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The '''Indus Valley State Railway''' was formed between 1870 and 1871 to replace the [[Indus Flotilla]] by providing a rail link between [[Kotri]] and [[Multan]].<ref>[http://odysseuslahori.blogspot.com/2013/03/alas-sindh-is-now-lost-indus-valley.html "Alas, Sindh is now Lost: Indus Valley State Railway" by Salman Rashid March 29, 2013]; Retrieved 11 Dec 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.panhwar.com/Adobe/Administration%20report%20on%20the%20construction%20of%20the%20railway.pdf Administration report on the construction of the (Indus State) Railway, pdf format]; Retrieved 11 Dec 2015</ref>.

The ''Spelling Note'[[Empress Bridge]]'*'', originally known as The spellings used for town names in the '''Sutlej Bridge''', near Bahawalpur, Punjab (now in Pakistan)1850-60 is variable. The bridge, which opened We have given the name as stated in 1878, carried the [[Indus Valley State Railway]] over the Sutlej river between [[Ferozepur]] (Firozpur) (south documents of [[Lahore]]) that time and [[Kazur]]. The Engineer-in-Charge of with the construction was [[William St. John Galwey]], assisted later name in 1873 by [[Hugh Lewin Monk]] from the [[Public Works Department]](PWDbrackets) Railway Branch of PWD.''

[[File: Indus Valley State Railway.png|thumb| Indus Valley State Railway]]The '''Indus Valley State Railway had reached '''(IVSR) was constructed by the Government to provide a rail link between [[SukkurKotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] in 1879 and [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]]. This was to complete a rail connection from the port of [[Karachi]] to [[Lahore]] by linking two lines:-*The broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) line from the steam ferry that transported eight wagons coast at a time across [[Karachi]] to [[Kotri ]], named the Indus between ‘[[RohriScinde Railway]] and ’ had been built by the ‘[[SukkurScinde Railway Company]] was found to be cumbersome ’ and time-consumingopened in 1861 <ref name=Admin106>[https://archive. org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n115/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 106 (pdf115) ]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2018</ref>. *The opening of broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) line from [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]] to [[Lahore]], named the ‘[[Punjaub Railway]] had been built by the ‘[[Lansdowne BridgeScinde Railway Company]] ’ and opened in 1889 solved this bottleneck Apr 1865 <ref name=Admin106/>.The section between [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] and [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]] was linked by the ‘[[Indus Flotilla]]’ also owned by the ‘[[Scinde Railway Company]]’ thus port of providing a through service from [[Karachi]] was connected to the railway network[[Lahore]].

With others, The survey of the Indus Valley State Railway was merged with route of the line commenced in 1870 and construction commenced in 1871 based on the metre gauge([[Sind, Punjab and Delhi RailwayRail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]] ) standard. This was changed in 1886 1874 to form broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) requiring the ''North-Western State Railway'' (later sections under construction to be converted <ref>British Library IOR/V/24/3590 “Administration Report on the construction of the Indus Valley Railway” Various pages as listed in separate page [[North Western Indus Valley State Railway- Survey and Construction]])</ref>.

== Records ==Refer to FIBIS Fact File #4: “Research sources On the 1st July 1878 the IVSR line was officially opened for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” - available traffic from the [http://www.fibis.org/store/fibis-books-[Multan]] down to [[Kotri]] and-publications/bff-0004-research-sources-for-indian-railways-1845-1947/ Fibis shop]. This Fact File contains invaluable advice in full operation on 'Researching ancestors in the UK records 27th October 1878 with the opening of Indian Railways' with particular reference to the [[India Office RecordsSutlej Bridge|‘Sutlej Bridge’]] (IOR) held at , completed in March 1878 and inaugurated on 7th June 1878 to be renamed the [[British LibraryEmpress Bridge|‘Empress Bridge’ - ''see separate page '']].

An on-line search of At the IOR records relating River Indus crossing linking [[Sukkur]] to this railway<ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search[Rohri]]; Retrieved 23 Jan 2016</ref>> gives 10 references. The most important being:-*V/24/3590; "Public Works Department: Railways" which contains " Administration report on a ferry was used whilst the construction engineering challenge of the Indus Valley State Railway, 1878/79" *L/AG/46/34; “Records of the India Office relating to the North Western State Railway"[[Sukkur Bridge|‘Sukkur Bridge’]] was under construction. The following appears on On completion in 1889 this IOR record:- 'The North Western State Railway was created in 1886 by renamed the amalgamation of the Scinde[[Lansdowne Bridge|‘Lansdowne Bridge’ -Punjab-Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway and the Punjab Northern State Railway’''see separate page '']].

==Personnel Records==Unfortunately, there are no See [[Indus Valley State Railway Staff agreements held at the [[British Library- Survey and Construction|separate page '''Indus Valley State Railway - Survey and Construction''']] in for full details of the [[India Office Records]](IOR)survey and construction. However the following have been identified from other sources:-

*==Background== The ‘[[Scinde Railway Company]], with [[William Patrick Andrew|Mr W P Andrew]] as its Chairman, in about 1863 made application to the Government for a concession to construct a railway between [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] and [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]] thus to join the '[[Scinde Railway]]' and the '[[Punjaub Railway]]' to provide an unbroken rail link from the coast to the [[Punjab|Punjaub(Punjab)]].  The following is recorded in a letter dated 4 June 1869 to the Duke of Argyll, Secretary of State for India” from [[William Patrick Andrew|Mr W P Andrew]], Chairman ‘[[Scinde Railway Company]]’ <ref name=Argyll>[http://www.panhwar.com/rarebooks/Scinde%20Railway%20Company%20its%20origin%20and%20policy.pdf “Letter to Duke of Argyll, Secretary of State for India” from William Patrick Andrew] dated 4 Jun 1869 pages 6 and 7 of 85(pdf 11 and 12) ) ]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2018</ref>. <br>“The Secretary of State for India authorised the [[Scinde Railway Company]]’, in the year 1863, to engage a staff of engineers for the purpose of surveying the country between [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] and [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]]. Therefore 6 years had passed and clearly no decision had been reached by the Government authorising the railway to be constructed, meanwhile of course, the ‘[[Middleton RayneIndus Flotilla]]’ was providing the “missing link” ''(as it came to be known).'' The reasons for the Government to fail to come to a decision are several, 1876-79 Engineer-all analysed inthe later pages of the 4 June 1869 letter<ref name=Argyll/>. There were three possible routes each with their own “political aspects; the commercial and the engineering features”:-chief, *1st. Entirely on the left bank of the Indus *2nd. Entirely on the right bank*IOR Mss Eur D904; "Middleton Rayne papers" 3rd. On the right bank from [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] to [[Sukkur]] (about half the whole distance) and crossing the Indus River at [[Sukkur]], thence to [[Mooltan|Mooltan((Multan)]] by the left bank”. There were significant differences of opinion on the merits of each route with heated discussions and letters. As a consequence by June 1869 there was still no prospect of a decision. By this time it was clear that the construction of this railway would be a State venture and became named the ‘'''Indus Valley State Railway'''’  Later in 1869 the [[Government of India]] ordered that a [[Rail gauge#Rail Gauge Committee 1869-70|‘Rail Gauge Committee’]] be established in order to recommend the catalogue contents future ‘[[Rail gauge|Rail Gauge]]’ for the railways of India. There were extreme differences of opinion and the outcome was that the [[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|Metre Gauge (MG) ]] would be adopted for all new constructions undertaken by the State .<br> [[Rail gauge#Rail Gauge Committee 1869-70|''This highly controversial decision by the ‘Rail Gauge Committee’ is examined in detail on a separate page'']].  ==Metre Gauge Survey and Construction== By June 1871 it was reported that the [[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|Metre Gauge]] “Indus Valley Railway ...northern portion had been laid out, and is about to be commenced .... the lower division is beset with difficulties from inundations. A committee is investigating the route on either side of the river, and will report which they consider to be the more favourable <ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gitcAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA78#v=onepage&q&f=false “Accounts and Papers of Middleton Rayne the House of Commons, Volume 51”; “Report on Railways in India 1870-71” by Juland Danvers, dated 1st June 1871 Page 4 Para 7 ‘Indus Valley’ (pdf page 78) ) ]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2018</ref>. The final route chosen was the the 3rd Route from [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]] crossing the river at [[Sukkur]] to [[Mooltan|Mooltan(Multan)]] and construction of commenced in Nov 1871.  The construction continued through until July 1974 when Metre Gauge construction was abandoned <br> [[Indus Valley State Railway#Metre Gauge Survey and Construction|''See separate page ‘Metre Gauge Construction’ for full details'']] ==Break of Gauge Deliberations==Meanwhile the consequences of the break of Gauge from BG to MG at [[Kotri|Kotree(Kotri)]], and MG to BG at [[Mooltan|Mooltan(1830Multan)]] caused heated argument, papers and letters both in London and in India.<br>[[Rail gauge#Rail Gauge Deliberations 1873-74|''These 'Rail Gauge Deliberations' were complex and are the subject of a separate page'']]<br>But can be summarised as follows:-82). * A debate in the British Parliament in March 1873, after many counter arguments, concluded that the decision should rest with the Government in India. * A paper by the India Office Public Works DeptDepartment titled “The relative advantages of the 5ft 6in gauge and of the Metre Gauge for the State Railways of India, and particularly those of the Punjab” <ref>[https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.1680/imotp.1873.22865 ‘Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Volume 35 Issue 1873, 1873, pp. 214-228]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2018</ref> was presented at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London in June 1873. This presentation and the following discussion l<ref>[https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1873.22866 ‘Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Volume 35 Issue 1873, pp. 229-468 “Discussion: The relative advantages of the 5ft 6in gauge and of the Metre Gauge for the State Railways of India, and particularly those of the Punjab”]; Retrieved 28 Feb 2018</ref> lasted over seven evenings but failed to reach a conclusion and passed the matter back to the Indian Government .*The decision was finally reached in 1874 by the Indian Government that changes of India 1868Gauge were unacceptable and therefore instructed that the IVSR should be re-engineered to [[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|Broad Gauge(BG)]]. As a consequence the sections under construction were to be converted from MG to BG <ref>British Library IOR/V/24/3590 “Administration Report on the construction of the Indus Valley Railway” Various pages as listed in separate page [[Indus Valley State Railway -79Survey and Construction]]</ref>.  ==Broad Gauge Conversion and Completion==As a consequence, the ‘Middle’ section works were closed, Engineer and work was concentrated at both the ‘North’ and ‘South’ Divisions to widen the embankments. In the ‘North’ section the line from [[Multan]] to Hamdi was converted to broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) and by April 1876 the line was open to Adamwahan connecting it directly to [[Calcutta]] and [[Bombay]]. In the ‘South Division’ by 1876 construction was in progress. The [[Sutlej Bridge|‘Sutlej Bridge’]] was completed in March 1878 and inaugurated on 7th June 1878 to be renamed the ‘[[Empress Bridge]]’. Finally the IVSR line was in full operation on the 27th October 1878<br> [[Indus Valley State Railway#Broad Gauge Survey and Construction|''See separate page ‘Broad Gauge Construction’ for full details'']] ==Later History==A Conference was held at [[Lahore]] in ChiefNovember 1878 and a proposal was made by the Honourable Member of Council for Public Works to the Officers of the [[Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway|Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway Company]] (SP&DR), that they should take over the working of the traffic of the Indus Valley State Railway 1876to which the Directors of the Indus Valley State Railway agreed <ref> British Library IOR/V/24/3590 “Administration Report on the construction of the Indus Valley Railway” pages 5-798, comprising diaries15, sketchbooks, letters 21 37</ref>. In 1886 the [[North Western Railway]](NWR) was formed by the merger of the IVSR with the SP&DR and photographs; also two diaries, dated 1871 other railways. The [[Sukkur Bridge|‘Sukkur Bridge’]] was under construction and 1883 on inauguration in March 1889 was renamed the [[Lansdowne Bridge|‘Lansdown Bridge’ - ''see separate page '']] thus providing an unbroken BG route from [[Lahore]] to the port of [[Karachi]]. ==Personnel Records in chronological order==Unfortunately, there are no Indus Valley State Railway (IVSR) Staff agreements held at the [[British Library]] in the [[India Office Records]](IOR).  Some of his wife Anniethese staff were mentioned at the inauguration of the [[Empress Bridge|‘Sukkur Bridge’ when it was named in 1878 the 'Empress Bridge]]. See [[Empress Bridge#Inaugeration]] for details.' However the following have been identified from other sources:- *[[Frederick Lewis DibbleeEwart Robertson]], 18741869-70, deployed from[[Public Works Department]] [[:Category:State Railways|State Railways]] Department; 1869-89. 1869, employed on the IVSR survey; 1870, Engineer-in-Charge of the construction division in Upper Sind until the IVSR was opened for traffic in 1877; 1879, In-charge of a sub-division of the IVSR. He established the railway ferry over the Indus at Sukkur. The ferry was successfully worked until it was replaced by the [[Lansdowne Bridge]]; 1887, [[Lansdowne Bridge]], of the cantilever type, with a 820 feet(248M) span, involved his design of novel and suitable plant for its erection. The whole of the work was successfully carried out by him, and the bridge was opened in 1889; 1889, appointed Engineer-in-78 Superintending Chief of the IVSR, which included the Khojak Junction under construction; 1889, resigned and became Chief Engineer[[East Indian Railway]] <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Frederick_Ewart_Robertson Grace's Guide "Frederick Ewart Robertson"]; Retrieved 8 Jun 2016</ref>.*[[Hugh Lewin Monk]], 1869-79. 1869 as an Assistant Engineer. Then 1874-79 as Executive Engineer assisting in the construction of the [[Empress Bridge]] <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA569 Google Books "India List and India Office List, 1905" page 569 (pdf page 532)] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref> *[[Joseph Bonus]], 1870-77, Executive Engineer, Engineer-in-Chief and then Superintending Engineer IVSR <ref >[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA444=&dq Google Books "India List and India Office List -1905" page 444]; Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.*[[James Arthur Anderson]], c.1871-c.1890 dates unspecified. Executive Engineer deployed from PWD to IVSR <ref> [https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA427 Google Books "India List and India Office List, 1905" page 427 (pdf page 390 )] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>*[[William St. John Galwey]] , c.1872-78, Engineer-in-Chief for the construction of the [[Empress Bridge]], opened in 1878, deployed from the [[Public Works Department]](PWD) Railway Branch.*C. Campbell , 1872, Engineer-in-Chief, Multan Division <ref name=IVSR1872>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1872_Thackers:_Indus_Valley_Railway "1872 Thacker's Indus Valley Railway Personnel"] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.*J. Collet , 1872, Superintending Engineer, Multan Division <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*R. Heenan, 1872, Executive Engineer, Multan Division <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*W. Scott, 1872, Executive Engineer, Multan Division (Soojabad) <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*F. M. Avern, 1872, Executive Engineer, Multan Division (Satlaj Bridge) <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*H. C. Graham , 1872, Executive Engineer, Multan Division (Bhawalpur) <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*W. Nethersole, 1872, Superintending Engineer, Rohree (Sakkhar) Division <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*T. T. Ryan, 1872, Executive Engineer (Khanpur), Rohree (Sakkhar) Division <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*C. E. Pridden Lieut., 1872, Executive Engineer, Rohree (Sakkhar) Division (Upper Scind) <ref name=IVSR1872/>.*[[Archibald Cuthbert Bigg-Wither]] 1872-96?, deployed from [[Railway Branch - PWD|Railway Branch]] to IVSR, dates unspecified ‘Served chiefly on the Indus Valley State Railway' <ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA440=&dq Google Books "India List and India Office List -1905" page 440]; Retrieved on195 Aug 2016</ref>.

*[[Frederick Lewis Dibblee]], 1874-78 Superintending Engineer <ref>[http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1889.20772 "Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers"; vol 97 page 398-399 year 1889 "Obituary of Frederick Lewis Dibblee"]; Retrieved on 17 Apr 2016</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180517203810/http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/genealogy/dibblee/fred1obit.htm#ice "Obituaries of Frederick Lewis Dibblee"], now archived.</ref>.*[[Frederick Nicholas Gutersloh]], 1874-78, deployed from PWD - [[Railway Branch - PWD|Railway Branch]] as Assistant Engineer <ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA510=&dq Google Books "India List and India Office List -1905" page 510]; Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>. *[[George Winmill]], 1875-88 deployed from [[Public Works Department]](PWD) on joining as 2nd sub-Engineer <ref >[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA649=&dq Google Books "India List and India Office List -1905" page 649]; Retrieved on 8 Aug 2016</ref>.*[[Middleton Rayne]], 1876-79, Engineer-in-chief. See [[British Library]] [[India Office Records]] IOR Mss Eur D904; "Middleton Rayne papers" with the catalogue contents 'Papers of Middleton Rayne (1830-82), Public Works Dept, Government of India 1868-79, Engineer in Chief, Indus Valley State Railway 1876-79, comprising diaries, sketchbooks, letters and photographs; also two diaries, dated 1871 and 1883, of his wife Annie.*[[Robert Edwin Wright]], 1877-78, in charge of 'Larkhana Division' <ref>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=xQhRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA320&lpg=PA320&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Volume 94 'Obituary - Robert Edwin Wright']; Retrieved 3 Apr 2020</ref>. *[[James Condor]], 1878-81, Traffic Superintenent IVSR <ref > [https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA465 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 465 (pdf page 428)] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.* [[Henry Thomas Geoghegan]], 1877-79, Superintending Engineer IVSR <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA501 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 501 (pdf page 464 )] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.*[[James Condor]],1879. Traffic Manager, 1879 [[Indian_Railway_Conference_Association#Railway_Conference| ‘Railway Conference’ delegate]]*[[Henry Francis Storey]], 1879-86. 1879 as Engineer. , 1881 as Engineer-in-Chief and promoted to Superintendent of Way and Works until trasferred transferred in 1886 <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Henry_Francis_Storey "Grace's Guide - Henry Francis Storey”]; Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>*[[Robert Trefusis Mallet]], 1879-80, Engineer-in-Chief IVSR; and 1885-86 Engineer-in-Chief of IVSR [[Empress Bridge]], 1885-86 <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA560 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 560 (pdf page 523] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.*[[William Michell]], 1883-87, Executive Engineer IVSR where he held charge from time to time of the Jacobabad, Kandahar and Northern divisions <ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Michell_(1853-1899) "Grace's Guide - William Michell”]; Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>.*[[James Ramsay]], 1880-? Engineer-in -Chief IVSR <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA595 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 595 (pdf page 558)] Retrieved on 19 Aug 2016</ref>. == Further Information==*See '''[[Indus Valley State Railway - Survey and Construction]]''' *and '''[[North Western Railway]]''' from 1886onwards. ==External Links==*[http://odysseuslahori.blogspot.com/2013/03/alas-sindh-is-now-lost-indus-valley.html "Alas, Sindh is now Lost: Indus Valley State Railway" by Salman Rashid March 29, 2013];*[http://www.panhwar.com/Adobe/Administration%20report%20on%20the%20construction%20of%20the%20railway.pdf "Administration report on the construction of the (Indus State) Railway" 1878-79. pdf format]