Nowshera-Durgai Railway
| Nowshera-Durgai Railway | ||
|---|---|---|
| [[Image:|150px| ]] | ||
| Line of route | ||
| Nowshera to Dargai | ||
| Gauge / mileage | ||
| Narrow (2'6") gauge | 40 miles (1905) | |
| Timeline | ||
| Key locations | ||
| Presidency | Bengal | |
| Stations | Nowshera(Naushahra), Kabul River Right/South Bank, Kabul River Left/North Bank, Rashkai (Mile 9½), Mardan(Mile 14½), Kalapani Flag station(Mile 19½), Takht-i-Bhal(Mile 23½), Porko Dheri Flag station(Mile 27¼), Hathian(Mile 31¼), Sakhakot Flag station(Mile 36¼) and Dargai(Mile 40). | |
| System agency | ||
| Worked by North Western Railway | ||
| How to interpret this infobox | ||
Nowshera-Durgai Railway connected the towns of Nowshera and Dargai - see ‘Spelling Note’
The line from Nowshera to Dargai, a length of 40 miles (64km), opened in 1901 and was classified as a military line [1].
The railway was a military, 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge(NG) line that interchanged with the broad gauge(BG) North Western Railway(NWR) main line from Rawalpindi to Peshawar and towards the Afghan border.
In 1897-98 a survey was carried out for a narrow gauge (NG) of a 42 miles(67km) line from Nowshera to Dargai. It was reported to meet “the heavy demands for transport during military operations on the frontier, the question of laying down light railways has been under consideration”[2].
The line built from Nowshera ran 40 miles(64km) northwards to Dargai at the foot of the Malakand Pass, the entrance to Chitral on the Afghan Border. After 2 miles(3.2km) the line met the Kabul River, it crossed this by means of a ‘Boat Bridge’. Only freight trains were permitted to cross, passengers had to detrain and cross by boat. The line crossed two other significant rivers, the Baghiara at ‘Mile 28’ and the Lokhora at ‘Mile 38’. The line followed the alignment of the old military road and there nine intermediate stations (see Table ‘Stations’). Locomotive watering facilities were at Nowshera, Kabul River Left/North Bank, Mardan and Dargai. There was a locomotive shed and small workshops at Kabul River Left/North Bank for light repairs, with major repairs being carried out at Rawalpindi. There were turntables at Kabul River Left/North Bank and Dargai [3].
The line was taken over by the NWR in 1921, although in 1918 classified under the NWR with the remark “Contract - Nil - The line is owned and worked by the State” [1]
Spelling Note
- Nowshera-Durgai is the spelling we have taken to be the definitive spelling of the railway. It is the spelling used to identify the railway in the “Imperial Gazetteer of India”, Table IX ‘Railways Worked by each Railway Administration on June 30 1905’ [4] and in the ‘Administration Report on Railways 19184 [1].
- Nowshera is the spelling we have taken to be the definitive spelling of the town. It is as given in the 1908 ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1908’ as a “cantonment and town in Peshawar District, North-West Frontier Province” but with the note “See Naushahra” [5]. This is also the spelling used in the ‘Map of Railways for 1931 [6]
- Naushahra we have listed as an alternative spelling of the town It is given in the 1908 ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1908’ as a “town and cantonment in the Peshawar District, North-West Frontier Province” and goes on with a full and detailed description [7]. It is also the spelling used on the ‘Map of Railways’ for 1909 ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’ [8].
- Dargai is the spelling we have taken to be the definitive spelling of the town. It is the spelling used for the town name in the ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, ‘Map of Railways’ for 1909 [8] and Map1931 [6]. It is also used in the description in the 1908 ‘Imperial Gazetteer’ “the railway from Naushahra to Dargai.....” [9].
Further Information
See Khyber Railway for further information concerning the railways on the Afghan frontier
and North Western Railway
Historical books online
- Nowshera-Dargai Railway. Simla : G.C. Press, [1905]. Northwestern University Libraries Digitized Books. Catalogue entry Series: Technical Section papers (India. Railway Board. Technical Section) ; no. 180.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 129 (pdf137); Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ ‘Summary of the principal measures of the viceroyalty of the Earl of Elgin in the Public Works Department Jan 1894 to Dec 18984 page 21, para 83, pdf34; Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ ’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 IA02 page ....
- ↑ ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 3, p. 416 ‘Railways Worked by each Railway Administration on June 30,1905’; Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 23, p. f185-6); Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 26, Atlas 1931 edition, Railway Map-Sectional (1), p. 23." ); Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 23, p. 417; Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 26, Atlas 1909 edition, Railway Map- Sectional (1), p. 23; Retrieved 1 May 2019
- ↑ ‘Imperial Gazetteer of India’, v. 14, p. 247; Retrieved 1 May 2019
