9,628
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
'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]]'''.
