Khambhalia-Bhanvad Guide Ways Monorail Tramway
Khambhalia-Bhanvad Guide Ways Monorail Tramway
The 'Skelton System Monorail' of road-railways was proposed by Clifford Skelton of Alamatti in India. The ‘Guide Ways (India) Limited’ company was formed by a partnership of three men that included the former Public Works Department Minister for Bombay State and the Chief Engineer of the Jamnagar and Dwarka Railway(J&DR). [1].
The company constructed an 11 mile(17km) monorail tramway from Khambhalia, Gujarat State towards Bhanvad, [1] a town 25 miles(40km) to the south . At Khambhalia there was a station on the Jamnagar and Dwarka Railway(J&DR), a metre gauge(MG) railway that connected Rajkot to Jamnagar in 1897 and extended via Kamhalia finally reaching Port Okha in 1921.
The line opened on 27 May 1946 and the rolling stock consisted of one petrol powered locomotive, two passenger carriages and two wagons. It is unknown what type of monorail system was in use [1].. The rail in the middle of on its own right of way so as to not obstruct the road. Little other information is known at the present time.[2].
The monorail closed in 1952 due to a dam being constructed over the Ghee River that submerged four miles of the line[1].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compliled 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 GJ13 page 149
- ↑ “Stronach-Dutton Roadrail System of Traction” by R. G. Cash. Published by "The Narrow Gauge Railway Society" Special Issue 234 Autumn 2015 ISBN 978-0-9554326-9-9 Page 41