Nagpur District Manganese Mines Railways
Nagpur District Manganese Mines Railways
Central Provinces Manganese Ore Co Ltd (CPMO)
A manganese mining operation originally founded in 1896 as the ‘Central Provinces Prospecting Syndicate’ commenced work on the previously known Mansar deposit, in the Nagpur District, in 1899. The syndicate expanded further through other regions of Balaghat District [1], Chikhla, Kurmra and Bhandra District becoming Central Provinces Manganese Ore Co Ltd in 1924 and nationalised after independence [2] to become the ‘Manganese Ore India Limited’
The pre-1947 information on the CPMO mine railways in this District is as follows:-
- Beldongri Manganese Mine Railway
The records show that 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) locomotives dated 1924 and 1926 were supplied to this mine [3]
- Gumgaon and Randongri Mines Railway
The records show that 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) system was in use, dates unknown [4]
- Kandri Mine Railway
The records show that 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) system was in use from 1900 to 1930 and later[5]
- Mansar Mine Railway
The records show that 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) system was in use, dates unknown [6]
Indian Manganese Company Ltd
The company was formed in 1904 for which ‘Martin & Company’ was the Managing Agent. Their offices were in Nagpur with mining activities in Central Provinces including the Kodaigaon Mine after taking over the prospecting and mining rights for minerals from Messrs Gow-Smith, Dundas Whiffen & Co. The company went into liquidation in 1936 [7]
- Kodaigaon Manganese Mine Railway
In 1932 it was described as the deepest open cast manganese mine in India. The ore was loaded into tubs running on lines down the centre of the mine floor, which in turn were tipped into skips which were drawn up a 45 degree incline at the end of the mine. Separate inclines were used to deal with the overburden removal to lines running around the sides of the mine. When brought to the service the ore was tipped into tubs which, in turn, ran alongside the Bengal-Nagpur Railway (BNR) wagons. The records show a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) locomotive dated 1913 was in operation at this mine [8]
References
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled 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 MP03 page ....
- ↑ Google Books “Mineral Wealth” by John Coggin Brown, Abani Kumar Dey, Abani Kumar Dey page 208; Retrieved 30 Apr 2017
- ↑ ibid. Darvill MH95 page ...
- ↑ ibid. Darvill MH96 page ...
- ↑ ibid. Darvill MH97 page ...
- ↑ ibid. Darvill MH97 page ...
- ↑ Google Books “Register of Defunct Companies” published by the Stock Exchange, London, page 248; Retrieved 30 Apr 2017
- ↑ ibid. Darvill MH92 page ...