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A slightly later timescale, but 'Old Soldier Sahib' by Frank Richards, paints a vivid picture of army life in India, in the first decade of the 20th century.
The author served as a Private in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and gives a good unvarnished account.
Plenty copies available online.
I assume you are mostly interested in the soldiers rather than their families. There are dozens of books which detail the personal accounts of soldiers who served in India in the late nineteenth century, but for a broader picture you might be better starting with some of the twentieth and twentyfirst century academic works on the subject as they tend to draw on sources over a wider geographical area and time span than the personal anecdotes and biographies. An example of the former might be From Recruit to Staff Sergeant by NW Bancroft (1885 Calcutta) republished by Ian Henry Publications in 1979. Many of the first hand accounts were written by officers, and fairly senior ones at that, so they may lack the soldier's point of view. For an excellent example of the second type, an academic study of the period, try Sahib by the late Richard Holmes (of Military Rides fame). His book has a comprehensive bibliography and detailed notes on sources which should allow you to follow up on anything which you find relevant.
And don't forget the museum and regimental association for the successors to the 2nd Dragoon Guards. They may well be able to provide other unpublished accounts of the life of a trooper at that time. There is also a Facebook group.
The Queen's Bays' first stay in India (1857 - 1875) would have been much busier than their second posting there 1885 - 1894. You don't mention your ancestor's dates but it is quite likely that he wouldn't have been with his regiment for both those deployments to India.
The term clerk covers a multitude of sins. In the 20th century clerk was used in railway and local government terminology to cover a variety of administrative roles below management grades.
A railway clerk at Euston could well have worked on commercial freight. In the days before HGVs, goods would be carried to major stations then transported on from there. He could well have switched between a clerical role in the railway freight offices to one with an onward carrier.
Have you read "The Letters of Private Wheeler" ? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Private-Wheeler-1809-1828/dp/0900075589I haven't but I will be soon! That looks like a perfect fit for me. I must admit to finding my 4X G Uncle a little frustrating as by and large the 1st 31st avoided any kind of military engagement whatsoever. They were involved in a few minor skirmishes but took no part in the Peninsula campaign or Waterloo. Mostly the just patrolled the Mediterranean theatre. They did, however, take part in the disastrous campaign in Egypt in 1807. So there's that at least.
I wonder if it was a code that was added later?? I found another pair of brothers in Wolverhampston with a smiliar notation after Iron StamperYes and your code looks like 21/8 and not 2 1/8.