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Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh of the [[Princely states|Princely ]][[Patiala State]] had this unique railway system constructed to facilitate movement of people and goods in his state. The chief engineer of this project was Colonel [[C W Bowles]] who had earlier successfully used a monorail based on [[Ewing System Monorail|Ewing System]] (designed by William Thorold) during his stint as engineer for the [[Bengal-Nagpur Railway]] when responsible for the [[Bengal-Nagpur Railway Kharagpur Construction Monorail|Construction works at Kharagpur ]] used for transportation of construction materials . Colonel [[C W Bowles|Bowles]] was made chief Engineer for the PSMT project. One of the objects of PSMT was to make use of the 560 mules being maintained by Patiala State. Apart from mules, bullocks were also used to haul the monorail before introduction of steam locomotives on the route of PSMT <ref name=Ambler/>.
==Personnel Records==
No information or records have been found, except by obscure references:-
*[[C W Bowles|Colonel C W Bowles]] was made chief Engineer <ref name=Ambler/>, ''mentioned above''
*[[Herbert Septimus Harington]] is reported to have "died whilst supervising the construction of a light railway system for the State of Patiala"<ref name=Grace>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Herbert_Septimus_Harington ‘Grace’s Guide/Inst of Mechanical Engineers Obituary 1914’ “'Herbert Septimus Harington” ] Retrieved on 21 Nov 2018</ref>. He died in 1913 and buried at Simla. This can only be in connection with the PSMT but nothing more is known.
==PSMT Lines==
The total distance covered by PSMT was 50 miles (80 km). PSMT was run on two unconnected lines. The lines were constructed by the firm of Marsland and Price, based in Bombay. *[[Sirhind]] to [[Morinda]], a distance of 15 miles (24 km). ===Basi Monorail===At [[Sirhind]] there was a connection to the [[North Western Railway]] ‘Ambala-Ludiana SectionMainline’ and the line was opened as far as [[Basi]], 5 miles(8km) by 1908 <ref name=Gazett>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V07_101.gif "Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, p. 95. Basi"]; Retrieved 18 May 2017</ref>. ===Sirhind - Morinda Monorail===[[Sirhind]] to [[Morinda]], a distance of 15 miles (24 km). The line Basi Monorail was then extended to reach [[Morinda]]. It was proposed to extend this line to [[RoparRupar]] but since Ropar Rupar was connected by a railway line, this idea was abandoned. *===Patiala - Sunam Monorail===[[Patiala]] to [[Sunam]], a distance of 40 miles(56 km) via Bhawanigarh following the good road on which there was a constant bullock cart traffic in passengers and freight. Most of the traffic transferred to the monorail line, which, although used animal traction, was smoother and more comfortable. The road was mainly on a raised embankment to keep it clear when the surrounding land was flooded. The embankment was about 20ft (6 metres) wide at road level with a 8ft(2.4m) centre strip, leaving soft shoulders on each side of about 6ft(1.8m). The monorail was laid on one of these shoulders so that the balancing wheels ran along the edge of the metalled surface, leaving the rest clear for other traffic <ref name=JohnDay> “Railway World” February 1962 Vol 23 No 261, pages 52-53 & 66. ‘An Indian Monorail: The Ewing System in Patiala’ by John R Day. Published by Ian Allen & Co.</ref>. A letter by [[C W Bowles|Colonel Bowles]] to a Mr. Ambler described the route of Patiala-Sunam line as starting from goods yard of [[North Western Railway]] (NWR) at Patiala. The PSMT then crossed the main railway line at a road level crossing nearby. It then went through the walled city towards City and then took a turn north towards the cantonment. Then it travelled along the main road to [[Bhawanigarh]] and then [[Sunam]] <ref name=Ambler/>. ===PSMT Locomotive No 4 at unknown location===[[File:Patiala State Monorail Trainways Locomotive No 4.png|thumb|PSMT Locomotive No 4 at unknown location]]The ‘British Library Photographic Collection’<ref>’British Library Photographic Collection’ F/290/184/0001</ref> has a ‘Ewing System Monorail’ locomotive No 4 bearing the PSMT logo.<br>The background to this image shows a very elaborate circular/semi-circular construction . There is a strong possibility that is one of the structures at the [[Delhi Durbar 1911 Railway| ‘Delhi Durbar’ of 1911]]
==Published Information==
*An ordnance map of 1913 also shows a tramway running along west side of road, but does not mention the PSMT by name.
*The “Railway World” <ref name=JohnDay/> in 1962 published an article by John R. Day giving information and photographs received from [[C W Bowles| Mr C W Bowles]], then in retirement, concerning his first-hand knowledge of the ‘[[Ewing System Monorail]]’ and the ‘Patiala Monorail’.
*The “Railway Magazine “<ref name=Ambler/> in 1869 1969 published an article by H.R.Ambler giving further information and photographs.
''Apart from the above, PSMT has not been mentioned in any official documents of that period in India.''
==Later History==
