Difference between revisions of "Madras Port Trust Railways"
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The first port facility in [[Madras]] was a 1,100 foot(335 mtr) iron pier , perpendicular to the shore, constructed from 1861. The first railway equipment known to have been used was a 6 ton railway crane in 1877. The ‘Madras Port Trust’ was constituted in 1881 to take over the running of the site. This pier was breached during a cyclone in 1881 and reconstructed started in 1885. In 1904 a new north-eastern entrance was constructed after the original eastern entrance was closed <ref name =TN03>“Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 TN03 page ....</ref>. | The first port facility in [[Madras]] was a 1,100 foot(335 mtr) iron pier , perpendicular to the shore, constructed from 1861. The first railway equipment known to have been used was a 6 ton railway crane in 1877. The ‘Madras Port Trust’ was constituted in 1881 to take over the running of the site. This pier was breached during a cyclone in 1881 and reconstructed started in 1885. In 1904 a new north-eastern entrance was constructed after the original eastern entrance was closed <ref name =TN03>“Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 TN03 page ....</ref>. | ||
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| + | At about this time the [[Pallavaram Quarry Railway|Pallavaram Quarry]], 20 km south west of [[Madras]], was being developed as source of granite for construction and maintenance of the Madras Port. The stone was transported using the [[South Indian Railway]](SIR) metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) mainline <ref name =TN03/>.The granite was also used for the construction of roads in the [[Madras]] area. The granite was carried via the SIR line to Madras Port and onward via the ‘Cochrane’s Canal‘<ref name =TN12>“Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 TN12 page ....</ref>, (later renamed the ‘Buckingham Canal’ <ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V09_038.gif “Imperial Gazetteer of India”, v. 9, p. 32.]; Retrieved 29 May 2017</ref>) | ||
*’Export Jetty Tramway’. In 1905 a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) hand-worked tramway was laid for the movement of export cargo <ref name =TN03/>. | *’Export Jetty Tramway’. In 1905 a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) hand-worked tramway was laid for the movement of export cargo <ref name =TN03/>. | ||
Revision as of 04:59, 30 May 2017
Madras Port Trust Railways
Privately owned railway and marshalling yard constructed during the early 1900's and still operational today. The Port Railway linked to the mainline. [1]
The first port facility in Madras was a 1,100 foot(335 mtr) iron pier , perpendicular to the shore, constructed from 1861. The first railway equipment known to have been used was a 6 ton railway crane in 1877. The ‘Madras Port Trust’ was constituted in 1881 to take over the running of the site. This pier was breached during a cyclone in 1881 and reconstructed started in 1885. In 1904 a new north-eastern entrance was constructed after the original eastern entrance was closed [2].
At about this time the Pallavaram Quarry, 20 km south west of Madras, was being developed as source of granite for construction and maintenance of the Madras Port. The stone was transported using the South Indian Railway(SIR) metre gauge(MG) mainline [2].The granite was also used for the construction of roads in the Madras area. The granite was carried via the SIR line to Madras Port and onward via the ‘Cochrane’s Canal‘[3], (later renamed the ‘Buckingham Canal’ [4])
- ’Export Jetty Tramway’. In 1905 a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) hand-worked tramway was laid for the movement of export cargo [2].
In 1904 the Port Railway system had 2½ miles (4km) of track, with two locomotives, increasing to 9 locomoties by 1909. By 1914 this had increased to 14½ miles(23km). By 1955 the system had 19.35 miles(31km) of mixed gauge line of which 3.85 miles(6km) carried passenger services connecting to the steamer services from the Port [2].
The quays were served by a network of Port railways, both broad gauge(BG and metre gauge(MG) which connected to the mainline networks [1] :-
- Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway(M&SMR) broad gauge(BG at Royapuram Siding linking to the ‘North-East Mainline’ to Calcutta and New Delhi etc., and ‘South-West Mainline’ to Bangalore, Coimbatore etc
- South Indian Railway(SIR) metre gauge(MG) at Madras Beach Station on the ‘Madras-Vilupuram Section’ to connect Chennai Port to Southern parts of Tamil Nadu
The Port is linked to Southern Railway network via Chennai Beach Railway Siding which connects Chennai Port to Southern parts of Tamil Nadu and via Royapuram Siding which connects Southern Railway Trunk line to Kolkata, New Delhi, Bangalore, Coimbatore etc
New quays were built:- South Quay I in 1913; five West Quays between 1916 and 1920; North quay in 1931 and South Quay II in 1936 [2] .
Today named the ‘Chennai Port’ it has a Terminal Shunting Yard and runs its own Railway operations inside the harbour. The Port is having railway lines running up to 68 kms.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chennai Port Gov. "Chennai Port"; Retrieved 29 May 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 TN03 page ....
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 TN12 page ....
- ↑ “Imperial Gazetteer of India”, v. 9, p. 32.; Retrieved 29 May 2017
