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*'''1. Jubbulpore-Gondia Mainline''', total length 142 miles(228 km):- **section 1a.[[NainpurLansdowne Bridge]] to [[Gondia]] via Balaghat opened 1903; **section 1b.[[Jubblupore]] to [[Nainpur]] via Howbagh, and Burgi opened 1904-05. *'''1.1.''' ‘[[Nainpur-Mandla Fort Railway]]’, length 26 miles (42km), (also described as the ‘Mandla Branch Line’), opened from [[Nainpur]] proposed revision to [[Mandla]] Fort (described as Garha Mandia) , 1909. *'''1.2.''' ‘Barkuhi Branch Line’, length 109 miles(175km), from [[Nainpur]] via Seoni and Chaurai to [[Chhindwara]], 1904; to Khirsadoh 1906; to Barkuhi, 1907. *'''1.3.''' ‘Katangi Branch Line’, length 29 miles(46km), from Balaghat to Katangi, opened 1913*'''1.4.''' ‘Ram Rama Branch Line’, length 5.4 miles(8km), opened 1913, ''not now existing'' *'''1.5.''' ‘Khirsadoh-Sirgora Spur Line’, length 8.4 miles(13km), from Khirsadoh on the ‘Barkuhi Branch Line’, under construction 1918. *'''1.6.''' ‘Itwari Bazar Scheme’, length 0.6 miles(1km), under construction 1918 in suburbs of [[Nagpur]] . External Links

*'''2==External Links==The ‘Cambridge University Library Special Collections’ “Construction of Lansdowne Bridge, Sukkur, 1885-1889” <ref>https://specialcollections-blog.lib. Nagpurcam.ac.uk/?p=14253 ‘Cambridge University Library Special Collections’ “Construction of Lansdowne Bridge, Sukkur, 1885-1889” posted on 3 May 2017 by John C. ]; Retrieved 25 May 2019</ref> gives the following information together with some excellent photographs:-Chhindwara Mainline'''<blockquote>“The Royal Commonwealth Society Library is delighted to have acquired at auction a stunning presentation album commemorating the opening on 25 March 1889 of the Lansdowne Bridge, length 89 miles(143km), from Itwari which spans the Indus River between Sukkur and Rohri (in suburbs the Sindh province of [[Nagpur]]Pakistan ) via Saoner. It is signed by the engineer who superintended the construction, Lodhikhera and Sansar, 1911; to [[ChhindwaraFrederick Ewart Robertson]](1847-1912). *'''2.1.''' ‘Saoner-Khapa Branch Line’ After articling with a British railway engineer, Robertson joined the Indian Public Works Department in 1868, length 4working on the North Western State Railway.5 miles(7km), opened from Saoner He went on to Khapaan extremely successful career, 1911serving as Chief Engineer of the East Indian Railway, *'''2.2President of the Egyptian Railway Board and on the British Council of the Institute of Civil Engineers.''' ‘ Katchidhana Branch Line’, length 4 miles(6km), route not identified, 1912, ” </blockquote>

*'''3. Gondia-Chanda Mainline'''<blockquote> “During the British colonial era, total length 149 miles(239 km) **section 3a. [[Gondia]] the North Western Railway had been extended to [[Nagbhir]] opened 1908; **section 3b. Opened in stagesSukkur by 1879, but relied upon a steam ferry to Rajoli 1910; cross the Indus to Babupeth 1913; reaching [[Chanda]] Fort in 1916Rohri, which was limited, slow and unwieldy. The Nagbhir-Chanda work A crossing was started in 1906 but due considered essential to link Lahore with the major port of Karachi on the Arabian Sea, and the section where the shortage Indus is divided by the island of funds Bukkur was not completed until 1 April 1913 as far chosen as Babupeth with the last 2 miles to [[Chandra]] Fort opening in 1916most advantageous. *'''3.1.''' '[[Nagbhir-Nagpur Branch Railway]]’ Bridging the smaller Sukkur channel was straightforward, since its rocky bottom provided a solid foundation for masonry piers, length 68 miles (109km)but spanning the wider Rohri channel was a more challenging task, from [[Nagbhir]] since its silty bottom would not allow pillars to Itwari (in suburbs of [[Nagpur]]), opened 1908 with later rearrangements at Itwaribe employed. ” </blockquote>

== Worked <blockquote> “Between 1872 and 1882 various designs were considered, before one by BNR's Satpura Railway==*'''4.1. 'the British civil engineer Sir [[Chhindwara-Pench Coal Fields RailwayAlexander Meadows Rendel ]]’''', length 22 miles(36km1829–1918)was accepted. Rendel had been appointed consulting engineer to the East Indian Railway during the late 1850s. His work in India was distinguished by other major bridging projects, opened from including the Pench and Kanhan coalfields to [[ChhindwaraUpper Sone Bridge, Dehri |Upper Son Bridge of Patna]]; where it connected to , the [[Alexandra Bridge| Alexandra Bridge over the Satpura Railway networkChenab ]], 1906-7. *''''4.2. 'the[[Tumsar-Katangi Light RailwayHardinge Bridge| Hardinge Bridge over the Ganges]]’''', a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(and the [[Rail_gauge#Narrow_GaugeEmpress Bridge|NGEmpress Bridge over the Sutlej]])private line built . Rendel’s design for Lansdowne Bridge featured two anchored cantilevers, each 310 feet long, carrying a suspended span of 200 feet in the middle. The girder contract was awarded to carry manganese ore deposits found Westwood, Baillie & Co. of London, who assembled the 170 feet tall cantilevers in their yard, amazing spectators, before shipping the region; parts to India. When completed in 1889, the Lansdowne Bridge became the longest rigid girder bridge span in the world. Sadly six workers died during construction: four from falls and two from equipment falling upon them. In monetary terms, the total cost was roughly 2.7 million rupees.” </blockquote> <blockquote> “Every stage of this line ceased operation arduous engineering project is thoroughly documented in 1929the album’s 65 photographs, beginning with the bridging of the Sukkur channel in 1885, and concluding with a two-part panorama of the completed Lansdowne Bridge . The line interchanged with ‘Katangi Branch Line’ bridge was formally opened by Lord Reay, the Governor of Bombay, who deputised for the Viceroy, Lord Lansdowne, after whom the bridge was named. Reay unlocked an ornamental padlock, designed by J. L. Kipling, Principal of the Satpura network at Katangi; it also interchanged at Tumsar Raoad with BNR's [[Nagpur Chhattisgarh Railway |Nagpur Chhattisgarh section]] broad gaugeMayo School of Art ([[Rail_gauge#Broad_Gauge|BG]]and father of the famous writer Rudyard Kipling) mainline that crossed , releasing the iron gates which restricted access to the Satpura networkbridge. In one photograph, Reay can be seen holding the padlock while Robertson holds the key. Robertson’s second in command M.S.N. Hecquet also appears in the photo. It should be possible to identify other members of the construction team in the album, such as Overseer A.D. Hecquet, Sub-Overseer Faiz Mahomed and assistant engineers P. Duncan, R. Egerton and J. Adam. Robertson was created a Companion of the Indian Empire in recognition of the monumental task of completing the bridge, and eventually went into partnership with Rendel in 1898.” </blockquote> == References ==<references />