Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway: Difference between revisions

The '''Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway'''(KKTR) was a military railway which ran close to the border with [[Afghanistan]] linking [[Khushalgarh]] to [[Kohat]] to [[Thal]].

The '''Khushalgarh-Kohat Section''' was first surveyed as a BG line in April 1899. A decision was made in March 1901 that no bridge would be built over the Indus river at [[Khushalgarh]] and that instead a ropeway would be built over the river. As a consequence it was decided that a BG line would not be built and a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) would be constructed from the right bank of the Indus facing [[Khushalgarh]] to [[Kohat]], a distance of about 30 miles(48km) and opened in May 1902 <ref name=Admin.107/>. This section was converted to BG and re-opened in 1908 (see below).

The  '''Kohat-Thal Section''' 2ft 6in/762mm [[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]] extension of 62 miles(100km) from [[Kohat]] through the Kohat Pass up the Miranzai Vallet to [[Thal]] near the Afghan border was opened in stages from Mar 1901.

Prior to this, in March 1900, an order had been placed on the UK for 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) for locomotives, trucks and track to create the  ‘[[Light Military Reserve Railway]]’,  strategic reserve  of railway  equipment. On delivery in Sept 1901 much of this equipment was consigned to [[Kohat]] to enable the onward extension and operation of the line. [[Light Military Reserve Railway|(Light Military Reserve Railway - ''see separate page for further information'')]].

 

The railway reached [[Thal]] in Apr 1903 <ref name=Admin.128>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n136/mode/1up "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing, Calcutta; page 128]; Retrieved 9 Mar 2017</ref>. This section was converted to BG and re-opened in 1908 (see below).

 

In 1903 an accident closed the ropeway over the Indus River and a boat bridge replaced it. Eventually the decision was made to construct the [[Khushal Garh Bridge]] crossing the Indus river and at the same time to convert entire line to [[Thal]] from  NG to broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]).

The BG line was opened in 1908 thus connecting from Jand on the NWR mainine through to [[Kohat]] as the ‘NWR Frontier Kohat Section’ , 39 miles(63km) <ref name=Admin.107/>  and the ‘Kohat-Thal Section’, 62 miles(100km) to [[Thal]], the entire line was merged into NWR proper<ref name=Admin.128/> .  

In March 1902 haulage experiments were carried out on the unopened part of the NG line with a section of [[John Fowler & Company Ltd| 'John Fowler']] portable tramway using a passenger carriage and two wagons hauled by both a mule and a pair of bullocks  <ref name =darvill>“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 IA03  page ....</ref>. The purpose and outcome of these experiments is not known.