WCP stands for Wide Gauge-DC Traction-Passenger pulling. WCP 1. The britishers at that time wanted high-speed Broad Gauge 1500 V DC locomotives for service on the Mumbai-Pune and Igatpuri routes. (GIPR wanted speeds of 85 mph (137 kph) but that turned out to be impossible). The EA/1 was selected for mass production and WCP1s hence turned out to be the great-great-granddaddy's of all electric locomotives in India, older than Indian Railways or even the Republic of India itself! Their (then) mind-blowing 120 kph top speed enabling them to cover the Mumbai – Pune distance in 2 hrs 45 min ushered in a revolution in Indian rail travel, making them the equivalents of the bullet trains of the 1930s. (The fastest train between Mumbai and Pune today, the SC Duronto takes 3 hours). They remained in service until the 1980s and are sadly all but forgotten today. The most famous WCP 1, #4006 “Sir Roger Lumley”, said to have hauled the Deccan Queen on its inaugural run in 1930 is preserved at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi. They had a top speed of 120 kmph. Their production started in the year of 1928 and ended in the year of 1930. 22 units were built in this time period. You would notice WCG 1 & WCG 2 are similar looking!
