|
The 6105 / 6106 ( earlier 105/106) Madras Egmore – Quilon Mail ceased to
exist during June 2000, almost a century after it was introduced by the
great Maharajah of Travanccore, Balarama Varma II (Sree Moolam Tirunal). A
true royal train that could be used by the common man, little does the new
generation of railway officials realize the legacy this train carried
before being abandoned in the name of Gauge Conversion. Infact, it was the
one of the only trains in India if not the whole world, where the ordinary
Indian citizen could actually share a cabin with his Maharajah.
Some notes on the history of the train
1. Introduced after completion of the Quilon-Sengottai-Virudhunagar metre
Gauge line. It was introduced as Quilon-Madras Mail sometime during the
later half of 1900's, exact date not known. It is said that Sri Moolam
Tirunal personally supervised the work of the Ghat section between Quilon
and Sengottai.
2. Extended to Trivandrum
during 1918-1919 (exact date not known) after completion of
Quilon-Trivandrum Metre Gauge line. The railway station in Trivandrum was
then situated at Chalai bazaar.
3. Started running from
the new Thampanoor Railway Station in Trivandrum from 1931. It seems the
then Maharajah of Travancore, Balarama Varma III (Sri Chithra Tirunal)
flagged off the train on it's inaugural run. Sri Chitra Tirunal was a king
for the common man. He traveled extensively to Madras on the train. He did
not have, nor did he want a saloon of his own, unlike the maharajah's of
his time. He preferred traveled in the First Class Air Conditioned coach
along with his subjects.
4. It was one of the very
early metre gauge trains to have air conditioned accommodation. Even a
Bradshaw from 1930's indicate an AC accommodation along with first, second
and third class.
5. Was known as Madras-Trivandrum
Express for some time but soon got back it's name after a new madras-Trivandrum
Express was introduced
6. Truncated at Quilon Jn
after Quilon Jn-Trivandrum Metre Gauge track was converted to Broad gauge
in 1979. The 19/20 (present day 2623/2624) Cochin-Madras Broad gauge mail
via Ernakulam, Shoranaur,Erode was extended to Trivandrum thus taking
position of the older Metre Gauge mail.
7. With patronage
declining steadily after introduction of Broad gauge Mail, the age old AC
sleeper accommodation from Madras to Quilon Jn was made a slip coach
between Madras and Sengottai, thus leaving the train with a First and
Second Class accommodation from Quilon Jn
8. Started bye passing
Madurai Jn, via Manamadurai Jn from 1996 after Virudhunagar-Madurai line
was converted to Broad gauge.
9. Discontinued in June
2000
10. The present day 6383 /
6384 Quilon-Tirunelveli Exp occupies the slot used by Quilon Mail
Timings of Trivandrum
– Madras mail during 1960's
Trivandrum Dep: 10.00, Madras Egmore Arr 07.05
Madras Egmore Dep 19.05, Trivandrum Arr 16.20
Timings of Quilon
– Madras mail during 1996
• Quilon Dep 11.00, Madras Egmore Arr 07.40
• Madras Egmore Dep 19.15, Quilon Arr 16.10
The train disappeared from Time tables during 2001.
The train had a twin, No. 137/138 Madras-Trivandrum Express (lovingly
called Madras-Trivandrum Super Express), which got transformed to
6161/6162 Trichy-Quilon Express and then to 6761/6762 Nagore-Quilon
Express before being withdrawn from service during 2002
But what makes the Quilon
Mail so special to stand out? Was it because it had an AC coach from the
very beginning? Partly yes. But more so, because a lucky person could
spend a night along with the Maharajah. Also because it remained the only
connection between the Capital of Travancore state, Trivandrum and Madras.
It was also the only connection between several areas in Madras
Presidency, like Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Rajapalayam and Sivakasi with
their capital Madras.
The Mail was so important during it's hey days, only locos the best locos
were used to haul it. They were always handled by YP class steamers from
Madurai steam shed. And the crew that operated them had the locos assigned
for life. This meant that only a selected few drivers and their own locos
operated the Quilon Mail for decades. The
Mail used to have bankers to assist it during the run through the ghats.
These bankers too were special YG class steam locomotives based at Quilon
Shed
I have traveled in the Mail several times, when my father was working in a
Company called Alind, at Kundara near Quilon. I don't remember much since
all of them were before the age of five years. But I traveled in it twice,
once in 1991 and the next time in 1997.
Both these times, I
traveled in First Class. Though there was no Maharajah accompanying me in
my cabin, I could feel the echo his mighty voice filled with his hunger
for development and uplift of his tiny country. As I watched the forest
filled Ghats pass by the window, I could see his spirit guiding his dream
through the rugged inhospitable terrain. And whenever I saw gangmen
repairing tracks enroute, I could see the maharajah's supervising them.
And though I was served with half rotten food at various stations enroute,
I could taste the royal course dinner that I was having.
|
