Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway
| Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway | ||
|---|---|---|
| [[Image:|150px| ]] | ||
| System timeline | ||
| 1908 | Formed from 2 exisitng systems | |
| Constituent companies / lines | ||
| 1908 | Madras Railway | |
| 1908 | Southern Mahratta Railway | |
| Key locations | ||
| Headquarters | Madras | |
| Workshops | ||
| Major Stations | ||
| Successor system / organisation | ||
| 1951 | Southern Railway (IR zone) | |
| System mileage | ||
| Broad gauge | 1092 miles (1943) | |
| Metre gauge | 1712 miles (1943) | |
| Associated auxiliary force | ||
| Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles | ||
| How to interpret this infobox | ||
The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway(M&SMR) was formed in 1908 from the merger of the Madras Railway(MR) and the Southern Mahratta Railway(SMR). [1]
The former MR Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Workshops at Perambur became the M&SMR main workshops. In Madras there was a separate repair-shop for the locomotives and another for maintaining the carriages and wagons.[2]
The last Europeans were recruited in 1926.[3]
Also see
History
Having taken the MR into state ownership and created the new system, the Government of India (GoI) immediately passed the working of the M&SMR to a private company of the same name.
The GoI took over direct control of the M&SMR on 1 April 1944.
On 14 April 1951, the M&SMR, the South Indian Railway(SIR) and the Mysore State Railway(MSR) merged together to become Southern Railway, a zone of Indian Railways.
Railways absorbed into M&SMR
- Madras Railway(MR). Original Guaranteed Company; Bellary Branch transferred to Southern Mahratta Railway(SMR) 1886-7; Merged with SMR to form M&SMR, 1908
- Azikhal-Mangalore Railway opened 1903. Extension to MR which merged into M&SMR in 1907
- Calicut-Azikhal Railway opened 1888. Extension to MR which merged into M&SMR in 1907
- Kolar Gold Fields Railway opened 1894. Branch railway joining Kolar Gold Fields to Bowringpet-Chikballapur Railway, worked by MR 1908 becoming M&SMR
- Morappur-Dharmapuri-Hosur Railway opened 1906. MR famine protection line to Dharmapuri; extended to Hosur 1913 and renamed Morappur-Hosur Railway
- Tirupattur-Krishnagiri Railway opened 1905. MR famine protection line; merged with SMR to form M&SMR, 1908
- Walajah Road-Ranipet Railway opened before 1899. MR branchline linking Ranipet to mainline; became M&SMR, 1908
- Southern Mahratta Railway(SMR). Original Guaranteed Company; merged with MR to form M&SMR, 1908
- Bellary-Kistna State Railway constructed before 1890; surveyed for Hindpur extension 1892-94; worked by SMR
- Guntakal-Mysore Frontier Railway opened c.1893. Worked by SMR, 1893; became M&SMR, 1908
- Hindupur-Yesvantpur Railway opened 1893. Also known as Hindupur (Yesvantpur-Mysore Frontier) Railway, worked by SMR became M&SMR, 1908
- Hospet-Kottur Railway opened c.1905. Originally worked by SMR becoming M&SMR, 1908
- Kolhapur State Railway opened after 1888. Worked by SMR, 1891; became part of M&SMR, 1908
- West of India Portuguese Railway opened 1886-87. Worked by SMR, 1902; became M&SMR, 1908
- Bezwada-Madras Railway opened 1899, becoming as part of M&SMR in 1907
Railway leased to M&SMR
- Mysore State Railway. leased to SMR, became M&SMR in 1907; then reverted to Mysore State Railway(MSR), 1919; which became nationalised 1950.
Lines worked by M&SMR at some time
- Alnavar-Dandeli Railway opened 1818-19. Provincial State (MG) line worked by M&SMR
- Bangalore Harihar Railway opened 1919. Worked by M&SMR until 1919, then MSR
- Bezwada-Masulipatam Railway opened 1908. Owned by Kistna District Board, a feeder line; worked by M&SMR
- Birur-Shimoga Railway opened 1899. Worked by M&SMR until 1919, then by MSR
- Dhone-Kurnool State Railway opened 1909. Short 32 mile MG section. Being worked by M&SMR in 1911 and 1925. No further information.
- Guntur-Repalle Railway opened 1916. Built and worked by M&SMR. The Tenali-Repalle Railway section owned by Guntur District Board.
- Mysore-Bangalore Railway opened 1881. Worked by M&SMR until 1919; then by Mysore State Railway(MSR)
- Mysore-Nanjangud Railway opened 1891. Worked by M&SMR until 1919; then by Mysore State Railway(MSR)
- Sangli State Railway opened 1907. Worked by M&SMR, 1914
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 [4] gives many references. The most important being:-
- L/AG/46/33 “Records of the India Office relating to the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company; 1882-1930"
- L/F/7/1513-1526 “Collection 266: Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway; date unspecified"
Unfortunately there are no Staff agreements held at the British Library in the India Office Records.
References
- ↑ " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; pages 81 - 97; Retrieved 26 Jan 2016
- ↑ "Grandpa’s Story – Part V". The story (in 15 Parts) of Percy Morris who worked on the MSM 1925-1955
- ↑ "Grandpa’s Story – Part IV". The story of Percy Morris.
- ↑ “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search; Retrieved Jan 2016