Some things in life are really worth waiting for. My fascination with the WAP-7 started right when i saw the white beauty graceful parked at CLW in a picture in a the year 2000. Finally traveling in a train hauled by the WAP-7 in no less than the AC deluxe Aka Poorva Express from Howrah to CLW was a experience which i would not forget till the end.
The arrival of WAP-5 locos with the Raj were a first sign of the winds of change in SCR and SC which dynamically moved from crack diesels of kazipet to the electric brutes of lallaguda which rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the old steam shed which was 100 years old.
Finally the great arrival of WAP-7 30237 to Lallaguda Shed in November 2008 was a festival of sorts.
I was always averse to riding the WAP-7 on the raj with closed windows and a blocked out view of the country side and its smells. I was desperately hoping it would be put on a passenger train which did materialize in the form of the 337 passenger from kazipet to dornakal which i was too tired to even enjoy but enjoyed it with whatever strength i had behind loco no 30253.
Cutting the long winding short, i planned a visit to the Vijayawada Temple which is the most famous in AP. I booked myself on satavahana express which reportedly getting off link WAP-7 locos once in a while and hoped i would get a WAP-7 for my visit to the temple and back. Having twice missed a chance to travel in Satavahana behind the mighty white, i sincerely prayed that i get the white
beauty of my choice.
On that day providence seemed to have smiled a sheepish smile on this desperate rail fan and i spotted the incoming satavahana with Lallaguda WAP-7 30253. This same loco was to be the link for the next trips as well.
Descending on SC station by 15.30 pm, i was lost in admiration to finally see my dream of a mail express train with a WAP-7 from SC. Spending a few minutes in solitude on PF-9 at SC there were intrinsically satiating all those WAP-7 travel desires which had pent in me over the years.
Gingerly walking towards my coach like a kid exploring Willi Wonka's chocolate land for the first time, i pinched myself while looking back if it was really my dream machine at the helm. Sudden doubts raced across my mind, what if the loco failed and a WAP-4 or WAM-4 took over. The minutes ticked by and 16.15 hrs was crossed without any movement, panic set it in as i was worried if we had a loco issue and my dream would be snatched away just when it was being fulfilled.
This was not to be as at 16.21 hrs for the first time your' s truly started leaving SC behind a WAP-7. I had seen the first run of satvanahana when i was in school and wished to always travel in it but could do so on a few times. Our load was 22 bogies with a few VPX vans for regular parcel service to BZA.
The run continues in part 02
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