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'Records' ammended; 'Personnel' added; 'External Links' deleted; 'Further Information' added
The '''Southern Mahratta Railway'''(SMR) was also variously called the Southern '''Maratha''' Railway and the Southern '''Maharastra''' Railway.
== History ==
In 1881 the '''Bombay Eastern Deccan Railway''' was under construction with [[William Michell]] the Engineer-in-Charge. This line immediately upon opening became the Bijapur Branch of the Southern Mahratta Railway.
<ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Michell_(1853-1899) "Grace's Guide - William Michell”]; Retrieved on 3 May 2016</ref>
The '''Southern Mahratta Railway''' (SMR ) was founded in 1882 to construct a metre gauge([[Rail_gauge_#Metre_Gauge|MG]]) railway between [[Hotgi]] and [[Gadag]] (opened to traffic in 1884), one of the "famine lines" set up with a guarantee. In the same year (1882), it was contracted by the Indian State of Mysore to work the several metre gauge lines that the Mysore State had built or was in the course of construction.
In 1888, a line was extended from [[Londa]] towards the Portuguese colony of [[Goa]] where it connected with the [[Marmagao]] line at [[Castle Rock]]. (From 1902 this line was leased as the [[West of India Portuguese Railway]].) By 1890, this line extended from Londa eastwards via [[Guntakal]] to [[Bezwada]], and northwards to [[Poona]], turning the SMR from an assortment of branches to a real railway network.
*[[Sangli State Railway]] opened in 1907 as a short 5 mile(8km) link from SMR Miraj Junction to Sangli, Worked by SMR, 1907; became M&SMR, 1908.
== Records ==An on-line search of the [[India Office Records]] (IOR) records held at the [[British Library]] 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 30 May 2016</ref>gives several entries, the most relevant as follows: - *L/F/8/12/901; “Southern Mahratta Railway Company Limited, Contract as to construction, maintenance, management and working by the Southern Mahratta RailwayCompany Limited of a railway intended to be called the Southern Mahratta Railway “1 Jun 1882”*L/F/8/13/916 ; “Southern Mahratta Railway Company Limited, West Deccan Contract”; 28 Oct 1885*L/F/8/16/1178; “Southern Mahratta Railway Company Limited, Contract”; 26 Jun 1907
==Personnel==
Unfortunately, there are no SMR Staff agreements held at the [[British Library]] in the [[India Office Records]].
The following personnel , from the [[Public Works Department]], are recorded as being ‘on loan’ to the Southern Mahratta Railway Company:-
* Frederick Lewis Dibblee , Engineer-in-Chief, 1882 , on loan for a few months on start up of SMR <ref>[http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/genealogy/dibblee/employment.htm "Obituaries of Frederick Lewis Dibblee"]; Retrieved on 30 May 2016</ref>.
* Bernard William Cantopher, 1888-89, Executive Engineer <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA456 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 456 (pdf page 419)] Retrieved on 30 May 2016</ref>
*Theophilus Michell, 1888-89, Executive Engineer <ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA566 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 566 (pdf page 529)] Retrieved on 30 May 2016</ref>.
* Henry Wilkins Clift, -1889, Executive Engineer <ref > [https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en_GB&pg=GBS.PA456 Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 456 (pdf page 419)] Retrieved on 30 May 2016</ref>.
== External links References == [http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/genealogy/dibblee<references /index.htm Frederick Dibblee, MICE], briefly Superintending Engineer, SMR (1882).>
==Further Information==
See '''[[Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway]]''' for period after 1908
[[Category:Railways]]
[[Category:State Railways]]
