Gondal Railway
| Gondal Railway | ||
|---|---|---|
 Gondal State Railway Logo | ||
| System timeline | ||
| 1881 | Gondal Railways system formed | |
| Constituent companies / lines | ||
| 1881 | Gondal Railway | |
| 1911 | Jetalsar-Rajkot Railway | |
| 1911 | Porbandar State Railway | |
| 1913 | Khijadiya-Dhari Railway | |
| 1936 | Kunkavav-Bagasra Railway | |
| Key locations | ||
| Headquarters | Gondal | |
| Workshops | ||
| Major Stations | Dhola, Jetalsar, Rajkot | |
| Successor system / organisation | ||
| 1948 | Saurashtra Railway | |
| System mileage | ||
| Metre gauge | ||
| Associated auxiliary force | ||
| n/a | ||
| How to interpret this infobox | ||
The Gondal Railway(GR) was a metre gauge(MG) railway owned by the Princely Gondal State. The line opened from Dhasa via Dhoraji to Jamjodhpur, 106 miles(171km) in 1881 and originally worked by the ‘Bhavnagar-Gondal-Junagad-Porbandar Railway’(BGJPR).
From 1911, the line formed the nucleus of a new system, working jointly with the ‘Porbandar State Railway’(PSR) thus forming the Gondal-Porbandar Railway.
The ‘Jetalsar-Rajkot Railway’, which had opened in 1893 was worked in combination with the ‘Gondal Railway’ ; similarly the ‘Khijadiya-Dhari Railway’, which opened in 1913-16 [1].
Both these are both shown on the map in Green as part of the GR system.
In 1919 the ‘Gondal Railway’ took over the sole working of the ‘Porbandar State Railway’ and the Gondal State Railway (GSR) was formed.
The partnership of the two States in that railway was dissolved and the ‘Gondal Railway’ worked ‘Porbandar State Railway’ for 5 years , from 1 Apr 1919 to 31 Mar 1924, after which the working of the reverted to the Porbanar State. From 1 Sept 1936 the ‘Gondal Railway’ resumed the working of the ‘Porbandar State Railway’ as per an agreement between the two Durbars [2].
The ‘Kunkavav-Bagasra Railway’, 12½ mile(20km), opened in 1936 as a branch line of the ‘Gondal Railway’ [3].
The ‘Statistics of Working’ for 1937 [2] show the year-by-year financial results from 1913-14 through to 1936-37 for the ‘Gondal Railway System’ comprising:-
- ‘Gondal Railway’ 119 miles (191km)
- ‘Jetalsar-Rajkot Railway’ 46 miles(74km)
- ‘Porbandar State Railway ’ 41 miles(66km)
Classification
Indian Railway Classification of 1926 - Class II railway system.
Later Development
The ‘Gondal Railway’ in 1948, became a part of ‘Saurashtra Railway’.
GR Railway Network
- ‘Mainline’ Dhasa to Jamjodhpur, opened 1881-89, 101 miles(163km)[1] .
At Dhasa the line connected to the ‘Bhavnagar State Railway’; and continued westward via Khijadiya (with connection to the ‘Khijadiya-Dhari Railway’ and via Jetalsar with connection north to the ‘Jetalsar-Rajkot Railway’ and south to the ‘Junagadh State Railway’; then via Dhoraji; then to Jamjodhpur (where it connected to the ‘Porbandar State Railway’
- ‘Jetalsar-Rajkot Railway’ Jetalsar to Rajkot, opened 1893, 46 miles(72km) [1].
From Jetalsar (with its connections); via Gondal to Rajkot (where it connected to the ‘Jamnagar and Dwarka Railway’ and the ‘Morvi Railway’
See separate page for History and details
- ‘Khijadiya-Dhari Railway’ was a Branch line, 37 miles(60km), opened 1913, [1],
A branch line from Khijadiya (on the ‘Mainline’ between Dhasa and Jetalsar. Owned by the State of Gondal and the construction was started by the ‘Gondal Railway’ but opened by the ‘Gondal-Porbandar Railway’.
See separate page for details
- ‘Kunkavav-Bagasra Railway’ was a Branch line, 12½ mile(20km), opened in 1936
Personnel
No Staff Lists have been found.
The following are recorded as 'on loan' from the Public Works Department(PWD)
- Richard Gardiner Lieut-Col. R.E. from PWD, 1887, Manager and Engineer-in-Chief of 'Bhavnagar-Gondal Railway' until retirement in 1893.[4].
- Willoughby Verner Constable, 1887, Officiating Manager of 'Bhavnagar and Gondal States Railways' [5].
- Ernest Ifill Shadbolt, PWD Assistant Engineer from 1874 to 1884 'services lent to Bhavnagar and Gondal States' Railways [6].
- Horace Chaloner Knox, 1890, Executive Engineer employed with 'Bhavnagar-Gondal-Junagad-Porbandar Railway' [7].
Further Information
See Bhavnagar-Gondal-Junagad-Porbandar Railway up to 1911
See Gondal-Porbandar Railway from 1911 onward
And Kathiawar Peninsula Railway and Tramway Systems gives a map, timeline and relates this railway to others in the Kathiawar Peninsula.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 181 (pdf190) ; Retrieved 8 Jul 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 US Archive .org pdf download of ‘History Of Indian Railways, constructed and in progress’, 31 March 1937 by ‘The Government of India – Railway Department’, page 238, pdf 281 ; Retrieved 8 Jul 2020
- ↑ “Report by the Railway Board on Indian Railways for 1936-37. Vol. I; Railway Department, Government of India” Para 36, page 40 pdf 55 and Para 41 Page 42 pdf 57; Retrieved 8 Jul 2020
- ↑ Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 499 (pdf page 462) Retrieved on 30 May 2016
- ↑ Google Books " India List and India Office List, 1905" page 466 (pdf page 429) Retrieved on 17 May 2016
- ↑ “Indian Biographical Dictionary” 1915 page 390; Retrieved on 30 May 2016
- ↑ India Civil List 1890, page 41