Nostalgia - The Turntable

Pic coutesy: The WWW

During my elementary school days, I wasn't allowed to walk from Tambaram to Perungalathur.

School used to end around 3.15 PM. The next train to Perungalathur those days was at 4.30 PM. There were no PTC buses !

I used to walk to Tambaram railway station and wait for the 4.30 PM train. ( The monthly train pass between Tambaram and Perungalathur was 1 Rs. 45 paise ! ).

Every now and then, a steam engine would be turned on the turn table in Tambaram. It was a fantastic sight. The engine would come in from South to North and go South after it is turned.

It was manual labor. The driver and the helper used to get out after parking the train on the table. They used the levers and went pushing around in a circle turning the engine.

These days, I am not sure if the turn table is used anymore. I don't even know if they dismantled it.

However, great memories. Nostalgic !!

Nostalgia

Starting a series of posts titled 'Nostalgia'. Planning to pour my heart about my younger days. I'll be writing about those moments in life that make me happy whenever my thoughts fly back in time.

Flashback

Elementary school days
Christ King Convent, Tambaram ( 1970 - 1976)

I had to walk to Perungalathur railway station, take a train to Tambaram and walk to school. Sometimes my grandfather would go with me. Mostly I'd be on my own, following a group of kids who had the privilege of having a lady ( we used to call her Aayah ) take them to school. She was a kind lady. Though I wasn't a part of the group, she'd always make me feel a part of the group !!

I used to always carry my school bag and a lunch bag with water and lunch. The bags would have 'VR' embroidered on them. VR was V.Ramesh, which was my name those days ( Later got changed to Narayanan in High school ).

I would forget my lunch bag in the train every now and then while going home. And believe me, we used to run back to catch the train ( same train ) returning back in 30 minutes from Vandalur. The bag still used to be there..wherever I left it ( with the bottle and a stainless steel lunch box).

But, before we went to recover the bag.....I'd have gotten a few spankings !!

N O S T A L G I A !!