RAILWAY SAMACHAR

HISTORY ON WHEELS

WR’s Golden Temple Mail completes 81 years

Western Railway’s Golden Temple Mail, earlier known as the Frontier Mail, which made its inaugural run on 1st September, 1928 has completed glorious 81 years of service of the people today i.e. on 1st September, 2009. As its earlier name implies, the train was intended to carry passengers and mails for Delhi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, the then far-flung Frontier of the pre independent India. Over the years, the pomp and luxury of travel on this train was second to none in the country. The trains used to run between Colaba, which was later closed in 1933, to Peshawar, now in Pakistan, covering a distance of 2335 Kms in 33 hrs. After independence, it runs upto Amritsar.

There was a time in the history of Indian Railways, when the Frontier Mail was looked upon as more than just a train. It was considered as the most reliable and fastest mode of communication, i.e. sending mails and a train that whisked its passengers across the length of the country through the endless expanse of Punjab, past Lahore and Rawalpindi, planting them straight into the heart of the north-west Frontier-Peshawar.

Till 1940, the train comprised of six coaches including a lavish Pantry Car, known as Restaurant Car. Newspapers, Magazines, news Bulletins etc were made available to the passengers in the Restaurant Car.

This train was run by the BB&CI (Bombay Baroda & Central India) Railway Company till the Western Railway came into existence on 5th November, 1951. Western Railway replaced the ordinary coaches with new caches built by ICF in early 1960s. It was run by H class 4-6-0 steam locomotive. The steam loco was later replaced with Diesel Locomotive in the later half of 1960s. Since 1987, it is being hauled by electric locomotive. In 1996, the Frontier Mail was rechristened as the ‘The Golden Temple Mail’.

At present the train comprises of 21 coaches including one first AC cum II AC coach, 2 II AC coaches, 2 III AC coaches, 9 sleeper coaches, 4 general coaches, one portal van, one luggage van and one Pantry Car. It covers a distance of 1891 Kms from Mumbai Central to Amritsar. It traverses through seven states – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab.

Because of its remarkable achievement in the matter of speed, combined with the comfort and convenience of passengers, the train had the distinction of being included amongst the famous express trains within the British Empire by ‘The Times’ London in 1930s