This one is specially dedicated to Mr. K.S.Gopal**.
12301/12302 Howrah Rajdhani Express was introduced on 3rd March 1969 as a fully air-conditioned bi-weekly superfast express between Howrah and New Delhi with a journey time of 17 hours.
At the time of introduction, the train was numbered as 101/102.
It used to depart from Howrah on Mondays and Fridays at 17.10 pm and arrive at...
more... New Delhi at 10.10 am on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
It used to depart from New Delhi on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 18.15 pm and arrive at Howrah at 10.50 am on Thursdays and Sundays.
The train offered 2 classes AC Chair Car and AC Sleeper, equivalent to present day 1AC as there were no 2AC and 3AC then.
Stoppages en route were three in number Dhanbad, Mughalsarai and Kanpur. Now 3 extra stoppages at Parasnath, Gaya and Allahabad.
Food served was top class and tickets were specially designed like the old air tickets with blue or red jackets.
Only small hand baggage was permitted in the AC Chair Cars and suitcases and other bulky pieces of luggage were to be booked in the 2 brake vans at both ends of the train, one near the loco and another near the guard van. However bigger pieces were allowed in the AC Sleeper Class. Passengers were advised to reach the originating station at least 30 mns before departure so that luggage could easily be booked for storage in the brake van.
The train was initially hauled by a Diesel Loco till complete electrification of the HWH-DELHI route in 1976.
An idea of the fares prevailing in 1986 for the full journey from end-to-end was AC Chair Car Rs. 330 and AC Sleeper Class Rs. 1090 although I have once travelled by this train from HWH to New Delhi paying Rs. 175 for AC Chair Car.
Later on the train was made to run 4 days a week and then on a 5th day in the week via Patna. (2305/2306)
Finally it started plying 6 days a week while the Sunday service from HWH via Patna continued unchanged.
It then maintained a very punctual record of running both ways and still remains one of IR's most prestigious trains.