26er, thank you for dotting and crossing those i's and t's. So it would seem that the trials started in Singapore but then moved north to Malaya.
My JP4 flights spanned the period 14 October to 23 November 1965, all out of Butterworth. For the life of me I can't recall how we got there or indeed how we got back to Changi. If it were by road or rail I would have remembered such a journey I think, so I can only guess that we flew. I see that having returned from Sydney I flew on a few training flights at Changi in mid/late September, so we obviously had one or two aircraft flying again by then. It could well be that was how we made those journeys.
Could it be that we replaced you BASOs? Knowing that the Hastings were (almost all) grounded, the obvious place for Group to look to for replacements was us. As noted earlier I clearly displayed a commendable lack of curiosity then such as to rival any BBC DG. Like you two BASOs we jumped at the chance and were definitely not questioning anything or anyone!
Danny, I see that I am not the only one to be uncertain of my comings and goings. The Indian Railways are still mind boggling in their complexity. However, the internet can help unpick some of it. As a starter here is a modern route map of the system:
Indian Railways, Railway Map of India
Individual journeys may be planned here (by those with degrees in data processing):-
Indian Railways Time Tables, PNR, Route, Fares, Arrivals/Departures, Running Status - eRail.in (Better Way To Search Trains)
from which one can at least confirm your statement that there were no direct trains to Bombay for you to take.
That journey, especially as you viewed the disappearing Gateway of India from the deck of the Andes (an interesting name for a ship on the UK India trooping route!), must have been full of emotion.
R.M.S. Andes ,26,000tons | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
No doubt you looked forward to a home coming, but overwhelmingly you must have regretted this sudden severing with a time and place that was so unique in your life. I suspect though that the culture shock is yet to hit you as you return to a bleak land of post war shortages!