Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway
The Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway was constructed as a metre gauge(MG) State Railway. The line from Villupuram was opened in stages from Nov 1890, reaching Katpadi in Mar 1891 and Guntakal in Aug 1892, a line length of 342 miles(550km). The line was worked by South Indian Railway(SIR) as a branch from Villupuram on the SIR ‘Madras-Tuticorin Mainline’
On 1 Jan 1908 the Government re-allocated a number of lines. The newly formed 'Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway'(M&SMR) was given the lines north of Katpadi which had previously been worked by the SIR.
As a consequence the ‘Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway’ ceased to exist and the line divided:-
- The section from Villupuram to Katpadi retained by SIR and became the ‘Villupuram-Katpadi Railway Section’ of the SIR metre gauge(MG) system.
- The section from Katpadi to Guntakal was transferred to M&SMR to become their ‘Kalpadi-Dharmavaram Branch’ and part of their ‘Guntakal-Mysore Frontier Branch’
History
Villupuram-Tiruvanamalai Railway was the name given in the records to the first section, a State Railway with a track length of 42 miles(69 km) from Villupuram to Tiruvannamalai and opened in Nov 1890 [1].
Villupuram-Katpadi Railway was the description for the line when extended to Katpadi in Mar 1891, giving a total length of 99 miles(158km) [1].
Villupuram-Dharmavaram Railway was the description used when the line was extended from Katpadi to reach Dharmavaram in Mar 1892, adding a further 180 miles(290km) giving a total of 279 miles (449km) [2].
Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway was the final name given for this line when the line from Dharmavaram reached Guntakal in Aug 1892, adding a further 63 miles(101km) [1], giving a final line length from Villupuram of 342 miles(550km).
Personnel
- William Michell deployed from the Railway Branch of the Public Works Department, 1889-1991, to the ‘Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway’ as Executive Engineer [3]
The following personnel were deployed from the Public Works Department and engaged on the ‘Villupuram-Dharmavaram Railway’ survey and construction (this railway which became ‘Villupuram-Guntakal State Railway’ when extended to reach Guntakal)
- Joseph Elston, Executive Engineer in 1890 [4].
- Henry Herbert Gahan, Executive Engineer from 1890 to 1894 [4].
- Arthur Staples Gerrard, Executive Engineer from 1890 to 1892 [4].
- Henry Thomas Gwyther, Executive Engineer in 1890 [4].
- Edward Gerald James McCudden, Executive Engineer from 1890 to 1894 [4].
- William Hanbury Pettingall Sherman, Executive Engineer from 1890 to 1891 [4].
- Henry George Frederick Smith, Executive Engineer in 1890 [4].
Further Information
and South Indian Railway - Lines Owned and Worked
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 139 (pdf148); Retrieved 4 Feb 2018
- ↑ “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 86 (pdf95); Retrieved 4 Feb 2018
- ↑ "Grace's Guide - William Michell”; Retrieved on 5 Feb 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 India Civil List 1890, page 40/41
