Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway

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Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway(SP&DR)

Note

However in regard to these railways we have adopted the spelling Scinde and Punjaub


The Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway (SP&DR) Company was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Scinde Railway Company and their Indus Flotilla Company together with the amalgamation of the Punjaub Railway Company and Delhi Railway Company. This was covered by the ‘Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act‘ of 1869 [1].

The Company inherited from its constituents the unfortunate reputation as being the worst managed of the early private companies. Given its reputation in the 1860s and 1870s for discord, shady and/or inept contractors and financial irregularities, it is surprising that the SP&DR did not pass into Government of India(GoI) ownership sooner than 31 December 1885. After its purchase, the GoI merged the SP&DR with others to form the North Western Railway(NWR).

History

Records

An on-line search of the India Office Records (IOR) records held at the British Library relating to this railway [3] gives several entries, the most relevant as follows: -

  • L/AG/46/17; “Records of the Scinde, Punjaub, Delhi Railway Company”; 1855-1886
  • L/AG/46/17/19-27; “3. Scinde Punjaub Delhi Railway Company”; 1869-86
  • L/PWD/2/50-63, 66, 132-1381; "Home and Overseas Correspondence of the Scinde Railway Company"; 1855-1869
  • L/PWD/2/139-145; "Scinde, Punjaub, Delhi Railway Company"; 1870-1879

Personnel

India Office Records at the British Library but is not included in the index, Z/L/AG/46.

  • L/AG/46/17/12 : Lists of staff, 1868-1869

Thacker's Directories 1872. The following for Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway Personnel are indexed in Grace's Guide[4].

  • S. A. Abbott - Agent
  • A. W. Gilbert - Assistant to Agent
  • J. Harrison - Chief Engineer
  • D. Ross - Traffic Manager
  • R. Bocquet - Superintendent Locomotive Department
  • J. P. McGarry - Superintendent Telegraph Department

Miscellaneous Records

School

The Fairlawn School was established as Scind, Punjab and Delhi Railway School, Mussoorie in 1877

Further Information

Prior to 1870 see constituents - Scinde Railway; Indus Flotilla; Punjaub Railway; Delhi Railway

After 1886 see North Western Railway

Historical books online

References