Changes

|gauge1details= 26 miles (1905)<br>52 miles (19431914)

|timeline1details= Line fully opened to traffic

[[File:Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway.png|thumb|Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway]]The '''Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway''' (BBLR) was a short 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) railway which ran from [[Barasat]], a station on where there was an interchange with the [[Eastern Bengal Railway]] (Central Section), east for 26 miles (42km) to [[Basirhat]].The line opened in 1905 and extended to Chingrighata in 1909. The ‘Shambasar Branch’ opened in 1910 reaching Belgatchia in 1914, giving a total length of 52 miles(83km) <refname=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n220/mode/2up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 212]; Retrieved 29 Jan 201623 Aug 2017</ref>

The ==Rail System==* '''Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway Company was one of several small narrow gauge concerns owned Main Line''', 26 miles(42km). Agreements 1897, 1902 and worked by [[Martin1903, opened 1905. * '''Basirhat-Taki-Hosanabad Extension (Chingrighata)'''s Light Railways]], a management company based in [[Calcutta]]8.50 miles (14km).Agreement 1907, opened 1909* '''Beliaghata Bridge to Patipkur (Pattipooker) Extension''', 16.62 miles(27km). Agreement 1908, opened 1910* '''Patipukur (Pattipooker) to Belgachia Extension''', 1.12 miles(1.8km). Agreements 1914, opened 1914. This also known as the '''Shambasar (Shyambazar) Branch'''

==History==The line ‘Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway Company’ was taken over one of several small narrow gauge concerns owned and worked by [[Indian Martin's Light Railways]] , a management company based in 1952 but closed in 1955[[Calcutta]]. In 1962, part The principal Agreement dated 14 Dec 1897 between the District Board of the old track was converted to broad gauge 24-Paragas and reMessrs [[Martin & Company]] on behalf of the ‘Baraset-opened to trafficBasirhat Tramway Company Limited’, and gave concession for construction and operation of a tramway on a public road.It was in 1907 that a new company the ‘Barasat-Basirhat Light Railway Company Limited’ was formed <ref name=Admin/>

==A further Agreement dated 15 Aug 1914 <ref>British Library India Office Records==Refer to FIBIS Fact File #4: “Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” - available from the [http:L/F/www.fibis.org8/store17/fibis-books-1371 “Messrs. Martin andCo. on behalf of the Baraset-publications/bff-0004-research-sources-Basirhat Light Railway Company Limited, Application forconstruction of an extension to the Baraset-indianBasirhat Light Railway; 1914” </ref> gives sanction to the construction of a extension of the existing Baraset-railwaysBasirhat Light Railway, from the existing station of that line at Pattipooker to the tramway terminus at Belgatchia. The following clauses are of note:-1845-1947/ Fibis shop]*7.The tramway authorised by this order is a single line with passing places . . . This Fact File contains invaluable advice on 'Researching ancestors in running along the south side of the UK records 5th and 6th miles of Indian Railways' with particular reference the Calcutta-Jessore Road to the [[India Office Records]] tramway terminus at Belgatchia a distance of 5,450 feet (IOR1.032 miles or 1.661 Km) held .*8. The Tramway is to run on 9ft width but a road width of 20 feet must be maintained and at no time is there to be more than one line of rails on metalled roads.*11. The gauge of the tramway is to be 2ft 6 inches*19. The vehicles used may be steam powered, and an outside cylinder type of locomotive used. *20. The speed shall not exceed 12 miles an hour on fenced sections and 10 miles an hour on unfenced. Locomotives must be fitted with Cowcatchers.*37. No train shall run between sunset and sunrise without consent of the [[British Library]]Local Government approved in writing.

An on-line search The 1937 Report ‘Statistics of Working’ show the IOR records relating year-by-year financial results from 1913-14 through to this railway1936-37. The Report also confirms that ‘[[Martin & Company]]’ were the Managing Agents<refname=Hist>[httphttps://searcharchivesia801605.us.blarchive.ukorg/primo_library30/libwebitems/actionin.ernet.dli.2015.36650/search2015.36650.India-Railway-Board-History-Of-Indian-Railways-Constructed-And-In-Progress.pdf US Archive .do?vid=IAMS_VU2 org pdf download of ‘History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress’, 31 March 1937 by ‘The Government of India - Railway Department’ page 263 “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” pdf - Search305]; Retrieved 20 Jan 201626 Jul 2020</ref>gives the following: -*'''L/F/8/17/1371 ''' “Messrs. Martin and Co. on behalf of the Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway Company Limited, Application for construction of an extension to the Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway; 1914”

== External links ==The records show that at some point, ''date unknown, but must be after 1937'', the ownership of this railway changed to N I Roy and Sons Ltd <ref>'Light Railways in West Bengal' by Sidikuro,'The Economic Weekly' 30 May 1953, Table IV page 622</ref> *The line was taken over by [http[Indian Railways]] in 1952 but closed in 1955. In 1962, part of the old track was converted to broad gauge and re-opened to traffic <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin%27s_Light_Railways "#Barasat.E2.80.93Basirhat_Light_Railway Wikipedia “Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway” ]; Retrieved 23 Aug 2017</ref> ==Locomotives and Rolling Stock==The 2ft 6in/762mm [[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) Locomotives are listed by Hughes with a total of nine of different types and specifications dating from 1904 through to 1925. Five are named as ‘Baraset’, ‘Basirhat’, ‘Alipore’, ‘Beliaghatta’ and ‘ Taki’. Also a Railcar dated 1938<ref name=Hughes>“Indian Narrow Gauge Locomotives 1863-1940” by Hugh Hughes, published by ‘The Continental Railway Circle’ Section 26 Martin’s Light Railways, (D) Baraset-Basirhat Light Railway, page 50 </ref> ==Further Information==See '''[[Martin's Light Railways"] ']'Wikipedia''.