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The BBLR was one of several small narrow gauge concerns owned ==Rail System==* '''Barasat-Basirhat Main Line''', 26 miles(42km). Agreements 1897, 1902 and worked by [[Martin1903, opened 1905. * '''Basirhat-Taki-Hosanabad Extension (Chingrighata)''', 8.50 miles (14km). Agreement 1907, opened 1909* '''Beliaghata Bridge to Patipkur (Pattipooker) Extension'''s Light Railways]], a management company based in [[Calcutta]]16.62 miles(27km).Agreement 1908, opened 1910* '''Patipukur (Pattipooker) to Belgachia Extension''', 1.12 miles(1.8km). Agreements 1914, opened 1914. This also known as the '''Shambasar (Shyambazar) Branch'''
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin%27s_Light_Railways "MartinThe records show that at some point, ''date unknown, but must be after 1937'', the ownership of this railway changed to N I Roy and Sons Ltd <ref>'s Light Railways"] in West Bengal'by Sidikuro,'WikipediaThe Economic Weekly''.30 May 1953, Table IV page 622</ref>
1937 Report Added, Classification added and minor text changes
|route= [[Barasat]] to [[Basirhat]]
|gauge1= 2' 6" NG
|gauge1details= 26 miles (1905)<br>52 miles (19431914)
|gauge2=
|gauge2details=
|gauge4details=
|timeline1date= 1914
|timeline1details= Line fully opened to traffic
|timeline2date=
|timeline2details=
}}
[[File:Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway.png|thumb|Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway]]The '''Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway''' (BBLR) was a short 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge (2' 6"[[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) railway which ran from [[Barasat]], a station on where there was an interchange with the [[Eastern Bengal Railway]] (Central Section), east for 26 miles (42km) to [[Basirhat]].The line opened in 1905 and extended to Chingrighata in 1909. The ‘Shambasar Branch’ opened in 1910 reaching Belgatchia in 1914, giving a total length of 52 miles(83km) <ref name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n220/mode/2up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 212]; Retrieved 23 Aug 2017</ref>
==History==The line ‘Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway Company’ was taken over one of several small narrow gauge concerns owned and worked by [[Indian Martin's Light Railways]] , a management company based in 1952 but closed in 1955[[Calcutta]]. In 1962, part The principal Agreement dated 14 Dec 1897 between the District Board of the old track was converted to broad gauge 24-Paragas and reMessrs [[Martin & Company]] on behalf of the ‘Baraset-opened to trafficBasirhat Tramway Company Limited’, and gave concession for construction and operation of a tramway on a public road.It was in 1907 that a new company the ‘Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway Company Limited’ was formed <ref name=Admin/>
A further Agreement dated 15 Aug 1914 <ref>British Library India Office Records L/F/8/17/1371 “Messrs. Martin and Co. on behalf of the Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway Company Limited, Application for construction of an extension to the Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway; 1914” </ref> gives sanction to the construction of a extension of the existing Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway, from the existing station of that line at Pattipooker to the tramway terminus at Belgatchia. The following clauses are of note:-
*7.The tramway authorised by this order is a single line with passing places . . . running along the south side of the 5th and 6th miles of the Calcutta-Jessore Road to the tramway terminus at Belgatchia a distance of 5,450 feet (1.032 miles or 1.661 Km).
*8. The Tramway is to run on 9ft width but a road width of 20 feet must be maintained and at no time is there to be more than one line of rails on metalled roads.
*11. The gauge of the tramway is to be 2ft 6 inches
*19. The vehicles used may be steam powered, and an outside cylinder type of locomotive used.
*20. The speed shall not exceed 12 miles an hour on fenced sections and 10 miles an hour on unfenced. Locomotives must be fitted with Cowcatchers.
*37. No train shall run between sunset and sunrise without consent of the Local Government approved in writing.
The 1937 Report ‘Statistics of Working’ show the year-by-year financial results from 1913-14 through to 1936-37. The Report also confirms that ‘[[Martin & Company]]’ were the Managing Agents<ref name== External links ==Hist>[https://ia801605.us.archive.org/30/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.36650/2015.36650.India-Railway-Board-History-Of-Indian-Railways-Constructed-And-In-Progress.pdf US Archive .org pdf download of ‘History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress’, 31 March 1937 by ‘The Government of India - Railway Department’ page 263 pdf 305]; Retrieved 26 Jul 2020</ref>.
The line was taken over by [http[Indian Railways]] in 1952 but closed in 1955. In 1962, part of the old track was converted to broad gauge and re-opened to traffic <ref>[https://wwwen.irsewikipedia.bravehostorg/wiki/Martin%27s_Light_Railways#Barasat.com/ircE2.80.htm "History of Railway construction"93Basirhat_Light_Railway Wikipedia “Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway” ] ''Indian Railways Service of Engineers'' [see "Martin & Co" in table].; Retrieved 23 Aug 2017</ref>
==Locomotives and Rolling Stock==The 2ft 6in/762mm [http://www[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) Locomotives are listed by Hughes with a total of nine of different types and specifications dating from 1904 through to 1925.irseFive are named as ‘Baraset’, ‘Basirhat’, ‘Alipore’, ‘Beliaghatta’ and ‘ Taki’.bravehost.com/irc.htm "History of Also a Railcar dated 1938<ref name=Hughes>“Indian Narrow Gauge Locomotives 1863-1940” by Hugh Hughes, published by ‘The Continental Railway construction"] ''Indian Circle’ Section 26 Martin’s Light Railways Service of Engineers'' [see "Martin & Co" in table]., (D) Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway, page 50 </ref>
==Further Information==
See '''[[Martin's Light Railways]]'''
== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Railways]]
[[Category:Private Railways]]
[[Category:Narrow Gauge (NG) Railways]]
