Chirimiri Colliery Railway
Chirimiri Colliery Railway
The Chirimiri Colliery is located in the Koriya District of Central Provinces, the colliery was opened in 1930 and production started in 1932 and subsequently expanded each colliery being owned by several companies [1].
Chirimiri was connected to Annuppur by the 43 mile (69km) Central Indian Coalfields Railway ‘Annuppur-Chirimiri Branch Line’ in 1939 [1] worked by Bengal Nagpur Railway(BNR) and absorbed by that railway on 1st October 1944.
The records show that one broad gauge(BG) locomotive was operational at the colliery[2], this was the same gauge as the BNR standard and it can be assumed that the colliery was connected to the BNR.
The records also show that two non-standard gauge (see Gauge Note) 3ft 0in(915mm) locomotives dating from 1932 were operational at the colliery [2].
Gauge Note
The 3ft 0in Gauge specified is most unusual and we have classfied this as a Unique Rail Gauge. Also of interest in 1963 a 3ft 6in gauge locomotive was supplied to the colliery [2].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikipedia “Chirimiri Coalfield; Retrieved 8 Feb 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compliled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry CT13 page 135
