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The early railway companies were UK companies operating in India. Later the British Government of India (GOI) owned the majority and either managed them directly or leased them back to private management. From circa 1925 the GOI began to call in the leases, operating the services directly. By 1945, most railways were both owned and managed by the GOI.
*[[:Category:Guaranteed Railways|Guaranteed Railways]] included those railway companies, formed by 1859, to which the East India Company, later the GOI, guaranteed a fixed return on capital.
*[[:Category:Private Railways|Private Railways]] (those built without a guarantee) were few in number - only two were formed in the period 1850-1866 and both these were re-constituted by 1870.
*[[:Category:Foreign Railways|Foreign Railways]]. Three small railways were built to serve foreign enclaves. These were managed by British companies but ownership of the lines could never vest in the GOI.
 
For a full list of railways known to have operated in British India, follow the link below.
*[[:Category:Railways|Railways index, 1845-1947]]
 
== Independence ==
 
In 1947, the year of Independence, there were 42 operational railway systems in what had been British India but the most immediate practical consideration of partition was the division of several systems to form what then became [[Indian Railways]] and [[Pakistan Railways]]; later still, the latter was to suffer further upheaval on the formation of [[Bangladesh Railway]].
 
== Records and employment ==
It is important to bear in mind that railway staff records created in India before 1947 remain in India, as do the records of railways built, owned or operated by the Indian Princely States. The records that survive today in the collections held at the British Library (and elsewhere) do so because they were originally created in the UK.
It is important to bear in mind that railway staff records created in India before 1947 remain in India, as do Europeans employed on State Railways were usually on the records strength of railways built, owned or operated by the Indian Princely States. The records that survive today in the collections held at the British Library (and elsewhere) do so because they were originally created in the UK.'''[[Public Works Department]]'''
For information about the records of railway staff held at the British Library, follow this [http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/occupations/railwayemployment/railway.html link].
 
Also see '''[[L/F/10 Records of Service 1702-1928]]'''
==== Railway occupations ====
 Collections of railway records are generally by railway company so it is a good idea to know which railway company an ancestor worked for. In addition, very few collections of railway records are indexed so it is also a good idea to know the trade or employment followed on the railway as occupations were often grouped together when published in staff lists and registers. Even in [[Directories reading list|Thacker's]], this will be found to be the case in the individual railway company entries. More information about railway occupations can be found in Fibiwiki article [[railway worker|here]].
==== Anglo-Indians ====
[[Anglo Indian|Anglo-Indians]] became closely identified with the running of the railways. By 1905, forming less than ½% of India's total population, they provided 2% of railway employees. Eventually more than 50% of all Anglo-Indian families came to be supported by railway employment either directly or as a dependant of a railway employee.
[[Anglo Indian|Anglo==FIBIS resources==*"Railways of India-Indians]] became closely identified with Part 1" . The first 10 minutes of an hour and a half talk given by Hugh Wilding at the FIBIS Spring Lecture meeting 23 May 2009 on the running Railways of India is available to download or listen to on the railways[http://feeds. By 1905, forming less than ½% feedburner.com/FibisPodcast podcast page].*"Railways of India's total population, they provided - Part 2% ". The first 10 minutes of the second part of railway employees. Eventually more than 50% an hour and a half talk given by Hugh Wilding at the FIBIS Spring Lecture meeting 23 May 2009 on the Railways of all Anglo-Indian families came India is available to be supported by railway emplyoment either directly download or listen to on the [http://feeds.feedburner.com/FibisPodcast podcast page]. :For both podcasts, the full version is available to FIBIS members only in the [http://members-area.fibis.org/ FIBIS Social Network], previously known as the Members Area. Members will also find the presentation notes that accompanied this talk in the FIBIS Social Network.*"The Indian Railways and a dependant Dynasty of a railway employeePearces" by Michael Feilden Pearce, [[FIBIS Journals|''FIBIS Journal]] Number 25 (Spring 2011)'' pages 13-21. "Part 2.The Viceregal Carriages" ''FIBIS Journal Number 27 (Spring 2012)'', pages 30-36**Read more about Michael Pearce's search in [http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/1836639/report-grandchildren-of-the-raj "Grandchildren of the Raj"] by Yolande D'Mello May 19, 2013 dnaindia.com.
== Recommended Reading ==
 *Hugh Wilding, ''Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947'', FIBIS Fact File No 4 (London: FIBIS, 2009). ISBN 978-0-9547-116-5-8. [This title can be ordered directly from the [http://shop.fibis.org/amazon.htm FIBIS Online Shop].]
*Hyde Clarke, [http://books.google.com/books?id=PGcBAAAAQAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=simla&as_brr=1&output=html ''Colonization, Defence, and Railways in our Indian Empire''] (London: John Weale, 1857).
*J N Westwood, ''Railways of India'' (Newton Abbot: David & Charles Ltd, 1974) [out of print; a general history of the railways of India from pre 1840 to the 1970s].
*Ian J Kerr, ''Building the Railways of the Raj 1850-1900'' (Delhi; Oxford: OUP, 1995) [out of print; a detailed, academic examination with full bibliography]. Available at the [[British Library]]. To buy a copy, refer [[Booksellers - Antiquarian, Secondhand and Specialist]].
*Ian J Kerr, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1F9QtYSSa0gC&printsec=frontcover ''Engines of Change : the Railroads that made India''] (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 2007) [links to a Google Books preview limited to the first 35 pages].
*Laura Bear, ''Lines of the Nation'' (New York: Columbia, 2007) [essential but uncomfortable reading for Anglo-Indians with railway roots].[http://home.alphalink.com.au/~agilbert/reviewb.html A review] by Robyn Andrews<ref>[http://home.alphalink.com.au/~agilbert/reviewb.html A review] by Robyn Andrews ''The International Journal of Anglo-Indian Studies'' Volume 11, Number 1, 2011.</ref>
== External Links ==
 
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/ ''The Imperial Gazetteer of India : New edition . . . in Council''] Vol 1, 1909 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1931).
 *Indian Railways, [http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/financecoderailwayboard/ADMIN_FINANCE/AdminFinanceCh1view_section.htm jsp?lang=0&id=0,1 "Evolution of About Indian Railways - Historical Background"] ''Indian Railway Administration and Finance''indianrailways.gov.in
*[http://www.irfca.org/index.html ''The Indian Railways Fan Club''] Train spotters site about Indian Railways.
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20120204155938/http://www.irfca.org/docs/locolists/industrial/display.php?file=Military.txt&title=Military%20Trains Indian/South-Asian Industrial Locos: Military Trains] by Simon Darvill
*[http://pakistanrail.com/ ''PakistanRail''] Train spotters site about Pakistan Railways.
 
*[http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r144.html "Modern transport in India"] ''Mike's Railway History''.
*[http://www.railwaysofraj.blogspot.com Railways of the Raj] A lively site featuring titbits from railway life in British India.*Juland Danvers, [http://bookswww.googleyoutube.com/booksplaylist?idlist=tp4IAAAAQAAJ ''Report to the Secretary PLC8754A97881FF003 FIBIS List of State for India in Council Railway videos on Railways YouTube]*[http://www.essaysinhistory.com/articles/2011/5 ""Fire-Carriages" of the Raj: The Indian Railway and its Rapid Development in British India"] by Amit K. Sharma 2010 ''], compilation Essays In History. Annual Journal of three reports, viz to end the Corcoran Department of 1859; History at June 1877; and for 1877-1878 [each report is separately numbered]. Online at Google Books.the University of Virginia''*[http://www.railwaysofrajtrains-worldexpresses.blogspotcom/400/410.com Railways of the Rajhtm Imperial Indian Mail <nowiki>[</nowiki>and other trains<nowiki>]</nowiki>] A lively site featuring tidbits from railway life in British Indiatrains-worldexpresses.com ==== Historical books online====
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=StwDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR1 ''Railways in India, by an engineer''] 1847 Google Books
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=rWrXAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP7 ''Indian railways and their probable results''] by Sir William Patrick Andrew 1848 Google Books
*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=LNApAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP5 ''Madras: Report of the Railway Department 1853''] Google Books
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=ZD8KAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover ''Colonization, defence, and railways in our Indian empire''] by Hyde Clarke 1857 Google Books
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=7sJzPtyIsmEC&printsec=frontcover ''Discussion of the Question of Railways or Waterways for India''] 1860 Google Books
*Juland Danvers, [http://books.google.com/books?id=tp4IAAAAQAAJ ''Report to the Secretary of State for India in Council on Railways in India''], compilation of three reports, viz to end of 1859; at June 1877; and for 1877-1878 [each report is separately numbered]. Online at Google Books.
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/reportonindianr00boargoog#page/n8/mode/1up ''Report to the Secretary of State for India in Council on Railways in India for the year 1878-79''] by Juland Danvers 1879 Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/lawindianrailwa00macpgoog#page/n9/mode/1up ''Law of Indian Railways and Common Carriers''] by Walter Gordon Macpherson 1880 Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/details/IndianRailways ''Indian Railways''] by Sir William P.Andrew, C.I.E. 1884 4th Edition Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/bradshawsrailwa00unkngoog#page/n411/mode/2up "India, Egypt and the Colonies"] ''Bradshaw's Railway Manual, Shareholder's Guide, and Official Directory 1905'' Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/indianrailwaysra033015mbp#page/n5/mode/2up ''Indian Railways Rates and Regulation''] by N.B. Mehta 1927 Archive.org
*''Universal Directory of Railway Officials and Year Book 1939-1940'' has a section on India, commencing computer page 67, including names of the senior officials of the various railways. This book is available to read online on the [[Online books#Digital Library of India| Digital Library of India]] website
==== Maps====
Imperial Gazetteer of India Vol 26 Atlas 1909
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gaz_atlas_1909/pager.html?object=29 Railways Sectional Map 1 (Northwest)]
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gaz_atlas_1909/fullscreen.html?object=30 Railways Sectional Map 2 (Northeast)]
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gaz_atlas_1909/fullscreen.html?object=31 Railways Sectional Map 3 (South)]
==References==
<references />
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