View source for North Western Railway - Lines operated and worked

<big>'''North Western Railway - Lines operated and worked '''</big>

<blockquote>- a sub-section of the '''[[North Western Railway]] (NWR)''' page</blockquote>

The NWR was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the [[Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway]](SP&DR), the [[Indus Valley State Railway]](IVSR), the [[Punjab Northern State Railway]](PNSR), the eastern section of the [[Sind-Sagar Railway]] and the southern section of the [[Sind-Pishin State Railway]].

The NWR owned and operated an extensive network of railways of mixed gauge  
* Broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) - 3186 miles/ 5127 km (1905); 4853  miles/ 7810 km (1918); 6861 miles/11,042 km (1947)
* Narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]])  - 373 miles/600 km (1918)

The NWR also managed, worked and maintained a number of BG and NG lines on behalf of other parties.

The listings below are generally based on the “Administration Report on Railways 1918” <ref name=Admin1918p106>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n115/mode/1up “Administration Report for Railways” pages 106-7 (pdf115-6) ]; Retrieved 4 Apr 2020</ref>.

==NWR Commercial  Section ==
Broad Gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]). Total line length, 1918, Commercial Section - 2539 miles(4086km)

===[[Ghaziabad-Lahore Railway |Ghaziabad- Lahore Mainline]]===
*[[Ghaziabad-Lahore Railway|‘Ghaziabad to Lahore Section’]], 339 miles(546km), was part of the [[Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway]]( SP&DR) until amalgamation into NWR in 1886,.  The line had been constructed in stages from [[Lahore]] to [[Amritsar]] in 1862 and via [[Jullunder]], [[Ludiana]], [[Ambala]], and [[Meerut]] to [[Ghaziabad]] completed by 1870.
**[[Amritsar-Pathankot  Railway| ‘Pathankot Branch Line’]], 67 miles(107km), a branch from [[Amritsar]] via Dinanager to [[Pathankot]], opened  1884 by SP&DR, became NWR from 1886.
===[[Lahore & Peshawar Railway|Lahore-Peshawar Mainline]]===  
*[[Lahore & Peshawar Railway| ‘Lahore to Peshawar Section’]], 288 miles (463km), was the [[Punjab Northern State Railway]] until amalgamation into NWR in 1886. The first section from [[Lahore]] to [[Jhelum]], opened 1873 as metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) and converted to BG, 1878; from [[Jhelum]] via [[Rawalpindi]] the onward connection to [[Peshawar]], was made in 1883 with the completion of the [[Attock Bridge]] over the river Indus. 
**‘Tawi Branch  Line’, was completed in 1890. The 26 miles(42km)  from [[Wazirabad]] (a town on the [[Lahore & Peshawar Railway| ‘Lahore to Peshawar Section’]], to [[Sialkot]], opened 1884 by PNSR . Extended by NWR in 1890 by 9 miles(14km) to the ‘Frontier of Kashmir State’ where the [[Jammu and Kashmir Railway]]  continued the railway a further 16 miles(26km) to the ‘Left Bank of the Tawi River near [[Jammu]]’. The 25 mile(40km)section  is in some records referred to as the [[Jammu-Sialkot Railway]]. The complete line from [[Wazirabad]]  to [[Jammu]], a total of  51 miles(82km) was part of the NWR network until partition when the line was severed. 

===[[Lahore-Karachi Mainline]]===
This NWR Mainline connecting Lahore to Karachi ,  756 miles(1217km) comprised:- 
* ‘Lahore via Raiwind to Khanewa Section’, 177 miles(285km), originally the [[Punjaub Railway]] opened in 1865, merged to form  SP&DR 1870, becoming  NWR 1886.
**‘Raiwind-Bhatinda Branch Line’, 88 miles(141km), a branch from [[Raiwind]] via [[Kasur]] to Hussainiwala (on the northern bank of the River Sutlej), opened 1883 by SP&DR. The [[Empress Bridge]] over the river was completed 1887 by NWR to [[Ferozepore]] and extended in 1899 to [[Bhatinda]] 
* ‘Khanewal to Lodhran Section’, 56 miles(90km), opened by NWR 1909, reducing the route length by 29 mile(46km) and making the former mainline, which had opened by [[Indus Valley State Railway|IVSR]] in 1865, into the  ‘Khanewal-Lodhran (via Sher Shar) Chord Line’ (see below) 
**‘Khanewal-Lodhran (via Sher Shar) Chord Line’, 85 miles(136km), from Khanewal to Multan, 1865; to Muzaffarabad , 1870; to Lodhran, 1878, formerly the IVSR Mainline, became NWR 1886. Became a NWR Chord Line In 1909 with the opening of the 29 mile shorter  ‘Khanewal  to Lodhran Section’ of the ‘[[Ghaziabad-Lahore Railway |Ghaziabad- Lahore Mainline]]’ (see above).
*‘Lodhran to Rohri section’, 225 miles(362km), opened 1878 by [[Indus Valley State Railway]](IVSR), which became NWR 1886, via [[Samasata]] (with an interchange to the ‘[[Southern Punjab Railway]])
**’Sukkur Bandar Branch Line’, 1.5 miles(2.4km), a branch from [[Sukkur]] on the ‘[[Lahore-Karachi Mainline]]’ to Sukkur Bandar, opened by IVSR in 1878 
* [[Kotri-Rohri Railway|‘Rohri-Kotri Section’]], 189 miles(304km), from [[Rohri]] via  [[Hyderabad]] and Rahoki Junction to [[Kotri]] was completed in 1900 with the opening of the [[Kotri Bridge]] over the river Indus. This making the former mainline  ''(see below)'', which had opened in 1886 into the ‘[[Kotri-Rohri Railway|‘Kotri-Rohri (via Ruk) Branch Line]]’ 
* [[Kotri-Rohri Railway|‘Rohri-Kotri (via Ruk) Branch Line]]’ from [[Sukkur]] via  Ruk Junction, Larkhana  and Sehwan  to [[Kotri]], completed in 1878. This line was formerly the mainline until the opening of the [[Kotri Bridge]] in 1900 to complete the  NWR Mainline [[Kotri-Rohri Railway|‘Rohri-Kotri Section’]]  ''(see above)''
**‘Phulji Branch Line’, 3 miles(5km), from Phulji to Puranadera, opened as a branch to the ’Kotri-Rohri (via Ruk) Section’ opened by SP&DR in  1882;  with short extension by NWR,  1902 
* [[Karachi-Kotri (Indus River) Railway|’Kotri to Karach Section]]’, 108 miles(174km), was completed in 1861 by [[Scinde Railway]],  which became  SP&DR 1870 and NWR 1886

===NWR Branch Lines===
*‘Wazirabad-Khanewal Branch Line’, 201 miles(320km), from [[Wazirabad]] reaching [[Lyallpur]], 1896; extended to [[Khanewal]], 1900. Surveyed under the name [[ Wazirabad-Multan Railway]], 1892; when first section opened  1896 was named the [[Wazirabad-Lyallpur State Railway]]  and became part of the NWR network.
*‘Jech Doab Branch Line’, 149 miles(238km), from [[Malakwal]] (on the NWR [[Sind-Sagar Railway]])  via Sarodha, opened by NWR, 1903 ; extended to Shorkot Road, 1906 to join the ‘Wazirabad-Khanewal Branch Line’
*‘Shahdara-Sangla  Branch Line’, 55 miles( 88km), from Shahdara (6km north of Lahore on Mainline) to Sangla (an intermediate station on the ‘Jech Doab Branch Line’) , opened by NWR, 1907
** ‘[[Shorekot Road-Chichoki Railway |’Shorkot Road-Chichoki Mallian Branch Line’]], 136 miles(218km), from Shorkot Road (on the ‘Wazirabad-Khanewal Branch Line’ ) via Jaranwala to Chichoki Mallian (an intermediate stop on the ‘Shahdara-Sangla  Branch Line’) , under survey and construction 1906-10; opened by NWR, 1909-11
*‘Hoshiarpur Branch Line’, 23 miles(37km),  from [[Jullundur ]] (on the [[Ghaziabad-Lahore Railway |Ghaziabad- Lahore Mainline]]) to [[Hoshiarpur]], opened by NWR,  1913
*‘Havelian Branch Line’, 35 miles(56km) from Sarai Kala (Not identified, thought to be Taxila Junction, 15 km NW of [[Rawalpindi]], on the ‘[[Lahore & Peshawar Railway|Lahore-Peshawar Mainline]]’, to Havelian, opened by NWR, 1913
*‘Jakhal-Hissar Branch Line’, 50 miles(80km), from Jakhal  to [[Hissar]] opened 1913 by NWR
* ‘[[Sirhind-Rupar Railway]]’, estimated 55 km from [[Sirhind]] (on ‘[[Ghaziabad-Lahore Railway |Ghaziabad- Lahore Mainline]]’ between [[Ambala]] and [[Ludhiana]]).  Constructed by NWR as part of a dam construction project and in operation before 1927

==NWR Frontier (Military) Section ==
Broad Gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]). Total line length, 1918, Military Section - 1151 miles(1852km)
<br>''Based on information from the 1918 “Administration Report for Railways” pages 106 and 107''<ref name=Admin1918p106/>

'''Sind-Sagar Mainline'''
* ‘Lala Musa-Sher Shah Mainline’, 342 miles(550km). [[Lala Musa]] to [[Malakwal]], following the east bank  of Indus River, opened 1880 by [[Sind-Sagar Railway]] as metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) converted to BG 1886 on the amalgamation into NWR. The line was extended from [[Malakwal]] via Kundian and Bhaakkar and reached Sher Shah in 1900 where it joined the ‘[[Lahore-Karachi Mainline]]’.
** ‘Golra-Basal Section Line’, 47 Miles(75km), opened 1881 from Golra (on ‘[[Lahore & Peshawar Railway|Lahore-Peshawar Mainline]]’) to Basal Junction (where it joined the  ‘[[Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway]]’ )
** ‘Kohat Section Line’, 39 miles(63km), 7 miles(11km) from Jand to Khushalgarh opened 1881 as [[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]] line; the 32 miles(52km) extension to [[Kohat]] was first opened 1902 as part of the ‘[[Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway]]’  2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]), the section as far [[Kohat]] was converted to BG, 1908.
** ‘Bhara Branch Line’, 18 Miles(km) from Malakwal via Miani to Bhera, opened 1880-82 as a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) line; converted to BG 1887 
** ‘Bhaganwala Branch Line’, 11 miles(18km) from Haranpur to Bhaganwala, opened 1895
** ‘Warcha Quarry Branch Line’, 8 miles(13km) from Gunjyal to Warcha, opened 1918
** ‘[[Dandot Branch Line]]’, 8.5 miles(13.6km) from Chalisa Junction via Khewra Salt Mines to Dandot, opened 1888 as a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) line; converted to BG 1887-89
** ‘Kundian-Campbellpur Section’, 119 miles(191km) from Kundian via Daud Khel to Jand opened 1892-99; Jald to Basal opened 1881 and extended to Campbellpur 1899
** ‘Mari Branch Line’, 6.2 miles(10km), opened 1892 from Daud Khel to Mari
** ‘Ghazi Ghat Branch Line’ 10 miles(16km), opened 1887 from Mahmud Kot to Ghazi Ghat
** ‘Peshawar-Jamrud Branch Line’, 11 miles(18km), opened 1901 from [[Peshawar]] to Jamrud

'''Sind-Pishin Mainline'''
*[[Sind-Pishin State Railway|‘Ruk-Chaman  Mainline’]], 387 miles(622km). The [[Quetta Link Railway]] was order by the British Government in 1876 as a strategic railway. The section from Ruk]Junction to [[Sibi]] opened 1880 was constructed by the SP&DR and named the [[Kandahar State Railway]], merged into NWR 1886; extended from [[Sibi]] via Mushkaf and Bostan 1887; to Lila Abdulla, 1888; reaching [[Chaman]] 1892 . The section from [[Mushkaf-Bolan Railway| Muskaf through the Bolan Pass]] was a major challenge as described in the [[Bolan Pass Railway Construction]] the track was twice washed away and finally opened after reconstruction in 1887
** ‘[[Quetta-Nushki Branch Line]]’, 88 miles(141km),opened on November 15, 1905. An extension NWR Military Section from Spezand Junction, [[Quetta]] to [[Nushki]]. The line was extended from 1916 to respond to Military demands – see  [[Trans-Baluchistan Railway]] for details
** ‘Sibi-Bostan Loop Line’, 109 mile(175km), from [[Sibi]] to [[Quetta]], opened 1882 and 1887, dismantled and realigned 1897; extended to [[Bostan]], 1887; Bostan Chord opened 1898

==NWR Narrow Gauge Northern Frontier Network==
''In approximate chronological order''
* ‘[[Mari-Attock Railway]]’, NG, opened 1891. Opened as part of NWR Northern Frontier narrow gauge network.
* ‘[[Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway]]’, NG, opened 1903 as a military railway; part of NWR Northern Frontier narrow gauge network, extended 1908.
* ‘[[Khanai-Hindubagh Railway]]’, NG, opened 1921. Part of the NWR Northern Frontier narrow gauge, [[Zhob Valley Railway]] network; construction commenced 1916.
* ‘[[Mari Indus Railway]]’, NG, constructed in 1920's as part of NWR Northern Frontier narrow gauge network.
* ‘[[Zhob Valley Railway]]’, NG, opened 1921. Part of NWR Northern Frontier narrow gauge network; finally extended from Boston to Zhob , 1929

==Lines worked by NWR at some time==
''In approximate chronological order''
* ‘[[Rajpura-Bhatinda Railway]]’, BG, 108 miles(173km) total, opened  1884 from Rajpura to Patiala as the ‘[[Rajpura-Pattiala Railway]]’, extended to Bhatinda 1889. Owned by Patiala Durbar, worked by NWR 
* ‘[[Southern Punjab Railway]]’(SPR), BG, private company,several sections opened from 1897 onwards. Total 502 miles(808km) in 1905, 995 miles(1601km) in 1918. Private Co., worked as part of the NWR system; lines acquired by State and merged into NWR, 1930. With following sections:-
** ‘[[Delhi-Samasata Railway|Delhi-Samasata Mainline]]’, BG,opened 1897 by SPR.  [[Delhi]] via Narwana, Jakhal, [[Bhatinda]] to [[Samasata]]; 426 miles(685km) including branches:-
**[[Jullundur-Doab Railway]], BG, opened 1912-14 by SPR, 130 miles(209km) comprising the  ‘Jullunder-Ferozepore Mainline';  ‘[[Phillaur Branch Line]]’ and the  ‘[[Jullundur-Nakodar Chord Railway]]'
** [[Ludhiana Extension Railway]], BG, opened 1905-06 by SPR, 152 miles(244km) comprising the ‘Ludhiana-Ferozepore Line’ and ‘Ferozepore-MacLeod Ganj Line’
**[[Sutlej Valley Railway|’Sutlej Valley Extension Railway’]] also named  ‘[Kasur-Lodhran Railway]]’, BG, opened 1910 by SPR, 208 miles(335km). Line closed and dismantled 1917-18, 
** ‘[[Ludhiana-Dhuri-Jakhal Railway]]’BG, opened 1901, 79 miles(127km). Managed, maintained and worked by [[North Western Railway]] (NWR) under an Agreement with the [[Princely states|Princely ]] Maler Kotla State]Durbar and the Jhind State Durbars. The line was used by SPR linking the ’[[Delhi-Samasata Railway|Delhi-Samasata Mainline]]’ at [[Jakhal]] with '[[Ludhiana Extension Railway]]' at [[Ludhiana]].
* ‘[[Ludhiana-Dhuri-Jakhal Railway]]’, BG, opened 1901; owned by Jind & Kotia Darbar; constructed and worked by NWR
* ‘[[Nowshera-Durgai Railway]]’, NG, opened 1901, 40 miles(64km), owned by State, worked as part of NWR
* ‘[[Kalka-Simla Railway]]’, Narrow Gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) opened 1903 , 59 miles(95km). Built and worked by private company; taken over by Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]), 1906 and worked by NWR from 1907.
* ‘[[Trans-Baluchistan Railway]]’, opened 1905. Strategic Military line between India and Persia (now Iran); worked by NWR
** ‘[[Nushki Extension Railway]]’. Extension of ‘[[Trans-Baluchistan Railway]]’; construction commenced 1916;  worked by NWR
* ‘[[Amritsar-Patti Railway]]’, BG,  37 miles(59km),  opened 1906 from [[Amritsar]] to Patti, extended to [[Kasur]], a further 27 miles(43km), 1910. Private Co. formed 1905, worked by NWR
** ‘[[Patti-Kasur Railway]]’, BG,  27 miles(43km), opened 1910. Private Co., extension of [[Amritsar-Patti Railway]], worked by NWR
* ‘[[Khanpur-Chachran Railway]]’, BG, opened 1911, 22 miles(35km). Owned by Bahawalpur Durbar; worked by NWR.
* ‘[[Trans Indus (Kalabagh-Bannu) Railway]]’, NG, 136 miles(218km), opened 1913 and extended 1916; worked and finally merged into NWR
* ‘[[Jacobabad-Kashmore Railway]]’, NG, opened 1914, 77 miles(123km) from [[Jacobad]] to [[Kashmor]]. Private Co., worked by NWR; purchased by GoI, 1945
* “[[Hoshiarpur Doab Railway]]’(HDR), BG, Private Co., three sections opened 1915-17, total 90 miles(144km). Network of lines all worked and apparantly finally absorbed into NWR
** ‘[[Jullundur-Mukerian Railway]]’, BG, Private Co., opened 1914-15. 
** ‘[[Phagwara-Rahon Railway]]’,  BG, Private Co., opened 1915-16. 
** ‘[[Jaijon Extension Railway]],’ BG, Private Co., opened before 1920. 
* ‘[[Sialkot-Narowal Railway]],’ BG, opened 1915-16, 38 miles(61km) from [[Sialkot]] to [[Narowal]]. Private Co., worked by NWR
* ‘[[Mandra Bhaun Railway]]’, BG, 46 miles(83km), opened in 1915-16 from Mandra to Bhaun. Private Co. formed 1913,   worked by NWR 
* ‘[[Jind-Panipat Railway]]’, BG, opened 1916-17, 26 miles(41km). Owned by Jind State Durbar. Originally worked by EIR; later apparently by NWR 
* ‘[[Larkana-Jacobabad (Sind) Light Railway]]’, NG, Private Co., opened  1921, worked by NWR
* ‘[[Khyber Railway]], opened 1925 as a BG line strategic line from India to Afganistan via Khyber Pass; worked by NWR
* ‘[[Shahdara-Narowal Railway]]’, BG, opened 1926 as further extension of NWR from [[Narowal]] to Shahdara. 
*[[Bahawalnagar-Fort Abbas Railway]]’, BG, 70 miles(112km), opened 1928. A Durbar line financed by princely state of [[Bahawalpur]]; worked by NWR
* ‘[[Kangra Valley Railway]],’ Narrow Gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]]) mountain railway, opened 1929, worked by NWR; one section closed in 1942 (reopened 1954).
* ‘[[Aden Railway]]’, MG, opened 1915-16. Constructed as a military railway, worked by NWR under designated 'Engineer-in-charge'. Closed 1929, dismantled 1930

==Railways surveyed by NWR==
* ‘[[Bannu Railway Survey]]’. Under Survey in 1909 (ref 1909 India List) by NWR on behalf of Government of India([[Government of India |GoI]]), but no evidence that it was constructed

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Railways]]