Train travel to and from Kanpur to Kolkata

When I remember the good old days I spent in Kanpur, I recall the adventures that accompanied the process of securing confirmed reservation in the trains. There were two trains that I loved for my journeys to Kolkata. First was the Delhi-Kalka mail and next preference was the Toofan Express.
The first one, as its name implied, originated in Kalka and proceeded via Delhi to Kolkata. This was my first choice because of its timing – it left Kanpur at around 4pm and reached Howrah Station at 8 am next morning.
And – I traveled in this train several times by just boarding it with a ticket. This train had a Dining Car and it was not just calm and comfortable but a heaven for me - I did not need reservations because when I boarded the Dining Car, it would be time for evening tea. I would order tea and sandwiches and the waiters would gladly oblige.
Later, after a couple of hours, it would be time for dinner and the waiters would wait expectantly for my order. I would delay giving the order to the maximum extent possible and then, after dinner, I would request the manager to allow me to remain in the Dining Car till morning. He would oblige in exchange of a tenner and, next morning I would have my breakfast and get down at Howrah Station.
Believe it or not, I journeyed in this way a number of times but, returning back to Kanpur from Kolkata used to be another kettle of fish. I had to get confirmed reservations and, hence, had to go to the railway booking office and stand in queue early in the morning. In those days, reservations would be given 10 days before journey and the counters opened at 8am – therefore, unless I was in queue by 6am, I would not have a chance.
Even in those days, touts flourished and they used to block reservations of important trains to sell them off at a premium. (to be continued…)

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