Arakan Light Railway

The Arakan Light Railway was formerly the Buthiadaung-Maungdaw Tramway Company which was founded by The Arakan Flotilla Company in March 1913, to construct a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge(NG) railway between these towns to improve communications in the remote area near Burma's border with what is now Bangladesh.

The consultant was Everard Richard Calthrop (1857-1927) and the specification was based on the Barsi Light Railway which had opened in 1897.

In October 1916 Martin's Light Railways Company of Calcutta registered the Arakan Light Railway Company in order to purchase and complete the line, with support from the Governments of India and Burma and the Arakan Flotilla Company.

The railway opened on 15th February 1919 but receipts were disappointing and covered only half the expenses, resulting in liquidation and sale to the Indian Government for dismantling.

The Government of India(GoI) acquired it from the liquidators and closed it in 1926.

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 gives the following: -

• L /F/8/19/1443 “Arakan Light Railway Company Limited, Contract for construction of a railway; 1918”

Also the following IOR records relating to Staff employment are listed and may provide information concerning this railway:-

• L/F/8/1-20 "Appointments to State Railways made in the UK; 1855-1946"
• Z/L/F/8/1-2: "Index to Appointments to State Railways made in the UK; 1855-1946"

External Links

• "Everard Calthrop"/Involvement in other railways/Arakan Light Railway Wikipedia