Eastern Bengal Railway: Difference between revisions

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|image=  
|image=  
|caption=  
|caption=  
|route= [[Calcutta]] to [[Faridpur]] (BG) with branches to<br>[[Budge Budge]], [[Diamond Harbour]], [[Lalgola]]
|route= [[Calcutta]] to [[Faridpur]] (BG) with branches to<br>[[Budge-Budge]], [[Diamond Harbour]], [[Lalgola]]
|gauge1= Broad gauge
|gauge1= Broad gauge
|gauge1details= 495 miles (1905)
|gauge1details= 495 miles (1905)
Line 13: Line 13:
|timeline1date= 1857
|timeline1date= 1857
|timeline1details= Formed as [[Guaranteed Railways|Guaranteed company]]
|timeline1details= Formed as [[Guaranteed Railways|Guaranteed company]]
|timeline2date=  
|timeline2date= 1868
|timeline2details= [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]] merger
|timeline2details= [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]] taken over
|timeline3date= 1884
|timeline3date= 1884
|timeline3details= Taken over by State
|timeline3details= Taken over by State
Line 22: Line 22:
|timeline5details=   
|timeline5details=   
|presidency= [[Bengal]]
|presidency= [[Bengal]]
|stations= [[Sealdah]], [[Dum Dum]], [[Naihati]], [[Kaliganga]], [[Rajbari]], [[Goalundo]], [[Ranaghat]], [[Krishnagar]], [[Plassey]], [[Murshidabad]]
|stations= '''[[Sealdah|Calcutta Sealdah]] ''', [[Dum Dum]], [[Naihati]], [[Kaliganga]], [[Rajbari]], [[Goalundo]], [[Ranaghat]], [[Krishnagar]], [[Plassey]], [[Murshidabad]],  [[Bangaon]], [[Jessore]],
See also separate page [[Calcutta_Railways_%26_Stations#Sealdah_Station| ''' Calcutta Seadah Station''']] for details
|system1date= 1884
|system1date= 1884
|system1details= State agency
|system1details= State agency
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|timeline5date=  
|timeline5date=  
|timeline5details=   
|timeline5details=   
|company1= 1884
|company1=  
|company1details= [[Eastern Bengal Railway]]
|company1details=  
|company2=
|company2=1868
|company2details= [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]]
|company2details= [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]]
|company3= 1887
|company3= 1887
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|company12details= [[Bengal Dooars Railway]]
|company12details= [[Bengal Dooars Railway]]
|headquarters= [[Calcutta]]
|headquarters= [[Calcutta]]
|workshop= [[Kanchrapara]]
|stations= See also separate page [[Calcutta_Railways_%26_Stations#Sealdah_Station| ''' Calcutta Seadah Station''']] for details
|stations= [[Bangaon]], [[Jessore]],
|workshop= [[Kanchrapara]], [[Saidpur]] <br>''See'' [[EBR Railway Workshops]]
|system1date= 1942
|system1date= 1942
|system1details= Merged into [[Bengal and Assam Railway]]
|system1details= Merged into [[Bengal and Assam Railway]]
Line 90: Line 91:
[[File: Eastern Bengal Railway Map 1909.png|thumb| Eastern Bengal Railway Map 1909]]
[[File: Eastern Bengal Railway Map 1909.png|thumb| Eastern Bengal Railway Map 1909]]


The '''Eastern Bengal Railway''' Company (EBR) was formed in 1857 for "the construction and working of a line from [[Calcutta]] to [[Dacca]], with a branch to [[Jessore]]. Capital 1,000,000''l''. This amount has been sanctioned for the line from Calcutta to the Ganges at Kooshtee([[Kushtia]]), near Pubnah, about 80 miles, all that is authorised to be proceeded with at present. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent on 1,000,000''l'' " <ref> "Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a. </ref>.  
The '''Eastern Bengal Railway''' Company (EBR) was formed as a [[Guaranteed Railways|Guaranteed Railway]] company in 1857 for "the construction and working of a line from [[Calcutta]] to [[Dacca]], with a branch to [[Jessore]]. Capital 1,000,000''l''. This amount has been sanctioned for the line from Calcutta to the Ganges at Kooshtee([[Kushtia]]), near Pubnah, about 80 miles, all that is authorised to be proceeded with at present. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent on 1,000,000''l'' " <ref> "Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a. </ref>.
 
== History ==
==History==
The first construction started in October 1859. Isambard Kingdom Brunel  had been  engaged in Britain as consulting engineer to the EBR and [[Bradford Leslie]],  an English civil engineer who specialised in bridges,  was sent to India as engineer in charge of bridges and viaducts. He supervised the building of the Eschamutter and Koormar river bridges before returning to Britain in 1861. He returned to India in 1865 and became Chief Engineer and Agent <ref> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Leslie Wikipedia "Bradford Leslie"]; Retrieved on  5 May 2016</ref>
The first construction started in October 1859. Isambard Kingdom Brunel  had been  engaged in Britain as consulting engineer to the EBR and [[Bradford Leslie]],  an English civil engineer who specialised in bridges,  was sent to India as engineer in charge of bridges and viaducts. He supervised the building of the [[East_Bengal_Railway_Bridges#Ichamati_River_Railway_Bridge|Eschamutter(Ichamati)]] and [[East_Bengal_Railway_Bridges#Kumar_River_Railway_Bridge|Koomar(Kumar)]] river bridges before returning to Britain in 1861. He returned to India in 1865 and became Chief Engineer and Agent <ref> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Leslie Wikipedia "Bradford Leslie"]; Retrieved on  5 May 2016</ref>
<ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PpJMCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT74&lpg=PT74&dq=southern+punjab+railway+company&source=bl&ots=R1AsTgkegr&sig=CzpHod72_VMtjRKj6Ire4zWNOV4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjyqrig1rXMAhVrJMAKHY0EDRc4ChDoAQg3MAU#v=onepage&q=southern%20punjab%20railway%20company&f=false Google Books “New Delhi: The Last Imperial City- Sir Bradford Leslie and the meaning of Empire, Chapter 5.3” by D. Johnson, Richard Watson"]; Retrieved on  2 Jun 2016</ref>.
<ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PpJMCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT74&lpg=PT74&dq=southern+punjab+railway+company&source=bl&ots=R1AsTgkegr&sig=CzpHod72_VMtjRKj6Ire4zWNOV4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjyqrig1rXMAhVrJMAKHY0EDRc4ChDoAQg3MAU#v=onepage&q=southern%20punjab%20railway%20company&f=false Google Books “New Delhi: The Last Imperial City- Sir Bradford Leslie and the meaning of Empire, Chapter 5.3” by D. Johnson, Richard Watson"]; Retrieved on  2 Jun 2016</ref>.


The first train ran between [[Sealdah]] and [[Ranaghat]] in September 1862. Thereafter further phases considerably extended the reach of the line and, by 1866, it linked [[Calcutta]] to [[Kushtia]]. The company had also acquired a steam vessel service operating between [[Kushtia]] and [[Dacca]].
The '[[Brassey & Co|Brassey, Wythes and Paxman Partenership]] undertook the construction  of the EBR a line of 112 miles(179km) from [[Calcutta]] to [[Kushtia|Kooshtea(Kushtia)]] on the River Ganges. The line opened in stages from [[Calcutta]] in 1862 and completed through to [[Kushtia]] in 1864.  
<ref>[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 127-8, paragraphs 3.51 - 3.55] Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016</ref>


[[Franklin Prestage]] became the  Agent for the EBR in the early 1870's. In its original contract with the Secretary of State for India, the EBR Company  was to open a rail-line to [[Darjeeling]]. However the [[Government of India]] took a decision to stop expansion of rail-lines by Guaranteed companies in new areas and instead decided to construct and manage new rail-lines as [[:Category:State Railways|State Railways]]. Prestage resigned from EBR  and in 1879 set up the [[Darjeeling Steam Tramway]] Company <ref>[http://www.irfca.org/articles/eminent-railwaymen.html#prestage “Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryears” by R R Bhandari July 2008, reproduced by IRFCA ''Indian Railways Fan Club''] Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016</ref>.
The [[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  Eastern Bengal Railway“]] gives:- [[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|
‘Broad Gauge (BG)]] Line sanctioned  159 miles(256km),  which included 45 miles(72km)of Line opened 1870 with nil to be finished’. The Report also details the [[1870-71_Report_on_Railways#Eastern_Bengal_Railway._Paragraphs_76-78.3B_Page_36|‘progress of the railway and the commercial summery’]] - ''see separate pages for Report details.''
 
[[Franklin Prestage]] became the  Agent for the EBR in the early 1870's. In its original contract with the Secretary of State for India, the EBR Company  was to open a rail-line to [[Darjeeling]]. However the [[Government of India]] took a decision to stop expansion of rail-lines by Guaranteed companies in new areas and instead decided to construct and manage new rail-lines as [[:Category:State Railways|State Railways]]. Prestage resigned from EBR  and in 1879 set up the [[Darjeeling Steam Tramway]] Company <ref>[http://www.irfca.org/articles/eminent-railwaymen.html#prestage “Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryears” by R R Bhandari July 2008, reproduced by IRFCA ''Indian Railways Fan Club''] Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016</ref>.


The EBR became the '''Eastern Bengal State Railway'''(EBSR), owned and managed by the Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]), on 30 June 1884.
The EBR became the '''Eastern Bengal State Railway'''(EBSR), owned and managed by the Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]), on 30 June 1884.


The GoI merged the [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]] into the EBSR, and several others in 1887. In 1904, the EBSR took over the [[Bengal Central Railway]] which it had previously been working, and the [[Brahmaputra-Sultanpur Railway]]. In 1915, the system reverted to the style, '''Eastern Bengal Railway'''.
The GoI merged the broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]])  [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]] into the EBSR, and in 1887 several  metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) and narrow gauge [[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]] railways
<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 42(BG); 47(MG); 52(NG)]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>
Railways – this giving the three Rail Gauges that made up the EBR network.
<ref>[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Railway Banglapedia "National Encyclopaedia of Bangladesh" Railway]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>
<ref>[http://inforail.blogspot.com/2012/10/brief-history-of-bangladesh-railway.html "Brief History of Bangladesh Railway" Bangladesh Railway Information]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>


During the 1920s, the EBR continued to grow by merger and amalgamation, and also began to convert sections of metre and narrow gauge to eliminate rail bottlenecks. On 1 January 1941, the GoI acquired the [[Bengal Dooars Railway]] and merged it into the EBR.
In 1915, the system reverted to the style, '''Eastern Bengal Railway'''.


In 1942, the GoI merged the EBR with the [[Assam Bengal Railway]] to create the [[Bengal and Assam Railway]].
During the 1920s, the EBR continued to grow by merger and amalgamation, and also began to convert sections of metre and narrow gauge to eliminate rail bottlenecks.  


==Branch Lines and extensions==
On 1 January 1941, the GoI acquired the [[Bengal Dooars Railway]] and merged it into the EBR.
*[[Budge-Budge Branch Railway]] opened 1890. Branch line of EBR
*[[Canning Branch Railway]] opened  1862-63. Branch line of EBR
*[[Chitpur Branch Railway]] opened 1873. Branch line of  EBR
*[[Dalsingpara Branch Railway]] opened after 1811. Branch of Jainti Section of EBR ; under construction in 1911
*[[Dhubri Branch Railway]] opened 1902. Branch of Assam Section of EBR.
*[[Faridpur Branch Railway]] opened 1898-99. Branch from Poradaha Section of EBR
*[[Gauhati Branch Railway]] opened 1906. Part of Assam Section of EBR  incorporating part of [[Kaunia-Dharlia State Tram/Railway]]; extended up to 1909
*[[Goalundo Branch Railway]] opened 1862. Branch from Poradaha Section of EBR ; extended up to 1882.
*[[Godagari Ghat Branch Railway]] opened 1909. Branch from Katihar Section of EBR
*[[Jainti Branch Railway]] opened 1900-1. Branch of Jainti Section of EBR
*[[Jagannathganj Ghat Branch Railway]] opened c.1887?. Branch from the Dacca Section of EBR (Narayanganj to Bahadurabad Ghat section
*[[Jogbani Branch Railway]] opened 1887. Branch from Katihar Section of EBR ; extended 1909
*[[Kankurgachi Chord Railway]] opened 1907. Short connecting section of EBR
*[[Katihar Branch Railway]] opened 1883. Branch of Katihar Section of EBR ; opened 1883 and extended 1889
*[[Kaunia-Bonarpara Extension Railway]] opened 1905. Extension to EBR  network
*[[Khulna Branch Railway]] opened 1883-4. Originally [[Bengal Central Railway]]; in 1905 became Branch line of EBR
*[[Kishanganj Branch Railway]] opened 1892. Branch from Katihar Section of EBR
*[[Kurigram Branch Railway]] opened 1882. Branch line of Eastern Bengal State Railway
*[[Lalgola Ghat Branch Railway]] opened 1905. Branch line of  EBR ; opened 1905, extended 1907
*[[Lalmonirhat-Gitaldaha(Geetaldaha) Railway]] opened c.1900. Link between [[Bengal Dooars Railway]] and [[Cooch Behar State Railway]].
*[[Manihari Branch Railway]] opened 1887. Branch from Katihar Section of EBR
*[[Murshidabad Branch Railway]] opened 1909. Branch line of EBR
*[[Patipukur Loop Railway]] opened  1904. Chord line of  EBR  for goods
*[[Raiti Branch Railway]] opened 1910. Branch from Poradaha Section of EBR
*[[Tanga Branch Railway]]. Branch of Assam Section of EBR ; under construction, 1911


==Railways absorbed into EBR==
In 1942, the GoI merged the EBR with the [[Assam Bengal Railway]] to create the [[Bengal and Assam Railway]].
*[[Bengal Central Railway]] opened 1882. Private company without guarantee; merged into EBR , 1905
*[[Bengal Dooars Railway]](BDR) opened 1893. Independent Company operation small MG network;  merged into EBR , 1941
*[[Brahmaputra-Sultanpur Railway]] opened 1899. Amalgamated with EBR , 1904 together with [[Phulchari Branch Railway]] and [[Santahar-Kaunia Loop Railway]].
*[[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]] opened 1862. Surrendered to [[Government of India |GoI]] , 1 Apr 1868; Worked by State, 1868-70; by EBR, 1870-74; merged into EBR, 1884
*[[Cooch Behar State Railway]] opened 1893. State railway, worked and finally bought by EBR  c.1899
*[[Dacca State Railway]] opened 1885. Formerly [[Narayanganj-Dacca-Mymensingh State Railway]] ; merged into EBR , 1887; becoming Dacca Section of EBR
*[[Diamond Harbour Line Railway]] opened 1862. First opened as [[Calcutta and South Eastern Railway]]; merged into EBR , 1884
*[[Kaunia-Dharlia State Tram/Railway]] opened 1884-85. Constructed by EBR as [[Rail_gauge#Metre_Gauge|NG]] Tram, converted to [[Rail_gauge#Metre_Gauge|NG]], 1901; part to EBR Gauhati Branch ; part to BDR Kurigram Branch
*[[Kaunia-Kurigram Railway]] opened c.1885. Narrow gauge(NG); merged into EBR  1887; converted to metre gauge 1928/29.
*[[Mymensingh-Jamalpur-Jagannath Railway]] opened 1898. Owned by [[Indian General Navigation and Railway Company]]; worked and finally purchased by EBR
* [[Northern Bengal State Railway]](NBSR)opened 1877. Merged into EBR , 1887; becoming the EBR North Bengal Section
*[[Poradah Branch Railway]] opened c.1880. Constructed by [[Northern Bengal State Railway]](NBSR) but worked by EBR; apparently taken over by EBR c.1913
*[[Ranagat-Bangaon Railway]] opened 1882. Opened as part of [[Bengal Central Railway]]; became section of EBR , 1905
*[[Ranaghat-Krishnagar Light Railway]] opened 1899. Narrow gauge(NG), via Shantipur. Constructed by [[Martin's Light Railways]] Company  taken over by EBR, 1904
*[[Santipur-Nabadwip Light Railway]] opened 1898. Constructed by [[Martin's Light Railways]] Company; taken over by EBR , 1904
*[[Sara-Sirajgonj Railway]] opened 1915-16. Private company, worked by EBR, finally purchased by EBR
 
==Lines worked by EBR at some time==
*[[Khulna-Bagerhat Railway]] opened 1918-19. Narrow gauge(NG) railway; constructed in 1918. Worked by EBR
*[[Lalmonirhat-Gitaldaha(Geetaldaha) Railway]] opened c.1900. Link between [[Bengal Dooars Railway]]  and [[Cooch Behar State Railway]], jointly worked.
*[[Teesta-Kurigram Railway]] opened c.1885. Section of [[Kaunia-Kurigram Railway]] , worked by EBR
*[[Netrakona-Mohanganj Railway]]  was constructed between 1912 and 1918 by the Mymensingh–Bhairab Bazar Railway Company, worked by EBR
 
==Train Ferry Links EBR==
*[[Pandu Ghat-Gauhati Railway]] opened c.1908 Link constructed by EBR to link the [[Amingaon-Pandu Train Ferry]]. Rail transhipment by ferry crossing the Brahmaputra River linking EBR system to [[Assam Bengal Railway]](ABR)'s network. Worked by ABR; transferred to ABR, 1922
*[[Sara Train Ferry]] opened c.1899. Ferry link from EBR main line across Ganges to Sara taking Goods wagons. Operated until 1915 on opening of Hardinge Bridge
 
==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/46/10 '''  “Eastern Bengal Railway Company; 1856-1885
*'''L /AG/46/30 '''  “Records of the India Office relating to the Eastern Bengal Railway Company; 1885-1920”
 
==Personnel==
The following employment records held in the IOR are relevant :-
*'''L/AG/46/10/35''' “Contracts of appointment (1862-1869)”
*'''FIBIS database''' [http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=1068&s_id=323  List of Indian Railways UK Contracted Staff taken from IOR Series L/AG/46/12].  


The above is partially indexed in
== EBR Personnel ==
*'''Z/L/AG/46'''  “Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways (1849-1925)”
See separate page  '''[[Eastern Bengal Railway  Personnel]]'''   
The following is not included in the index Z/L/AG/46.
*'''L/AG/46/10/35'''  “Lists of staff, 1879-1881”


'''[[Eastern Bengal Railway Personnel]]'''  gives details of EBR staff from several other sources:-
== EBR Lines owned and worked ==
*“India  Civil List 1890”  <ref>Fibis Records, scans of original ” </ref>  and  the " India List and India Office List, 1905" <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PR14 " India List and India Office List, 1905"] Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016</ref>  for [[Public Works Department]] Railway Branch  or  [[:Category:State Railways|State Railways]] personnel deployed to EBR gives a number of entries.  The most notable of these have been listed.
The development of the EBR network  is detailed in a separate page '''[[Eastern Bengal Railway - Lines owned and worked]] '''  broken down into the three Rail Gauge Divisions.
*"Grace's Guide ” for notable personnel  <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Main_Page  “Grace’s Guide”];  Retrieved  2 Jun 2016</ref>
<br>The initial construction of Bridges is covered in a separate page '''[[East Bengal Railway Bridges|Eastern Bengal Railway Bridges]]''' as part of the development of the EBR system
*Wikipedia


'''Thacker's Directories'''
==External Links==         
The following for East Bengal Railways Personnel have been indexed in Grace's Guide -
*[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Railway Banglapedia "National Encyclopaedia of Bangladesh" Railway]
*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1861_Thackers:_Eastern_Bengal_Railway 1861 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]
*[http://inforail.blogspot.com/2012/10/brief-history-of-bangladesh-railway.html "Brief History of Bangladesh Railway" Bangladesh Railway Information]


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 09:03, 8 March 2021

Eastern Bengal Railway
[[Image:|150px| ]]
Line of route
Calcutta to Faridpur (BG) with branches to
Budge-Budge, Diamond Harbour, Lalgola
Gauge / mileage
Broad gauge 495 miles (1905)
Metre gauge 637 miles (1905)
2' 6" NG 55 miles (1905)
Timeline
1857 Formed as Guaranteed company
1868 Calcutta and South Eastern Railway taken over
1884 Taken over by State
1915 Opening of Hardinge Bridge at Sara Ghat
Key locations
Presidency Bengal
Stations Calcutta Sealdah , Dum Dum, Naihati, Kaliganga, Rajbari, Goalundo, Ranaghat, Krishnagar, Plassey, Murshidabad, Bangaon, Jessore,

See also separate page Calcutta Seadah Station for details

System agency
1884 State agency
How to interpret this infobox
Eastern Bengal Railway

Eastern Bengal Railway device
System timeline
1884 Renamed Eastern Bengal State Railway
1915 Reverted to Eastern Bengal Railway
Constituent companies / lines
1868 Calcutta and South Eastern Railway
1887 Dacca State Railway
1887 Northern Bengal State Railway
1887 Kaunia-Kurigram Railway
Cooch Behar Railway
Mymensingh-Jamalpur-Jagannath Railway
1904 Bengal Central Railway
Brahmaputra-Sultanpur Railway
1941 Bengal Dooars Railway
Key locations
Headquarters Calcutta
Workshops Kanchrapara, Saidpur
See EBR Railway Workshops
Major Stations See also separate page Calcutta Seadah Station for details
Successor system / organisation
1942 Merged into Bengal and Assam Railway
System mileage
Broad gauge 495 miles (1905)
Metre gauge 688 miles (1905)
2' 6" NG 89 miles (1905)
Associated auxiliary force
Eastern Bengal Railway Battalion
How to interpret this infobox
Eastern Bengal Railway Map 1909

The Eastern Bengal Railway Company (EBR) was formed as a Guaranteed Railway company in 1857 for "the construction and working of a line from Calcutta to Dacca, with a branch to Jessore. Capital 1,000,000l. This amount has been sanctioned for the line from Calcutta to the Ganges at Kooshtee(Kushtia), near Pubnah, about 80 miles, all that is authorised to be proceeded with at present. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent on 1,000,000l " [1].

History

The first construction started in October 1859. Isambard Kingdom Brunel had been engaged in Britain as consulting engineer to the EBR and Bradford Leslie, an English civil engineer who specialised in bridges, was sent to India as engineer in charge of bridges and viaducts. He supervised the building of the Eschamutter(Ichamati) and Koomar(Kumar) river bridges before returning to Britain in 1861. He returned to India in 1865 and became Chief Engineer and Agent [2] [3].

The 'Brassey, Wythes and Paxman Partenership undertook the construction of the EBR a line of 112 miles(179km) from Calcutta to Kooshtea(Kushtia) on the River Ganges. The line opened in stages from Calcutta in 1862 and completed through to Kushtia in 1864.

The “1870-71 Annual Report for Indian Railways for the Eastern Bengal Railway“ gives:- ‘Broad Gauge (BG) Line sanctioned 159 miles(256km), which included 45 miles(72km)of Line opened 1870 with nil to be finished’. The Report also details the ‘progress of the railway and the commercial summery’ - see separate pages for Report details.

Franklin Prestage became the Agent for the EBR in the early 1870's. In its original contract with the Secretary of State for India, the EBR Company was to open a rail-line to Darjeeling. However the Government of India took a decision to stop expansion of rail-lines by Guaranteed companies in new areas and instead decided to construct and manage new rail-lines as State Railways. Prestage resigned from EBR and in 1879 set up the Darjeeling Steam Tramway Company [4].

The EBR became the Eastern Bengal State Railway(EBSR), owned and managed by the Government of India(GoI), on 30 June 1884.

The GoI merged the broad gauge(BG) Calcutta and South Eastern Railway into the EBSR, and in 1887 several metre gauge(MG) and narrow gauge NG railways Railways – this giving the three Rail Gauges that made up the EBR network.

In 1915, the system reverted to the style, Eastern Bengal Railway.

During the 1920s, the EBR continued to grow by merger and amalgamation, and also began to convert sections of metre and narrow gauge to eliminate rail bottlenecks.

On 1 January 1941, the GoI acquired the Bengal Dooars Railway and merged it into the EBR.

In 1942, the GoI merged the EBR with the Assam Bengal Railway to create the Bengal and Assam Railway.

EBR Personnel

See separate page Eastern Bengal Railway Personnel

EBR Lines owned and worked

The development of the EBR network is detailed in a separate page Eastern Bengal Railway - Lines owned and worked broken down into the three Rail Gauge Divisions.
The initial construction of Bridges is covered in a separate page Eastern Bengal Railway Bridges as part of the development of the EBR system

External Links

References

  1. ↑ "Money Market and City Intelligence", The Times, Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia "Bradford Leslie"; Retrieved on 5 May 2016
  3. ↑ Google Books “New Delhi: The Last Imperial City- Sir Bradford Leslie and the meaning of Empire, Chapter 5.3” by D. Johnson, Richard Watson"; Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016
  4. ↑ “Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryears” by R R Bhandari July 2008, reproduced by IRFCA Indian Railways Fan Club Retrieved on 2 Jun 2016
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