Colombo–Badulla Night Mail

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train is a night time passenger and mail train that runs between Colombo and Badulla in Sri Lanka.[3][4]

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train
Overview
Service typeNight mail train
StatusIn service
LocaleSri Lanka
Current operator(s)Sri Lanka Railways
Former operator(s)Ceylon Government Railway
Route
TerminiColombo Fort railway station
StopsBadulla railway station
Distance travelled292.4 km (181.7 mi)[1]
Average journey time8 - 10 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)1045 (Colombo Fort - Badulla)
1046 (Badulla - Colombo Fort)
On-board services
Sleeping arrangementsAvailable [2]
Observation facilitiesN/A
Technical
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Route map
Badulla
Tunnel No. 43
Hali Ela
Uduwara
Demodara Loop
Demodara & Tunnel No. 42
Tunnel No. 41
Nine Arch Bridge
Tunnel No. 40
Ella
Kithal Ella
Heel Oya
Kinigama
Tunnel No. 39
Bandarawela
Tunnel No. 38
Diyatalawa
Tunnel No. 37
Haputale
Glenonare
Tangamale Sanctuary
Tunnel No. 36
Idalgashinna
Tunnel No. 22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34 & 35
Ohiya
Tunnel No. 18 (Pattipola Tunnel),19,20 & 21
Summit 1898.1m above MSL
Pattipola
Ambewela
Horton Plains National Park
Parakramapura
Closed Udapussellawa Line
Nanu Oya
Tunnel No. 17
Radella
Great Western
Watagoda
Upper Kotmale Reservoir
Tunnel No. 16
Thalawakele
Tunnel No. 15
St.Clair
Kotagala
Galkandawatta
Tunnel No. 14 (Singha Malai Tunnel)
Hatton
Rozella
Ihala Watawala
Watawala
Wewalthalawa
Dekinda
Galboda
Tunnel No. 12 & 13
Penrose
Inguruoya
Hightenford
Selam
Mahaweli Ganga
Nawalapitiya
Warakawa
Pallegama
Ulapane
Warakapitiya
Thembiligala
Wallahagoda
Gampola
Kahatapitiya
Gangathilaka
Botalepitiya
Weligalla
Polgaha Anga
Gelioya
Koshinna
Nanu Oya
Matale Line
Peradeniya Junction
KiribathKumbura
Barammane
Pilimatalawa
Urapola
Kotabagolla
Kadugannawa
Tunnel No. 10 (Moragalla Tunnel) & 11
Weralugolla
Tunnel No. 9
Balana
Tunnel No. 6, 7 & 8
Makehelwala
Bambaragala
Ihala Kotte
Tunnel No. 5A (Meeyangalla Tunnel)
Gangoda
Tunnel No. 5
Yatiwaldeinya
Kadigamuwa
Tunnel No. 2, 3 & 4
Rambukkana
Rambukkan Oya
Yatagama
Korossa
Tismalpola
Panaliya
Northern Line
Polgahawela Junction
Walakumbura
Alawwa
Bujjomuwa
Yattalgoda
Maha Oya
Ambepussa
Botale
Tunnel No. 1
Wilwatta
Mirigama
Wijaya Rajadahana
 E04  Central Expressway
Ganegoda
Pallewela
Keenawala
Wadurawa
Veyangoda
Heendeniya Pattiyagoda
Magalegoda
 E04  Central Expressway
Bemmulla
Daraluwa
Gampaha
Attanagalu Oya
Yagoda
 E04  Central Expressway
Ganemulla
Bulugahagoda
Batuwaththa
Walpola
Puttalam Line
Ragama Junction
Horape
 E02  Outer Circular Expressway
Ederamulla
Hunupitiya
Wanawasala
Kelaniya
Kelani River
Dematagoda
Kelani Valley Line
Maradana
Colombo Fort
Coast Line

The Badulla-bound train departs from Colombo at 8:00pm,[5] while the Colombo-bound train leaves Badulla at 5:00pm. The trip takes about 10 hours.[5][6] This timetable is occasionally disrupted by unexpected events,[7] weather,[8] and track conditions.[9][10][11]

Services

The train offers three classes:[5]

  • 1st class
  • 2nd class
  • 3rd class typically gets very crowded and carries only basic facilities.[1][2]

Route

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train travels the length of Sri Lanka Railways' Main Line through the hill country.

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train begins its journey at Colombo Fort Station and stops only at Ragama, Gampaha, Veyangoda. Then it comes to Polgahawela junction, where the Northern Line Branches off. Train continues its journey on Main Line. At 9:45 pm, it reaches Rambukkana railway station, where the double line railway from Colombo Fort Station ends. From Rambukkana, it has to climb a steep slope of 1:44, into the hills of the upcountry. But it is a difficult task for M6 locomotive to do alone. So M5 class locomotive is attached at the rear end, as a banking engine. With the power of 2 engines, train departs Rambukkana and continues its journey to the next stop at Kadugannawa. The rear engine is removed and the train travels to the Peradeniya junction. Rear mail carriage is removed from the train and it will be attached to a train, which goes to Kandy. The train, carrying 12 carriages departs for Badulla. The next stop is Gampola Railway Station. Again a M6 class locomotive is attached at the rear end, to climb steep slopes, from Gampola to Pattipola. In the midnight, the train comes to Nawalapitiya station, where technical officers check braking systems for safe ride through the mountains. Also engine drivers change. After leaving Nawalapitiya station, The number 1046 Badulla-Colombo Night Mail Train, which was commenced from Badulla to Colombo Fort, meets at Inguru Oya Railway Station. The Train continues its journey passing Hatton,[12] Nanuoya, Ambewela and at 4:00am, it reaches Pattipola, the highest altitude railway station in Sri Lanka. In here, rear locomotive is uncoupled and brought to the front end of the train and re-coupled, as a pilot engine, to begin its descend from Pattipola to Badulla. Dynamic Brakes are used for this continuous braking to reduce the wear of friction-based braking components. The train passes Ohiya, Idalgashinna, Haputale, Diyathalawa, Bandarawela, Ella, Demodara and reaches Badulla, in the morning.

Rolling Stock

The service is run by M6 locomotives pulling Romanian-built ASTRA passenger coaches.

See also

References

  1. "COLOMBO FORT to BADULLA : Sri Lanka Train/Railway Schedule". slr.malindaprasad.com.
  2. "Night Mail 1st class berths". www.seat61.com/SriLanka.htm.
  3. "Team dispatched to restore services on Colombo-Badulla rail route". News First Sri Lanka, 14 July 2017 Keshala Dias
  4. Ceylon Government Railway (1964). Ceylon Government Railway: one hundred years, 1864-1964. The Railway. p. 67.
  5. "Visit Sri Lanka and take the train...". The Man in Seat 61 - A beginners guide to Train Travel in Sri Lankh.
  6. Devil’s Staircase". Sunday Observer, 3 September 2017. Nushka Nafeel and Jordana Narin.
  7. Employers' Federation of Ceylon (2004). 75th anniversary journal. Employers' Federation of Ceylon. p. 55.
  8. "Colombo- Badulla night mail train revived". Hiru News, 28 May 2016.
  9. "June 21–27 - A Diary of events in Sri Lanka and the World". Tribune. Ceylon News Service: 18, 30. 1975.
  10. "Earth slip hampers train travel on Badulla line". New First Sri Lanka, 29 November 2017 Keshala Dias
  11. "Badulla bound night-mail train derails". "Daily News", Asela KURULUWANSA, 14 July 2017
  12. Roosindu Peris. "Both night-mail trains travelling between Colombo and Badulla cancelled". Ada Derana, 13 July 2017
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