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'Grace's Guide' info and reference added and text changes
The '''Great Southern of India Railway''' (GSIR) was formed in 1858 for "the construction and working of a railway from [[Negapatam]] to [[Trichinopoly]], with branches to [[Salem]] and [[Tuticorin]] - total, about 300 miles. Capital 500,000''l''. (for the works at present authorized to be proceeded with, - viz., the line from Negapatam to Trichinopoly). Rate of Interest Guaranteed - 5 per cent." <ref>"Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'', Wednesday, 15 June 1859, #23333, 7a.</ref>
[[William Smith Betts]] was the first Agent of the Great Southern of India Railway <ref name=MotSIR> Southern Railway Heritage Centre "Marvels of the South Indian Railway 1859-1951". With page numbers indicated #p.</ref>, #p.210,214. The Chief Engineer [[Mark William Carr]] was appointed in 1858 <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mark_William_Carr Grace's Guide "Mark William Carr"]; Retrieved 18 June 2016</ref>. From 1856 [[George Barclay Bruce]] was the Consulting Engineer, based in London, first to GSIR and then to the sucessor [[South Indian Railway]] for a period of 50 years <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/George_Barclay_Bruce Grace's Guide "George Barclay Bruce"]; Retrieved 18 June 2016</ref>.
== History ==
In 1864 November [[Frederick Lewis Dibblee]], on his arrival in [[Madras]], was engaged as Engineer-in-Charge on the GISR, then District Engineer and later Chief Engineer, a position he continued to hold until August 1868, when he resigned and transferred to the [[Carnatic Railway]] <ref>[http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/genealogy/dibblee/index.htm Frederick Dibblee, MICE Biography "Frederick Lewis Dibblee"]; Retrieved 18 June 2016</ref>
In 1865 new 'beautiful and unique' offices were constructed at [[Trichinopoly]] and the Chief Engineer, Chief Traffic Superintendent, Chieif Chief Accounts Officer, Audit Officer etc moved over Thus , thus leaving at [[Negapatam]] the Agent's office and the Locomotive WorshopsWorkshops. #p.8,9.
In 1868, the GSIR line reached [[Erode]], connecting to the [[Madras Railway]] and [[David Logan]] was reappointed as Chief Engineer. "The GSIR was at that time a 5-foot 6-inch gauge line, extending from Negapatam to Erode. Its subsequent development into the system now known as the [[South Indian Railway]], about 1,100 miles in length, was carried out under Mr. Logan's direction."<ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/David_Logan Grace’s Guide "David Logan"]; Retrieved on 19 Jun 2016</ref>.
On 1st July 1874 the Great Southern of India Railway Company and the [[Carnatic Railway]], were amalgamated under the title of the '''[[South Indian Railway]]'''.