18K - The Inevitable

18K is a magic word for all those who reside west of the Saidapet Railway Station. This evergreen bus route serves the entire West Saidapet area. For some reasons, I love this route. The main one being, you avoid the long walk from Mount Road through Bazaar to cross the tracks and reach home... you can conveniently get down at Maanthopu School stop and take Jayaram Chetty Street to reach home.

For those who are brought up in West Saidapet area, 18K is a boon. I remember this route being operated with GG*** series buses from KK Nagar depot. When I was handling a bank audit at Mount Road, I used to catch KNH110 or KNH220 - the cut service from Mount Road Post Office, either one will start at 1700 from Shanthi theatre stop. As a dutiful student, I used to open my Cost Accounting text book and start working problems (Gear plating, I would call it - getting the first seat behind the driver, window seat - the better! you will get to hear only the gear change sound if you get drowned in studies...) I would have completed a few problems in Material Costing and revised formulae in Standard Costing by the time 18K reaches M. School.

H series was new at that time, meaning lesser trouble while travelling!

Although partly replaced by the new K18 service via Ekkathuthangal, 18K will nover lose its vibrant charm.