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==Records==
Refer to FIBIS Fact File #4: “Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” - available from the [http://www.fibis.org/store/fibis-books-and-publications/bff-0004-research-sources-for-indian-railways-1845-1947/ Fibis shop]. This Fact File contains invaluable advice on 'Researching ancestors in the UK records of Indian Railways' with particular reference to the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) held 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 18 Feb 2016</ref>
gives the following: -
*'''L /F/8/19/1443''' “Arakan Light Railway Company Limited, Contract for construction of a railway; 1918”
IOR information added from Steve Moore's BL research and minor edits
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The '''Arakan Light Railway''' was formerly the '''[[Buthiadaung-Maungdaw Tramway Company]]''' which was founded by The Arakan Flotilla Company in March 1913, to construct a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) railway between these towns [[Buthidaung]] and [[Maungdaw]] to improve communications in the remote area near Burma's border with what is now Bangladesh.
The consultant was [[Everard Richard Calthrop]] (1857-1927) and the specification was based on the [[Barsi Light Railway]] which had opened in 1897.<ref>[httphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everard_Calthrop "Everard Calthrop" Contents 4.9 "/Involvement in other railways/Arakan Light Railway" “ Wikipedia]; Retrieved 18 17 Feb 2016</ref>
In October 1916 [[Martin's Light Railways]] Company of Calcutta registered the '''Arakan Light Railway''' Company in order to purchase and complete the line, with support from the Governments of India and Burma and the Arakan Flotilla Company.
<ref>[httphttps://janfordsworld.blogspot.fr/2015/08/the-arakan-light-railway.html "Arakan Light Railway" by Jan Ford]; Retrieved 18 Feb 12 Nov 2018 2016</ref>The Contract dated 10 October 1916 between the ‘Secretary of State’ and the ‘Arakan Light Railway Company Limited’ enabled the purchase from the ‘ Buthidaung - Maungdaw Tramway Company Limited’ ... ‘partly constructed by the Tramway Company and of completing the construction’<ref>British Library ‘India Office Records’ IOR/L/F/8/19/1443 “Arakan Light Railway Company Limited, Contract for construction of a railway; 1918”</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n215/mode/2up 1up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 207]; Retrieved 18 Feb 201612 Nov 2018</ref>
The railway with a line length of 18½ miles (30km) between Buthiadaung and Maungdaw <ref>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n215/mode/1up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 207]; Retrieved 12 Nov 2018</ref> opened on 15th February 1919 but receipts were disappointing and covered only half the expenses, resulting in liquidation and sale to the Indian Government for dismantling.
The Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]) acquired it from the liquidators and closed it in 1926.
== References ==
