Jessore-Jhenidah Railway: Difference between revisions

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The '''Jessore-Jhenidah Railway''' was a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) line that opened in 1913 linking [[Jessore]] to [[Jhenidah]], a line length of 29 miles (46km). The [[Kotchandpur Branch Railway| Kotchandpur Branch]]  opened at the same time and gave a total line length of 36 miles (57km). Owned and worked by the Jessore-Jhenidah Railway Company, a private company supported by the District Board of Jessore
[[File:Mcleod's Light Railways 1931 Map.png|thumb| McLeod’s Light Railways]]
<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n238/mode/2up "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing,  Calcutta;  page 230]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016</ref>.
The '''Jessore-Jhenidah Railway''' (JJR) was a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) line that opened in 1913 linking [[Jessore]] to [[Jhenidah]], a line length of 29 miles( 46km)<ref Name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n238/mode/2up "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing,  Calcutta;  page 230]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016</ref>.  
<blockquote>Marked '''5''' on Map.</blockquote>
The ''' [[Kotchandpur Branch Railway]]'''  from Kaliganj (now known as Shibnagore) to Kotchandpur opened at the same time and gave a total line length of 36 miles (57km) <ref Name=Admin/>
<blockquote>Marked '''6''' on Map.</blockquote>


The railway developed a reputation for being poorly managed, an official report in 1915 states that staff could not nominate one person as their manager
The railway was owned and worked by the ‘Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company’, a private company first registered in 1911, supported by the District Board of Jessore, which was founded in 1913 <ref> British Library India Office Records L/F/8/17/1334  “Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company Limited, Indenture; 1913” </ref>.
<ref name=name> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessore-Jhenidah_Light_Railway Wikipedia "Jessore-Jhenidah Light Railway"]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016</ref>.


It is possible, but not proven, that the management of the Jessore-Jhenidah Railway was later being undertaken  by [[McLeod's Light Railways]] (McLR)
Maintenance under the original management was poor and In 1914 an inspector reported that “the general appearance of the track was like that of the waves of a troubled sea”.  Again in 1915 “There was no person present vested with responsibility for the management of the line, nor was the staff able to name any person, present or absent, as their Manager”. <ref name=hughes>“Indian Locomotives Part 3 – Narrow Gauge 1863-1940” by Hugh Hughes No. 28 McLeods Light Railways - page 56-59</ref> <ref name=name> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessore-Jhenidah_Light_Railway Wikipedia "Jessore-Jhenidah Light Railway"]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016</ref>.
<ref>[http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html “Indian Railways History 1913” IRFCA ''Indian Railways Fan Club'']; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016</ref>. ''It has not been possible to confirm this information. An examination of the 1930 Contract with the Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Limited, see Records L/F/8/20/1761, may throw light on the operation of this railway.''


The Jessore-Jhenidah Railway was dismantled in 1969<ref name=name/>.  
In August 1915 the management taken over by [[McLeod & Co|McLeod & Company]] through to 1924. During this period the railway was operated as part of the '''[[McLeod's Light Railways]]''' <ref name=hughes/>.


==Records==
The ‘Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company’ went into liquidation, and all interests and rights and privileges including all assets were transferred to the ‘Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Ltd’ on 24 September 1924. The Secretary of State for India confirmed that the new company was granted all such rights and concessions and have free use of the public road between Jessore and Jhenidah and Kalinganji and Kotchandupr, not exceeding a width of eight feet on either side for the purpose of laying and working and using said railway <ref> British Library India Office Records L/F/8/20/1761 “Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Limited, Contract for the management, maintenance and working of the Jessore-Jhenidah Railway; 1930” </ref>.
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
== Classification ==
<ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2  “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search]; Retrieved 24 Jan 2016</ref>
[[Indian Railway Classification]] of 1926 - Class III railway system.
gives the following: -
 
*'''L/F/8/17/1334 ''' “Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company Limited, Indenture; 1913”
==Later Development==
*'''L/F/8/20/1761 '''  “Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Limited, Contract for the management, maintenance and working of the Jessore-Jhenidah Railway; 1930”
The “Statistics of Working” show the year-by-year financial results from 1913-14 through to 1931-32 and states that ‘the line was closed from 1 April 1933’ and ‘to all kinds of traffic from 1 May 1936.’ It also records ten years of losses, bare breakeven for the other years and thhe suspension of the subsidy by the District Board from 1921 onwards <ref name=Hist1937>[https://ia801605.us.archive.org/30/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.36650/2015.36650.India-Railway-Board-History-Of-Indian-Railways-Constructed-And-In-Progress.pdf US Archive .org pdf download of ‘History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress’, 31 March 1937 by ‘The Government of India - Railway Department’ page 287 pdf 330]; Retrieved 1 Aug 2020</ref>.
 
The ‘Jessore-Jhenidah Railway ‘was dismantled in 1969<ref name=name/>
 
==Further Information==
[[McLeod's Light Railways|''See separate page'' '''McLeod’s Light Railways''']]


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 10:50, 2 August 2020

McLeod’s Light Railways

The Jessore-Jhenidah Railway (JJR) was a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge(NG) line that opened in 1913 linking Jessore to Jhenidah, a line length of 29 miles( 46km)[1].

Marked 5 on Map.

The Kotchandpur Branch Railway from Kaliganj (now known as Shibnagore) to Kotchandpur opened at the same time and gave a total line length of 36 miles (57km) [1]

Marked 6 on Map.

The railway was owned and worked by the ‘Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company’, a private company first registered in 1911, supported by the District Board of Jessore, which was founded in 1913 [2].

Maintenance under the original management was poor and In 1914 an inspector reported that “the general appearance of the track was like that of the waves of a troubled sea”. Again in 1915 “There was no person present vested with responsibility for the management of the line, nor was the staff able to name any person, present or absent, as their Manager”. [3] [4].

In August 1915 the management taken over by McLeod & Company through to 1924. During this period the railway was operated as part of the McLeod's Light Railways [3].

The ‘Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company’ went into liquidation, and all interests and rights and privileges including all assets were transferred to the ‘Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Ltd’ on 24 September 1924. The Secretary of State for India confirmed that the new company was granted all such rights and concessions and have free use of the public road between Jessore and Jhenidah and Kalinganji and Kotchandupr, not exceeding a width of eight feet on either side for the purpose of laying and working and using said railway [5].

Classification

Indian Railway Classification of 1926 - Class III railway system.

Later Development

The “Statistics of Working” show the year-by-year financial results from 1913-14 through to 1931-32 and states that ‘the line was closed from 1 April 1933’ and ‘to all kinds of traffic from 1 May 1936.’ It also records ten years of losses, bare breakeven for the other years and thhe suspension of the subsidy by the District Board from 1921 onwards [6].

The ‘Jessore-Jhenidah Railway ‘was dismantled in 1969[4]

Further Information

See separate page McLeod’s Light Railways

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 230; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016
  2. ↑ British Library India Office Records L/F/8/17/1334 “Jessore Jhenidah Railway Company Limited, Indenture; 1913”
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Indian Locomotives Part 3 – Narrow Gauge 1863-1940” by Hugh Hughes No. 28 McLeods Light Railways - page 56-59
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wikipedia "Jessore-Jhenidah Light Railway"; Retrieved 28 Feb 2016
  5. ↑ British Library India Office Records L/F/8/20/1761 “Jhenidah Railway Syndicate Limited, Contract for the management, maintenance and working of the Jessore-Jhenidah Railway; 1930”
  6. ↑ US Archive .org pdf download of ‘History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress’, 31 March 1937 by ‘The Government of India - Railway Department’ page 287 pdf 330; Retrieved 1 Aug 2020
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