bound Sabari Express in tow. I found out a way to get on to the tracks, and found a well built stone steps leading to the railway tracks! Just as I reached there, I saw WAP4 #22728 of Erode pulling in with India's Longest train - the Jammu Tawi - Kanniyakumari Himsagar Express. It was now time to hunt for another spot to click pics since the location I was in wasn't very good a point to get trains starting from Thrissur.
I walked towards Punkunnam on the railway tracks. It was now that I found out that the area that i was in was a slum earlier, and the authorities had just pulled down the shanties a couple of days back! Some slumdwellers were still squatting over the area, and they gave away a look at me. I walked over and found out a shady area to wait. The Thrissur home signal went amber indicating that some train was coming in from the Punkunnam side - that was WDM2 #17474 of Ernakulam with the Guuvayur-Thrissur Passenger.
After this spotting, I headed in search of another place, and walked up a slight grade. Suddenly I sensed another train approaching from the station. That was WDM2 #17473 of Erode with a Departmental rake. I then went to have some refreshments, and looked at a few other places, but did not find any interesting! I then headed back to my old place. After about 15 minutes, the advanced starter of the station turned green indicating a train coming from Thrissur. That was WDM3A #17894 of Ernakulam with the Nizamuddin bound Mangala Express. Just as Mangala Express went, WDM2 #16459 of Ernakulam headed towards Thrissur with a BTPN rake in tow.
It was getting too hot, and there was no action for another half-an-hour. The ex-slum dwellers now came around enquiring what was I doing! They couldn't understand half of what I said and headed back with a '?' on their faces! I decided to have a walk towards the station once again. Just as I reached the station, I noticed that the advanced starter was already green for the Mumbai bound Jayanti Express. WAP4 #22357 did the honors of the train. Just minutes after the express cleared out, the Mumbai bound Garib Rath express pulled in with Kalyan WDG3A #13302 in charge...
I decided to head back to my old spot to get a pic of the Rath pulling out. Managed to get a decent shot. I now had to wait for the Bhavnagar special. Just while waiting, WAP4 #22549 of Erode appeared for the second time with the same train - the Trivandrum bound Venad Express. Just a couple of minutes later, WDM2 #16843 of Vatva rushed through with the Ernakulam-Bhavnagar Holiday special in tow. I decided to call it a day and walked over to the road. I then took an autorickshaw to the Private bus station.
The bus station was not too far off. I then had my lunch from a restaurant near the bus station and took a bus from there back home! It was a damn tiring day, and I had a real nasty head ache as I reached home! Looking forward for more such opportunities!
The image that I took during my short session are here.... Do have a look at them and let me know your opinions....
The bus station was not too far off. I then had my lunch from a restaurant near the bus station and took a bus from there back home! It was a damn tiring day, and I had a real nasty head ache as I reached home! Looking forward for more such opportunities!
The image that I took during my short session are here.... Do have a look at them and let me know your opinions....
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