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The '''Aden SettlementRailway''' was established on 19 January 1839 when elements operated from 1916 and 1929 in Aden, a dependency of of the Bombay, British Colony and Protectorate, in the south-west corner of Southern Arabia. The metre gauge([[Royal MarinesRail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]] were landed at Aden )railway was 29 miles(46km). The railway was worked by the [[East India CompanyNorth Western Railway]] to occupy the territory and to stop attacks by pirates on British shipping. Initially part of the [[Bombay (Presidency)|Bombay Presidency]] and later a "Chief Commissioner's Province," Aden remained a part India under one of the Indian Empire until 1 April 1937 when it its officers who was detached and redesignated ‘Engineer-in-organised as a Crown Colony Charge’ <ref name=Aden>[http://www.bpadenkids.com/AdenTrains/AdenTrains.pdf “Railways of Aden” from original article “Indian Outpost in Arabia” by Robert Mumford published in the United Kingdom ‘Railway Magazine’ February 1976 pages 73-75]; Retrieved 22 Nov 2016</ref>.

In order to support operations against the Ottoman Empire, The '''Aden Settlement''' was established on 19 January 1839 when elements of the [[Royal Engineers built a military railway in 1915-1916 from Marines]] were landed at Aden by the [[East India Company]] to Sheikh Othman, occupy the border with Turkish Yemen. The railway was built territory and to metre gauge standards and the materials used in construction were almost certainly sourced from India, most likely stop attacks by cannibalising branches pirates on British shipping. Initially part of the [[Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway(Presidency)|Bombay, Baroda and Central IndiaPresidency]] and later a "Chief Commissioner's Province," Aden remained a part of the Indian Empire until 1 April 1937 when it was detached and re-organised as a Crown Colony of the United Kingdom <ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aden Wikipedia "Aden"]; Retrieved 22 Nov 2016</ref><ref>[Eastern Bengal Railway|Eastern Bengal Railways]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aden_(colony) Wikipedia "Colony of Aden"]; Retrieved 22 Nov 2016</ref>.

In order to support operations against the Ottoman Empire, the Royal Engineers built a military railway in 1915-1916 from Aden to Sheikh Othman, the border with Turkish Yemen. The first section of the line from Ma’alla (Inner harbour, Aden) to Sheikh Othman, a distance of 7 miles (11km) opened Jan 1, 1916<ref name=Aden/>. The railway was built to metre gauge standards and the materials used in construction were almost certainly sourced from India, most likely by cannibalising branches of the [[Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway|Bombay, Baroda and Central India]] and [[Eastern Bengal Railway|Eastern Bengal Railways]]. In 1919. the line was extended from Sheikh Othman ; opened to Lahej Feb 11, 1919; and to Al Kudad (El Khudad ) Jan7, 1920 giving a line length of 28.75 miles(46km). On May 7, 1920 the Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]) transferred the railway from military control to that of the [[Railway Board]] creating the ‘Aden State Railway’ under the control of Mr Affleck who was designated ‘Engineer-in-Charge’ <ref name=Aden/>.Lahej, and in the following year, to El Khudad.  In 1922 the line was opened up to public use, carrying traffic between Aden and Yemen and military supplies to the outpost at Sheikh Othman. The line was worked by the [[North Western Railway]] under a designated Engineer-in-charge. The line proved too costly to maintain and was closed in 1929 before being dismantled in 1930.

Records relating to the construction and dismantling of Aden Railway are held in the [[India Office Records]] at the [[British Library]]. An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway <ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search]; Retrieved Jan 22 Nov 2016</ref>