View source for Irrawaddy Valley State Railway

{{Line Railways Infobox
|image=
|caption= 
|route= [[Rangoon]] to [[Prome]]
|gauge1= Metre gauge
|gauge1details= 
|gauge2= 
|gauge2details= 
|gauge3= 
|gauge3details= 
|gauge4= 
|gauge4details=
|timeline1date= 1869
|timeline1details= Line surveyed
|timeline2date= 1874
|timeline2details= Construction begun
|timeline3date= 1877
|timeline3details= Opened to traffic
|timeline4date= 
|timeline4details=  
|timeline5date= 
|timeline5details=  
|presidency= [[Bengal]], [[Burma]]
|stations= [[Prome]], [[Rangoon]], [[Tharrawaddy]]
|system1date= 1896-1928
|system1details= Worked by [[Burma Railway]]
|system2date=
|system2details= 
|system3date=
|system3details=  
}}

'''Irrawaddy Valley State Railway''', in early records known as the '''Rangoon and Irrawaddy Valley State Railway'''

The '''Irrawaddy Valley State Railway''' (IVSR) was the first railway to be constructed in [[Burma]] and one of the first State lines to be built to metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) standards. In 1896, management of the IVSR passed to the newly formed [[Burma Railway| Burma Railway Company]].
 
[[File:Irrawaddty Valley State Railway.png|thumb| Irrawaddy Valley State Railway]]
The IVSR, ''shown in '''Orange''' on map'', from [[Rangoon]] to [[Prome]], 161 miles(259km) following the Irrawaddy River, was surveyed in 1869. Construction began in 1874 and  was built over a three-year period with labour imported from India (particularly the areas affected by the Bihar famine of 1873–74) and carried rice from the main cultivation areas to the port of [[Rangoon]]
<ref name=Hist>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_Myanmar Wikipedia ‘History of Rail Transport in Myanmar 1877-1896’]; Retrieved 28 May 2018</ref> . The line was opened to traffic in May 1877 
<ref name=Admin>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n179/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 171 (pdf179) ]; Retrieved  28 May 2018</ref>

==Construction==
The Annual Progress Reports for 1877/78 and 1878/79 give a detailed account of the progress of construction of the railway, buildings and facilities for the length of the line <ref name=IOR> British Library ‘India Office Records’  V/24/3590; "Public Works Department: Railways" which includes "Annual progress report/Rangoon and Irrawaddy Valley State Railway, 1877/78 and 1878/79"</ref>.  

==Personnel==
There do not appear to be any IVSR staff records held in the [[India Office Records]] at the [[British Library]].

The Annual Progress Reports for 1877/78 and 1878/79 give the following Officers in the ‘Annual Progress Reports for the Rangoon and Irrawaddy Valley State Railway’ (IVSR) for the two years ending 31 March 1878<ref name=IOR/> :- 
<br>Arrivals 
*E J Martin, M.INST.C.E., IVSR Superintending Engineer from 2 Aug 1877 and Engineer-in-Chief, author of 1877-78 Report, replaced by H M Mathews 1878-79
*W S Trevor, Lieut.Col., R.E., Chief Engineer and Secretary to Chief Commissioner, British Burma, of the office of Engineer-in-Chief, IVSR until relieved by E J Martin Aug 1877.
* J E Gabbett, Assistant Engineer 2nd grade, from 23 Nov 1877.
*P J Bruff, Locomotive Superintendent, from 11 Jan 1878.
* E L Gilbert, Executive Engineer 2nd grade, transferred from Rangoon and Sittang Valley State Railway Survey, to the IVSR  28 Jun 1877.
* T M Vignors,  Executive Engineer, 1st grade with temporary rank of Superintending Engineer 3rd grade, from 1878-79
* H M Mathews,   Engineer 3rd grade, from 1878-79 and ‘Engineer-in-Chief’, author of 1878-79 Report replacing E J Martin
* P D Barclay, Traffic Superintendent, IVSR, from 1878-79
Furlough leave:- 
* W F F Handcock, IVSR Executive Engineer 1st grade, from  Jun 1877.
* W C Hosking, IVSR Executive Engineer 4th grade, from  May 1877.
* J A Little, Capt, IVSR Executive Engineer 4th grade, from  Jul 1877.
* J P Vansittart, Executive Engineer 4th grade, from April 1878.
* H Tyndall,Executive Engineer 4th grade from February 1879
Transfers to India:-
* E H Stone, IVSR Assistant Engineer 1st grade, Locomotive Superintendent,  Jan 1878
* P J Bruff, replacing E H Stone,  Jan 1878.
* R W L Toozs, IVSR Assistant Engineer 2nd grade, transferred to Central System of State Railways, Nov 1877, whilst on 2 months' privilege leave
On Furlough or transferred to work in India:-
* H Prince, Superintending Engineer 3rd grade, in 1878-79
* E J Martin, Superintending Engineer 3rd grade (temporary rank), in 1878-79.
* W F F Handcock, Executive Engineer 1st grade, in 1878-79.
* J A Little, Captain, Executive Engineer, 3rd grade, in 1878-79.
* W C Hosking,  Executive Engineer 4th grade, in 1878-79.
Transfer  direct from IVSR to works in India: -
* T M Vigors, Executive Engineer, 1st (temporary Superintending Engineer 3rd) grade, in 1878-79.
* A E Downing, Lt.Col., Executive Engineer, 3rd (temporary 2nd) grade, in 1878-79.
* W J Engledue, Executive Engineer, 3rd (temporary 2nd) grade, in 1878-79.
* W H P Sherman, Executive Engineer, 4th grade, in 1878-79.
* H T Guyther, Assistant Engineer 1st grade, in 1878-79.
* J E Gabbett, Assistant Engineer 2nd grade, in 1878-79.
* R T Dennie, Assistant Engineer 2nd grade, in 1878-79.
* G Burnell, Sub-Engineer 3rd grade, in 1878-79.
* M Gregory, Sub-Engineer 3rd grade, in 1878-79.
* J Owens, Sergt., Overseer, 1st grade, in 1878-79.
* J Lean, Sergt., Overseer, 1st grade, in 1878-79.

==Later History==
The IVSR was merged with other State railways in 1896 to form the [[Burma Railway|'''Burma State Railway Company''']] (BR):-.
* ‘Irrawaddy Valley State Railway’ (IVSR), from [[Rangoon]] to [[Prome]], became the ‘BR Irrawaddy Section’
* ‘[[Sittang Valley State Railway]]’(SVSR), from [[Rangoon]] to [[Toungoo]], became the ‘BR Sittang Section ’
* ‘[[Mu Valley State Railway]]’(MVSR)', from [[Sagaing]], on the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy River facing [[Mandalay]] was under construction in 1896, later becoming the ‘BR Mu Valley Section ’

==Further Information==
See '''[[Burma Railway]]'''

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Railways]]
[[Category:State Railways]]