9,628
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
'Background' added with Tender info added
'''James John Berkley''' (1819-1862)
<br> Chief Engineer of the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]](GIPR) from 1850 to 1856.
<br>The account below extracted from Grace’s Guide
<ref>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_John_Berkley Grace's Guide 'James John Berkley']; Retrieved 3 Apr 2020</ref>.
==Background==
At the end of 1849, on the strong recommendation of [[Robert Stephenson]], the London Based GIPR Consulting Engineer and supported by Brunel, Cubitt, Rennie, Bidder and other eminent engineers, Berkley was appointed chief resident engineer of the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]](GIPR), and in this capacity he constructed the first line of railway that was opened in India.
A Tender from two Engineers, Henry Fowler and[[William Frederick Faviell]], had been accepted by the GIPR for the construction of thev section from Bombay to Tanna. Fowler left for Bombay in December, 1850, and after collecting materials and assistants for the work. Faviell followed in February, 1851. Fowler’s health failed after a few months’ exposure to the climate of India, and compelled his return to England. The execution of the contract then devolved entirely upon Faviell, and was completed to the satisfaction of the Company, the line being opened for traffic on the 16 April, 1853. <ref>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Frederick_Faviell 'Grace's Guide' - "William Frederick Faviell"]; Retrieved 4 May 2020</ref>. They worked under the direction of the GIPR Chief Engineer ==Railway Achievementsin India==
*1849; '''[[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]]''' Appointed chief resident engineer.
*1850 January; he left England for India. Having first decided on a scheme for the construction of a short line of thirty-three miles from [[Bombay]] to Callian, he turned his attention to the extensions of the railway, and especially to the great work involved in carrying the line over the Western Ghâts Mountains, and designed two great inclines ascending mountains more than 2,000 feet high — the [[Bhore Ghat Railway Construction|Bhore Ghat]] and the [[Thal Ghat Railway Construction|Thul Ghat]].
