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East Indian Railway

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[[Category:Railways]]{{Infobox_RailwaysLine Railways Infobox|image=Eir_deviceHowrah Station view 16.gifjpg|caption=East Indian Railway device''Howrah Station, Calcutta''|descriptionroute= [[Howrah]] ([[Calcutta]] ) to [[Delhi]]
[[Allahabad]] to [[Jubbulpore]]
|date1gauge1= '''1845'''Broad gauge|gauge1details= 1962 miles (1905)<br>2775 miles (1918<br>4217 miles (1937)|gauge2= |gauge2details= |gauge3= |gauge3details= |gauge4= |gauge4details=|timeline1date= 1849|timeline1details= Guarantee agreed with [[East India Company]]|timeline2date= 1851|timeline2details= Construction begun|timeline3date= 1854<br>1867<br>1871|timeline3details= First train between Howrah and Hooghly<br>First through train to Delhi<br>First through train to Bombay via Jubbalpore|timeline4date= |timeline4details= |timeline5date= 1880|timeline5details= Line acquired by State|date1detailspresidency= Formed[[Bengal]]|date2stations='''1854[[Agra]]'''|date2details= First train, [[HowrahBenares]], '''[[Cawnpore]] to ''', '''[[HooghlyDelhi]]|date3='''1871, '''[[Howrah]]'''|date3details= Connects with , [[Hooghly]], [[GIPRMirzapur]] at , [[JubbulporePatna]]|date4=''See also heading '''Stations''' for major stations marked'' '''1880bold'''|date4detailssystem1date= Taken into state ownership1880|date5system1details= worked by East Indian Railway Company|system2date= |system2details= |system3date= |system4details= |auxillary forces=}} {{System_Railways_Infobox|image= East Indian Railway logo.jpg|caption=''East Indian Railway device''|timeline1date= 1880|timeline1details= EIR re-formed to work line now owned by State|timeline2date= 1925'''|date5detailstimeline2details= Management of system taken over by State|timeline3date=|timeline3details= |timeline4date=|timeline4details= |timeline5date=|timeline5details= Nationalised |company1='''1889'''1880|company1details= Delhi-Umballa-Kalka [[East Indian Railway]]|company2=1889|company2details= South Behar [[Delhi-Umballa-Kalka Railway]]
|company3=
|company3details= Tarkessur [[South Behar Railway]]|company4=1885|company4details= [[Tarkessur Railway]]|company5=|company5details= [[Jind-Panipat Railway]]|company6= 1925|company6details= [[Oudh and Rohilkhand]] merged into EIR|company7=|company7details= |company8=|company8details= |company9=|company9details= |company10=|company10details= |company11=|company11details= |company12=|company12details=
|headquarters= [[Calcutta]]
|workshop= [[Jamalpur]], [[Lillooah‎|Liluah]]|stations= [[AllahabadAgra]], [[Benares]], [[Howrah]], [[Hooghly]], [[Jubbulpore]], [[Patna]]|successor1system1date= '''1947'''|successor1detailssystem1details= Eastern Division, [[Indian Railways]]|successor2system2date= '''1952'''|successor2detailssystem2details= split between [[Eastern Railway|Eastern ]] & [[Northern Railway|Northern Railways ]] (IR zones of Indian Railways)|successor3system3date= |successor4detailssystem3details= |gauge1= '''Broad gauge'''|gauge1details= 2225 miles (1905)<br>4011 miles (1943)|gauge2= '''Metre gauge'''|gauge2details= 119 miles
|gauge3=
|gauge3details=
|gauge4=
|gauge4details=
|auxillary forces= [[East Indian Railway Regiment]]
}}
 
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909, east section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, east section - Howrah (Calcutta) to Gaya]]
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909, mid section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, mid section__ - Gaya to Cawnpore]]
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909 west section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, west section - Cawnpore to Delhi]]
Built on the same terms and conditions as the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]] (GIPR), the '''East Indian Railway''' (EIR) was a British company, registered in London, privately owned and financed, operating under license and guarantee from the (British) Board of Control in India and the [[East India Company]] (EIC).
By 1859, the arrangements were "the construction and working of lines from [[Calcutta]] to [[Delhi]], and from [[Allahabad]] to [[Jubbulpore|Juppulpore]] - total, about 1,400 miles. Capital - 12,731,000''l''. This amount has been sanctioned for the works specified, but it is probable that a larger sum will be required. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent. on 11,553,000''l''. capital; 4½ per cent. on 1,178,000''l''. debentures, convertible into shares." <ref>"Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref> == History ==In January 1844 [[Rowland Macdonald Stephenson]] published an article in the leading daily paper, 'The Englishman', with his proposals, illustrated by a large map of India, showing the whole system of lines which he held to be most suitable for the country. This gained Government support and he returned to London after reinforcing his position with the merchants of Bengal. Back in England, Stephenson proposed formation of a company with the title “'East Indian Railway Company” <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Rowland_Macdonald_Stephenson Grace's Guide "Rowland Macdonald Stephenson"] Retrieved on 4 Jun 2016</ref> The '''East Indian Railway Company''' (EIR) was formed in May 1845 with a power to raise a capital of 4 million pound sterling and Stephenson was the first Agent and Chief Engineer.  The early development of the EIR was based on the significant discussions, reports and papers were being prepared and circulated as proposed in the minutes of the Honourable the Court of Directors of the [[ East India Company]](1EIC), of the 7th May, 1845. In the event the EIR were given consent construct a railway from [[Calcutta]] to [[Mirzapur|Mirzapore(Mirzapur)]] and the [[North West Provinces]]. This comprehensive Report with other papers, letters and observations has been transcribed in full by Fibis as it contains significant details and analysis and is described as the [[Great Trunk Railway from Calcutta|’ Great Trunk Railway from Calcutta’ ''- see separate page for details'']].  After four years of protracted negotiation and strenuous efforts, including a direct appeal to the British Prime Minister, a contact was signed in August 1849 between the EIR and the EIC and became one of the three original guaranteed companies sanctioned to construct experimental lines.
== Characteristics ==An 1852 dispatch concerning an “Experimental Line of Railway in Bengal” shows that the section had been approved “commencing at or near Calcutta to form part of a trunk line to connect to Delhi” and that “we have lately sanctioned a second section which will extend this line to Rajmahal”. Also that it is desirable immediately to commence similar work in the Upper Provinces...” The dispatch shows a change of heart, the draft shows, “commencing with such places as Allahabad and Cawnpore” which the EIC were going to build funded by a Government loan but before the dispatch was sent other information arrived and the draft dispatch was altered passing the decision back to Government <ref>British Library IOR/E/4/818 ‘Construction of Experimental Line of Railway in Bengal’, Page 505-6, 511. Dispatch No 67, 21 December 1852 </ref>. Clearly the outcome of this was that the EIR were authorised to construct these extensions to the railway.
Formed in 1845, the EIR was not contracted by the EIC to begin railway construction until 1849 when it became one of the three original guaranteed companies sanctioned to construct experimental lines. It was not until August 1854 that the EIR opened its first section from [[Howrah]] to [[Hooghly]], a distance of 24 miles (38km. By 1864On 3rd February, 1855, the EIR had arrived in first portion of the line, 121 miles(194km) from [[Howrah]]) to [[Burdwan]] ( towards Delhi although it ), was not until 1871 that the Bombayopened by Lord Dalhousie <ref name=SoP>"Symphony of Progress: The Saga of Eastern Railway 1854-Calcutta route was completed when 2003" published by the GIPR reached JuppulporeEastern Railway, Kolkata 2003, page 7, 10, 14 </ref>.
In 1862, the spring of 1857 the [[JamalpurIndian Mutiny]] Locomotive workshops were establishedbroke out and as a consequence a large portion of the work of construction was delayed<ref>[https://ia801404. On 15 January 1935us.archive.org/16/items/historyeastindi00huddgoog/historyeastindi00huddgoog.pdf Archive.org "History of the East Indian Railway ..." by George Huddlestone Appendix B, page 19, pdf page 40]; Retrieved 11 Jun 2016</ref>. Eight members of EIR staff lost there lives and remembered on the Jamalpur Workshops along with [[East Indian Railway 1857 Cawnpore Memorial|Memorial at Cawnpore Church]]<ref>[https://ia801404.us.archive.org/16/items/historyeastindi00huddgoog/historyeastindi00huddgoog.pdf Archive.org "History of the entire railway colony was destroyed by an earthquakeEast Indian Railway .. It took 3 years to rebuild." by George Huddlestone Appendix B, pages 280, pdf page 335]; Retrieved 11 Jun 2016</ref>
The Government of India (GoI) acquired the assets of line was extended to [[Rajmahal]] in October 1859 and opened by the first British Viceroy, Lord Canning on 15 October 1860. From [[Rajmahal]] EIR on 31 December 1879 while leaving 's lines proceeded westwards along the management to Ganges rapidly reaching [[Bhagalpur]] in 1861, [[Monghyr]] in February 1852 and [[Mughal Sarai]] (across the private companyRiver Ganges from [[Benares]]) in December 1862. The GoI took over This last section included the EIR's first tunnel, the direct running of [[Jamalpur Tunnel]]; and the EIR first major bridge on 1 January 1925. In 1952. the EIR was merged with route, the [[Bengal-Nagpur RailwaySoane Bridge]] near [[Arrah]] (BNR) to form Indian Railways' '''Eastern Railway'''<ref name=SoP/>. In 1955By 1864, BNR the EIR had arrived in Delhi although it was not until 1871 that the Bombay-Calcutta route was demerged to form '''South East Railway'''completed when the GIPR reached Juppulpore.
By 1865, with the opening of the [[Naini Bridge]] (over the Jamuna River at Naini, near [[Allahabad]]), there was a through line from [[Howrah]] (on the right bank of the Hoogly River facing [[Calcutta]]) to [[Agra]] (on the left bank of the Jamuna River facing [[Agra]], a line length of 1017 miles(1630km) <ref name=SoP/>
== Records ==In 1866 the [[Yamuna Railway Bridge (Delhi)]] was constructed in 1866 by the [[East India Railway]] (EIR) and connected the two principal cities of North India [[Calcutta]] and [[Delhi]]; this being the last link of the trunk line on this route. <ref>[http://wikimapia.org/621608/Yamuna-Railway-Bridge Wikipapia "Yamuna Railway Bridge (Delhi)"]; Retrieved on 4 Jun 2016</ref>
The following are held in [[1870-71_Report_on_Railways#Progress_on_State_lines._Paragraphs_5-10.3B_Pages_3-4|“1870-71 Annual Report for Indian Railways“]] for the EIR gives [[India Office RecordsRail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|Broad Gauge (BG)]] at the ‘Main Line’ 1278 miles(2057km) open and ‘Jubbulpore Line’ 224 miles(360km) open. [[British Library1870-71_Report_on_Railways#East_Indian_Railway._Paragraph_62.3B_Page_34|The Report also gives the 'progress and commercial' summery for the railway]]- ''see separate pages for details.''
*L/AG/46/11/133-137 : Contracts The Government of appointment, c1858-1925 India (possibly not all includedGoI)acquired the assets of the EIR on 31 December 1879 while leaving the management to the private company.
In 1887 the [[Jubilee Bridge]] was completed, crossing the Hooghly River between Naihati and [[Hooghly]]. The bridge was constructed by the EIR and connected to the [[East Bengal Railway]](EBR) enabling freight traffic from upper India to run to the Port of Calcutta <ref> “Symphony of Progress - The Saga of the Eastern Railway 1854-2003”; published by Eastern Railway, kolkata 2003; page 30</ref>.
 
Progressive development of the EIR network continued such that by 1918 there was over 2400 miles (3840km) of broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) track.<ref>[https://ia801009.us.archive.org/8/items/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System.pdf " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; pages 53-61]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>
 
The Government of India (GoI) took over the direct running of the EIR on 1 January 1925. Six divisions of the EIR were created:- Howhah, Asanol & Dinapore known as the lower divisions; Moradabad, Lucknow & Allahabad, the upper divisions.
 
In 1952 the EIR was split to form two Zones of [[Indian Railways]]:-
<br>‘[[Northern Railway]]’comprised the EIR Moradabad, Lucknow & Allahabad Divisions, which were added to other railways to form the [[Northern Railway| ‘Northern Railway Zone’ - ''see separate page'']]
<br>‘[[Eastern Railway]]’ ’comprised the EIR Howhah, Asanol and Dinapore Divisions, which were added to to other railways to form the [[Eastern Railway| ‘Eastern Railway Zone’ - ''see separate page'']]
 
==Stations==
‘Howrah Railway Station’ was the terminus of the ‘[[East Indian Railway]]’ (EIR) from the time of the inaugural train on 15 Aug 1854. [[Howrah]] was connected to [[Calcutta]] crossing the Hooghly River first by boat then, from the early 1870’s by the [[Howrah Floating Bridge and Howrah Bridge| ‘Howrah Floating Bridge’ and finally in 1943 by the ‘Howrah Bridge’ ''- see separate page'']]
* [[Agra_Railways_%26_Stations#Agra_Stations| ‘Agra Stations’]]
* [[Cawnpore_Railways_and_Stations#Cawnpore_Stations| ‘Cawnpore Stations’]]
* [[Delhi_Railways_%26_Stations#Delhi_Stations| ‘Delhi Stations’]]
* [[Howrah_Railway_Station| ‘Howrah Station’]]
 
==Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Workshops ==
*The first workshops to build [[EIR Locomotive Workshops|EIR Locomotives]], and [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop|EIR Carriages and Wagons]] were established in [[Howrah]] and operational in the mid 1850’s.
*In 1862, the [[EIR Locomotive Workshops]] at [[Jamalpur]] were completed leaving the [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop]] at [[Howrah]].
*By 1900 the new [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop]] at [[Lillooah]] (3Km up line from Howrah) was established.
*On 15 January 1934, the [[EIR Locomotive Workshops|Jamalpur Locomotive Workshops]], along with the entire railway colony, were destroyed by an earthquake. It took 3 years to rebuild the facility.
 
==EIR Collieries and Coal Supplies==
''See separate pages''
* ‘[[Giridih District EIR Colliery Railways|EIR owned Collieries in Giridih District]]’ comprising:-
** ‘Kurhurbaree Colliery’
** ‘Seramphore Colliery’
* ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#Joint_Collieries|Bokaro Joint Coalfield]]’, the EIR worked jointly with the ‘[[Bengal-Nagpur Railway]]’(BNR)
* ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#Joint_Collieries| Sawang Joint Coalfield]]’, the EIR worked jointly with the BNR
* ‘[[ Central Indian Coalfields Railway]]’ , was owned by the Government of India until 1926 when absorbed into the EIR System, in addition to the above it served the following State Collieries:-
** ‘[[South Karanpura Coalfield]]’
** ‘[[North Karanpura Coalfield]]’
** ‘[[Bhurkunda Colliery]]’
** ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#The_Coalfields|Ramgarh Coalfield]]’
** ‘[[Kargali Colliery]]’
 
== Organisation ==
By 1914, EIR was organised into the following departments, each with its own workshops with the main ones shown.
# Agency
# Audit & Accounts
# Carriage & Wagon - [[Lillooah‎|Lilloah]]; [[Allahabad]]
# Colliery - [[Giridih District EIR Colliery Railways|Giridih District]]
# Electrical
# Engineering
# Locomotive - [[Allahabad]]; [[Asansol]]; [[Dhanbaid]]; [[Dinapore]]; [[Jamalpur]]; [[Tundla]]
# Medical
# Printing
# Provident Institution
# Stores
# Traffic - [[Calcutta]] (Head Office); [[Allahabad]]; [[Asansol]]; [[Cawnpore]]; [[Howrah]]; Howrah Goods; [[Delhi]]; [[Dhanbaid]]; [[Dinapore]]; [[Gaya]]; [[Sahebgunge]]; [[Tundla]]
 
== Schools ==
The EIR operated many schools, of which probably the best known was [[Schools#O|Oak Grove School]] at [[Mussoorie]]. Oak Grove School is still associated with [[Indian Railways]] and [[Northern Railway]].
 
==EIR Railway Lines==
The EIR owned and worked on behalf of other parties an extensive network of broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) lines.
 
See <big>'''[[East Indian Railway - Lines owned and worked]]'''</big> for details and information:-
*BG Lines - owned and worked by EIR
*BG Lines absorbed into EIR
*BG Lines worked by EIR at some time
*BG Lines - EIR network expansion lines
 
==EIR Bridges and Tunnels==
See <big>'''[[East Indian Railway - Bridges and Tunnels]]'''</big>
 
==Records==
Refer to FIBIS Fact File #4: “Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” - available from the [http://www.fibis.org/store/fibis-books-and-publications/bff-0004-research-sources-for-indian-railways-1845-1947/ Fibis shop]. This Fact File contains invaluable advice on 'Researching ancestors in the UK records of Indian Railways' with particular reference to the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) held at the [[British Library]]
 
An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway
<ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 British Library “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search]; Retrieved 22 Jan 2016</ref> gives many references. The most important being:-
*'''L/AG/46/11 ''' “Records of the East Indian Railway Company; 1844-1953”
*'''L/AG/46/31 ''' “Records of the India Office relating to the East Indian Railway Company; 1879-1952”
 
==Personnel==
<big>'''[[East Indian Railway Personnel]]'''</big> gives details of notable EIR staff from many different sources.
*These have been listed by EIR Department and in Chronological order.
*The entries link to the [[:Category:Railway People|Notable Railway People]] pages.
 
The following employment records held at the IOR are relevant :-
*'''L/AG/46/11/133-137''' "Contracts of appointment, c1858-1925" (possibly not all included)
The above is indexed in
*'''Z/L/AG/46''' "Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways (1849-1925)"
*'''FIBIS database''' [http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_dataset&id=1989&s_id=1068 List of Indian Railways UK Contracted Staff taken from IOR Series L/AG/46/12].
 
The following is not included in the index Z/L/AG/46.
*'''L/AG/46/11/138-141''' : "Half-yearly staff lists, 1861-1890 & 1911-1922" (giving ages from 1886).
'''Thacker's Directories'''The following for East Indian Railways Personnel have been indexed in Grace's Guide - *[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1856_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1856 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel] *Z[http:/L/AGwww.gracesguide.co.uk/46 1861_Thackers: Index to UK Appointments to _East_Indian_Railway 1861 Thackers East Indian Railways (1849-1925)Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1867_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1867 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1872_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1872 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1877_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1877 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1882_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1882 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]
'''East Indian Railway Company Records'''The following is not included have been indexed in Grace's Guide *[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/East_Indian_Railway:_1880_Employees 1880 Alphabetic List of Europeans and East Indians in the index ZCompany Service] ==FIBIS resources==*[http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_dataset&id=1989&s_id=1068 List of Indian Railways UK Contracted Staff taken from IOR Series L/AG/46/11]. FIBIS database*[http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=839&s_id=243 Index to V/13/244 East Indian Railway Staff List 1914]FIBIS database *"The Indian Railways and a dynasty of Pearce's (1855 to 1930)", ''[[FIBIS Journal]]'', Spring 2011, Number 25 page 13-16.*"The Walsh Family and the Cawnpore Massacre" by Paddy Walsh ''FIBIS Journal Number 31 (Spring 2014)'' pages 3-15.::William Walsh was working for the East Indian Railway as a Railway Inspector at the time of the massacre, having joined c 1856-57 after retiring as a pensioned Sergeant, [[Bengal Artillery]].:For access, see [[FIBIS Journals]] == Recommended reading == *Blair Williams, [http://home.alphalink.com.au/~agilbert/onjama~1.html "EIR at Jamalpur - Anglo-Indian Railway Officers"], ''The International Journal of Anglo-Indian Studies'' (Vol 6, No 2, 2001). *"The Carriage and Wagon Workshops of the East Indian Railway", ''The Indian Railway Gazette'', 1st February 1908, page 33-35. *"Development of the East Indian Railway", ''Railway Age Gazette'', 1st August 1913, Vol.55, No 5, page 191-195. *"East Indian Railway", ''The Railway Gazette'', 1st November 1929, page 21-32 & 113-114.
==Associated Auxiliary Force== *L/AG/46/11/138-141 : Half-yearly staff lists, 1861-1890 & 1911-1922 (giving ages from 1886)[[East Indian Railway Regiment]]
== External links ==
== External Links ==*[http://irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/zonal_logos/DSCN5174.jpg.html East Indian Railway logo]*[http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?txtkeys1=East+India+Railway Science & Society Picture Library]*[http://www.irfca.org/~mrinal/history_er.html "History of Eastern Railway"], ''Indian Railways Fans Club''.*[http://www.irfca.org/~mrinal/eir_gallery.html EIR Picture Gallery], ''Indian Railways Fans Club''.*[http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/09/29/stories/2003092900160600.htm How Railways made tracks in India] September 29, 2003 thehindubusinessline.in*[http://www.trains-worldexpresses.com/400/410.htm Imperial Indian Mail] (and other trains) trains-worldexpresses.com*[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228649/8330.pdf H.M. Government “Statute Law Repeals: Nineteenth Report : Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Bill; April 2012"]; pages 122-126, paragraphs 3.32-3.50
===Historical books online===*George Huddleston, [http://www.scienceandsocietyarchive.coorg/stream/historyeastindi00huddgoog#page/n9/mode/1up ''History of the East Indian Railway''] (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co, 1906). Archive.org.uk [A second part, published in 1939, took the history to 1924.]*[http:/results/www.archive.asp?txtkeys1=org/stream/bengalassambehar00playuoft#page/358/mode/2up/ "The East+India+Indian Railway Science & Society Picture Library"], page 358 from ''Bengal and Assam, Behar and Orissa: their history, people, commerce and industrial resources'' by Somerset Playne and J W Bond 1917 Archive.org
[http:== References ==<references //www.irfca.org/~mrinal/history_er.html History of Eastern Railway]>
== Notes ==
(1) "Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a.[[Category:Railways]][[Category:Guaranteed Railways]][[Category:State Railways]]
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