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[[File:Holkar and Scindia-Neemuch Railway.png|thumb|Holkar State Railway – marked in '''Blue''']][[File:Holker State Railway, 1878 from IOR.png|thumb|'''Holkar State Railway, 1878 from IOR/V/24/3590 ''']]The '''Holkar State Railway''' opened in 1874 as a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) line from the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway|‘Great Indian Peninsula Railway’(GIPR)]] station at [[Khandwa]] running northward, reaching [[Indore]] in 1876, a line with the opening of the '''[[Holkar-Narmada Bridge]]''' over the River Narmada. The length of 69½ the line was 86 miles(111km138km). The line was financed by the Maharaja of Holkar of [[Indore]] and was owned by the [[Princely states|Princely ]][[Indore State]] and initially operated as . ''The railway marked in '''Blue''' on the [[Holkar & Scindia-Neemuch Railway]]map''.

Some early records describe this railway as The line was initially worked jointly with the MG [[Scindia-Neemuch Railway|‘Scindia-Neemuch Railway’ - '''Indore State Railwaysee separate page for information''' and also ]] which opened northward from [[Indore]]. Together the two lines were worked as a joint operation under the title the '''Indore[[Holkar & Scindia-Khundwa Neemuch Railway]]'''.

Some records refer to this railway as the ‘Holkar Division’ (Khandwa to Indore, 86 Miles/138km) and the ‘Indore Division’ (Indore to Rutlam, 74 miles/119km plus Ujjain Branch, 12 miles/19km). These being divisions of the ‘[[Category:RailwaysHolkar & Scindia-Neemuch Railway]][[Category:Indian States ’ <ref name=Holkar&SNR>British Library ‘India Office Records’ IOR/V/24/3590 ‘Report on the progress and administration of the Holkar and Sindia-Neemuch State Railways]], 1878/79’</ref>.

An objection from the [[Category:RailwaysGreat Indian Peninsula Railway|‘Great Indian Peninsula Railway’(GIPR)]] to the construction of this line to the metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) describes this line as the [[Khundwah and Indore Railway Gauge Objection| '''Khundwah and Indore Railway ''' - ''see separate page for further information'']]. The objection was that this railway should be constructed as a broad gauge ([[Category:Indian States RailwaysRail_gauge_#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) line to provide an unbroken link between the GIPR and the NWR - both being BG systems.This objection was overruled by the [[Government of India]] and metre gauge lines were permitted [[Rail gauge#Gauge Question|''See page ‘Gauge Question’ for further information'']]

'''Note.'''==Location Spelling Notes==*''‘Holkar State’ does not exist, it was only the name given to the railway, the correct name is [[Indore|’Indore State’]]<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indore_State Wikipedia "Indore State"]; Retrieved 11 Dec 2015 7 Jun 2018</ref><br>[[Khandwa]] is the later town spelling and as given in the ‘Imperial Gazetteer, 1908 <ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_115.gif ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 19, p. 109]; Retrieved 7 Jun 2018</ref> . The spelling ‘Khundwah’ is used in some of the earlier records of the 1870’s.*''<br> Narmada (Nerbudda) River – Narmada is the later name. The The’ Imperial Gazetteer Gazetteer’ uses both'' <ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V02_255.gif “Imperial Gazetteer of India”, v. 2, p. 220]; Retrieved 22 Dec 20177 Jun 2018</ref>''

==Early History==The [[Government of India]] accepted payment from the Maharaja Holkar of Indore towards the construction of a railway from the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]](GIPR) station at [[Khandwa]] to his capital city of [[Indore]] and in March 1870 preliminary Surveys were started. The 1872 ‘Report on Railways in India’ <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=tytcAAAAQAAJ&printsec=GBS.PP561&pg=GBS.RA13-PA1 ‘Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons Vol 19, 1872’ pdf pages 596-598 “Annual Report on Railways in India for 1871-72” - ‘Indore or Holkar State Railway’ Para 86, page 37, pdf 597]; Retrieved 7 Jun 2018</ref> names this as the “Indore or Holkar State Railway” and states:- “This line starts from Khundwah''(see spelling note) '', a station on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, 352 miles from Bombay, crosses the Nerbudda River 23 miles south of Barwaie, ascends the Vindhyrange through the Choral Valley, and passes through [[Mhow]] to [[Indore]]. Its length will be about 86 miles. The works have commenced under a contract, and are being pursued vigorously. It is estimated the line will cost about £900,000. Maharajah Holkar has engaged to lend the British Government £1,000,000 at 4½% p.a. to carry out the line, he will participate in half the surplus profit over the 4½% if any, in proportion to the extent of his loan.“  The 1878 ‘Administration report on the Holkar State Railway’ <ref name=Holkar> British Library 'India Office Record' IOR/V/24/3590 ; "Public Works Department: Railways" which contains "Administration - ‘Administration report on the Holkar State Railway, 1878/79"1878’ </ref>.<br> Particular indicates that the route was modified with particular attention was being given to the crossing of the Narmada (Nerbudda) River ''(see spelling note)''. The result was a route from [[Khandwa]] via Sanawad to Kheri Ghat , crossing the NerbuddaNarmada; then ascending the Chorul Valley on to the Malwa plateau onward to [[Mhow]] and [[Indore]]. The Government was not happy with this the route through the Chorul Valley. The final route was for a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) line 69½ miles long.<br>The Holkar Railway required There were very heavy works due to very steep gradients(upto 1 in 40) on the Vindhya Ghats. It also involved digging of 4 tunnels, deep cuttings and heavy retaining walls. The River Narmada was crossed by a bridge of 14 spans, 197 feet each and piers 80 feet above low water level [[Holkar-Narmada Bridge|''see separate page for details of this bridge'']] . There are were 14 other large bridges with high piers, the highest pier being 152 feet above the bottom of the ravine.<br>The first section Khandwa-Sanawad was opened for traffic in Dec 1874. The Narmada Bridge was opened for traffic on Oct 1876; it was named the ‘Holkar‘[[Holkar-Narmada Bridge’ Bridge]]’ <ref name=Holkar/>.

In 1900 the RMSR was merged into the [[Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway]](BB&CIR), becoming the latter's Metre Gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) section; known as Ratlam Division ‘Ratlam Division’ of BB&CIR. Later being designated as part of the ‘BB&CIR Malwa Section Main Line’ <ref name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n31/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 22 (pdf31) ]; Retrieved 7 Jun 2018</ref>.

*[[Horace Bell]] and [[Archibald Crellin Cregeen]] were deployed in 1870 from the newly formed Railway Branch of the [[Public Works Department]] to the Indore ‘Indore State Railway Railway’ as Executive Engineers during the construction and the railway opened in 1874. *[[William Sinclair Smith Bisset]] from [[Railway Branch - PWD]], was posted as Asst Consulting Engineer in Nov 1870, promoted Executive Engineer Mar 1871-77. He later became Dir-Gen of Railways and Dep-Secretary to Government of India, Public Works Department <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA442 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 442 ] Retrieved on 19 79 Feb 2018</ref>*[[Ernest Ifill Shadbolt]], who later became Director of Railway Construction for the Government of India, was Assistant Engineer, Construction. *[[James Rhind]] in 1873 went to India, and served in the Locomotive Department, 'receiving certificates of good service from his superior officers' before travelling back to England <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Rhind Grace's Guide "James Rhind"] Retrieved on 25 Jul 2016</ref>. *[[Henry Dangerfield]] in 1878 transferred to Holkar ‘Holkar State Railway Railway’ and [[Scindia-Neemuch Railway]], transferred as Superintendent of Way and Works, and he held this post till Dec 1880, being also manager of the line for the last two years <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Henry_Dangerfield Grace's Guide "Henry Dangerfield"] Retrieved on 25 Jul 2016</ref>.*[[James Condor]] was appointed Manager of Holkar ‘Holkar State Railway Railway’ in 1881. He was, at the same time Manager of [[Sindia-Neemuch Railway]] and [[Neemuch Nasirabad State Railway]]<ref> [https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA465 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 465 (pdf page 428)] Retrieved on 23 May 2016</ref>..The 1878-79 Record, para 7, for the Engineering Department states “[[Henry Dangerfield| Mr. H. Dangerfield]], Superintendent of Way and Works, is Officiating as Manager of the line during the absence of [[William Sinclair Smith Bisset| Captain W. S. S. Bisset, R. E.,]] on field service, and Mr. W. C. L. Floyd, Executive Engineer, 4th Grade, is appointed to the charge of the Holkar Division, Holkar State Railway, and Mr. R. E. Wright, Executive Engineer, 4th Grade, to the charge of the Indore Division, Neemuch State Railway, Mr. Ker, Assistant Engineer, having been transferred to another line and Mr. Landon having gone on furlough”. Para 43 Traffic Department, states “Mr. W. E. Hartt has been in charge of this department, and Mr. C. E. Vining, an additional Assistant Traffic Superintendent, was appointed to the line in March 1879” <ref name=Holkar&SNR/>

See also '''[[Holkar & Scindia-Neemuch Railway]] '''<br>see'''[[Rajputana-Malwa State Railway]]''' for period from 1881-82 to 1900<br>and '''[[Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway]]'''from 1900 onwards