Extracts from the SCR timetable of 1978 (Provided my Mr.Sriramachandra Murthy garu of IRFCA)
Some interesting points for people familiar with these routes.
Pic 1 - Vijayawada -Waltair (VSKP station was called Waltair junction in 1978. The station was renamed to Visakhapatnam in 1984).
- Simhadri express was introduced in 1978 and was running between Waltair-Rajahmundry. Later, this train was...
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extended to Bhimavaram. Then the Bhimavaram portion was made a slip train and the main train was extended to Guntur via Eluru.
- East Coast express was running between Howrah and Guntur. This was actually for a short period, and only small part of the train used to go to Guntur while most of the coaches were attached to Krishna express at BZA to go to SC.
- Madras-Howrah Janata express was replaced later with Tirupati-Howrah express which used to run till early 2000's before being cancelled.
- BZA-COA pass was an overnight passenger till the 80's.
Pic 2 - Hyderabad/Secunderabad - Vijayawada (Along with Dornakal-Bhadrachalam route)
- Golconda express was between Hyderabad-Guntur and used to cover the distance (BZA-SC) in 5 hr 20 minutes with 7 hallts. Compare that to its schedule now!
- Krishna express was between SC-Guntur (This was only for a few years before extension to Tirupati). It was the fastest train between BZA-SC and covered the distance in 5 hours 10 minutes, almost the same as the present day SC-VSKP Duronto. Actually Krishna express ran combined with Secunderabad-Howrah express between SC-BZA. At BZA, the Secunderabad-Howrah coaches were combined with a few coaches from Guntur and ran as the East Coast express to Howrah. The train had only 5 halts between BZA-SC. Compare that to the passenger style run now!
- Kazipet-Madras express was basically slip coaches to Dakshin express. In 1985, Tamil Nadu express' frequency was increased and the Kazipet-Madras slip coaches were diverted to VSKP to create the present day VSKP-NZM Dakshin slip express.
- Godavari express had slip coaches to Bhadrachalam that were detached at Dornakal. Half the train used to go to Kakinada and later had some slip coaches to Narsapur. AFte rthe introduction of Gouthami express, some halts were removed for Godavari and Gouthami had slip coaches to Bhadrachalam for a few years.
- The Bibinagar-Nadikudi line was not yet opened, so the Hyderabad-Madras express (12603/04) was runnign via Warangal. This was diverted in 1990-91 after the opening of the SC-GNT BG route.