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Formed In 1866 the [[Yamuna Railway Bridge (Delhi)]] was constructed in 1845, 1866 by the [[East India Railway]] (EIR was not contracted by ) and connected the EIC to begin railway construction until 1849 when it became one two principal cities of the three original guaranteed companies sanctioned to construct experimental lines. It was not until 1854 that the EIR opened its first section from North India [[HowrahCalcutta]] to and [[HooghlyDelhi]]. By 1864, ; this being the EIR had arrived in Delhi although it was not until 1871 that last link of the Bombay-Calcutta trunk line on this route was completed when the GIPR reached Juppulpore.<ref>[http://wikimapia.org/621608/Yamuna-Railway-Bridge Wikipapia "Yamuna Railway Bridge (Delhi)"]; Retrieved on 4 Jun 2016</ref>
In 1862, The [[1870-71_Report_on_Railways#Progress_on_State_lines._Paragraphs_5-10.3B_Pages_3-4|“1870-71 Annual Report for Indian Railways“]] for the EIR gives [[JamalpurRail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|Broad Gauge (BG)]] Locomotive workshops were established‘Main Line’ 1278 miles(2057km) open and ‘Jubbulpore Line’ 224 miles(360km) open. [[1870-71_Report_on_Railways#East_Indian_Railway._Paragraph_62. On 15 January 1934, 3B_Page_34|The Report also gives the workshops along with 'progress and commercial' summery for the entire railway colony were destroyed by an earthquake. It took 3 years to rebuild the facility]] - ''see separate pages for details.''
==== Indian Railways ====The Government of India (GoI) took over the direct running of the EIR on 1 January 1925. Six divisions of the EIR were created:- Howhah, Asanol & Dinapore known as the lower divisions; Moradabad, Lucknow & Allahabad, the upper divisions.
==See <big>'''[[East Indian Railway - Lines owned and worked]]'''</big> for details and information:- *BG Lines - owned and worked by EIR*BG Lines absorbed into EIR*BG Lines worked by EIR at some time==*BG Lines - EIR network expansion lines
The following are held in An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway<ref>[[India Office Records]] at the [[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 British Library“British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search]]; Retrieved 22 Jan 2016</ref> gives many references.The most important being:-*'''L/AG/46/11 ''' “Records of the East Indian Railway Company; 1844-1953”*'''L/AG/46/31 ''' “Records of the India Office relating to the East Indian Railway Company; 1879-1952”
*George Huddleston, [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyeastindi00huddgoog#page/n9/mode/1up ''History of the East Indian Railway''] (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co, 1906). Archive.org. [A second part, published in 1939, took the history to 1924.]
*"[http://www.easternrailwaysealdah.gov.in/WEBForm/ERSC.aspx?action=HT ''Symphony of Progress: The Saga of Eastern Railway 1854-2003'' published by the Eastern Railway in Kolkata 2003]. website of Eastern Railway, Sealdah
== Notes & references==
{{reflist}}
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[[Allahabad]] to [[Jubbulpore]]
|gauge1= Broad gauge
|gauge1details= 1962 miles (1905)<br>2775 miles (1918<br>4217 miles (1937)
|gauge2=
|gauge2details=
|timeline5details= Line acquired by State
|presidency= [[Bengal]]
|stations= '''[[Agra]]''', [[Benares]], '''[[Cawnpore]]''', '''[[Delhi]]''', '''[[Howrah]]''', [[Hooghly]], [[Mirzapur]], [[Patna]]''See also heading '''Stations''' for major stations marked'' '''bold'''
|system1date= 1880
|system1details= worked by East Indian Railway Company
|auxillary forces= [[East Indian Railway Regiment]]
}}
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909, east section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, east section - Howrah (Calcutta) to Gaya]]
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909, mid section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, mid section__ - Gaya to Cawnpore]]
[[File: East Indian Railway Map 1909 west section.png|thumb| East Indian Railway Map 1909, west section - Cawnpore to Delhi]]
Built on the same terms and conditions as the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]] (GIPR), the '''East Indian Railway''' (EIR) was a British company, registered in London, privately owned and financed, operating under license and guarantee from the (British) Board of Control in India and the [[East India Company]] (EIC).
By 1859, the arrangements were "the construction and working of lines from [[Calcutta]] to [[Delhi]], and from [[Allahabad]] to [[Jubbulpore|Juppulpore]] - total, about 1,400 miles. Capital - 12,731,000''l''. This amount has been sanctioned for the works specified, but it is probable that a larger sum will be required. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent. on 11,553,000''l''. capital; 4½ per cent. on 1,178,000''l''. debentures, convertible into shares."<ref>"Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>
== History ==
In January 1844 [[Rowland Macdonald Stephenson]] published an article in the leading daily paper, 'The Englishman', with his proposals, illustrated by a large map of India, showing the whole system of lines which he held to be most suitable for the country. This gained Government support and he returned to London after reinforcing his position with the merchants of Bengal. Back in England, Stephenson proposed formation of a company with the title “'East Indian Railway Company” <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Rowland_Macdonald_Stephenson Grace's Guide "Rowland Macdonald Stephenson"] Retrieved on 4 Jun 2016</ref>
The '''East Indian Railway Company''' (EIR) was formed in May 1845 with a power to raise a capital of 4 million pound sterling and Stephenson was the first Agent and Chief Engineer.
The early development of the EIR was based on the significant discussions, reports and papers were being prepared and circulated as proposed in the minutes of the Honourable the Court of Directors of the [[ East India Company]](EIC), of the 7th May, 1845. In the event the EIR were given consent construct a railway from [[Calcutta]] to [[Mirzapur|Mirzapore(Mirzapur)]] and the [[North West Provinces]]. This comprehensive Report with other papers, letters and observations has been transcribed in full by Fibis as it contains significant details and analysis and is described as the [[Great Trunk Railway from Calcutta|’ Great Trunk Railway from Calcutta’ ''- see separate page for details'']].
After four years of protracted negotiation and strenuous efforts, including a direct appeal to the British Prime Minister, a contact was signed in August 1849 between the EIR and the EIC and became one of the three original guaranteed companies sanctioned to construct experimental lines.
An 1852 dispatch concerning an “Experimental Line of Railway in Bengal” shows that the section had been approved “commencing at or near Calcutta to form part of a trunk line to connect to Delhi” and that “we have lately sanctioned a second section which will extend this line to Rajmahal”. Also that it is desirable immediately to commence similar work in the Upper Provinces...” The dispatch shows a change of heart, the draft shows, “commencing with such places as Allahabad and Cawnpore” which the EIC were going to build funded by a Government loan but before the dispatch was sent other information arrived and the draft dispatch was altered passing the decision back to Government <ref>British Library IOR/E/4/818 ‘Construction of Experimental Line of Railway in Bengal’, Page 505-6, 511. Dispatch No 67, 21 December 1852 </ref>. Clearly the outcome of this was that the EIR were authorised to construct these extensions to the railway.
It was not until August 1854 that the EIR opened its first section from [[Howrah]] to [[Hooghly]], a distance of 24 miles (38km. On 3rd February, 1855, the first portion of the line, 121 miles(194km) from [[Howrah]]) to [[Burdwan]] ( towards Delhi), was opened by Lord Dalhousie <ref name=SoP>"Symphony of Progress: The Saga of Eastern Railway 1854-2003" published by the Eastern Railway, Kolkata 2003, page 7, 10, 14 </ref>.
In the spring of 1857 the [[Indian Mutiny]] broke out and as a consequence a large portion of the work of construction was delayed<ref>[https://ia801404.us.archive.org/16/items/historyeastindi00huddgoog/historyeastindi00huddgoog.pdf Archive.org "History of the East Indian Railway ..." by George Huddlestone Appendix B, page 19, pdf page 40]; Retrieved 11 Jun 2016</ref>. Eight members of EIR staff lost there lives and remembered on the [[East Indian Railway 1857 Cawnpore Memorial|Memorial at Cawnpore Church]]<ref>[https://ia801404.us.archive.org/16/items/historyeastindi00huddgoog/historyeastindi00huddgoog.pdf Archive.org "History of the East Indian Railway ..." by George Huddlestone Appendix B, pages 280, pdf page 335]; Retrieved 11 Jun 2016</ref>
The line was extended to [[Rajmahal]] in October 1859 and opened by the first British Viceroy, Lord Canning on 15 October 1860. From [[Rajmahal]] EIR's lines proceeded westwards along the Ganges rapidly reaching [[Bhagalpur]] in 1861, [[Monghyr]] in February 1852 and [[Mughal Sarai]] (across the River Ganges from [[Benares]]) in December 1862. This last section included the EIR's first tunnel, the [[Jamalpur Tunnel]]; and the first major bridge on the route, the [[Soane Bridge]] near [[Arrah]] <ref name=SoP/>.By 1864, the EIR had arrived in Delhi although it was not until 1871 that the Bombay-Calcutta route was completed when the GIPR reached Juppulpore.
By 1865, with the opening of the [[Naini Bridge]] (over the Jamuna River at Naini, near [[Allahabad]]), there was a through line from [[Howrah]] (on the right bank of the Hoogly River facing [[Calcutta]]) to [[Agra]] (on the left bank of the Jamuna River facing [[Agra]], a line length of 1017 miles(1630km) <ref name=SoP/>
The Government of India (GoI) acquired the assets of the EIR on 31 December 1879 while leaving the management to the private company.
In 1887 the [[Jubilee Bridge]] was completed, crossing the Hooghly River between Naihati and [[Hooghly]]. The GoI took over bridge was constructed by the EIR and connected to the [[East Bengal Railway]](EBR) enabling freight traffic from upper India to run to the direct running Port of Calcutta <ref> “Symphony of Progress - The Saga of the Eastern Railway 1854-2003”; published by Eastern Railway, kolkata 2003; page 30</ref>. Progressive development of the EIR network continued such that by 1918 there was over 2400 miles (3840km) of broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) track.<ref>[https://ia801009.us.archive.org/8/items/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System.pdf " Administration Report on 1 January 1925.the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; pages 53-61]; Retrieved 17 Dec 2015</ref>
In 1952, the EIR was split to form two zones Zones of [[Indian Railways]]. The :-<br>‘[[Northern Railway]]’comprised the EIR Moradabad, Lucknow & Allahabad Division Divisions, which were added to other railways to form the [[Northern Railway| ‘Northern Railway Zone’ - ''see separate page'']]<br>‘[[Eastern Railway]]’ ’comprised the EIR Howhah, Asanol and Dinapore Divisions, which were added to to other railways to form the [[Eastern Railway| ‘Eastern Railway Zone’ - ''see separate page'']] ==Stations==‘Howrah Railway Station’ was subsuned into the terminus of the ‘[[Northern East Indian Railway]] while ’ (EIR) from the time of the remainder inaugural train on 15 Aug 1854. [[Howrah]] was merged connected to [[Calcutta]] crossing the Hooghly River first by boat then, from the early 1870’s by the [[Howrah Floating Bridge and Howrah Bridge| ‘Howrah Floating Bridge’ and finally in 1943 by the ‘Howrah Bridge’ ''- see separate page'']]* [[Agra_Railways_%26_Stations#Agra_Stations| ‘Agra Stations’]]* [[Cawnpore_Railways_and_Stations#Cawnpore_Stations| ‘Cawnpore Stations’]]* [[Delhi_Railways_%26_Stations#Delhi_Stations| ‘Delhi Stations’]]* [[Howrah_Railway_Station| ‘Howrah Station’]] ==Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Workshops ==*The first workshops to build [[EIR Locomotive Workshops|EIR Locomotives]], and [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop|EIR Carriages and Wagons]] were established in [[Howrah]] and operational in the mid 1850’s.*In 1862, the [[EIR Locomotive Workshops]] at [[Jamalpur]] were completed leaving the [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop]] at [[Howrah]]. *By 1900 the new [[EIR Carriage and Wagon Workshop]] at [[Lillooah]] (3Km up line from Howrah) was established.*On 15 January 1934, the [[EIR Locomotive Workshops|Jamalpur Locomotive Workshops]], along with the entire railway colony, were destroyed by an earthquake. It took 3 years to rebuild the facility. ==EIR Collieries and Coal Supplies==''See separate pages''* ‘[[Giridih District EIR Colliery Railways|EIR owned Collieries in Giridih District]]’ comprising:-** ‘Kurhurbaree Colliery’** ‘Seramphore Colliery’* ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#Joint_Collieries|Bokaro Joint Coalfield]]’, the EIR worked jointly with the ‘[[Bengal-Nagpur Railway]] ’(BNR) to form * ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#Joint_Collieries| Sawang Joint Coalfield]]’, the EIR worked jointly with the BNR* ‘[[Eastern Central Indian Coalfields Railway]]. This latter merger ’ , was not considered a success asowned by the Government of India until 1926 when absorbed into the EIR System, in 1955, BNR was demerged addition to form the above it served the following State Collieries:- ** ‘[[South Eastern RailwayKaranpura Coalfield]]’** ‘[[North Karanpura Coalfield]]’** ‘[[Bhurkunda Colliery]]’** ‘[[Bokaro_Ramgarh_Coalfields_Railways#The_Coalfields|Ramgarh Coalfield]]’** ‘[[Kargali Colliery]].’
== Organisation ==
By 1914, EIR was organised into the following departments, each with its own workshops with the main ones shown.
# Agency
# Audit & Accounts
# Carriage & Wagon## - [[Lillooah|Lilloah]]## ; [[Allahabad]]# Colliery- [[Giridih District EIR Colliery Railways|Giridih District]]
# Electrical
# Engineering
# Locomotive## - [[Allahabad]]## ; [[Asansol]]## ; [[Dhanbaid]]## ; [[Dinapore]]## ; [[Jamalpur]]## ; [[Tundla]]
# Medical
# Printing
# Provifent Provident Institution
# Stores
# Traffic## - [[Calcutta]] (Head Office)## ; [[Allahabad]]## ; [[Asansol]]## ; [[Cawnpore]]## ; [[Howrah]]## [[; Howrah Goods]]## ; [[Delhi]]## ; [[Dhanbaid]]## ; [[Dinapore]]## ; [[Gaya]]## ; [[Sahebgunge]]## ; [[Tundla]]
== Schools ==
The EIR operated many schools, of which probably the best known was [[Schools#O|Oak Grove School]] at [[Mussoorie]]. Oak Grove School is still associated with [[Indian Railways]] and [[Northern Railway]].
==Branch Lines and extensions==*[[Barun-Daltonganj Railway]], opened 1902. Section of EIR line*[[Bhagalpur Badli Railway]], under construction 1907 for EIR*[[Calcutta Chord Railway]], opened 1931-32. EIR link from Dum Dum to Dankuni over Willindon Bridge*[[Howrah-Burdwan Chord Railway]], opened 1917. Part of EIR system ==Railways absorbed into EIRLines====Railways absorbed into The EIR==*[[Delhi-Umballa-Kalka Railway]], formed 1889 as private company, merged into EIR, 1925*[[Deoghur Railway]], opened 1882. Short branch line linking important pilgrimage centre to main line, initally own agency; merged into EIR, 1911*[[Oudh owned and Rohilkhand Railway]](O&RR), formed from Indian Branch Railwayworked on behalf of other parties an extensive network of broad gauge(IBR); nationalised, 1889; merged into EIR, 1925*[[Patna & Gaya State Railway]], opened before 1881. State line merged into EIR, c.1892*[[Tarkessur RailwayRail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]], opened 1884-85. Worked by EIR; Merged into EIR 1915) lines.
==Lines connected to EIR systemBridges and Tunnels==See <big>'''[[East Indian Railway - Bridges and Tunnels]]'''</big>
== 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]]
==Personnel==<big>'''[[East Indian Railway Personnel]]'''</big> gives details of notable EIR staff from many different sources. *L/AG/46/11/133-137 These have been listed by EIR Department and in Chronological order.*The entries link to the [[:Category: Contracts of appointment, c1858-1925 (possibly not all included)Railway People|Notable Railway People]] pages.
The following employment records held at the IOR are relevant :-
*'''L/AG/46/11/133-137''' "Contracts of appointment, c1858-1925" (possibly not all included)
The above is indexed in
*'''Z/L/AG/46 : ''' "Index to UK Appointments to Indian Railways (1849-1925)"*'''FIBIS database''' [http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_dataset&id=1989&s_id=1068 List of Indian Railways UK Contracted Staff taken from IOR Series L/AG/46/12].
The following is not included in the index Z/L/AG/46.
*'''L/AG/46/11/138-141 ''' : "Half-yearly staff lists, 1861-1890 & 1911-1922 " (giving ages from 1886). '''Thacker's Directories'''The following for East Indian Railways Personnel have been indexed in Grace's Guide - *[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1856_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1856 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel] *[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1861_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1861 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1867_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1867 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1872_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1872 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1877_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1877 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel]*[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1882_Thackers:_East_Indian_Railway 1882 Thackers East Indian Railways Personnel] '''East Indian Railway Company Records'''The following have been indexed in Grace's Guide *[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/East_Indian_Railway:_1880_Employees 1880 Alphabetic List of Europeans and East Indians in the Company Service]
==FIBIS resources==
*[http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_dataset&id=1989&s_id=1068 List of Indian Railways UK Contracted Staff taken from IOR Series L/AG/46/11]. FIBIS database
*[http://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=839&s_id=243 Index to V/13/244 East Indian Railway Staff List 1914]FIBIS database
*"The Indian Railways and a dynasty of Pearce's (1855 to 1930)", ''[[FIBIS Journal]]'', Spring 2011, Number 25 page 13-16.
*"The Walsh Family and the Cawnpore Massacre" by Paddy Walsh ''FIBIS Journal Number 31 (Spring 2014)'' pages 3-15.
== Recommended reading ==
*Blair Williams, [http://home.alphalink.com.au/~agilbert/onjama~1.html "EIR at Jamalpur - Anglo-Indian Railway Officers"], ''The International Journal of Anglo-Indian Studies'' (Vol 6, No 2, 2001).
*"East Indian Railway", ''The Railway Gazette'', 1st November 1929, page 21-32 & 113-114.
==Also seeAssociated Auxiliary Force==
*[[East Indian Railway Regiment]]
*[http://irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/zonal_logos/DSCN5174.jpg.html East Indian Railway logo]
*[http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?txtkeys1=East+India+Railway Science & Society Picture Library]
*[http://www.irfca.org/~mrinal/history_er.html "History of Eastern Railway"], ''Indian Railways Fans Club''.
*[http://www.irfca.org/~mrinal/eir_gallery.html EIR Picture Gallery], ''Indian Railways Fans Club''.
*[http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/09/29/stories/2003092900160600.htm How Railways made tracks in India] September 29, 2003 thehindubusinessline.in
*[http://www.trains-worldexpresses.com/400/410.htm Imperial Indian Mail] (and other trains) trains-worldexpresses.com
*[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228649/8330.pdf H.M. Government “Statute Law Repeals: Nineteenth Report : Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Bill; April 2012"]; pages 122-126, paragraphs 3.32-3.50
===Historical books online===
*George Huddleston, [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyeastindi00huddgoog#page/n9/mode/1up ''History of the East Indian Railway''] (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co, 1906). Archive.org. [A second part, published in 1939, took the history to 1924.]
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/bengalassambehar00playuoft#page/358/mode/2up/ "The East Indian Railway"], page 358 from ''Bengal and Assam, Behar and Orissa: their history, people, commerce and industrial resources'' by Somerset Playne and J W Bond 1917 Archive.org
===Published books=References ==*Mukherjee, Hena. ''The Early History of the East Indian Railway 1845-1879''. Published by Firma KLM Private Limited, Calcutta 1994.<references />
[[Category:Railways]]
[[Category:Guaranteed Railways]]
[[Category:State Railways]]
