I’m a born and bred TBM now living in Australia for past 38 years . I lived in TBM because my father was a motorman as they called them in those days on TBM to MSB line . I’m also a railway buff and I remember the first evening when the first YAM 1 made the first inaugural run to VPM . I remember by the drivers window there was three logos that said Hitachi Mitsubishi and Toshiba who supplied all the components for the YAM locos . I love watching your videos and thank you and cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
This long video is a gem and words are not sufficient to thank you. In my college days I lived in Srirangam and used to take Rockfort and Vaigai to Chennai and later on when coming from Bombay for holidays I used to take Pandian or Pallavan from Chennai. As you said the trains were sparkling with olive green for Rockfort , green and yellow livery for other three. I was a witness to the testing and launching of Vaigai in my college days as I used to take steam YP hauled passenger daily. I also travelled in the first week to Chennai by Vaigai from Trichy with amazing speed and the train stopped only at VRI, VM and it took less than 5 hours. Catering was so good, there was a mini library with the latest magazines and no one could do door plating. Pandian had leather cladding for sometime in coaches and changed after a fire.I also took Quilon express in my childhood with YP upto VM and then YAM1. It was so much of fun to see change to a Japanese beauty. Thanks a million for rekindling great memories.
Wow! What wonderful memories you have portrayed here. I did not realize Vaigai had a mini-library and that you could not do doorplating. That is how they used to treat their trains - with pride! I so badly miss MG in SR. They really uprooted a well-oiled network and replaced with a far-less efficient BG system.
Mani Vijay Nice to hear from you so soon. Wish you and your family a very happy Deepavali. The mini library in Vaigai had many English novels apart from so many magazines inclg. Business India and India Today. We had to show the ticket pay 25% deposit take and the charge was 10%. The train had 110 kmph speed between TPJ and VRI and TTES wouldn't allow one to open the door. I tried once at Srirangam but the coach was swaying so fast at the curve that I could barely wave my hands before the TTE noticed me. The snacks were so good and fresh that myself and my nephew from UK who was with us used to eat through out and still felt so good. The toilets were Indian but had SS lining everywhere and MDU took so much care that even in gaps there was no dirt. I travelled for ten years frequently for a decade and the decay slowly started. Even in late nineties it was still a good train but with reduced speed as YAM1 took over from VM and it had 75 kmph limit. The special YDM4 A was brand new, had special horns and the Loco Pilot was a friend of my uncle in SR and the Loco was so clean in the first decade. I took Vaigai from TPJ to VRI and return by Pallavan for one month every day in 1987 as I used to go and see my fiancée now wife a doctor in Neyveli. It was never delayed even once by a few minutes and tickets were always available as it was a premium train costing much more than buses. The reason for fall in standards is non revision of fares. I have used Pandian also many times and it is so good to think of today even after I have travelled by TGV, ICE and Eurostar Thanks for reading this and pls. Keep in touch
Sir Vaigai n Kovai express both are inaugurated during mid 70s. Their speed was 110kph n used cover 500kms in just 6.30 hrs. After couple BG accidents and more express in BG sector the speed was reduced nowadays Kovai runs like a passenger
These are the priceless videos.....Mani Sir, the way you made videos of yesteryear trains having majority of routes MG and unelectrified, pure AlCO's chugging, red-maroon ICF coaches and no HD technology to record are fascinating. I always enjoy watching your videos, no matter how long they are. I salute to your hard work done to capture the past era of Indian Railways.
this is the video ive been searching for a long time..My favourite train is Rockfort express. I like Pandian express too. it wont stops in some stations between tpj-ms. My most of the travel will be in between tpj-ms. So these routes are familiar to me. in 1992 itself you have recorded this. you are a guru for today's you tubers. deserved to reach million views. Thanks sir.
Tears in my eyes sir,, tq so much for this video,, my childhood memories of kumbakonam journey in cholan express through meter gauge is wonderful and beautiful shake of the train is like lollaby for babies,, am badly missing those meter gauge memories
Very lovely video Mr Mani Vijay. Very proud to say southern railway only railway to have MG electric traction where we cont see anywhere in India those days . Golden days ... Thank you and regards.
Awesome capture of this prestigious train (sounds et al..) during its metre guage days, being hauled by the beautiful YAM-1 loco !! The rising sun over the Kolavai lake is another beauty !!
SR had a modern MG system. Electrified tracks, Electric locomotives and Diesel shunters (YDM2). Glad you have captured a YDM2. They were found only in Madras and Secunderabad.
Very true! The SR MG system had a Japan-like efficiency, punctuality and maintenance. Remember being in awe of this system during my 1973 and 1974 trips.
Chengalpattu is the place where I grew up. I used to watch these trains from a station called Thirumani which is just before Cgl jn. It is small. I loved trains from my childhood. This video brought tears of joy since it was my college days. I used to take Kamban express at 6.10am. This is one of the best video I could appreciate. For me this video is my past life album. I love you sir as you brought my joyful tears rolling down my cheeks. Thanks Abraham.
I was addicted to trains in my childhood (90s) and that slowly died down by 2010s... But.... I have been wanting to revisit those days especially how those places, people and times were (from my current viewpoint as an adult).... No amount of thanks could suffice the extraordinary work you have been putting as a vlogger (well before the term was coined)... Sir, I have seen several of your videos and hats off to you!!!!!!
Pure Gold...Reside in Chromepet from 1991 and still do..Miss those YAM1's running through MIT level crossing. The MG's all started my love affair with trains. I even travelled on the last MG EMU from Mambalam to Tambaram and might have shed a tear or two knowing they will be gone. Thanks for the briiliant upload
Sir. For anyone, the time spent during school days are the most nostalgic. To me, the years during the early 80s until 1992 were the best. Moreover, Trains are like Gods to me. So, when I get to reminisce a combination of those nostalgic 80s and 90s along with my Gods called trains, I am dumbstruck. I always have been a frequent traveler by trains along the chennai tirupati and chennai and chengalpattu sectors. I am now searching for more videos from you which are posted along these sectors. Thanking you once again.
Very much sir. you wont believe, like me, even my sons are train freaks. They eat only if i show them train videos. Off late, I am only showing them the videos of yours taken in 1992 and 95.
Lovely video! YAM 1 locos were really beautiful and cute. We would eagerly wait for summer vacations to make the annual visit to our native place Sirkazhi! Change over to steam loco at Villupuram those days, later came the MG diesel locos. Lovely nostalgia trip!
Thanks! I terribly miss the YAM1 loco. My last trip through Sirkazhi was way back in 1973 when we took the MG Cholan Exp. from Thanjavur to Egmore. The main line route was so picturesque. Wonder whether BG has maintained that charm of MG.
Very nice to watch a video glimpse of the rare electrified metre gauge section, that too a double line, These were the pillars of our current Railway System
Thanks! The MG network was truly amazing. It had a Japan-like efficiency when it came to punctuality, maintenance and service. Alas, all this has been razed to dust.
As a son of a railway employee I have always travel in trains and which I really loved to. Born in 1993 I only remember the scrapped coaches of brown colour but after watching your videos I came to know about the different colour trains and wish I can go back to those days too. I was looking for old videos of IR and came through your channel and just love the videos😊😊
Holidays, hometown,metre gauge train what a combination !!! While in return after crossing Tambaram we will see pallavan buses ! Back to school phobia will dominate us ! Hmm what a life those days ! Thanks for recalling this moments
Great work sir... I've always been a fan of yours... those lovely MG tracksound rhythms are somewhat similar to the modern LHB rakes... most of this stretch is still the same even today... Loved it:)
@@ManiVijay yes sir after watching your MG videos I also truly miss my childhood journeys in MG trains. Now I feel southern railways destroyed the beauty of Meter gauge.
Looks like a really rare video. Pandian express used to have a diesel loco..back then madurai - dingual - trichy section was neither electrified nor was converted to broad gauge..Nostalgia
Just imagine if they had persisted with MG and had actually electrified more MG sections. Just think how Nainital Exp would have looked being hauled by a YAM1 between Lucknow and Kathgodam.
thanks a lot for those vintage chengalpattu - egmore stretch sir .. pandian express will be hauled by diesel locos till villupuram then with electric locos. that too with ed or goc WDM 2's . my home next to a level crossing near trichy, pandian express will always give us a mild earthquake with dual alcos every midnight . i travelled in vaigai express with wam 4 , wap 1 ,4 and 7 even with toasters but never in a MG line .. amazing to see this number of coaches hauled by a single loco in 90's .
Beautifully captured no words to describe. Old is gold. Now adj to the lake is Mahindra Research Valley a well developed location. Took me to the older days
Well as many have said words aren’t sufficient to describe this wonderful long video. It is such a gem that the more you watch the more you enjoy and feel sad. I am able to relive my family journeys to Kodai Mdu and back to Ms by the same Pandian during late eighties and early nineties. Pandian in eighties had dark green livery similar to the one in your Cholan express and Rockfort had light parrot green colour. There was another gem in Vaigai in which I travelled for almost 20 years seeing colour change to loco change from full YDM4 ride to partly YAM1 at later stage. In my school cum college days I used to enjoy Rockfort and Pandian passing thro Srirangam after the wonderful steel bridge across Cauvery and Coleroon listening to the same sounds of track, YDM horn and bridge. This video is sheer ecstasy and one feels so sad in spite of much faster better BG trains with 8 a/c coaches, LHB rake Pandian, RF and Cholan now. YDM4 at Ooty Coonoor ( being changed to steam again soon) and YAM1 at Perambur Rail Museum are the consolation. May God bless you for the great IR videos. I can’t see my TGV, Thallys and ICE videos again may be I am old or they don’t have character.
It is always nice to hear about experiences because it feels me with nostalgia. If IR had any sense of heritage, it would have preserved at least a few km of electrified MG track with a couple of working YAM1s.
Mani Vijay You are so right but then then past is not retained much in India and I heard the same in Europe recently except in museums. Perambur Rail Museum Chennai has one YAM1 loco and MG coaches apart from MG suburban rake on display. They also have MG steam loco apart from WCM 1 loco. Some consolation indeed. One YAM 1 loco kept o/s Tambaram hard - earlier YAM 1 home base was also dismantled when they converted the whole area into yard for maintenance of BG suburban trains. The beautiful MG tracks and rakes of Assam have also been dismantled thought tracks remain at some places in Barack Valley. This is inspite of a promise from British Govt. as told to me by one MP to retain a part as museum at their cost. May be they didn’t pay up. But we have your wonderful videos to relive the past and thanks to Internet.
Frankly speaking my sister was not even born when this video was shot, now she had 1.5 year old kid. (She is 28 years) What a difference... If I would have a time machine, I would go back to those times and take a ride.. play with my own sister and come back... The lake is very scenic, even till date, water 💦 would almost touch tracks, this falls between PARANUR and Chengalpattu. Even EMUs are very good in Chennai, even till date. They have their own charm and acceleration. A short ride of just 5 rs, will take to this beautiful ride.
Sir! Doo you remember the date on which the metre gauge train service on chennai - trichy chord line was stopped ( or the date on when the last maiden run of MG Pallavan or Vaigai happened).I got the inaugral date and first run of broad gauge train in this route i.e. on 22/08/1998..If i know the date then it will be possible for me to calculate the time ttaken for the gauge conversion .But i feel very sorry for those who are accostomized or attached to those metre gauge trains. Only in my 30's I realized the beauty of metre gauge trains.
Splendid footage! Correct me if I'm wrong, I was never alive to hear these beasts: but those horn timestamps you put up, the YAM1 horn sounds quite similar to those nathan P2-4 horns on the WDM2? In your classic archive footage of the deemer horns (I think Pathna superfast) . Beautiful and melodious sound
This is not just a journey in a train but also a journey through time itself. Very nice to see these videos. Its actually an immense help as well for a hobbyist like me. Since I am working to make a model train layout based on the Indian Railways in the era of the 90s. So these videos help to create a realistic diorama. Since when was the 4 wheeled freight wagons decommissioned?? Regards, Amit
Sir, it's a pure nostagia.. Rare captures of that era of 90-95..😍 I wanted to gather some information regarding the camera, which u have used during the recording of several railfanning footages?
If I remember right Pandiyan Express at this time was dark / Navy Blue with Yellow stripes over the Windows, Rockfort was green instead of blue with Yellow stripes over the Windows..In this video, I see Pandyan express with standard livery and the same yellow stripes..Please correct me if wrong.
Back in the 70s, Cholan had the blue with yellow stripes livery. I traveled on it from Thanjavur to Egmore. I saw Pandian in the mid 80s at Madurai, and it had the green with yellow stripes livery. Rockfort Exp. captured in this video has that green livery.
Unfortunately, I started taking videos only from 1992 onwards. Though I did travel quite a bit in the 1983-90 period. I do have pictures from my 1985 (and later) trips.
@@ManiVijay Thank you. Those cameras cost a fortune these days. On a different note, I've been watching your MG videos non-stop. Simply amazing! As a young man, I used to travel a lot on this route and I was oblivious of how special these YAMs were back then. Absolutely gold! Thank you for uploading :-)
@@narenderelapavaloresubrama5553 Very glad you enjoyed it! I feel in love with MG only because of my trips in SR back in 1973 and 1974. It's devastating that's all gone. When did you travel on this route and which trains?
@@narenderelapavaloresubrama5553 Call it coincidence but I traveled in both those trains in 1974. We took the Egmore-Sengottai Passenger from Egmore to Thanjavur. The sleeper coach was spanking clean! And the return journey was on the Cholan Exp. My first MG trip on a diesel-hauled train. The Cholan had a light-blue-with-yellow stripes livery. And I believe were in an FC Chair Car. Thoroughly enjoyed that trip. At Villupuram, a YAM1 took over.
Mani Bhai. This is unfair. You had directly skipped your shot from chengalpet to chetpet and I would have loved to see the intermediary stations like tambaram, pazhavanthangal, guindy etc. Hope you have videos on these stations as well.
Not sure why I didn't take the intermediate stations. I think my battery went dead. But I made up for it in 2000 when I took all these stations with MG. Here is that video - th-cam.com/video/IBeD7sAYL3M/w-d-xo.html .
@@SuperMunna77 Me too. When it was pure MG. My biggest regret is not capturing more of than precious YAM1 run in 1992. But then, I was newly married and returning from my honeymoon. Didn't want to act like a train-crazed freak in front of my wife :-) :-)
@@SuperMunna77 However, do see my 2000 video - it has plenty of MG EMU action and YAM1s as well. In fact, we overtook a fast MG local at Palavanthangal.
In 2002 there is a train which operates from Tambaram to rameswaram with YAM-1 I don't know the name of that train but it was a great experience,the whole meter gauge route was not electrified,it was only partly electrified.
Yes it was the Rameswaram Tambaram express, The one train that used to lock my college bus / other buses in a level crossing in the Trichy Pudukkottai Highway.
Mani Vijay I wish I could see these in reality ... I stay close to Chengalpattu now and I just wonder about how would it be if we still had those MG trains! These Unigauge project had actually robbed us of the opportunity to see these beauties !
It was pure MG heaven. The green-yellow Vaigai and Pallavan with matching loco used to skip CGL. And other classy train such as Pandyan, Quilon Mail, Nellai, Sethu, etc.
Sir I know yennaku theriyum smiling MG electric s oru yello w strip irukum smile pannum. Engine smile pannara MG. Cholan express lenthu may ur ram travel nalla memory.up to villupurm electric from villupuram diesal. Boat mail Laam coal engine hauled.
Ennodai favorite journeys le Cholan Exp irukku. I traveled from Thanjavur to Egmore in 1974. Back then, it had a light-blue-with-yellow-stripes livery and completely vestibuled.
Everything is beautiful about this catch! Sound from MG points, YAM1 acceleration, MG EMU, Beautiful sunrise in kolavai lake, great archival of history, Curve shot, Twin tone YAM1 "piLiral" - though I like the twin tones separately, Cholan green rake at Chetpet(nostalgia trip in sitting in NewEngland- went to school in Chetpet for 7 years - all MG), more YAM1s ... Thanks Mr MV... You posted the short Pandian leaving CGL few years back and now we get a longer version! Is there a even longer version of this? On a related note, in Maattukara velan movie (MGR-1970) There are two good shots of YAM1 hauled rakes!
Glad you enjoyed it! From your comments, it is evident that you are a huge MG lover like me. You must have really enjoyed the glory years of MG in SR while living in Chepet. Unfortunately, I don't have a longer version of Pandyan in the electrified section. However, I am planning to create another Pandyan video combining all my night-time footage. I will check out that movie - thanks for the tip :-) So, are you also from New England? I live in Nashua, NH. We can connect on Facebook if you wish.
Sir, if you want to see the MG pallavan express in white and red livery - the loco and the rakes in that color, there is a brief shot of it in the 1988 movie Thaimel Aanai in the early part of the movie, I am planning to rip that off and upload it.. th-cam.com/video/ttwWaO-NHcQ/w-d-xo.html 11:56 to 12:01
salute to you mani sir.... you laid the foundation stone of indian rail fanning videos...
Thanks for your kind words!
Very well deserved words Mani .. this one was truly a gem. The YAMMies were the cutest locos on IR by a mile : - ) ..
I’m a born and bred TBM now living in Australia for past 38 years . I lived in TBM because my father was a motorman as they called them in those days on TBM to MSB line . I’m also a railway buff and I remember the first evening when the first YAM 1 made the first inaugural run to VPM . I remember by the drivers window there was three logos that said Hitachi Mitsubishi and Toshiba who supplied all the components for the YAM locos . I love watching your videos and thank you and cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
This channel is a time machine. Thanks a lot for taking me back to my childhood memories. Nostalgic to the core. Lots of love.
You guys are lucky to see this .. South India was hub of metre gauge Railway
Well captured. Want to see Tambaram station in 90's .
How amazing were these days , MG trains all around , lots of variations , dedicated livery for specific trains , etc etc ...
Those days were absolutely amazing! BG doesn't even come CLOSE to matching the aura and romance that existed then. Yehi to rona hai :-(
This long video is a gem and words are not sufficient to thank you. In my college days I lived in Srirangam and used to take Rockfort and Vaigai to Chennai and later on when coming from Bombay for holidays I used to take Pandian or Pallavan from Chennai. As you said the trains were sparkling with olive green for Rockfort , green and yellow livery for other three. I was a witness to the testing and launching of Vaigai in my college days as I used to take steam YP hauled passenger daily. I also travelled in the first week to Chennai by Vaigai from Trichy with amazing speed and the train stopped only at VRI, VM and it took less than 5 hours. Catering was so good, there was a mini library with the latest magazines and no one could do door plating. Pandian had leather cladding for sometime in coaches and changed after a fire.I also took Quilon express in my childhood with YP upto VM and then YAM1. It was so much of fun to see change to a Japanese beauty. Thanks a million for rekindling great memories.
Wow! What wonderful memories you have portrayed here. I did not realize Vaigai had a mini-library and that you could not do doorplating. That is how they used to treat their trains - with pride! I so badly miss MG in SR. They really uprooted a well-oiled network and replaced with a far-less efficient BG system.
Would love to connect with you on Facebook - I actually have my MG Vaigai pictures there. You can find me here - facebook.com/mani.vijay1
Mani Vijay Nice to hear from you so soon. Wish you and your family a very happy Deepavali. The mini library in Vaigai had many English novels apart from so many magazines inclg. Business India and India Today. We had to show the ticket pay 25% deposit take and the charge was 10%. The train had 110 kmph speed between TPJ and VRI and TTES wouldn't allow one to open the door. I tried once at Srirangam but the coach was swaying so fast at the curve that I could barely wave my hands before the TTE noticed me. The snacks were so good and fresh that myself and my nephew from UK who was with us used to eat through out and still felt so good. The toilets were Indian but had SS lining everywhere and MDU took so much care that even in gaps there was no dirt. I travelled for ten years frequently for a decade and the decay slowly started. Even in late nineties it was still a good train but with reduced speed as YAM1 took over from VM and it had 75 kmph limit. The special YDM4 A was brand new, had special horns and the Loco Pilot was a friend of my uncle in SR and the Loco was so clean in the first decade. I took Vaigai from TPJ to VRI and return by Pallavan for one month every day in 1987 as I used to go and see my fiancée now wife a doctor in Neyveli. It was never delayed even once by a few minutes and tickets were always available as it was a premium train costing much more than buses. The reason for fall in standards is non revision of fares. I have used Pandian also many times and it is so good to think of today even after I have travelled by TGV, ICE and Eurostar Thanks for reading this and pls. Keep in touch
Sir Vaigai n Kovai express both are inaugurated during mid 70s. Their speed was 110kph n used cover 500kms in just 6.30 hrs. After couple BG accidents and more express in BG sector the speed was reduced nowadays Kovai runs like a passenger
@@rameshn7207 super
These are the priceless videos.....Mani Sir, the way you made videos of yesteryear trains having majority of routes MG and unelectrified, pure AlCO's chugging, red-maroon ICF coaches and no HD technology to record are fascinating. I always enjoy watching your videos, no matter how long they are. I salute to your hard work done to capture the past era of Indian Railways.
this is the video ive been searching for a long time..My favourite train is Rockfort express. I like Pandian express too. it wont stops in some stations between tpj-ms. My most of the travel will be in between tpj-ms. So these routes are familiar to me. in 1992 itself you have recorded this. you are a guru for today's you tubers. deserved to reach million views. Thanks sir.
Dheivame.. Ungala nerla pathu thanks solanum pola iruku.. Rail fanning from those days wow.. All of your videos are pokisham :)
Rhomba nanri.
In my childhood, I use to travel in meter gauge trains from Mayiladuthurai to Egmore. I can recollect those memories now. Thanks Mani Sir
Tears in my eyes sir,, tq so much for this video,, my childhood memories of kumbakonam journey in cholan express through meter gauge is wonderful and beautiful shake of the train is like lollaby for babies,, am badly missing those meter gauge memories
Metre gauge journeys are so full of good memories, they often bring tears to our eyes. I too badly miss those wonderful MG days.
Nostalgic !! Brought the old times back. Thanks Mani for sharing this gem.
You are most welcome. When did you travel first on this section? Was it by a YAM1-hauled train?
Very lovely video Mr Mani Vijay. Very proud to say southern railway only railway to have MG electric traction where we cont see anywhere in India those days . Golden days ... Thank you and regards.
I, too, feel that SR was a very special zone for having the only electrified MG section in IR. Unfortunately, it's all gone.
Awesome capture of this prestigious train (sounds et al..) during its metre guage days, being hauled by the beautiful YAM-1 loco !! The rising sun over the Kolavai lake is another beauty !!
SR had a modern MG system. Electrified tracks, Electric locomotives and Diesel shunters (YDM2). Glad you have captured a YDM2. They were found only in Madras and Secunderabad.
Very true! The SR MG system had a Japan-like efficiency, punctuality and maintenance. Remember being in awe of this system during my 1973 and 1974 trips.
Chengalpattu is the place where I grew up. I used to watch these trains from a station called Thirumani which is just before Cgl jn. It is small. I loved trains from my childhood. This video brought tears of joy since it was my college days. I used to take Kamban express at 6.10am. This is one of the best video I could appreciate. For me this video is my past life album. I love you sir as you brought my joyful tears rolling down my cheeks. Thanks Abraham.
abraham prince I am very happy you enjoyed it. I truly miss those golden years of MG. There was a certain charm to it.
I was addicted to trains in my childhood (90s) and that slowly died down by 2010s...
But.... I have been wanting to revisit those days especially how those places, people and times were (from my current viewpoint as an adult)....
No amount of thanks could suffice the extraordinary work you have been putting as a vlogger (well before the term was coined)...
Sir, I have seen several of your videos and hats off to you!!!!!!
Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback. Very glad you have been enjoyed my videos!
❤️❤️❤️ i used to walk through chetpet depot on my school days... Happy to see the exact location again... Nostalgia 😍
dark green with a yellow band was Pandian’s Old livery. So nostalgic
Very true. I miss Pandian with that livery.
Even Rockfort had the same livery when I was growing up, by then Pandian was Blue with the yellow lines if I recall right.
Pure Gold...Reside in Chromepet from 1991 and still do..Miss those YAM1's running through MIT level crossing. The MG's all started my love affair with trains. I even travelled on the last MG EMU from Mambalam to Tambaram and might have shed a tear or two knowing they will be gone. Thanks for the briiliant upload
Miss the YAM1s a lot. Cannot help feeling sad how project unigauge robbed us of these beauties :-(
Yes Sir, I wish we get some Broad Gauge Electric Engine resembling the YAM1
Really, rarest of rare MG electrified railway track before I can't see MG electrified rail track .Thanks Mani Vijay, historic rail video
These people had no interest in heritage, hence, removed the only electrified MG section forever.
Sir. For anyone, the time spent during school days are the most nostalgic. To me, the years during the early 80s until 1992 were the best. Moreover, Trains are like Gods to me. So, when I get to reminisce a combination of those nostalgic 80s and 90s along with my Gods called trains, I am dumbstruck. I always have been a frequent traveler by trains along the chennai tirupati and chennai and chengalpattu sectors. I am now searching for more videos from you which are posted along these sectors. Thanking you once again.
These videos are meant to invoke nostalgia. Hope you will enjoy my other 1992/1995 video as well :-)
Very much sir. you wont believe, like me, even my sons are train freaks. They eat only if i show them train videos. Off late, I am only showing them the videos of yours taken in 1992 and 95.
Oh, wow, that's great :-)
Lovely video! YAM 1 locos were really beautiful and cute. We would eagerly wait for summer vacations to make the annual visit to our native place Sirkazhi! Change over to steam loco at Villupuram those days, later came the MG diesel locos.
Lovely nostalgia trip!
Thanks! I terribly miss the YAM1 loco. My last trip through Sirkazhi was way back in 1973 when we took the MG Cholan Exp. from Thanjavur to Egmore. The main line route was so picturesque. Wonder whether BG has maintained that charm of MG.
Very nice to watch a video glimpse of the rare electrified metre gauge section, that too a double line, These were the pillars of our current Railway System
Thanks! The MG network was truly amazing. It had a Japan-like efficiency when it came to punctuality, maintenance and service. Alas, all this has been razed to dust.
This video is pure gold. Thank you Mr Mani Vijay.
Glad you enjoyed ... one of my favorite videos as well.
@@ManiVijay Yes sir I watch this Time and again. Do you have any footages of any other videos older to this ?
As a son of a railway employee I have always travel in trains and which I really loved to. Born in 1993 I only remember the scrapped coaches of brown colour but after watching your videos I came to know about the different colour trains and wish I can go back to those days too. I was looking for old videos of IR and came through your channel and just love the videos😊😊
Very glad to hear that you enjoyed my older videos. Thanks for your feedback :-)
Holidays, hometown,metre gauge train what a combination !!! While in return after crossing Tambaram we will see pallavan buses ! Back to school phobia will dominate us ! Hmm what a life those days ! Thanks for recalling this moments
Glad you enjoyed it. I really miss those glory MG days.
@@ManiVijay we have to appreciate your interest towards MG trains ! Atleast we can see MG trains in your videos sir ! Otherwise it's a dream .
@@rajagopalangeetha I have always been a die-hard MG lover, hence, tried to capture as much MG footage as possible.
Great work sir... I've always been a fan of yours... those lovely MG tracksound rhythms are somewhat similar to the modern LHB rakes... most of this stretch is still the same even today... Loved it:)
Glad you enjoyed it. Those track sounds are just heavenly, right?
Mani Vijay Yes sir:)
No words to describe the beauty of your rail fanning in my childhood days sir. Salute to your efforts.
Thanks! I terribly miss MG, especially on this section with those quaint YAM1 locos.
@@ManiVijay yes sir after watching your MG videos I also truly miss my childhood journeys in MG trains. Now I feel southern railways destroyed the beauty of Meter gauge.
Looks like a really rare video. Pandian express used to have a diesel loco..back then madurai - dingual - trichy section was neither electrified nor was converted to broad gauge..Nostalgia
Thanks Mani sir, lots of old memories.
this is so rustic and so beautifil. No words of thanks are enough for u sir...
Glad you enjoyed it! Isn't it a shame that this been taken away from us due to Project Unigauge?
indeed it is... :'(
Wow ! Thank you for this video. Electrified MG is a treat to watch.
Just imagine if they had persisted with MG and had actually electrified more MG sections. Just think how Nainital Exp would have looked being hauled by a YAM1 between Lucknow and Kathgodam.
I can only imagine now :)
True...wish there was some technology to translate our imaginations into videos :-)
thanks a lot for those vintage chengalpattu - egmore stretch sir .. pandian express will be hauled by diesel locos till villupuram then with electric locos. that too with ed or goc WDM 2's . my home next to a level crossing near trichy, pandian express will always give us a mild earthquake with dual alcos every midnight .
i travelled in vaigai express with wam 4 , wap 1 ,4 and 7 even with toasters but never in a MG line .. amazing to see this number of coaches hauled by a single loco in 90's .
Thanks a lot! MG Pandian was a fairly long train. I really miss the MG days.
cascading MG track sounds in the dawn is such a melody!
Special thanks to you sir...your memorable old rail videos make me as Rail fan.. And now my Railfanning channel with 100+ subscribers
Thanks!
Beautiful! The water tank seen before the Chengelpet Steam Loco Shed is still in existance ,while Steam Shed was flattened a year back.
It's so sad that MG has completely disappeared from this route. No more YAM1s.
Beautifully captured no words to describe. Old is gold. Now adj to the lake is Mahindra Research Valley a well developed location. Took me to the older days
Glad you enjoyed it. I terribly miss MG.
@@ManiVijay certainly me too
Such a shame we lost this priceless gem!
A royal shame, indeed, no thanks to mass conversion.
Well as many have said words aren’t sufficient to describe this wonderful long video. It is such a gem that the more you watch the more you enjoy and feel sad. I am able to relive my family journeys to Kodai Mdu and back to Ms by the same Pandian during late eighties and early nineties. Pandian in eighties had dark green livery similar to the one in your Cholan express and Rockfort had light parrot green colour. There was another gem in Vaigai in which I travelled for almost 20 years seeing colour change to loco change from full YDM4 ride to partly YAM1 at later stage. In my school cum college days I used to enjoy Rockfort and Pandian passing thro Srirangam after the wonderful steel bridge across Cauvery and Coleroon listening to the same sounds of track, YDM horn and bridge. This video is sheer ecstasy and one feels so sad in spite of much faster better BG trains with 8 a/c coaches, LHB rake Pandian, RF and Cholan now. YDM4 at Ooty Coonoor ( being changed to steam again soon) and YAM1 at Perambur Rail Museum are the consolation. May God bless you for the great IR videos. I can’t see my TGV, Thallys and ICE videos again may be I am old or they don’t have character.
It is always nice to hear about experiences because it feels me with nostalgia. If IR had any sense of heritage, it would have preserved at least a few km of electrified MG track with a couple of working YAM1s.
Mani Vijay You are so right but then then past is not retained much in India and I heard the same in Europe recently except in museums. Perambur Rail Museum Chennai has one YAM1 loco and MG coaches apart from MG suburban rake on display. They also have MG steam loco apart from WCM 1 loco. Some consolation indeed. One YAM 1 loco kept o/s Tambaram hard - earlier YAM 1 home base was also dismantled when they converted the whole area into yard for maintenance of BG suburban trains. The beautiful MG tracks and rakes of Assam have also been dismantled thought tracks remain at some places in Barack Valley. This is inspite of a promise from British Govt. as told to me by one MP to retain a part as museum at their cost. May be they didn’t pay up. But we have your wonderful videos to relive the past and thanks to Internet.
Good old memories. Thanks for the video. Still remember the MG chengalpet station and the noise
Such great memories of those MG days. Chengalpattu used to be such a nice MG junction.
Frankly speaking my sister was not even born when this video was shot, now she had 1.5 year old kid. (She is 28 years)
What a difference...
If I would have a time machine, I would go back to those times and take a ride.. play with my own sister and come back...
The lake is very scenic, even till date, water 💦 would almost touch tracks, this falls between PARANUR and Chengalpattu. Even EMUs are very good in Chennai, even till date. They have their own charm and acceleration.
A short ride of just 5 rs, will take to this beautiful ride.
I, too, would just love to go back in time and enjoy these soothing MG journeys. How I wish this could be done. Now MG is gone forever :-(
Sir you are great.....No words to describe.......Thanks a lot for this wonderful video........Keep posting such memorable videos...Sir.....
Very glad you liked it!
Wow it's a precious times of indian railway
Rhythmic train !! Roaring rails !! MG trains era is golden age of southern railway
I agree. The golden era was when SR was predominantly MG.
Sir! Doo you remember the date on which the metre gauge train service on chennai - trichy chord line was stopped ( or the date on when the last maiden run of MG Pallavan or Vaigai happened).I got the inaugral date and first run of broad gauge train in this route i.e. on 22/08/1998..If i know the date then it will be possible for me to calculate the time ttaken for the gauge conversion .But i feel very sorry for those who are accostomized or attached to those metre gauge trains. Only in my 30's I realized the beauty of metre gauge trains.
Sir palanpur side ka koi old video he aap ke pass ho to please muje link bhejna na sir
Again very nice video mani sir keep it up
the uniform rhythm of unwelded track sound was sweet. now the much-touted LHB rakes so much noise you can hardly sleep in non-ac sleeper
Nice video Sir
Sir really it's awesome u done a great memories and that last chetpet Depot track sounds really nice it's remaining my childhood memories tq so much
Glad you enjoyed it! This video is very precious to me, since it reminds me of my favorite SR metre gauge.
superb and well covered , Vera Level
Rhomba nanri! I miss MG like anything especially the YAM1s.
Nice.
Nzm tvc rajdhani. 1995s ?????
Splendid footage! Correct me if I'm wrong, I was never alive to hear these beasts: but those horn timestamps you put up, the YAM1 horn sounds quite similar to those nathan P2-4 horns on the WDM2? In your classic archive footage of the deemer horns (I think Pathna superfast) . Beautiful and melodious sound
Awesome Pongal gift! Thanks for the upload! This video is older than my brother!! :)
Happy Pongal ... didn't realize the timing of this video :-)
sir this train running with lhb coaches drawn by wap7 from ms to mdu and vice-versa and even cholan runs with lhb rake
Good to know that Pandian and Cholan have LHB rakes.
Still remember the shaky route especially between VM and MV and after that yam1 takes over and smooth tracks we can feel in those days
Those amazing MG days!!
@@ManiVijay CGL-MS same one hour running time and now also almost same
This is not just a journey in a train but also a journey through time itself. Very nice to see these videos.
Its actually an immense help as well for a hobbyist like me.
Since I am working to make a model train layout based on the Indian Railways in the era of the 90s. So these videos help to create a realistic diorama.
Since when was the 4 wheeled freight wagons decommissioned??
Regards,
Amit
Glad you enjoyed! I think the 4 wheelers disappeared in the early 2000s.
Lovely videos of electrified M.G
Glad you enjoyed. I truly miss electrified MG.
Please take interest to rebuild the same section and preserve it.
[[[BAAGHI 🐘 BAAGH 🐅 BALLIA Bharat ka sartaaj uttarpardesh INDIAN 🦁 crown-SARDAAR WALLABH BHAI PATEL]]] love the INDIAN 🦁 RAILWAYS]]]
Beautiful !!! Great Work
Thanks!
Sir, Which Camera you use in that time
I had an Analog Hi8 SONY camcorder costing a whopping $1000 and 4 times bigger than what I have now.
Sir, it's a pure nostagia..
Rare captures of that era of 90-95..😍
I wanted to gather some information regarding the camera, which u have used during the recording of several railfanning footages?
Thanks! I horribly miss MG, especially SR. I used to have an analog SONY Hi-8 camcorder.
Almost 30 years back. Missing Meter Guage electric trains
Chengalpat to Egmore in 1hr those days is really fast
nice one sir, miss that days
I also terribly miss those days.
If I remember right Pandiyan Express at this time was dark / Navy Blue with Yellow stripes over the Windows, Rockfort was green instead of blue with Yellow stripes over the Windows..In this video, I see Pandyan express with standard livery and the same yellow stripes..Please correct me if wrong.
Back in the 70s, Cholan had the blue with yellow stripes livery. I traveled on it from Thanjavur to Egmore. I saw Pandian in the mid 80s at Madurai, and it had the green with yellow stripes livery. Rockfort Exp. captured in this video has that green livery.
Super sir Exlent vedios secunderabad to buvaneswar old train journey please uplodme sir🙏
great content keep up the good work
Thanks!
Great work. In those days there is no facilities to take video.
Sir any streame train long journey in tamilnadu
I traveled a lot in steam trains in the 70s in Tamilnadu. Unfortunately, no opportunity to take videos back then.
Thankyou sir
Meter gauge ki abhi tk ki sabse achhi video. Meter gauge Electric journey. Iklauta video youtube pr
Precious!
Awesome
Mani Sir,
do you have the time table for this MG section? wanted to compare the glorious days of MG in SR with present BG.
I have a bunch. You can find some of my SR scans here - www.irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/timetables/All_India_1977/All_India_1977_SR/
A jewel... to say the least
Thanks!
Mani vijay. I would love to see you post videos belonging to 1983 to 1990 period especially along the madras Tirupati sector. Do let me know.
Unfortunately, I started taking videos only from 1992 onwards. Though I did travel quite a bit in the 1983-90 period. I do have pictures from my 1985 (and later) trips.
@@ManiVijay kindly share those photos of 1985 trips
@@SuperMunna77 You should be able to find many on my Facebook photos pages.
@@ManiVijay what's your profile name in FB
@@ManiVijay Mani ji. Gotta your profile in FB. 😊
nice capture.
Thanks!
Very aesthetic!
Thanks :-)
really nice...dis mg section still exist or converted to bg.
Thanks! This was converted to BG in the mid 90s itself.
Which camera did you use back then? Nice videos mate!
I had an Analog Hi8 SONY Camcorder.
@@ManiVijay Thank you. Those cameras cost a fortune these days.
On a different note, I've been watching your MG videos non-stop. Simply amazing!
As a young man, I used to travel a lot on this route and I was oblivious of how special these YAMs were back then. Absolutely gold! Thank you for uploading :-)
@@narenderelapavaloresubrama5553 Very glad you enjoyed it! I feel in love with MG only because of my trips in SR back in 1973 and 1974. It's devastating that's all gone. When did you travel on this route and which trains?
@@ManiVijay I travelled between late 80s and mid 90s. I could remember only 2 trains- Sengotta Passenger and Cholan Express. Thank you. :)
@@narenderelapavaloresubrama5553 Call it coincidence but I traveled in both those trains in 1974. We took the Egmore-Sengottai Passenger from Egmore to Thanjavur. The sleeper coach was spanking clean! And the return journey was on the Cholan Exp. My first MG trip on a diesel-hauled train. The Cholan had a light-blue-with-yellow stripes livery. And I believe were in an FC Chair Car. Thoroughly enjoyed that trip. At Villupuram, a YAM1 took over.
Sir do you have any videos of old braganza ghat section......?
I experienced it for the first time in July 2017.
Mani Bhai. This is unfair. You had directly skipped your shot from chengalpet to chetpet and I would have loved to see the intermediary stations like tambaram, pazhavanthangal, guindy etc. Hope you have videos on these stations as well.
Not sure why I didn't take the intermediate stations. I think my battery went dead. But I made up for it in 2000 when I took all these stations with MG. Here is that video - th-cam.com/video/IBeD7sAYL3M/w-d-xo.html .
@@ManiVijay thank you. But the period upto 1994 is dearer to me.
@@SuperMunna77 Me too. When it was pure MG. My biggest regret is not capturing more of than precious YAM1 run in 1992. But then, I was newly married and returning from my honeymoon. Didn't want to act like a train-crazed freak in front of my wife :-) :-)
@@SuperMunna77 However, do see my 2000 video - it has plenty of MG EMU action and YAM1s as well. In fact, we overtook a fast MG local at Palavanthangal.
Really great video s
Thanks!
I really miss metre gauge train
awesome 👍 👍
Thanks !!
In 2002 there is a train which operates from Tambaram to rameswaram with YAM-1 I don't know the name of that train but it was a great experience,the whole meter gauge route was not electrified,it was only partly electrified.
Must have been the Rameswaram Exp. which, in the 70s, used to depart from Beach to connect with Ganga Kaveri.
Yes it was the Rameswaram Tambaram express, The one train that used to lock my college bus / other buses in a level crossing in the Trichy Pudukkottai Highway.
Entire journey from Tambaram to RMM wouldn't be with YAM1. There must have been a loco change at VM.
Nice! Sir!
Thanks!
Wow!
Imagine, project unigauge robbed us of all these beauties forever. We can definitely blame Jaffer Sharief for starting this.
Mani Vijay I wish I could see these in reality ... I stay close to Chengalpattu now and I just wonder about how would it be if we still had those MG trains! These Unigauge project had actually robbed us of the opportunity to see these beauties !
Oh really? Chengalpattu was MG heaven with a huge yard as well. We have certainly been robbed permanently :-(
Mani Vijay Yes really .. shifted 2 years back! I just hear about those MG days and how graceful it used to be!
It was pure MG heaven. The green-yellow Vaigai and Pallavan with matching loco used to skip CGL. And other classy train such as Pandyan, Quilon Mail, Nellai, Sethu, etc.
Sir,
Do u have any National Highways video clips in Tamilnadu during 1990s?
I don't think so but let me check.
Sir I know yennaku theriyum smiling MG electric s oru yello w strip irukum smile pannum. Engine smile pannara MG. Cholan express lenthu may ur ram travel nalla memory.up to villupurm electric from villupuram diesal. Boat mail Laam coal engine hauled.
Ennodai favorite journeys le Cholan Exp irukku. I traveled from Thanjavur to Egmore in 1974. Back then, it had a light-blue-with-yellow-stripes livery and completely vestibuled.
how many coaches did pandiyan have sir ?
I think it was 18.
Super
Last trip of MG in 2003
So sad. That was a the end of a fantastic system.
Everything is beautiful about this catch! Sound from MG points, YAM1 acceleration, MG EMU, Beautiful sunrise in kolavai lake, great archival of history, Curve shot, Twin tone YAM1 "piLiral" - though I like the twin tones separately, Cholan green rake at Chetpet(nostalgia trip in sitting in NewEngland- went to school in Chetpet for 7 years - all MG), more YAM1s ... Thanks Mr MV... You posted the short Pandian leaving CGL few years back and now we get a longer version! Is there a even longer version of this?
On a related note, in Maattukara velan movie (MGR-1970) There are two good shots of YAM1 hauled rakes!
Glad you enjoyed it! From your comments, it is evident that you are a huge MG lover like me. You must have really enjoyed the glory years of MG in SR while living in Chepet. Unfortunately, I don't have a longer version of Pandyan in the electrified section. However, I am planning to create another Pandyan video combining all my night-time footage.
I will check out that movie - thanks for the tip :-) So, are you also from New England? I live in Nashua, NH.
We can connect on Facebook if you wish.
Sir, if you want to see the MG pallavan express in white and red livery - the loco and the rakes in that color, there is a brief shot of it in the 1988 movie Thaimel Aanai in the early part of the movie, I am planning to rip that off and upload it..
th-cam.com/video/ttwWaO-NHcQ/w-d-xo.html
11:56 to 12:01
is this video shot by you , what were you doing at that period
Yes, shot by me. I was actually returning from my honeymoon in Kodaikkanal :-)
is this route existing or converted?
Converted back in the 90s.
@@ManiVijay Converted sometime after 1997/8 if I know right
The livery \m/ :)
Now Humsafar has a nice livery :-)
Mani sir very nice
Thanks!
1992, i was just started my school :D
Where were you studying?
Vivekananda Vidyalaya, Perambur Chennai 1991-2005
OK.