Changes

The '''Scinde Railway''' Company also known as the '''Karachi-Kotri (Indus River) Railway'''<br>– this was the first established by deed of settlement in March 1855 and incorporated by Act railway of Parliament in July 1855. The company contracted with the Government of India([[Government of India Scinde Railway Company|GoI]]) to construct a line between Karachi (formerly Kurraches) '''Scinde Railway Company''' - ''see separate page for further information on the formation and Kotree. The company was granted a 5% return on investment up to a maximum development of £1 million in order to build the 120-mile line.<ref> [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228649/8330.pdf H.M. Government “Statute Law Repeals: Nineteenth Report : Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Bill; April 2012"; pages 134-135, paragraphs 3.78-3.83Company'']] Retrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>

Work commenced in April 1858 ''Note''*''Some early documents and on 13 May 1861 succeeded in connecting Karachi references use the spelling '''Sind Railway'''.''*''Not to Kotri. This was be confused with the first ‘Sind Light Railway’ which is a separate narrow gauge railway line for public traffic between Karachi City and Kotri, a distance of 108 miles (174 km).''

==Background==The company '''[[Scinde Railway Company]]''' was involved first established by deed of settlement in a number of additional railway line projects, as well as March 1855 and incorporated by the establishment ‘Scinde Railway Act’ of Parliament in July 1855 after which a contract was entered with the [[Indus FlotillaEast India Company]] Company on the river Indusin December 1855. An Act of 1857 granted it the opportunity to extend its operations.

In 1870The Company had been invited to tender in 1855 by the [[Government of India]] to build a railway from [[Karachi|Kararchee(Karachi)]] to [[Hyderabad]], to be called the '''Scinde Railway Company was amalgamated ''' <ref> British Library IOR/L/F/8/10 (853) ‘Contract to build a railway from Kararchee to Hyderabad’, 1855 </ref>, this being a distance of about 120 miles(192km). The company contracted with the Government of India ([[Government of India |GoI]]) to construct the initial section from [[Punjab RailwayKarachi]] and to [[Delhi RailwayKotri]] Companies and renamed as . The company was granted a 5% return on investment up to a maximum of £1 million in order to build the ‘120 mile’ line <ref name=name> [[Sindhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228649/8330.pdf H.M. Government “Statute Law Repeals: Nineteenth Report : Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Bill; April 2012"; pages 134-135, Punjab and Delhi Railway]paragraphs 3.78-3.83]Retrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>.

In 1885 The Scinde Railway, the London based [[Indus FlotillaRobert Stephenson]], Consultant Engineer was approached by the [[Punjab 'Scinde Railway]] Company' for advice and the in 1857 recommended [[Delhi RailwayJohn Brunton]], working as a single company, were amalgamated to create Chief Engineer. Following Stephenson’s death in 1859 George Bidder was appointed as the Scinde Railway Consulting Engineer in London <ref>[[Scinde, Punjaub https://books.google.fr/books?id=BzErDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA155&lpg=PA155#v=onepage&q& Delhi Railwayf=false Google Books "Robert Stephenson – The Eminent Engineer” edited by Michael R. Bailey; page 155-57]] and the company was purchased by the Secretary of State for India; Retrieved 4 May 2020</ref>.

In 1886, The '''Scinde Railway''' was one part of a communication link developed by the '[[Scinde Railway Company]]' constructed primarily to reduce the journey time on the contracts expired final stage of long haul from Britain to [[Delhi]] and responsibility for [[Calcutta]]. The line from [[Karachi]] to [[Kotri]] could move cargo and passengers to [[Kotri]] instead of [[Karachi]], saving approx 250km of circuitous journey through Indus River delta. At [[Kotri]] the railway was transferred entirely line linked to the Government of India([[Government of India Indus Flotilla|GoI’Indus Flotilla’]] Company steamers, also owned by the ‘[[Scinde Railway Company]])’ which operated upstream to [[Multan]] <ref name=Mughal>[http://pakistaniat. com/2009/09/17/karachi-to-kotri-the-story-of-first-railways-in-pakistan/ All Things Pakistan “Karachi to Kotri - The GoI merged first railways in Pakistan” by Owais Mughal, Posted on September 17, 2009]; Retrieved on 23 Feb 2018</ref>. From [[Multan]] the ‘[[Scinde, Punjaub & Railway ]]’ ran to [[Amritsar]] where it became the ‘[[Delhi Railway]] with other smaller state-’, both owned railways by the [[Scinde Railway Company]], connected to create the [[North Western East Indian Railway]]at [[Ghaziabad]] (just east of [[Delhi]]), thus providing a connection between [[Karachi]] and [[Delhi]] and onward to [[Calcutta]].

==References1858-59 Report==*IRFCA The following is recorded in “Railways in India for the year 1858- Scinde 59” for the ‘Sind Railway Company - httpPhysical Difficulties’ and Construction’<ref>[https://wwwbooks.irfcagoogle.orgcom.au/docs/history/irbooks?id=tp4IAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false Online pdf version from 'Google Books' “Railways in India for the year 1858-uklaw59” by Juland Danvers , Government Director of the Indian Railways’-scindepresented to both Houses of Parliament by HM Command.html Paragraphs 69-72; Pages 17-18]; Retrieved 2 Jan 2021</ref>:-**Acts Covered: “The line in Sind (Scinde Railway Act 1857 ) proceeds from [[Karachi|Kurrarchee(20 & 21 VictKarachi)]] to [[Kotree]] on the River Indus, opposite [[Hyderabad]]. cIts lengthy, including a branch to Ghizree Bunder, is 114 miles.clx)**Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act 1869 (32 & 33 VictThe most important works are bridges and viaducts, of which there are several of considerable size, that over the Bahrum River being 600 yards in length; the next largest at 500 yards is over the Mulleer. c.lxxx)Other works of magnitude are, an embankment across a valley at Dorbejee, required to protect the line from the effects of inundation, and the wharf and steam ferry at Kotree”**Scinde“The soil is not favourable for works of excavation, being in general a mixture of sand and clay, Punjaub often with a hard crust of 1-2 feet and Delhi Railway Purchase Act 1886 (49 & 50 Victnear the Karatolla Hills a number of rocky ridges have to be cut through. cA further difficulty, which has to be contended with, is a scarcity in the supply of water.xlii)*https://enThis will not be when the line is completed, as the watering points will be fixed at places where there is anabundance.wikipediaThe want of a supply of labour has already been much felt.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_Pakistan”*http://www“The first sod was cut by Sir Bartle Frere in April 1958.gracesguideThe works have hitherto been retarded in consequence of the pecuniary difficulties of the Contractor, who has lately abandoned his Contract.coThe line is now being finished by the Company, and the Resident Engineer reports that rapid progress has been made.uk/Scinde_Railway”

==Further ReadingConstruction==Brunton, John, ''The Diary of John Brunton, Engineer, East India Railway Company'', Karchi: [http[File://pakdataScinde Railway (Karachi-Kotri).com/citypress/cpp4.htm City Presspng|right|400px| Scinde Railway (Karachi-Kotri)]], 1997. ISBN 99-8380-03-5. The work commenced in April 1858 to construct the broad gauge(Reprint version[[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]])single track railway <ref name=Gaz344> Sind Gazette British Library Compiled by E H Atkin Bombay Salt Department. Originally printed by Cambridge University Printed for government at the Steam PressKarachi 1907 Page 344</ref> and on 13 May 1861 succeeded in connecting the port town of [[Karachi]] to [[Kotri]] on the Indus River, 1939. The the first railway line for public traffic between these towns<ref> [http://bookswww.googlegracesguide.comco.auuk/books?id=vmo3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PT8 IntroductionScinde_Railway Grace’s Guide “Scinde Railway”] to the book is available in Preview Google BooksRetrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>.

The challenges faced during the construction were considerable as described in the article ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862-63 <ref name===Online=======Books====*Bruntonp22>[httphttps://books.google.comfr/books?id=H2cBAAAAQAAJ1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1 ''The PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde railwayRailway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, and its relations 1862-63 Page 22-23 ]; Retrieved 25 Nov 2020</ref>.<br>Particular reference is given to the Euphrates valleyearthworks , a viaduct and other routes considerable number of bridges required to India''be built:-* ‘[[Bahrun Valley Viaduct]] by W P Andrews’ The route involved construction a large stone viaduct, Chairman the heaviest piece of masonry upon the Scinde Railway Company 1856 Google Books*line with a length of 1,728 feet(527 metres), work commenced 1859 and completed in Jan 1861 [[http://books.google.com/books?id=ASFcAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover Bahrun Valley Viaduct |''Report of proceedings of an extraordinary general meeting of the Scinde Railway Company, held on Friday the 24th July, 1857- see separate page for further information''] Google Books]*Brunton6 Viaducts with Warren Type iron girders, Johnsent out from England, ''Description total of the Line and Works 43 each of 80 feet clear span. These were erected at the Scinde Railway''following rivers;- Mulleer, 21 spans; Guggur, 3 spans; Dorbagi, 2 spans; Runnpittiani, 6 spans; Loyach, 8 spans; Rhodh, 3 spans. 1863. Available in * 24 Bridges as follows:- [http://books.google.com/books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1 Full View Google Books] or [http://www.panhwar.com/rarebooks/Description%20of%20the%20Line%20and%19 bridges, containing 48 arches, each of 20%20Works%20of%20the%20Scinde%20Railway.pdf pdf] from Panhwar.comfeet span; 1 bridge of 3 arches of 30 ft span; 2 bridges, 10 arches of 40 ft span; 2 bridges, 4 arches of 45ft span,

====Articles==Records==*An on-line search of the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) records held at the [[British Library]] relating to this railway <ref>[http://websearcharchives.archivebl.orguk/webprimo_library/20130122163146libweb/httpaction/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search]; Retrieved 8 Apr 2016</ref>gives the following:-*Z/E/4/25/pakistaniatI53; “Indus River, Railway line to be constructed from Karachi to a point on.com”; 1854-55* Z/2009E/094/1725/karachi-R766; “Rivers, Indus, Railway line to-kotri-the-story-of-first-railways-in-pakistan/ ''be constructed from Karachi to Kotri: The First Railways in Pakistan'']a point on. ”; 1854-55* L/AG/46/17/09/20091-13; “1. All things Pakistan, now an archived websiteScinde Railway Company”; 1855-1878

==Personnel=='''Construction Engineering Management'''* Mughal[[John Brunton]]; 1857, Appointed Chief Resident Engineer of Scinde Railway (Sind Railway) <ref name=Hughes>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=C-pzUWrCU5sC&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq=description+of+the+line+and+works+of+the+Scinde+Railway&source=bl&ots=DTW2uSH2hD&sig=_JCaeiJ6FfK1irALjNQRIr_RF-8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiypcPWoKfNAhUFIMAKHbSaBOYQ6AEIJDAC#v=onepage&q=description%20of%20the%20line%20and%20works%20of%20the%20Scinde%20Railway&f=false Google Books "The Archaeology of an Early Railway System: The Brecon Forest Tramroads" by Stephen Hughes, Owaispage 126]; Retrieved 14 Jun 2016</ref>; 1858-62,'Supervised the construction of the 108 miles(174km) of the Scinde Railway between [[Karachi]] and [[Kotri]] until its completion in 1862. His detailed "Description of the line and works of the Scinde Railway" <ref>[http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1863.23344?src=recsys Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Volume 22, January 1863, pages 451-"Description of the line and works of the Scinde Railway" by John Brunton]; Retrieved 14 Jun 2016</ref> itemise the problems of building in the tropics.' Start *[[William Arthur Brunton]], the son of the above; 1857 at age 17, Assistant Engineer; then Area Surveyor on the Scinde Railway; 1859-1961, responsible for the erection of Pakistan Railwaysthe thirty-two 45 foot (13.7M) spans of the 'Bahrun Valley Viaduct'<ref name=Hughes/>. This is the longest bridge on the [[Karachi]]-[[Kotri]] section and is a viaduct across the Bahrun River. 17Construction on this bridge was started on 5 March 1859 and completed on 26 January 1861 <ref name=Mughal/09/2009>*[[Willoughby Charles Furnivall]] District Engineer in charge of construction under [[John Brunton]] c. 1860-7 <ref name=biog>[http://sajshiraziwww.blogspoticevirtuallibrary.com/2009doi/abs/0910.1680/start-bdoceigbai.58347.222 Institution of Civil Engineers "Biographical Dictionary ofCivil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland -pakistan-railwaysFurnivall, Willoughby Charles"]; Retrieved on 21 Jul 2016</ref>.html Light within]

'''Construction Staff''' - Other staff of the Scinde Railway involved during the construction are acknowledged:- *J E Hartley; c.1859-c.1861, ‘Scinde Railway’ Resident Engineer supervising the 'Mulleer Railway Viaduct' construction <ref name=Bruntonp22/>*W T Warren <ref name= Records Bruntonp25>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=Refer to y#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[ScindeJohn Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, Punjaub & Delhi Railway1862-63 Page 25 ]].; Retrieved 19 Feb 2018</ref>*Mr Thomas Warren <ref name=Bruntonp25/>*Mr J Pinder <ref name=Bruntonp25/>

== Notes ==1 "Money Market and City Intelligence", ''The Times'Railway Operations Management'''*[[Joseph Harrison]], Wednesday1860-75, 15 June 1859Engineer-in-Chief, General Agent and General Agent for some part of this time <ref name=GraceHarrison>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Joseph_Harrison Grace's Giude "Joseph Harrison"]; Retrieved 1 Mar 2018</ref>. 1864-1870 Chief Resident Engineer during construction of ‘[[Delhi Railway]]’<ref name=BookBrassey>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=x-0aAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148#23333, 7av=onepage&q&f=false Google Books “Life and Labours of Thomas Brassey” by Arthur Helps; pages 148-149]; Retrieved 1 Mar 2018</ref>.