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‘Sind Railway’ reference and 1858-59 Heading added
'''Scinde Railway''' also known as the '''Karachi-Kotri (Indus River) Railway'''
<br>– this was the first railway of the [[Scinde Railway Company|'''Scinde Railway Company''' - ''see separate page for further information on the formation and development of the Company'']]
''Note''
*''Some early documents and references refer to use the ‘Sind Railway’ which is not the correct spelling '''Sind Railway'''.''
*''Not to be confused with the ‘Sind Light Railway’ which is a separate narrow gauge railway.''
==Background==
The 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''' <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 [[Karachi]] to [[Kotri]]. 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> [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 3.78-3.83] Retrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>.
The London based [[File:Robert Stephenson]], Consultant Engineer was approached by the 'Scinde Railway Company - Lines' for advice and in 1857 recommended [[John Brunton]] as Chief Engineer.png|thumb|File:Following Stephenson’s death in 1859 George Bidder was appointed as the Scinde Railway Company Consulting Engineer in London <ref>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=BzErDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA155&lpg=PA155#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books "Robert Stephenson – The Eminent Engineer” edited by Michael R. Bailey; page 155- Lines]57]; Retrieved 4 May 2020</ref>. 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 final stage of long haul from Britain to [[Delhi]] and [[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 line linked to the [[Indus Flotilla|’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 first railways in Pakistan” by Owais Mughal, Posted on September 17, 2009]; Retrieved on 23 Feb 2018</ref>.
From [[Multan]] the ‘[[Punjaub Railway ]]’ ran to [[Amritsar]] where it became the ‘[[Delhi Railway]]’, both owned by the [[Scinde Railway Company]], connected to the [[East Indian Railway]] at [[Ghaziabad]] (just east of [[Delhi]]), thus providing a connection between [[Karachi]] and [[Delhi]] and onward to [[Calcutta]].
==1858-59 Report==
The following is recorded in “Railways in India for the year 1858-59” for the ‘Sind Railway - Physical Difficulties’ and Construction’
<ref>[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=tp4IAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false Online pdf version from 'Google Books' “Railways in India for the year 1858-59” by Juland Danvers , Government Director of the Indian Railways’- presented to both Houses of Parliament by HM Command. Paragraphs 69-72; Pages 17-18]; Retrieved 2 Jan 2021</ref>:-
* “The line in Sind (Scinde) proceeds from [[Karachi|Kurrarchee(Karachi)]] to [[Kotree]] on the River Indus, opposite [[Hyderabad]]. Its lengthy, including a branch to Ghizree Bunder, is 114 miles. The 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. 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”
* “The soil is not favourable for works of excavation, being in general a mixture of sand and clay, often with a hard crust of 1-2 feet and near the Karatolla Hills a number of rocky ridges have to be cut through. A further difficulty, which has to be contended with, is a scarcity in the supply of water. This will not be when the line is completed, as the watering points will be fixed at places where there is anabundance. The want of a supply of labour has already been much felt.”
* “The first sod was cut by Sir Bartle Frere in April 1958. The works have hitherto been retarded in consequence of the pecuniary difficulties of the Contractor, who has lately abandoned his Contract. The line is now being finished by the Company, and the Resident Engineer reports that rapid progress has been made.”
==Construction==
[[File:Scinde Railway (Karachi-Kotri).png|right|400px| Scinde Railway (Karachi-Kotri)]]
The work commenced in April 1858 to construct the broad gauge([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]) single track railway <ref name=Gaz344> Sind Gazette British Library Compiled by E H Atkin Bombay Salt Department. Printed for government at the Steam Press Karachi 1907 Page 344</ref> and on 13 May 1861 succeeded in connecting the port town of [[Karachi]] to [[Kotri]] on the Indus River, the first railway line for public traffic between these towns
<ref> [http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Scinde_Railway Grace’s Guide “Scinde Railway”] Retrieved on 2 January 2016</ref>.
The challenges faced during the construction were considerable as described in the article “Karachi to Kotri ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862- The first railways in Pakistan” by Owais Mughal 63 <ref name=MughalBruntonp22>[https://books.google.fr/]], which shows maps books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books ‘The Line and describes many Works of the problems encountered Scinde Railway’ by the Chief Engineer [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862-63 Page 22-23 ]; Retrieved 25 Nov 2020</ref>.<br>Particular reference is given to the earthworks , a viaduct and considerable number of bridges required to be built:-‘Bahrun River Railway Viaduct’ * ‘[[Bahrun Valley Viaduct]]’ The route involved construction a large stone viaduct, the heaviest piece of masonry upon the line with a length of 1,728 feet(527 metres), work commenced 1859 and completed in Jan 1861 [[Bahrun Valley Viaduct |''- see separate page for further information'']]* 6 Viaducts with Warren Type iron girders, sent out from England, total of 43 each of 80 feet clear span. In addition there These were erected at the following rivers;- Mulleer, 21 spans; Guggur, 3 spans; Dorbagi, 2 spans; Runnpittiani, 6 spans; Loyach, 8 spans; Rhodh, 3 spans. * 24 Bridges as follows:- 19 bridges of , containing 48 arches , each of 20ft spans20 feet span; 1 bridge of 3 arches each of 30ft spans30 ft span; 2 bridges of , 10 arches of 40ft spans and 40 ft span; 2 bridges of , 4 arches of 45ft spans. ‘Mulleer Railway Viaduct’ this was the longest of 6 viaducts using 80 feet clear span Iron Girders – this longest the being 21 spans <ref>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862-63 Page 23 ]; Retrieved 19 Feb 2018</ref>
==Records==
'''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>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&fname=false Google Books ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862-63 Page 23 ]; Retrieved 19 Feb 2018<Bruntonp22/ref>
*W T Warren <ref name=Bruntonp25>[https://books.google.fr/books?id=1WsEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books ‘The Line and Works of the Scinde Railway’ by [[John Brunton]], Institution of Civil Engineers, 1862-63 Page 25 ]; Retrieved 19 Feb 2018</ref>
*Mr Thomas Warren <ref name=Bruntonp25/>
== Further Information ==
*See '''[[Scinde Railway Company]]''', ** '''[[Indus Flotilla]]''', ** '''[[Punjaub Railway ]]''' and ** '''[[Delhi Railway]]''' *and '''[[Scinde, Punjaub & Delhi Railway]]''' following amalgamation in 1870 until 1886 *and '''[[North Western Railway]]''' from 1886 when the line became part of the ‘NWR Mainline’
== References ==
