Mumbai-Pune Mail

Mumbai-Pune Mail

Poona Mail (ca. 1907)
Overview
Service type	Mail Train
Locale	Bombay Presidency, British India
First service	1869 [1]
Last service	1971
Current operator(s)	Great Indian Peninsula Railway
Route
Start	Victoria Terminus, Mumbai
End	Pune Junction
Distance travelled	192.2 km (119.4 mi)[2]
Average journey time	4 hours, 15 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
On-board services
Class(es)	First Class, Second Class and Intermidate Class
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	No
Technical
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	45.81 km/h (28 mph) with stops

Mumbai-Pune Mail (started as Bombay-Poona Mail) or Poona Mail was a luxurious train on Mumbai-Pune section by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. It was the first intercity train started between Mumbai and Pune. This train and the famous Deccan Queen Express used to serve Mumbai Pune commuters for many years. Later this train was extended to Kolhapur and was renamed Sahyadri Express.^[3] This train was believed to carry Royal Mail and was one of the finest trains in British Empire.^[4]

Timetable

It used to leave Pune at 7 am and Lonavala at 8:15 am and reach Mumbai by 11:10 am. The return train used to leave Mumbai at 2:45 pm and Lonavala at 5:55 pm and reach Pune by 7 pm.^[5] Later the departure time was changed to 5:55 pm from Mumbai.^[3]

Coaches and Operation 1907

Coaches

In the year 1907 the train was operated with seven coaches with a total weight of 240 t. Seats for 50 first, 95 second and 320 third class passengers were provided. The restaurant car had another 32 seats. The train crew of 8 man included guard, conductor, car attendant, refreshment manager and waiters. The livery of the train was dark red-brown on the lower part and cream for the upper part.^[2]

Each car was 62 ft (19 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) wide. The chairs could be turned around in order that the passengers were always looking in the travel direction. The cars had electric lighting powered by axle driven generators. 3rd class passengers did not have reserved seats. Punkah fans were provided only in 1st and 2nd class. The cars were fitted with vacuum brake and passenger alarm signal.^[2]

Train Composition

The train was composed in the following way:

• Locomotive
• Combination car with baggage compartment, guard compartment, 3rd class seating with compartments for Indian women and 3rd class refreshment bar
• 3rd class chair car
• 2nd class car with chair seating as well as two compartments and a cloakroom
• Composite car containing 1st and 2nd chair class and 1st class compartments
• Dining car
• 1st class parlor car with smoking room and ladies's boudoir
• Combination car with baggage, post office and guard facilities and 3rd class chair compartment for Europeans.^[2]

Traction

The train was pulled by a 4-6-0 steam engine from Mumbai to the beginning of the 1:37 inclined Bhor Ghat ramp. There the power was changed to two 0-4-0T engines, which brought the train up the ramp. In Lonavla the power was changed again to one single 4-coupled engine for the rest of the 119 mi (192 km) long journey to Pune.^[2]

References