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|headquarters= [[Trichinopoly]]
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|workshop= [[Golden Rock]]
|workshop= [[SIR Central Workshops, Golden Rock, Trichinopoly|Golden Rock, Trichinopoly]] <br> [[Negapatam]]<br> ''see also'' [[SIR Railway Workshops]]
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The '''South Indian Railway''' (SIR) was the new name applied in 1874 to the merged undertakings of the [[Carnatic Railway]] and the [[Great Southern of India Railway]].
[[File: South Indian Railway 1909.png|thumb| South Indian Railway 1909]]
[[File: South Indian Railway 1931.png|thumb| South Indian Railway 1931]]
[[File:South India Railway System 1937 Map.png|thumb| South Indian Railway System 1937]]


'''South Indian Railway'''
The '''South Indian Railway''' (SIR) was the new name applied in 1874 to the merged undertakings of the [[Carnatic Railway]] and the [[Great Southern of India Railway]] (GCSR)and initially  administered from [[Negapatam]]; and after 1865 from the ‘General Office Building’ at [[Trichinopoly]] <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 3 and 8</ref>.


== History ==
== History ==
On 1st July 1874 the [[Great Southern of India Railway]] Company (GSIR) and the [[Carnatic Railway]], were amalgamated under the title of the '''South Indian Railway'''.
At the time of amalgamation the GSIR  had constructed a  broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) line from [[Negapatam]]  to [[Trichinopoly]] and on to [[Erode]] where it connected to the [[Madras Railway]] and the [[Carnatic Railway]]  had constructed  a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]])  line from [[Arkonam]]  Junction to [[Conjeeveram]] <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";  page 136, pdf page 143, paragraphs 3.87] Retrieved on 20 Jun 2016</ref>.


In 1872, the [[Carnatic Railway]] merged with the [[Great Southern of India Railway]]. In 1874, the merged companies were renamed the [[South Indian Railway]]. During the 1870s the existing broad gauge lines were converted to metre gauge.
From 1875 the originally constructed BG lines were converted to MG in order to have a seamless flow of traffic , since all the other lines around [[Trichinopoly]]  were MG. The [[Negapatam]]  to [[Trichinopoly]] section converted in 1875 and to [[Erode]] by the end of 1879 <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 13 </ref>.
<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 135-137, paragraphs 3.84 - 3.90] Retrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>
The construction of the [[Pondicherry Railway]] in French territory by the SIR commenced in 1878 simultaneously  with a SIR branch, so when opened in 1879 connected [[Pondicherry]] to the SIR mainline at [[Villupuram]]. The line was maintained and worked by the SIR  under the management of the SIR Agent which had remained at the original [[Negapatam]].  The joint Agent finally moved  to [[Trichinopoly]] in 1880 <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 15-19 </ref>.


Ownership of the SIR and other lines passed to the Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]])  on 31 December 1890 and a new company was formed to work the system so created under contract; this contract was extended in 1909.  
Ownership of the SIR and other lines passed to the Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]])  on 31 December 1890 and a new company, ‘ The South Indian Railway Company Limited’  was formed to work the system so created under contract; this contract was extended in 1909.  
<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 136-152]; Retrieved 21 Dec 2015</ref>
<ref name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n136/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” pages 136-152(pdf145-161)]; Retrieved 4 Feb 2018</ref>  


The year previously (1908), the [[Jalarpet]] to [[Mangalore]] broad gauge section had been transferred to the SIR from the [[Madras Railway]]. In turn, the [[Katpadi]] section was relinquished and became part of the newly formed [[Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway]].
The year previously (1 Jan 1908), the [[Jalarpet]] to [[Mangalore]] broad gauge section had been transferred to the SIR from the [[Madras Railway]]. In turn, the Metre gauge [[Katpadi]] section was relinquished and became part of the newly formed [[Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway]].


On 1 April 1944, the [[Government of India |GoI]] took over direct control of the SIR.
On 1 April 1944, the [[Government of India |GoI]] took over direct control of the SIR.


In 1951, the SIR became a constituent part of '''Southern Railway''', a zone of Indian Railways.
In 1951, the SIR became a constituent part of '''[[Southern Railway]]''', a zone of [[Indian Railways]].
 
== FIBIS Resources ==
*The South Indian Railway, as seen from Space. with 100-year-old photos from the British Raj - Lecture by Mike Muirhead (October 2016) available in lecture section of FIBIS Member's area.  


==SIR Branch Lines and extensions==
==SIR Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Workshops==
* [[Karaikkal-Peralam Railway]], opened 1898. SIR branchline  which connected the French enclave of [[Karikal|Karaikkal]] with the rest of British India at [[Peralam]].
*1860, [[Negapatam]] workshops established by the [[Great Southern of India Railway]] and taken over by SIR in 1872.
* [[Pamban Branch Railway]], opened 1914. SIR  branchline between India and Island of Rameswaram, Ceylon
*1928, [[SIR Central Workshops, Golden Rock, Trichinopoly]] capable of handling both BG and MG stock  <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 105 </ref>.  
* [[Villupuram-Dharmavaram Railway]], opened before 1901. A branch of SIR
[[SIR Railway Workshops|'''See also SIR 'Railway Workshops' ''']]
* [[Villupuram-Guntakal Railway]], opened  1890. Part of SIR  network
* [[Villupuram-Nellore Railway]], opened before 1891. State Railway, included with SIR , 1891
* [[Villupuram-Tiruvanamalai Railway]], opened before 1891. State Railway, included with SIR , 1891
*[[Quilon-Trivandrum Extension Railway]], first section opened 1918 completed 1931


==Railways absorbed into SIR==
==SIR Schools==
*[[Great Southern of India Railway]], opened 1861. Merged with Carnatic Rly Company to form SIR ; 1872
*1928, Golden Rock, [[Trichinopoly]], two schools were established, the 'European and Anglo-Indian School' with 28 pupils and the 'Indian Primary School' with 400 pupils <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 15-19 </ref>.  
*[[Carnatic Railway]]. Took over Indian Tramway, 1870; merged with Great Southern of India to form SIR , 1872
*1931,  [[Trichinopoly]] 'Railway Training School' established for training of Traffic Department Signallers for European and native Indians <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 141 </ref>.
**[[Indian Tramway Co.]], opened 1865. Formerly Arakkonam-Conjeevaram Tramway; Failed in 1870 and taken over by Carniatic Rly  merged finally SIR..  
*[[Karaikkal-Peralam Railway]], opened 1898. Financed by French Govt, constructed by [[Great Southern of India Railway]];  later absorbed into SIR


==Lines worked by SIR at some time==
==SIR Hospitals==
*[[Cuddapah-Nellore Railway]], opened before 1887. Worked by SIR linking Vijayawada and Chennai, extended 1890
Initially two hospitals operated at [[Negapatam]] and [[Trichinopoly]] and in the early 1900's Dispensaries set up in several locations. In 1928 a full Railway Hospital was established at Golden Rock, [[Trichinopoly]] <ref> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 117 </ref>.  
*[[Mayavaram Mutupet Railway]], opened 1890. Worked by SIR , 1897
 
*[[Nilgiri Mountain Railway]], opened 1899. Worked by Madras Railway Co  to 1907; then worked by SIR ; line extended, 1908
==SIR Rail Network==
*[[Podanur-Pollachi Railway]], opened 1905. District Board owned;  worked by SIR  as part of Metre gauge section network.  
 
*[[Pondicherry Railway]], opened 1879. French enclave; railway worked by SIR
===Railways amalgamated to form SIR===
*[[Salem-Metur-Dam Railway]]. Link railway to SIR main line at Salem from Metur Dam; worked by SIR , 1933
'''First Amalgamation 1872'''
*[[Shoranur-Cochin Railway]]. Privately funded, opened in 1902. Worked by SIR , 1908
*[[Great Southern of India Railway]](GSIR), broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]), opened 1861. Merged with [[Carnatic Railway|Carnatic Railway Company]] to form SIR, 1872; and subsequently converted to metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) as part of the SIR '[[Madras-Tuticorin Mainline]]' MG Network.
**[[Cochin Harbour Extension Railway]], opened 1938. Part of [[Shoranur-Cochin Railway]]; worked by SIR
*[[Carnatic Railway]]. Took over [[Indian Tramway Co.]], 1870; merged with the [[Great Southern of India Railway]] to form SIR, 1872.
*[[Shoranur-Nalambur Railway]], opened 1927. Worked by SIR , 1933
**[[Indian Tramway Co.]], opened 1865. Formerly [[Arakkonam-Conjeevaram Tramway]] which failed in 1870 and taken over by [[Carnatic Railway]].  
*[[Suramangalam-Salem Railway]]. District Board owned, opened 1917-18,  worked by SIR   
 
*[[Tanjore District Board Railway]]. Formed 1900 by raising funds  to construct feeder line; worked by SIR  
'''Second Amalgamation 1908'''
==Railways worked by MR at some time==
*[[Madras Railway]](MR) was a broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) network that was constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907. On 1 Jan 1908 the 'Southern Section' was transferred to SIR. This Section from [[Jalarpet]] had opened 1860-61; extended to [[Calicut]], 1888 and finally to [[Mangalore]], 1907. Line length 417 miles(671km). Upon amalgamation this became the SIR '[[Jalarpet-Mangalore Mainline]]'.
*[[Tirupattur-Krishnagiri Railway]] opened 1905. MR famine protection line;  worked by [[Madras Railway]](MR) until 31 December 1907; then working passed to SIR
**[[Mettupalaiyam Branch Line]]. Constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907, then transferred to SIR. Podanor Junction to Coimbatore and Mettupalaiyam. Opened 1873, 26 miles(41km) ) 
*[[Tinnevelly-Quilon Railway]].'British Section' opened  1902, worked by SIR, 50 miles from Tinnevelly to frontier of Travancore State. 'Indian State Section' opened 1903, worked by SIR, 58 miles from frontier through Travancore State to Quillon
**[[Palghat Branch Line]]. Palakkad Junction(Olavakode) to [[Palghat]]. Constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907, then transferred to SIR. Opened 1888, 2.5 miles(4km)
*[[Tinnevelly-Tiruchendur Railway]]. Constructed by District Board after 1908 and worked by SIR
 
*[[Vriddhachalam-Cuddalore Railway]], opened c.1880. Worked by SIR , 1933
*At this time the metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) lines north of [[Katpadi]] were relinquished and became part of the newly formed '[[Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway]]'. The SIR only retained the [[Villupuram-Katpadi Railway Section]]
*These amalgamations the SIR network was classified as the 'Metre Gauge' and the 'Broad Gauge' Divisions
 
[[South Indian Railway - Lines Owned and Worked|<big>'''South Indian Railway - Lines Owned and Worked'''</big> gives for full information and  details.]]


== Records ==
== Records ==
Line 155: Line 164:
The above is indexed in:
The above is indexed in:
*'''Z/L/AG/46'''  "Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways, 1849-1925"
*'''Z/L/AG/46'''  "Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways, 1849-1925"
 
[[South Indian Railway Personnel|''' See also South Indian Railway Personnel''' for details of notable SIR staff from many different sources.]]
'''[[South Indian Railway Personnel]]''' gives details of notable SIR staff from many different sources.  
*These have been listed by SIR Department and in Chronological order.
*These have been listed by SIR Department and in Chronological order.
*The entries link to the [[:Category:Railway People|Notable Railway People]] pages.
*The entries link to the [[:Category:Railway People|Notable Railway People]] pages.


== External Links==
== External links==
 
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/salemgazet02richuoft#page/24/mode/2up Sections on Salem - Vriddhachalam Railway and Salem - Mettar Railway] from Madras District Gazetteer of Salem (pub 1932) Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/salemgazet02richuoft#page/24/mode/2up Sections on Salem - Vriddhachalam Railway and Salem - Mettar Railway] from Madras Distict Gazetteer of Salem (pub 1932) Archive.org
===Historical books online===
 
*[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_irg2AAAAMAAJ/page/n3 ''Illustrated Guide to the South Indian Railway, including the Mayavaram-Mutupet, and Peralam-Karaikkal railway''] 1900 Archive.org
*[https://books.google.fr/books?id=SzWvq8EYBwUC&pg=PA133&hl=fr&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false Extracts from Google Books “Illustrated guide to the South Indian Railway: including the Tanjore District Board, Pondicherry, Peralam-Karaikkal, Travancore State, Cochin State, Coimbatore District Board, Tinnevelly-Tiruchendur, and the Nilgiri Railways”] by South Indian Railway Co. Ltd, 1926. Reprinted by New Delhi Asian Educational Services 2004.
*[https://archive.org/details/dli.venugopal.433/page/n3/mode/2up ''Illustrated Guide to the South Indian Railway including the Tanjore District Board, Pondicherry, Travancore State,  Peralam-Karaikkal and the Cochin State Railways''] 1913 Archive.org, K.K. Venugopal Collection.
 
*[https://archive.org/details/illustratedguide00unse/page/n7  ''Illustrated Guide To The South Indian Railway including the Tanjore District Board, Pondicherry, Peralam-Karaikkal, Travancore State, Cochin State, Coimbatore District Board, Tinnevelly-Tiruchendur and the Nilgiri Railways''] by South Indian Railway Co. Ltd. Reprint of 1926 edition. Archive.org, Historical Resources of India Collection.
[[File:Trich_Worksheds.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The engineering staff of the SIR worksheds in [[Trichinopoly]] in the 1920s.]]
 


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 10:12, 26 June 2021

South Indian Railway
[[Image:|150px| ]]
Line of route
Jalarpet to Mangalore
Gauge / mileage
Metre gauge 1123 miles (1905)
Timeline
1872 Formed from merger of Carnatic Railway and Great Southern of India Railway
1874 Renamed South Indian Railway
1908 Jalarpet to Mangalore transferred from Madras Railway. Katpadi section transferred to Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.
Key locations
Presidency Madras
Stations Trichinopoly
System agency
Own agency
How to interpret this infobox
South Indian Railway

South Indian Railway device
System timeline
1891 SIR re-formed to work line now owned by State
1944 Management of system taken over by State
Constituent companies / lines
1891 South Indian Railway
Karaikkal-Peralam Railway
Pondicherry Railway
Tanjore District Board Railway
Tinnevelly-Quilon Railway
Key locations
Headquarters Trichinopoly
Workshops Golden Rock, Trichinopoly
Negapatam
see also SIR Railway Workshops
Major Stations
Successor system / organisation
1951 Southern Railway (IR zone)
System mileage
Broad gauge 559 miles (1943)
Metre gauge 1353 miles (1905)
1483 miles (1943)
Associated auxiliary force
South Indian Railway Battalion
How to interpret this infobox
South Indian Railway 1909
South Indian Railway 1931
South Indian Railway System 1937

South Indian Railway

The South Indian Railway (SIR) was the new name applied in 1874 to the merged undertakings of the Carnatic Railway and the Great Southern of India Railway (GCSR)and initially administered from Negapatam; and after 1865 from the ‘General Office Building’ at Trichinopoly [1].

History

On 1st July 1874 the Great Southern of India Railway Company (GSIR) and the Carnatic Railway, were amalgamated under the title of the South Indian Railway.

At the time of amalgamation the GSIR had constructed a broad gauge(BG) line from Negapatam to Trichinopoly and on to Erode where it connected to the Madras Railway and the Carnatic Railway had constructed a metre gauge(MG) line from Arkonam Junction to Conjeeveram [2].

From 1875 the originally constructed BG lines were converted to MG in order to have a seamless flow of traffic , since all the other lines around Trichinopoly were MG. The Negapatam to Trichinopoly section converted in 1875 and to Erode by the end of 1879 [3].

The construction of the Pondicherry Railway in French territory by the SIR commenced in 1878 simultaneously with a SIR branch, so when opened in 1879 connected Pondicherry to the SIR mainline at Villupuram. The line was maintained and worked by the SIR under the management of the SIR Agent which had remained at the original Negapatam. The joint Agent finally moved to Trichinopoly in 1880 [4].

Ownership of the SIR and other lines passed to the Government of India(GoI) on 31 December 1890 and a new company, ‘ The South Indian Railway Company Limited’ was formed to work the system so created under contract; this contract was extended in 1909. [5]

The year previously (1 Jan 1908), the Jalarpet to Mangalore broad gauge section had been transferred to the SIR from the Madras Railway. In turn, the Metre gauge Katpadi section was relinquished and became part of the newly formed Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.

On 1 April 1944, the GoI took over direct control of the SIR.

In 1951, the SIR became a constituent part of Southern Railway, a zone of Indian Railways.

FIBIS Resources

  • The South Indian Railway, as seen from Space. with 100-year-old photos from the British Raj - Lecture by Mike Muirhead (October 2016) available in lecture section of FIBIS Member's area.

SIR Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Workshops

See also SIR 'Railway Workshops'

SIR Schools

  • 1928, Golden Rock, Trichinopoly, two schools were established, the 'European and Anglo-Indian School' with 28 pupils and the 'Indian Primary School' with 400 pupils [7].
  • 1931, Trichinopoly 'Railway Training School' established for training of Traffic Department Signallers for European and native Indians [8].

SIR Hospitals

Initially two hospitals operated at Negapatam and Trichinopoly and in the early 1900's Dispensaries set up in several locations. In 1928 a full Railway Hospital was established at Golden Rock, Trichinopoly [9].

SIR Rail Network

Railways amalgamated to form SIR

First Amalgamation 1872

Second Amalgamation 1908

  • Madras Railway(MR) was a broad gauge(BG) network that was constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907. On 1 Jan 1908 the 'Southern Section' was transferred to SIR. This Section from Jalarpet had opened 1860-61; extended to Calicut, 1888 and finally to Mangalore, 1907. Line length 417 miles(671km). Upon amalgamation this became the SIR 'Jalarpet-Mangalore Mainline'.
    • Mettupalaiyam Branch Line. Constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907, then transferred to SIR. Podanor Junction to Coimbatore and Mettupalaiyam. Opened 1873, 26 miles(41km) )
    • Palghat Branch Line. Palakkad Junction(Olavakode) to Palghat. Constructed, owned and worked by MR up to 31 Dec 1907, then transferred to SIR. Opened 1888, 2.5 miles(4km)

South Indian Railway - Lines Owned and Worked gives for full information and details.

Records

Refer to FIBIS Fact File #4: “Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” - available from the 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 [10] gives many references. The most important being:-

  • L/AG/46/13 "Records of the Great Southern of India Railway Company, 1859-74"
  • L/AG/46/38 "Records of the India Office relating to the South Indian Railway Company, 1884-1914"
  • L/AG/46/18 "Records of the South Indian Railway Company, 1891-1940"
  • L/F/7/2594-2606 "Collection 400: South Indian Railway, dates unspecified"
  • L/F/7/2595 “Collection 400/2: South Indian Railway: Terms for incorporation of certain District Board Lines in Company's undertaking, 1925-37"

Personnel

India Office Records. The following are held in the IOR at the British Library:

  • L/AG/46/18/1-4 "Contracts of Employment, 1891-1940" (index not complete).

The above is indexed in:

  • Z/L/AG/46 "Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways, 1849-1925"

See also South Indian Railway Personnel for details of notable SIR staff from many different sources.

  • These have been listed by SIR Department and in Chronological order.
  • The entries link to the Notable Railway People pages.

External links

Historical books online

References

  1. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 3 and 8
  2. ↑ H.M. Government “Statute Law Repeals: Nineteenth Report : Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Bill; April 2012"; page 136, pdf page 143, paragraphs 3.87 Retrieved on 20 Jun 2016
  3. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 13
  4. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 15-19
  5. ↑ “Administration Report on Railways 1918” pages 136-152(pdf145-161); Retrieved 4 Feb 2018
  6. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 105
  7. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", pages 15-19
  8. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 141
  9. ↑ Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951", page 117
  10. ↑ British Library “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search; Retrieved 22 Jan 2016
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