9,628
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
*1867, [[Nagpur]] Branch opened.
[[Image:India-rail-1870.jpg|right|thumb|Map of GIPR in 1870]]
*[[Agra-Gwalior Railway]], opened 1881; renamed [[Gwalior Light Railway]] c.1899; worked by GIPR; renamed [[Scindia State Railway]] , 1944
Spelling of Berkley corrected with new link
|company12details=
|headquarters= [[Bombay]]
|workshop= ''see also'' [[GIPR Railway Workshops]] <br>[[Parel]] (BG), [[Bhusawal]], [[Harda]], [[Igatpuri]], [[Lonauli]], [[Jhansi]], [[Jubbulpore]], [[Bhusawal]]
|stations= [[Agra]], [[Ahmadnagar]], [[Akola]], [[Amraoti]], [[Banda]], [[Bhopal]], [[Bhusawal]], [[Cawnpore]], [[Chanda]], [[Delhi]], [[Dholpur]], [[Gwalior]], [[Hotgi]], [[Itarsi]], [[Jhansi]], [[Jubbulpore]], [[Khandwa]], [[Muttra]], [[Nagpur]], [[Narsinghpue]], [[Poona]], [[Raichur]], [[Saugor]], [[Wadi]]
|system1date= 1951
|system1details= [[Central Railway]] (IR zone)
|system2date=
|system2details=
|system3date=
|system3details=
|auxillary forces= [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway Regiment]]
}}
[[Image:India-rail-1870.jpg|right|thumb|Map of GIPR in 1870]]
[[File: Great Indian Peninsula Railway Map 1909 north section.png|thumb|Great Indian Peninsula Railway Map 1909 – north section]]
[[File: Great Indian Peninsula Railway Map 1909 south section.png|thumb|Great Indian Peninsula Railway Map 1909 – south section]]
{{Railwaymap
|railway= the North East Division
|link= http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=108089533651928306068.0004776aacede4ad4baa7
}}
Like most of the early railways in India, the '''Great Indian Peninsula Railway''' (GIPR) was a British company, registered in London, privately owned and financed, operating under licence and guarantee from the (British) Board of Control in India and the [[East India Company]] (EIC). The GIPR was India's and Asia's first railway.
== History ==
*1845. Registered as a company in 1845, with its head office in London, the Great Indian Peninsula railway initially proposed a length of 1300 miles, to connect Bombay with the interior of the Indian peninsula and to a major port on the east coast. It was meant for the purpose of increasing the export of cotton, silk, opium, sugar and spices <ref name=GIPRRegGIPR>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway:_1845_Company_Registration Grace's Guide " GIPR 1945 Company Registration] Retrieved on 3 Jul 2016</ref>.*1849, at the urging of the Governor, Lord Dalhousie, the East Indian Company(EIC) sanctioned the construction of a broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) railway eastward from [[Bombay]] and the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company was incorporated on August 1, 1849 by an act of the British Parliament. It had a share capital of 50,000 pounds. On August 17, 1849 it entered into a formal contract with the EIC for the construction and operation of an experimental line, 35 miles(56 km) long. The Court of Directors of the EIC appointed [[James John BerkeleyBerkley]] as Chief Resident Engineer and [[Charles Buchanan Ker]] and [[Robert W Graham]] as his assistants <ref name=GIPR>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway Grace's Guide "Great Indian Peninsula Railway"] Retrieved on 3 Jul 2016</ref>.
*1859, GIPR was tasked with "the construction and working of the following lines, all of which terminate at Bombay, - viz. from Bombay, ''via'' Callian, to Jubbulpore, to meet the East Indian Railway Company's line from Allahabad, with branches to Mahim and Nagpore - 870 miles; and from Callian, ''via'' Poonah and Sholapore, to the opposite side of the river Kristna, to meet the line, ''via'' Bellary, from Madras - 366 miles - total, 1,236 miles. Capital 10,000,000''l''l. Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent. on 8,000,000''l''. capital, and 4½ per cent. on 333,000''l''. debentures, the balance to be raised upon arrangements to be hereafter made." <ref>"Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a.</ref> <ref> [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 128-130 paragraphs 3.57 - 3.64] Retrieved on 3 Jul 2016</ref>.
'''North-East Line''' - [[Bombay]] via [[Callian]] and [[Thal Ghat Railway Construction|Thal Ghat]] to [[Jubbulpore]] - 615 miles(990km)
The GIPR Chief Engineer [[James John BerkeleyBerkley]]'s proposal was to form a grand trunk communication by the north-eastern mainline between [[Bombay]] and [[Calcutta]],
*1857-61, [[Callian]] (later named [[Kalyan]]) to [[Kasara]] section constructed, a further 42 miles(68 km)<ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway Graces Guide "Great Indian Peninsula Railway - 1865"]; Retrieved 3 Jul 2016</ref> rising to an altitude of 948 feet(289m) above sea level at [[Kasara]] at the approach to the [[Thal Ghat Railway Construction|Thal Ghat]]. Opened in 1861.
*1857 Aug, [[Messrs. Wythes and Jackson, Construction Contractors|Messrs. Wythes and Jackson]] were awarded the contract for the '''[[Thal Ghat Railway Construction]]'''
*1857-65. The [[Thal Ghat Railway Construction|Thal Ghat Railway]] was a major project to take the GIPR mainline across the Western Ghats towards [[Jubbulpore]]. The [[Kasara]] to [[Igatpuri]] section was 9.5 miles(15km) and within that distance the line had to rise to 1,918 feet(585m). The construction required 13 tunnels, 6 viaducts, including the [[Ehagaon Viaduct]]; cuttings; embankments; 15 bridges and culverts and the Reversing Station <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=a5MEAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=bombay+mechanics&hl=en&ei=8FUcTMGmHqC0nAeWxImdDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books "Paper on the (GIPR) Thul Ghaut Railway" incline delivered to the Bombay Mechancs Institution in December 1860 by the GIPR Chief Engineer [[James John BerkeleyBerkley]], page 20.] Retrieved on 2 Jul 2016</ref>.
*c.1859-65, [[Messrs. Wythes and Jackson, Construction Contractors|Messrs. Wythes and Jackson]] were awarded a further contact to construct a further section of the GIPR north-eastern line from [[Igatpuri]] at the end of the Thal Ghat, this was opened in stages reaching [[Chalisgaon]] in 1861, [[Jalgaon]] in 1863 and [[Bhusawal]] in 1865, a total of 191.24 miles(307km)<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n73/mode/2up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; pages 64-68, pdf pages 73-77]; Retrieved 6 Jun 2016</ref>.
*1861-65, [[Igatpuri]]-[[Jalgaon]]-[[Bhusawal]] progressivly opened. From *1863-67, [[GIPR Nagpur Branch]] from [[Bhusawal]] construction of the GIPR was built by [[NagpurMessrs. Lee, Watson and Ayton, Construction Contractors]] Branch from 1863-1867.
*1865, with completion of [[Thal Ghat Railway Construction|Thal Ghat]] the mainline from Bombay reached [[Khandwar]].
*1868 July, [[Robert Maitland Brereton]], GIPR Chief Engineer was given responsibility for completing the connection between [[Bhusawal]] and [[Jubbulpore]] which he completed many months ahead of schedule <ref name>[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 3 Jul 2016</ref>.
*1870 March 8. The [[Alfred Viaduct]] was inaugurated and named 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. With the opening of the GIPR North-Eastern Line the connection at [[Jubbulpore]] to the [[East Indian Railway]] (EIR) completed Dalhousie’s dream of a Bombay-Calcutta route.
'''South-East Line''' - [[Callian]] via [[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction|Bhor Ghat]] and [[Poona]] to meet the [[Madras Railway]] - 409 miles(658km)
*1856 May, the line was extended to the villages of [[Palasdhari]](Padusdhurree) and to [[Khopoli]](Campoolie) <ref name=wiki> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway#Bombay_to_Tannah Wikipedia “Great Indian Peninsula Railway”]; Retrieved 25 June 2016</ref> at the approach to the [[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction|Bhor Ghat]]. The
*1856-63. The '''[[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction]]''' was a major engineering challenge to take the GIPR mainline across the Western Ghats towards Madras. The construction with GIPR Chief Engineer [[James John BerkeleyBerkley]] in charge involved an incline length of 15 miles(24km), 26 tunnels (totalling 2.25 miles(3.6km) in length), and 8 viaducts of masonry construction.
*1858, the line from [[Khandala]] to [[Poona]] section was opened to traffic <ref name=wiki/> , this section included the [[Dapoorie Viaduct]]
*1858-63, during this period, the 21 km gap to [[Khandala]] was covered by palanquin, pony or cart through the village of Campoolie <ref name=wiki/>.
*1863, [[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction|Bhor Ghat]] completed the mainline was through to [[Poona]](now called Pune) and [[Sholapore]](Solapur).
*1870, the [[Kistna Viaduct, Raichur(GIPR)|Kisna Viaduct]] was opened and [[Raichur]] was reached in May 1871 <ref name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n73/mode/2up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; pages 64-68, pdf pages 73-77]; Retrieved 23 Jul 2016</ref> where it joined the [[Madras Railway]] to link to [[Madras]] <ref name=GIPR/>.
===Stations===
[[Image:Victoria Terminus. G I P Ry, Bombay.JPG|right|thumb|320px|''Victoria Terminus, G I P Ry, Bombay'']]
Bombay's [[Bombay Victoria Terminus Construction Railway|Victoria Terminus ]] was both the principal station and GIPR's HQ; designed by [[architect]] Frederick William Stevens. [[Bombay Victoria Terminus Construction Railway|Victoria Terminus Construction]] commenced in 1878, it opened on Queen Victoria's 1887 Golden Jubileeand completed in 1888.
The GIPR had a collection of sidings spurring off to the docks in the east Bombay. There were numerous spurs to:
*Victoria Dock 1891
This information from the “Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"<ref name=Admin/>
*Khopoli Branch, SE line; [[Palasdhari]](Padusdhurree) to [[Khopoli]](Campoolie) 1856: 7.24 miles. This section became a branch line on the opening of the [[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction|Bhor Ghat]] in 1863.
*[[GIPR Nagpur Branch|Nagpur Branch, NE line]]; Bhusaval to Baderna 1863-65, to Nagpur 1867: 243.25 miles
*Khamgaon Branch, NE line; Jalamb to Khamgaon 1870: 7.97 miles
*Amraoti Branch, NE line; Baderna to Amraoti 1871: 5.49 miles
*[[Dhond-Manmad State Railway]]; opened 1878. A 'chord' line connecting the GIPR south-eastern main line to [[Madras]] with the GIPR north-eastern main line to [[Allahabad]], passed to GIPR 1880.
*[[Indian Midland Railway]](IMR). State agency formed 1882 to work several branch lines centred on Jhansi, amalgamated into GIPR, 1900
**[[Agra-Gwalior Railway]], opened 1881; Indian State line, owned by Gwallior Durbar, known as [[Scindia State Railway]], working taken over by IMR 1885; then in 1900 becoming part of GIPR 'Midland Section Mainline'.
**[[Cawnpore-Kalpi-Jhansi Railway]], opened 1886. Line completed 1888 by IMR.
**[[Bhopal State Railway]], opened 1884. Indian State line, initially worked by IMR as Bhopal-Itarsi (Indian State Section).
==Lines worked by GIPR at some time - alphabetical order==
*[[Ait-Kunch Branch Railway]], opened 189?. Indian State line initially worked by [[Indian Midland Railway]](IMR); then worked by GIPR
*[[Ambaji-Taranga Light Railway]], opened 1919-20. Unassisted Company formed 1917; apparantly worked by GIPR
*Wikipedia and many other sources.
== External Links links ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway Great Indian Peninsula Railway] Wikipedia
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131120075151/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vim0PsB8bW75gL0GQFEkaK/Mumbai-Multiplex--The-line-starts-here.html "Mumbai Multiplex : The line starts here"] by Supriya Nair 4 January 2013. livemint.com "The ‘heritage wing’ of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a railway enthusiast’s dream"
*[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/mumbai-over-100-documents-of-great-indian-peninsula-railway-to-be-digitised-2907994/ "Mumbai: Over 100 documents of Great Indian Peninsula Railway to be digitized"] by Neha Kulkarni, July 12, 2016 ''The Indian Express''.
==Historical photographs online==
*[https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-Y-03022-S/1 Hawkes collection of Indian Railway Photographs (Y3022S)] Royal Commonwealth Society Library/ University of Cambridge Digital Library. The description states "An album containing albumen prints of various sizes by R. Phillips of Darjeeling, Samuel Bourne and others. The name of F.A. Hawkes, who was an engineer... appears frequently in it".
:Once inside the digital file, click on Contents for image titles. includes photographs whose titles include GIPR 1868-1869.
===Historical books online===
*[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=MnAgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PR3 ''The Cotton and Commerce of India: considered in relation to the interests of Great Britain; with remarks on Railway Communication in the Bombay Presidency''] by John Chapman, founder and late manager of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company 1851 Google Books. [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=MnAgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PR19 Contents-Railway Chapters] page xix.
