Thal Ghat Railway Construction
Thal Ghat Railway Construction
Spelling
- Thal Ghat is the spelling used in “The Imperial Gazetteer of India”[1], 1909 which we use as the definitive spelling. It is also used as the primary spelling in Wikipedia[2] along with the modern name Kasara Ghat as the mountain incline or slope near the town of Kasara in Maharashtra.
- Thull Ghat is the name used in the India Office Records 1853-56 documents, “Grace’s Guide” and in books of the time of construction.
- Thul Ghat is used in one IOR record and occasionally in other references.
History
The Thal Ghat Railway Incline was opened on 1865 extending the south-eastern line of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway(GIPR) through the Western Ghats. The Bhore Ghat Railway Construction having been completed in 1863. The steep Thal Ghat section up to Igatpuri was opened and completed the crossing of the Sahyadri hills of the Western Ghats. The south-east main line proceeded over Bhore Ghat to Poona, Sholapur and Raichur, where it joined the Madras Railway [3] [4]
Realighnment
The report states[5] “The Thal Ghat realigned section was brought into use on the 2nd January 1917” by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) “The new alignment is two miles long and is on a grade of 1 in 37, the ruling gradient on the Ghat. It shortens the distance by about 1.5 miles; but its chief value lies in eliminating the reversing station previously in use which was a great handicap to the expeditious handling of traffic. Under old conditions, trains had to be worked in sections and much time was lost in breaking up and remaking trains, further delay being caused at the reversing stations by the reversing of engines. Trains of a length of 850 feet are already in use on the realigned section and it is expected that trains of 1,500 feet and 1,800 feet long will be running shortly. The new alignment has a single tunnel in place of three on the old line. [6]
Upgrading
Even the elimination of the reversing station was insufficient to enable this slow-speed section of line to cope successfully with the heavy traffic it had to carry while steam traction was used, and in 1930 the Thal Ghat section was converted to electric operation.[3]
Records
An on-line search of the India Office Records (IOR) records held at the British Library relating to this railway [7] gives several entries, the most relevant as follows: -
Thull Ghat
- Z/E/4/24/T256; “Thull Ghat, question respecting construction of railway from Bombay to Kandeish through; 1853-54
- Z/E/4/27/S549; “Stephenson, Robert, Opinion on railway over Thull Ghat; 1856
- Z/E/4/27/T218; “Thull Ghat, proposed line from Bombay to Jubbulpore viâ, sanctioned”; 1856
Thul Ghat,
- Z/E/4/25/S935 “Surveys, Thul Ghat, Bombay Government referred to Court's despatch regarding”; 1854-55
Further Information
References
- ↑ http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V03_431.gif “The Imperial Gazetteer of India,1909” ]; Retrieved on 14 Apr 2016
- ↑ Wikipedia “Kasara Ghat ” ; Retrieved on 14 Apr 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mike's Rail History "Hill Lines of India - Construction and Operation of Some Steeply Graded Routes"; Retrieved 14 Dec 2015
- ↑ Graces Guide "Great Indian Peninsula Railway - 1865"; Retrieved 14 Dec 2015
- ↑ “Administration Report on the Railways in India 1916” page 19; Retrieved 14 Apr 2016
- ↑ “Administration Report on the Railways in India 1916” page 19; Retrieved 14 Apr 2016
- ↑ “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search; Retrieved 3 Apr 2016
