Railways of Jamaica: May Pen to Frankfield
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The May Pen to Frankfield line was built to serve the fast developing citrus industry in the upper Clarendon regions of Chapelton and Frankfield[1].
All external links below are to WikiMapia.
Contents |
[edit] Construction, operation and closure
The 13 miles (21 km) of standard gauge track from May Pen to Chapelton were laid between 1911 and 1913 at a cost of £86,000[1].
The 9¼ mile extension to Frankfield was added in 1925[1]. It required the bridging of twelve rivers, which must have been a significant contribution to the twelve year construction hiatus.
The line closed in 1974[2].
[edit] Gradients
The line climbed 650 feet in 18½ miles (average gradient 1 in 150) from May Pen (239 feet[3]) to its summit at Crooked River (889 feet[4]) then continued for 3¾ miles more or less on the level to Frankfield (908 feet[5]).
[edit] Stations and Halts
There were 10 stations and halts on the line c1973[4]. More recent references[6] mention only nine:
- May Pen Station
- Longville Halt[7]
- Suttons Station
- Cross Roads/Ivy Store Station
- Chapelton Station
- Morgans Station
- Bryan's Hill Station extant 1973[4], unmentioned 2005[6].
- Crooked River Station
- Trout Hall Station
- Frankfield Station (Terminus)
[edit] Tunnels
There were no tunnels on the line[4].
[edit] Bridges
There were 13 significant bridges on the line, all but the first being on the Chapelton to Frankfield extension[4]. Approximate bridge lengths[8] are shown in the route diagram (right):
- Track leading to Sevens sugar estate[7]
- Thomas River
- Rio Minho
- Orange River
- Stony River
- Orange River
- Ballards River
- Crooked River
- Crooked River
- Dawkins River & track
- Rio Minho & B3 road
- Franks River
- Tributary of Rio Minho
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica 1845-1975 page 7, Veront M Satchell & Cezley Sampson, The Journal of Transport History, March 2003.
- ^ The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica 1845-1975 page 13, Veront M Satchell & Cezley Sampson, The Journal of Transport History, March 2003.
- ^ Directory of Cities, Towns, and Regions in Jamaica: May Pen, Falling Rain Genomics.
- ^ a b c d e UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica Sheets G & H, 1973.
- ^ Directory of Cities, Towns, and Regions in Jamaica: Frankfield, Falling Rain Genomics.
- ^ a b Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.
- ^ a b Google satellite image resolution is at present insufficient to show this station/bridge.
- ^ Bridge lengths were obtained using Wikimapia's GeoTools.