Trans-Persian Railway Proposal
Trans-Persian Railway Proposal
History
The idea of a railway connecting Russia and India was proposed by several private Russian promoters in 1889, 1900, and 1905. A Trans-Persian Railway Consortium was formed by December 1910, consisting of twelve major Russian banks. Nine of these banks came to an agreement with major French banks in 1911, resulting in the crucial financial support needed to fund the railway. However, the final step needed to initiate the project was the support of the British, who wanted to restore financial stability in Persia (Iran) but did not wish to be involved in the Consortium.[1]
The outcome of the Balkan Wars in the Ottoman Empire (1912–13) caused Russian and Britain to accept strong Anglo-Russian relations but Britain’s could not compromise on a route incorporating India, and threatened to proceed with the northern route.[1]
By June 1914 surveys for the Enzeli-Tehran section had begun, and by 1915 the results of the Astara-Tehran part of the railway were completed and published. Still, progress on the railway was slow. However, a few days after the outbreak of World War 1 Britain repudiated its obligation to build the Tehran-Khanaqin line under the Potsdam Agreement.[1]
In the event all British plans were abandoned. The construction finally started in 1927 and completed in 1938, under the direction of the Persian monarch, Reza Shah. The project was financed entirely with indigenous capital.[1]
Records
An on-line search of the India Office Records (IOR) records held at the British Library relating to this railway [2] gives several records covering the periods 1907-11; 1911-12; 1912-13. These are summarised in :-
- L/PS/11/42, P 42/1913; “P 42/1913 Trans-Persian Railway: memorandum on present position”; 23 Nov 1912-14
Then from 1914 onwards:-
- L/PS/10/416/1; “File 4045/1913 Pt 1 Trans-Persian Railway”; 1913-14
- L/PS/10/416; “File 4045/1913 Pt -2 Trans-Persian Railway”; 1913-16
- L/PS/10/416/2; “File 4045/1913 Pt 2 Trans-Persian Railway”; 1914-16
- L/PS/10/417; “File 4045/1913 Pt 3 Railways: Trans-Persian Railway; Russian concession; Bandar Abbas-Kerman Railway; Kerman mining concession”; 1916-32
- L/PS/12/3409; “Coll 28/12 Railways: Trans-Persian railway”; 1931-40
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wikipedia "Trans-Iranian Railway; Retrieved 14 Apr 2016
- ↑ “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search; Retrieved 3 Apr 2016
