Up before the sun to get to the station and checkin the bikes. Wake the hotel reception duty who is sleeping on the foyer couch. Quite nice given the time and interruption. Short walk along Station Rd with the bikes to the large complex. Quite a few people already floating around both outside and inside but the majority of people inside are asleep on the floor. Some with tickets, some homeless. At the cloak roam check the bikes in and attach their cardboard name plates as required. No hessian as was required for our trip from Potankot to Haridwar. No complaint. Additional 124rup to check the bikes through.
Set up near the bikes to keep an eye on them, whilst adjusting the Bob and bag ready for travel. Sweating profusely as attempt to remove the bike pedals to reduce the temptation to go for a platform spin by the Luggage staff. No issue really, either this time in the morning or this station, not sure. Train arrives on time at 5.05am, though departure time is 5.55am. Quite nice as it should reduce the panic boarding by both passengers and passenger's porters carting loads of luggage. It is amazing how much people take on and stuff into any space available, and that is in the AC carriages. The only Sleeper carriage we have been in was from Potankot to Amritsar and short enough to be novel rather then claustrophobic.
Train is in good condition and not long having moved off we are provided with first newspaper, then water and light refreshments. The berth is 2AC which though obviously Air con also refers to 2 per berth side and four per curtained section, seats basically bunk beds. Sitting opposite us a family on their way to Delhi, who will be on the train for about 28hrs. Armed police patrol past the corridor and even a sniffer dog. Watch the countryside pass after the train has crossed back across the bridge to the northern side of the Brahmaputra. Great to be on the move again, heading back to pick up our gear from Siliguri.
Arrive NJP feeling pretty good. Great weather given the season and running pretty much to schedule. Train arrives on one of the furtherest platforms so we lug the panniers, bob bag and backpacks across the walk over out to the entrance before going in search of the bikes. Locate the cloak room, in the middle station building and display the pickup slip before being taken to a secured depot. Both bikes so start breathing a little easier. Start to roll my bike out and realise pretty quickly that the back wheel is locked up. On closer inspection the back rim has an ugly looking rim buckle.
Back to the Cloak room and point out that the bike has been damaged and one of the three guys behind the counter identifies that it wasn't packed up properly. Upon clarifying that it was not pointed out that they needed to be packed up and that the bikes were transported fine before, he just shrugged. So requested a damaged in transport statement. Apparently available from another department. Frustrated head off towards the department that he has indicated and find instead the station complaints room. Discuss the issue with a younger guy with better english and he clarifies that the guys in the Cloak room are the ones responsible and that there is a specific certificate that should be provided.
Back to the cloak room and state where I have been and what I need and a slightly more polished staff member comes over and asks what the problem is. When I identify what he has already overheard he comes out to inspect the bike. He elaborates that it is not his fault nor mine but the under skilled luggage staff that do not know any better. Further that the certificate will not help resolve the issue for either him or me and that he will pay out of his own pocket for the repairs at a local bike store. Without really thinking I agree to have a look at his bike store so he sets me up with one of his identified "know no better" and part carry - roll the bikes out the front of the station and then to a street side bike repair guy. When he has a look however the guy stuffs around with the gearing not even assessing the rim which very quickly annoys me, so grab the bikes and go to find Soph.
Leave the bikes with Soph after agreeing that regardless the pain in the butt and delay to obtain at least a Certificate. So back to the Complaints office and this time the guy returns with me to the Cloak room. He steps up the request but then leaves on the staff identifying that it is in process. Two hours later the guy who "paid from his own pocket", returns and slowly begins filling in the Damage certificate in triplicate from a large older ledger book.
Back to Soph just as the afternoon storms start. Find a van and head back to the Conclave lodge. Quick meal before calling it a night after a long day and frustrating day.
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