Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway Network - Lines owned and worked

Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway Network - Lines owned and worked

- a sub-section of the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway(BB&CIR) page

The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway(BB&CIR) owned and operated an extensive network of railways of mixed gauge

• Broad gauge(BG) - 868 miles/1397km (1905); 997 miles/1604km (1918); 1233 miles/1984km (1943)
• Metre gauge(MG) - 2022 miles/3254km (1905); 1822 miles/2931km (1918); 1985/3195km miles (1943)
• Narrow gauge(NG) - 132 miles/212km (1905); 326 miles/523km (1918); 152 miles/245km (1943)

The BB&CIR also managed, worked and maintained a number of mixed gauge lines on behalf of other parties.

The listings below are generally based on the “Administration Report on Railways 1918” with page numbers (and pdf pages) noted at the end of each entry.

In 1918 the total length of line being worked as the BB&CIR system (both owned lines and managed/worked lines) was 3823 miles(6150km) opened plus a further 254 miles(407km) under construction or sanctioned for construction. Page 12 (pdf 21)

By 1937 the BB&CIR System was 3611 miles(5811km) of all three gauges. This showed a reduction from the 1918 mileage
In 1921 the working of the ‘Gaekwar’s Mehsana Railway’ transferred from BB&CIR to Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway, a mileage of 193 miles of MG <br<In 1936 the working of the ‘Jaipur State Railway’ transferred from BB&CIR tand reverted to the Jaipur Durbar, a mileage of 179 miles of MG

The map shows the BB&CIR System in 1937 .

BB&CIR System 1937 Map

BG Lines - owned and operated by BB&CIR

1918 Total - 997 miles(1604km)

• Bombay-Ahmadabad BB&CIR Main Line; BG line, first section opened 1860, completed 1865 linking Bombay via Surat and Baroda to Ahmedabad, 310 miles(498km); with southerly suburban service extension reaching Bombay Backbay(Colaba) in 1870 and a northerly extension in 1871 to Viramgam, giving a total of 350 miles(563km). Page 13 (pdf 22)
  • Godhra Branch Line; BG line from Ananred 1874, reaching Godhra 1882, 49 miles(79km). Page 13 (pdf 22)
  • Patri Branch Line, also described as the Patri Railway ; BG line opened 1873, 22 miles(35km) from Kharaghoda to Viramgam. Page 13 (pdf 22)
  • Godhra-Baroda Chord Railway; BG line opened 1908, 43 miles(68km) from Godhra to Baroda. Page 13 (pdf 22)
• Godhra-Ratlam-Nagda Railway Section Railway; BG line from Godhra to Rutlam 1894 and Ratlam-Nagda Railway extension to Nagda 1896; 141 miles(226km). Page 13 (pdf 22)
  • Nagda-Muttra State Railway Section BG line from Nagda 1907, to Muttra 1909; 339 miles(542km). Page 13 (pdf 22)
  • Agra-Bayana Branch Line; BG line opened 1913 from Bayana to Agra, 51 miles(81km)). Page 13 (pdf 22)

BG Lines - managed, worked and maintained by BB&CIR

1918 Total 202 miles(325km). Page 12 (pdf 21)

• Nagda-Ujjain Railway; owned by the Princely Gwalior State Durbar; BG line 32 miles(514km) from Nagda to Ujjain opened 1896; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 16 (pdf 25)
• Petlad-Cambay Railway - Anand-Tarapur Section; owned by the Princely Baroda State Durbar; BG line from Anand to Petlad opened 1890 extended to Tarapur 1901, giving total 21 miles(34km); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 17 (pdf 26)
• Petlad-Cambay Railway - Tarapur-Cambay State Railway Section; owned by the Princely Cambay State Durbar; BG line from (Tarapur to Cambay opened in 1901; 12 miles(19km) ; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 19 (pdf 28)
• Tapti Valley Railway; private Company formed 1896; BG line from Kankra Khari, Surat to Amalner opened 1898-1900; 156 miles(250km); worked by BB&CIR from 1899; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 20 (pdf 29)

MG Lines - owned and operated by BB&CIR

1918 Total - 1822 miles(2931km). Page 23 (pdf 32)

• Delhi-Ahmedabad BB&CIR Main Line; MG line, first section, originally named the Rajputana State Railway opened 1873 from Delhi reaching Ahmedabad in 1879, 579 miles(926km); merged to form Rajputana-Malwa State Railway in 1882; becoming in 1900 the MG Ratlam Division of BB&CIR; a further short link to the Ahmedabad-Dholka Railway was added in 1908. Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Viramgam-Wadhwan Branch Line; MG line 39 miles(62km) from Viramgam to Wadhwan; first opened as BG in 1872 and converted to MG in 1902. Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Farukhnagar Salt Branch Railway; MG line 7.6 miles(12km). Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Agra-Bandikui Branch Line; MG line 94 miles(150km) from Bandikui to Agra Fort; opened 1873-4 and extended to Jamina River, East Bank in 1876. Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Sambhar Lake Salt Branch Line with extensions; MG line, first section opened 1875 with extension to Japog, Jhowra and Kankaroola; finally 33 miles(53km) in 1891. Page 22 (pdf 30)
• Malwa Section BB&CIR Main Line; MG line, first section, originally named the Holkar State Railway opened 1874 from Khanwa to Sanawad; linking to the Scindia-Neemuch Railway from Indore reaching Neemuch in 1880; linking to the Neemuch Nasirabad State Railway reaching Nasirababad in 1881 joining to the Nasirabad-Ajmer section that had opened in 1876; total length 392 miles(627km; all these railways merged to form Rajputana-Malwa State Railway in 1882; becoming in 1900 the MG Ratlam Division of BB&CIR. Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Ujjain Branch Line; MG line, first section 12 miles(19km) opened 1876 from Fatehabad to Ujjain crossing Sipra River to Ujjain City in 1884. Page 22 (pdf 30)
• Cawnpore-Achnera BB&CIR Main Line; MG line, first section opened 1875 from Muttra as the Mathura-Hathras Provincial Railway; extended linking to Cawnpore by 1884 with connection to Achnera and other minor branches giving total 254 miles(406km) . Page 22 (pdf 30)
• Rewari-Bhatinda-Fazilka Railway Section; MG line 262 miles(419km) from Rewari to Fazilka, which included the greater part of the Rewari-Ferozepore Railway, opened 1883-5. Page 22 (pdf 30)
  • Rewari-Phulera Chord 133 miles opened 1905. Page 22 (pdf 30)

MG Lines - managed, worked and maintained by BB&CIR

1908 Total 456 miles(733km)

• Ahmedabad-Dholka Railway private Company registered 1901; MG line 33 miles(53km) opened 1903 from Saharmati to Dholka; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 24-25 (pdf 33-34)
• Ahmedabad-Parantij Railway private Company registered 1896 ; MG line 55 miles(88km) opened 1897 from Ahmedabad to Himmatnager; extended to Khul Brahma in 1911 giving total 89 miles(142km); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 25-27 (pdf 34-36)
• Gaekwar's Mehsana Railway; owned by the Princely Baroda State; MG line 21 miles(34km) opened 1887 from Mehsana to Vadnagar; progressively expanded from 1888 through to 1921 to a total of 193 miles(309km); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 27-29 (pdf 36-38) and from 1921 by GBSR
• Jaipur State Railway; owned by Jaipur Durbar; MG line 73 miles(117km) from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopu 1905-7 ; further extended from 1916 to a planned 179 miles(286km);and Jaipur to Shaikhawati, 1916; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 29-30 (pdf 38-39)
• Palanpur-Deesa Railway; jointly owned by the Palanpur Durbar and Government of India(GoI); MG line 17 miles(27km) opened 1893 from Palanpur to Docan; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 31-32 (pdf 40-41)
• Vijapur-Kalol-Kadi Railway; owned by the Princely Baroda State; MG line of 41 miles(65km) opened 1902-3 from Vijapur to Kadi and extended by a further 5 miles(8km) in 1912 with approval in 1916 for a further 21 miles(34km); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 32-33 (pdf 41-42)
• Mathura-Hathras Provincial Railway ; MG line of 29 mile(47km) line opened in 1875. It was financed by the Provincial State and local shareholders. Not listed in 1918 Administration Report.

NG 2ft 6in Lines - managed, worked and maintained by BB&CIR

1918 Total - 326 miles(523km). Page 12 (pdf 21)

• Bilimora-Kalamba State Railway; owned by the Princely Baroda State; NG 2ft 6in line 34 miles(54km) opened 1914 from Bilimora to Kalamba(now named Kalva Amba) in 1917; with approval in 1914 for a further 28 miles(29km), (but evident only for 5km as far as Waghai); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 33-34 (pdf 42-43)
• Bodeli-Chhota Udaipur Railway; opened 1917-18. State line owned by the Baroda and Chota Durbars of the Princely Baroda State; NG 2ft 6in line 22 miles(35km) opened 1917; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 34-35 (pdf 43-44)
• Broach-Jambusar Railway; owned by BB&CIR; NG 2ft 6in line 30 miles(48km) opened 1914 from Broach to Jambusar; a branch of BB&CIR network. Page 35 (pdf 44)
• Gaekwar's Dabhoi Railway(GBR); owned by the Princely Baroda State; NG 2ft 6in line originally 20 miles(33km) opened 1862 as ox-driven from Dabhoi to Miyagam Karjan, progressively extended to 187 miles(299km) in 1919 and became the NG part of the Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway (GBSR) on Oct 1st 1921; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 36-37 (pdf 45-46)
• Kosamba-Zankhvav Railway; owned by the Princely Baroda State; NG 2ft 6in line 26 miles(42km) opened 1912 from Kosamba to Zankhvav sanction for further 22 mile(36km) extension to Bardipada in 1914;  ; worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 37 (pdf 46)
• Petlad-Vaso Railway; owned by the Princely Baroda State; NG 2ft 6in line 16 miles(25km) opened 1914 from Petlad to Vaso, extended 1915 a further 3.5 miles(6km); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Page 38 (pdf 47)
• Rajpipla State Railway; owned by the Princely Rajpipla State; NG 2ft 6in line 19 miles(30km) opened 1897 from Anklesvar reaching Nandod 1899 with a further extension in 1917 giving total of 39 miles(63km) ); worked as part of BB&CIR network. Pages 38-39 (pdf 47-48)
• Navsari-Kamrej Light Railway; sanction to build this steam tramway by the Princely Baroda State Durbar was given in 1914; NG 2ft 6in line 20 miles(32km) from Navsari to Kamrej; classified under BB&CIR who presumably would work the tramway as part of the BB&CIR network. Page 39 (pdf 48)

NG 2ft 6in Railways, worked by BB&CIR

Not listed in 1918 Admin Report

• Baria State Railway; owned by the Princely Baria State; NG 2ft 6in line apparently approximately 7 miles(11km) between Piplod and Devgadh Baria, opened 1892; later renamed Baria-Piplod State Railway; worked as part of BB&CIR network.
• Guzerat Railway Company - formed 1911. Owned and managed three NG 2ft 6in lines, all worked by BB&CIR and taken over 1922 :-
  • Champaner-Shivrajpur- Pani Light Railway
  • Godhra-Lunavada Railway
  • Nadiad-Kapadvanj Railway