Difference between revisions of "Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway"

From FIBIwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
('Personnel Records' added with text and references)
(Revised information added with references)
Line 88: Line 88:
 
|system3details=   
 
|system3details=   
 
}}
 
}}
 +
The '''Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway''' (R&KR) was a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) railway whose northern terminus at [[Kathgodam]] served the submontane belt of the [[United Provinces]] between [[Lucknow]] and [[Moradabad]], as well as a number of hill stations, such as [[Naini Tal]].
  
The '''Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway''' (R&KR) was a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) railway whose northern terminus at [[Kathgodam]] served the submontane belt of the [[United Provinces]] between [[Lucknow]] and [[Moradabad]], as well as a number of hill stations, such as [[Naini Tal]].
+
The original main line from Bhojeepura(near [[Bareilly]]) opened in 1884 and ran 54 miles(84km) in a north-westerly direction to [[Kathgodam]]  The railway was progressively extended  and by 1912 the R&KR covered 256 miles(412km); and the R&KR also worked the [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]] 296 miles(476km) and together with the [[Powayan Light Railway]]; giving a total network of  592 miles(953km) <ref name=Lalvani>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=q4SlCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA218#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books “The Making of India: The Untold Story of British Enterprise” by  Kartar Lalvani, page 218]; Retrieved 8 Dec 2016</ref>.
 +
 
 +
The R&KR  also had working agreements with both the [[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]] [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]] and the [[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]] [[Powayan Light Railway]].  The three railways were worked using shared facilities but retaining separate  identities. ''See ‘Lines Worked’ and ‘Records' below'' 
 +
 
 +
==Lines owned and operated by R&KR==
 +
Information mainly based on the “Administration Report for Railways 1918” <ref name=Admin1918>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n204/mode/1up  "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing,  Calcutta;  page 196]; Retrieved 8 Dec 2016</ref>.
 +
*[[Bhojeepura-Kathgodam R&KR Mainline]]  from Bhojeepura (near [[Bareilly]]  to [[Kathgodam]] , 1884; 54 miles(84km)
 +
**‘Kasganj Extension Line’ from  [[Bareilly]] to  Soron, 1885; to [[Kasganj]], 1906; 63 miles(100km)
 +
**‘Ramnagar Extension Line’ from [[Moradabad]] to [[Ramnagar]], 1907-8; 48 miles(76km)
 +
**‘Kashipur Extension Line’  from [[Lalkua]] to [[Kashipur]], 1907; 36 miles(57km)
 +
**‘Shahjahanpur Extension Line’ from [[Pilibhit]] 1911; reaching [[Shahjahanpur]] 1916; 56 miles(89km)
  
The main line from [[Bhojeepura]] to [[Kathgodam]] opened in 1884 and developed until 1916 with a number of network extensions
+
==Lines worked by R&KR==
<ref name=Admin1918>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n204/mode/2up  "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing,  Calcutta;  page 196]; Retrieved 18 Jul 2016</ref>
+
*[[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]] , from 1891, a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) railway which formed an alternative northern "loop" between the cities of [[Lucknow]] and [[Bareilly]] to the broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) main line of the [[Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway]]. The MG of 198 miles (317km) in 1891; extended to 312 miles(500km) by 1914 <ref name=Admin1918/>.
*[[Kasganj]] extension - completed in 1885 reaching [[Bareilly]], 1906; 63 miles(100km)
+
*[[Powayan Light Railway]], from the 17 Dec 1900, a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]])line of 39 miles(62km) length <ref name=Admin1918/>.
*[[Ramnager]] extension from [[Moradabad]], 1908; 48 miles(76km)  
 
*[[Kashipur]] extension from [[Lalkua]], 1907; 36 miles(57km)  
 
*[[Shahjahanpur]] extension from [[Pilibhit]], 1911-16; 56 miles(89km)
 
  
The R&KR also worked:-
+
==Lines Surveyed/Proposed by R&KR==
*[[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]] , from 1891, a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) line of 198 miles (317km) in 1891; extended to 312.46 miles(500km) length by 1914 <ref name=Admin1918/>.
+
*’Philibhit-Sitapur Railway’, sanctioned for survey 1905-6; MG line from [[Pilibhit]]  - Bisalpur to [[Shahjahanpur]] and thence to [[Sitapur]], a length of about 105 miles(168km) <ref>[https://archive.org/stream/RailwayProjects/Railway%20projects#page/n80/mode/1up “Histories of (Indian)Railway Projects ...up to June 1906” page 42]; Retrieved 8 Dec 2016</ref>. The 'Philibhit - Shahjahanpur  Section’  was constructed by R&KR as  ’Shahjahanpur Extension Line’, opened 1911-16  - ''see above''; the extension to [[Sitapur]] was still to be constructed in 1916.  
*[[Powayan Light Railway]], from the 17 Dec 1900, a 2ft 6in/762mm narrow gauge([[Rail_gauge#Narrow_Gauge|NG]])line of 38.86 miles(62km) length <ref name=Admin1918/>.
+
*’Dudhwa Branch Extension’ and ‘Ramnager Ghat Extension’, first proposed in  1895 by the Agents, the R&KR, on behalf of the [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]](LBSR) – ''see for information''  <ref name=History1906>[https://archive.org/stream/RailwayProjects/Railway%20projects#page/n80/mode/1up “Histories of (Indian)Railway Projects ...up to June 1906” page 42]; Retrieved 8 Dec 2016</ref>.
 +
*Pilibhit-Barmedo Branch]], surveyed in 1903 by the Agents, the R&KR, on behalf of the [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]](LBSR) – ''see for information'' <ref name=History1906/>
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 109: Line 118:
 
The R&KR remained a private Company until nationalisation in 1943 when it was amalgamated with the [[Bengal and North-Western Railway]](B&NWR), with which it had been closely associated, and the [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]], to form the [[Oudh and Tirhut Railway]](O&TR).
 
The R&KR remained a private Company until nationalisation in 1943 when it was amalgamated with the [[Bengal and North-Western Railway]](B&NWR), with which it had been closely associated, and the [[Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway]], to form the [[Oudh and Tirhut Railway]](O&TR).
  
In turn, in 1952, the [[Oudh and Tirhut Railway]] became part of '''North Eastern Railway''', a zone of Indian Railways.
+
In turn, in 1952, the [[Oudh and Tirhut Railway]] became part of 'North Eastern Railway', a zone of [[Indian Railways]].
 +
 
 
==Records==
 
==Records==
Refer to FIBIS Fact File  #4: “Research sources for Indian Railways, 1845-1947” -  available from the [http://www.fibis.org/store/fibis-books-and-publications/bff-0004-research-sources-for-indian-railways-1845-1947/ Fibis shop]. This Fact File contains invaluable advice on 'Researching ancestors in the UK records of Indian Railways' with particular reference to the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) held at the [[British Library]]
 
  
 
An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway <ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2  “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue”  - Search];  Retrieved  27 Jan 2016</ref>
 
An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway <ref>[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2  “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue”  - Search];  Retrieved  27 Jan 2016</ref>
Line 119: Line 128:
  
 
==Personnel Records==
 
==Personnel Records==
There are no personnel or staff records held in the IOR.
+
There are no personnel or staff records held in the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) held at the [[British Library]]
  
 
There is a photograph dated 1911 in the Satow Collection:
 
There is a photograph dated 1911 in the Satow Collection:

Revision as of 06:53, 10 December 2016

Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway
[[Image:|150px| ]]
System timeline
Constituent companies / lines
Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway
Powayan Light Railway
Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway
Key locations
Headquarters Izatnagar
Workshops
Major Stations Bareilly, Lucknow, Mailani, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur
Successor system / organisation
1943 Oudh and Tirhut Railway
System mileage
Metre gauge 331 miles (1905)
687 miles (1943)
Associated auxiliary force
How to interpret this infobox
Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway
[[Image:|150px| ]]
Line of route
Bareilly to Kathgodam
Gauge / mileage
Metre gauge 54 miles (1905)
Timeline
1882 Company registered
1884 Open to traffic
Key locations
Presidency Bengal
Stations Bhojeepura, Laikua, Haldwani
System agency
Worked by Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway
How to interpret this infobox

The Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway (R&KR) was a metre gauge(MG) railway whose northern terminus at Kathgodam served the submontane belt of the United Provinces between Lucknow and Moradabad, as well as a number of hill stations, such as Naini Tal.

The original main line from Bhojeepura(near Bareilly) opened in 1884 and ran 54 miles(84km) in a north-westerly direction to Kathgodam The railway was progressively extended and by 1912 the R&KR covered 256 miles(412km); and the R&KR also worked the Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway 296 miles(476km) and together with the Powayan Light Railway; giving a total network of 592 miles(953km) [1].

The R&KR also had working agreements with both the MG Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway and the NG Powayan Light Railway. The three railways were worked using shared facilities but retaining separate identities. See ‘Lines Worked’ and ‘Records' below

Lines owned and operated by R&KR

Information mainly based on the “Administration Report for Railways 1918” [2].

Lines worked by R&KR

Lines Surveyed/Proposed by R&KR

  • ’Philibhit-Sitapur Railway’, sanctioned for survey 1905-6; MG line from Pilibhit - Bisalpur to Shahjahanpur and thence to Sitapur, a length of about 105 miles(168km) [3]. The 'Philibhit - Shahjahanpur Section’ was constructed by R&KR as ’Shahjahanpur Extension Line’, opened 1911-16 - see above; the extension to Sitapur was still to be constructed in 1916.
  • ’Dudhwa Branch Extension’ and ‘Ramnager Ghat Extension’, first proposed in 1895 by the Agents, the R&KR, on behalf of the Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway(LBSR) – see for information [4].
  • Pilibhit-Barmedo Branch]], surveyed in 1903 by the Agents, the R&KR, on behalf of the Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway(LBSR) – see for information [4]

History

The R&KR was company owned and worked from formation in 1882.

In 1883 Alexander Izat was appointed Director, prior to this he was employed by the Railway Branch - Public Works Department (PWD) where he had served in various parts of India and was instrumental in initiating and carrying out many metre-gauge extensions[5]. He represented R&KR at the Indian Railway Conference Association and remained as Director, until his retirement in 1904. In 1918 he is recorded as being R&KR Chairman with headquarters in London [2]

The R&KR remained a private Company until nationalisation in 1943 when it was amalgamated with the Bengal and North-Western Railway(B&NWR), with which it had been closely associated, and the Lucknow-Bareilly State Railway, to form the Oudh and Tirhut Railway(O&TR).

In turn, in 1952, the Oudh and Tirhut Railway became part of 'North Eastern Railway', a zone of Indian Railways.

Records

An on-line search of the IOR records relating to this railway [6] gives many references. The most important being:-

  • L/AG/46/35 “ Records of the India Office relating to the Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway Company; 1882-1931"
  • L/F/7/2382-2391 “Collection 380: Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway, date unspecified"

Personnel Records

There are no personnel or staff records held in the India Office Records (IOR) held at the British Library

There is a photograph dated 1911 in the Satow Collection:

"Miscellaneous Portrait Groups of Railway Officials" Photo 1082/13(4) with the following Catalogue Note [7]:-

Officers of Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway, Feb. 1911. Group portrait of railway officials, with identifications written on mount as follows:

  • front row, seated on ground: Kellie, Edwards, Welsh;
  • second row, seated: Bruce, Izat, Finlayson, Robb, Ralston;
  • third row, standing: Steyn, Bannister, Storrar, O'Brien, Irons, Young, Smith;
  • back row, standing: Sandes, Donaldson, Will, Clark, Addis

The R&KR officers detailed above have not been identified at the present time.

References