9,628
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
The viaduct is a single line girder bridge supported by 6 massive pillars and single line railway over the Tawa River near Bagra Tawa Station on the [[Bhusawal]] to [[Jubbulpore]] section of the GIPR. In some records it is named the '''Bagratawa railway bridge''' and also the '''Towa Viaduct'''.
[[Image:India-rail-1870.jpg|right|thumb|Map of GIPR in 1870]]
Work in progress draft
The '''Alfred Viaduct''' carried the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]](GIPR) mainline from [[Bombay]] to meet the [[East Indian Railway]](EIR) at [[Jubbulpore]], hence connecting [[Bombay]] to [[Calcutta]] when the line opened in 1870. [[File:Alfred Viaduct Construcion - R M Brereton's workforce.jpg|right|thumb|R M Brereton's workforce <ref name=Brereton>[https://archive.org/stream/reminisencesofo00brer#page/8/mode/2up Archive.org "Reminiscences of an old English civil engineer, 1858-1908" by Robert Maitland Brereton page 8 and pages 49-52] Retrieved on 1 Jul 2016</ref>]]. The viaduct is a single line girder bridge supported by 6 massive pillars and single line railway over the Tawa River near Bagra Tawa Station on the [[Bhusawal]] to [[Jubbulpore]] section of the GIPR. In some records it is named the '''Bagratawa railway bridge''' and also the '''Towa Viaduct'''.
All the heavy material from England had to come by rail from Bombay <ref name=states>[http://www.thestatesman.com/mobi/news/8th-day/the-opening-of-the-mumbai-to-kolkata-railway/141013.html#SL3vjC1hEy3Vmu3P.99 The Statesman, New Delhi "The opening of the Mumbai to Kolkata railway by Michael Sandford, May 9 2016]; Retrieved 29 Jun 2016</ref>.
In July 1868 [[Robert Maitland Brereton]], the GIPR Chief Engineer was given responsibility for completing the connection between [[Bhusawal]] and [[Jubbulpore]] which he completed many months ahead of schedule <ref name=states/>.
[[Image:India-rail-1870.jpg|right|thumb|Map of GIPR in 1870]]
On 8 Mar 1870 the bridge was inaugurated and named the 'Albert Viaduct' after the Duke of Edinburgh (Alfred Ernest Albert) who was visiting India and travelled by [[East Indian Railway]] from Calcutta. The Viceroy and the Governor of Bombay, Sir Fitzgerald Seymour had come from Bombay <ref name=states/>.
