Railways of Jamaica: Kingston to Montego Bay
Kingston to Montego Bay |
Legend
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0.0 |
Kingston |
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to goods yard and railway piers 1,2 & 3 |
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to engine sheds |
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to turntable, workshops & PWD |
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to locomotive works |
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Trench Town Gully |
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Shoemakers Gully |
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Greenwich Town Halt |
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Marcus Garvey Drive Halt |
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Unclassified road (gated) |
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Hunts Bay Halt |
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Cockfight Bridge |
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Salt River |
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to sugar estate light railway |
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Rio Cobre |
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10.5 |
Gregory Park Station |
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50' contour |
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14.5 |
Grange Lane Station |
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Irrigation canal |
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18.9 |
Spanish Town Station |
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18.9 |
Spanish Town Junction |
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Irrigation canal |
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Town Gully |
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Track |
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20.5 |
Horizon Park Halt |
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Irrigation canal |
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24.1 |
Hartlands Halt |
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Estate light railway crossing |
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50' contour |
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Cut Throat Gully |
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Spring Garden River |
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50' contour |
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Irrigation canal |
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Irrigation canal |
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Coleburns Gully |
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32.2 |
Bushy Park Halt |
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Church Pen Gully east |
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Church Pen Gully west |
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Stony Gully |
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Fraser's Gully |
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36.5 |
to works |
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36.6 |
Old Harbour Station |
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Old Harbour(?) River |
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Bowers Gully |
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39.8 |
Bodles Junction |
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Sandy Bay Halt |
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100' contour |
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100' contour |
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Palmetto Gully |
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100' contour |
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Bushy Park or Inverness Halt |
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250' contour |
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Lancasters Halt |
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Hunts Pen road |
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250' contour |
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A2 road |
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Rio Minho Combined A2 road and rail |
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52.3 |
May Pen Station |
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52.3 |
May Pen Junction |
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Jacks Gully #1 |
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Jacks Gully #2 |
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55.4 |
Logans Junction Halt |
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55.5 |
Logan's Junction |
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56.3 |
Denbigh Siding |
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Jacks Gully #3 |
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56.7 |
Jacob’s Hut |
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Jacks Gully #4 |
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59.5 |
Four Paths Station |
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63.2 |
Rock Halt |
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Flemings Gully east |
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Flemings Gully west |
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68.4 |
Clarendon Park Station |
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250' contour |
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Milk River |
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70.8 |
Scott’s Pass Halt |
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71.2 |
No. 1 Scotts Pass Tunnel 21m |
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71.6 |
No. 2 Scotts Pass Tunnel 52m |
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Milk River (seasonal) |
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75.2 |
Porus Station |
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500' contour |
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Unnamed Halt[1] |
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Track |
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750' contour |
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1000' contour |
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1250' contour |
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85.3 |
Williamsfield Station |
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88.1 |
Kendal Station |
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Kendal - Mandeville road |
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1500' contour |
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1500' contour |
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1500' contour |
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93.3 |
Grove Place Halt |
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98.2 |
Greenvale Station (Mile Gully) |
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1500' contour |
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1250' contour |
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1250' contour |
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1250' contour |
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105.4 |
No. 3 Comfort Hall Tunnel 209m |
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105.8 |
Comfort Hall Siding & Halt |
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1000' contour |
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109.0 |
Duck Pond Halt[2] |
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750' contour |
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111.0 |
Oxford Siding |
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112.6 |
No. 4 Balaclava Tunnel 106m |
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750' contour |
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113.4 |
Balaclava Station |
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B6 road |
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750' contour |
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500' contour |
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Estate light railway crossing |
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Raheen Halt[1] |
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121.9 |
Siloah Halt |
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123.5 |
Appleton Station |
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Appleton estate light railway |
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124.7 |
Appleton Tourist Halt |
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Black River #1 |
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Black River #2 |
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128.3 |
Maggotty Station |
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Black River #3 and Maggoty Falls road |
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500' contour |
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750' contour |
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135.2 |
No. 5 Highworth Tunnel 56m |
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136.0 |
No. 6 YS Tunnel 66m |
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138.0 |
Ipswich Station |
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Ipswich - Merrywood road |
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138.8 |
No. 7 Ipswich Tunnel 261m |
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750' contour |
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750' contour |
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140.8 |
Breadnut Walk Halt |
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141.2 |
No. 8 Unnamed Tunnel 165m |
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142.4 |
No. 9 Merrywood Tunnel 116m |
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1000' contour |
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146.0 |
Stonehenge Station |
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151.3 |
Catadupa Station |
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1000' contour |
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Richmond Hill road |
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B6 road |
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750' contour |
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157.3 |
Cambridge Station |
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Seven River #1 |
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Seven River #2 |
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500' contour |
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Fifth Bridge (Seven River #3) |
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Seven River #4 |
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Seven River #5 |
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Browns River |
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165.7 |
Montpelier Station |
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Anchovy Gully |
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500' contour |
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B6 road |
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168.2 |
No. 10 Anchovy Tunnel 31m |
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170.2 |
Anchovy Station |
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171.8 |
Ailford’s Halt |
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173.8 |
No. 11 Ramble Tunnel 56m |
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500' contour |
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174.6 |
No. 12 Long Hill Tunnel 389m |
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500' contour |
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175.0 |
No. 13 Bogue Hill Tunnel 140m |
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Viaduct over dry valley |
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250' contour |
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177.0 |
Gordon’s Halt |
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100' contour |
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50' contour |
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Montego River |
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to engine sheds |
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to sidings |
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181.4 |
Montego Bay |
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The Kingston to Montego Bay line was Jamaica's main railway. It linked the capital Kingston with the second city Montego Bay, passing enroute most of the major towns.
Construction, operation and closure
The first 14.5 miles (23.3 km) of standard gauge track were laid from Kingston to Angels (just North of Spanish Town) in 1845 at a cost of £222,250, or £15,377 per mile against a budgeted cost £150,000.[3]
An 11 mile extension from Spanish Town to Old Harbour was added in 1869[4] at a cost of £60,000.[5]
A further 24½ mile extension from Old Harbour to Porus was added in 1885 at a cost of around £187,000.[5]
The final 62 miles (100 km) from Porus to Montego Bay was completed in 1895.[6]
Much of the line closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased. Some sections remain in use for Bauxite and Aluminium freight[7] while the section from Montego Bay to the Appleton Estate remained open for a while as a tourist attraction.
Gradients and curvature
From Kingston the line ran west along the coastal plain, within 50 feet (15 m) of sea level, for about 40 miles (64 km) before starting a gentle climb over 5.25 miles (8.45 km) from Bodles to 250 feet (76 m) near Lancaster Halt.[1] From here there was a plateau for about 24.25 miles (39.03 km) to the Milk River and the start of the 20 miles (32 km) climb through Scotts Pass and Porus to 1,500 feet (460 m) just north of Kendal.[1]
Between Kendal and Mile Gully the line reaches its summit at around 1,700 feet (520 m); in this section the ruling curvature was 300 feet (91 m) and the ruling gradient was 1 in 30.[8]
From Mile Gully there was a gentle descent over 17 miles (27 km) to 500 feet (150 m) near Raheen.[1] From here the line ran on the level across the Appleton Plain to Maggotty and the start of a climb to 1,000 feet (300 m) near Stonehenge.[1] From here to Catadupa the line ran on the level then descended to 500 feet (150 m) at Seven River.[1] Another level section brought it to Long Hill Tunnel and the final descent into Montego Bay.[1]
Stations and Halts
There were 22 stations and 17 halts[1][9]:
- Kingston (Terminus)
- Greenwich Town Halt
- Marcus Garvey Drive Halt
- Hunts Bay Halt
- Gregory Park Station
- Grange Lane Station
- Spanish Town Station
- Horizon Park Halt
- Hartlands Halt
- Bushy Park Halt
- Old Harbour Station
- May Pen Station
- Jacob’s Hut
- Four Paths Station
- Rock Halt
- Clarendon Park Station
- Scott’s Pass Halt
- Porus Station
- Williamsfield Station
- Kendal Station
- Grove Place Halt
- Greenvale Station
- Comfort Hall Halt
- Duck Pond Halt
- Oxford Halt[10]
- Balaclava Station
- Siloah Halt
- Appleton Station
- Appleton Tourist Halt
- Maggotty Station
- Ipswich Station
- Breadnut Walk Halt
- Stonehenge Station
- Catadupa Station
- Cambridge Station
- Montpelier Station
- Anchovy Station
- Ailford’s Halt
- Gordon’s Halt
- Montego Bay (Terminus)
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Tunnels
There are 13 tunnels on the line:[11]
No. |
Name |
Mi from
Kingston |
Km from
Kingston |
Parish |
Length
feet |
Length
meters |
1 |
Scotts Pass |
44.25 |
71.2 |
Clarendon |
70 |
21.3 |
2 |
Scotts Pass |
44.50 |
71.6 |
Clarendon |
170 |
51.8 |
3 |
Comfort Hall |
65.50 |
105.4 |
St. Elizabeth |
688 |
209.1 |
4 |
Balaclava |
70.00 |
112.6 |
St. Elizabeth |
348 |
106.1 |
5 |
Highworth |
84.00 |
135.2 |
St. Elizabeth |
182 |
55.5 |
6 |
Y S |
84.50 |
136.0 |
St. Elizabeth |
218 |
66.4 |
7 |
Ipswich |
86.25 |
138.8 |
St. Elizabeth |
855 |
260.6 |
8 |
Unnamed |
87.75 |
141.2 |
St. James |
555 |
164.6 |
9 |
Merrywood |
88.50 |
142.4 |
St. James |
362 |
115.8 |
10 |
Anchovy |
104.50 |
168.2 |
St. James |
102 |
31.1 |
11 |
Ramble |
108.00 |
173.8 |
St. James |
182 |
55.5 |
12 |
Bogue Hill |
108.50 |
174.6 |
St. James |
1276 |
388.9 |
13 |
Bogue Hill |
108.75 |
175.0 |
St. James |
458 |
139.6 |
Bridges
There were 51 significant[12] bridges and one viaduct on the line[1]
- Trench Town Gully
- Shoemakers Gully
- Cockfight Bridge (gully)
- Salt River
- Rio Cobre
- Irrigation canal east
- Irrigation canal west
- Creek Town Gully
- Track (rail over)
- Irrigation canal
- Cut Throat Gully
- Spring Garden River
- Irrigation canal east
- Irrigation canal west
- Coleburns Gully
- Church Pen Gully east
- Church Pen Gully west
- Stony Gully
- Fraser's Gully
- Old Harbour(?) River
- Bowers Gully
- Palmetto Gully
- Hunts Pen road (rail over)
- A2 road (rail under)
- Rio Minho - originally completed in 1874, it was completely rebuilt during the second decade of the twentieth century by Hewson (of the Jamaica Government Railway) using the then new method of concrete blocks[13]
- Jacks or St Annes Gully #1
- Jacks or St Annes Gully #2
- Jacks or St Annes Gully #3
- Jacks or St Annes Gully #4
- Flemings (sic) Gully east
- Flemings (sic) Gully west
- Milk River
- Milk River (seasonal)
- Track (rail over)
- Kendal - Mandeville road (rail over)
- B6 road, Balaclava (rail under)
- Black River #1
- Black River #2
- Black River #3
- Ipswich - Merrywood road (rail under)
- Richmond Hill road (rail under)
- B6 road, Jubilee (rail under)
- Seven River #1
- Seven River #2
- Seven River #3
- Seven River #4
- Seven River #5
- Browns River
- Anchovy Gully
- B8 road, Mount Carey (rail under)
- Bogue Viaduct
- Montego River
Junctions
There were 3 branch line junctions, 3 railway works junctions and 4 estate railway junctions on the line:[1]
Branch lines
- Spanish Town Junction to Bog Walk, Ewarton, New Works and Port Antonio.
- May Pen Junction to Frankfield.
- Logans Junction to Fort Simmonds.
Railway works
- Kingston railway workshops.
- Kingston permanent way department.
- Kingston engine sheds.
Estate railways
- Caymanas estate.
- Bridge Pen.
- Raheen.
- Appleton.
Bauxite lines
Piers
- Kingston railway piers numbers 1, 2 & 3.
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica, various sheets (1958-1973).
- ^ "Duck Pond" is given in the Annual Transport Statistics; the 50K maps show "Dick Pond".
- ^ The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 Journal of Transport History - March 2003
- ^ The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg3 Journal of Transport History - March 2003.
- ^ a b The Jamaica Railway 1845-1945 by H R Fox, General Manager, Jamaica Government Railway in The Railway Magazine of November & December 1945.
- ^ 1866 to 1913 Crown Colony Government discoverjamaica.com
- ^ The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg18 Journal of Transport History - March 2003
- ^ The Jamaica Railway 1845-1945, H R Fox (General Manager, Jamaica Government Railway), The Railway Magazine Volume 91 Number 560 November and December 1945, pages 313-317.
- ^ Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005, Table 3.5 - Mileage for JRC Stations, Halts & Sidings in relation to the Kingston Railway Terminus 2003-2004.
- ^ UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet D, 1959.
- ^ Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005, Table 3.6 - List of JRC Railway Tunnels by Line 2003-2004.
- ^ In this context, significant means mapped on the Directorate of Overseas Surveys 50K series of maps:
- ^ Volume 6 Number 7, Monthly Comments, Ansell Hart, 1968-06.
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Passenger lines |
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Stations |
List of railway stations in Jamaica • Ailford’s halt • Albany • Anchovy • Angels halt • Annotto Bay • Appleton • Appleton Tourist halt • Balaclava • Baughs halt • Belfield halt • Bog Walk • Breadnut Walk halt • Bryan's Hill • Buff Bay • Bushy Park halt • Cambridge • Catadupa • Chapelton • Clarendon Park • Comfort Hall halt • Crawle halt • Crescent halt • Crooked River • Cross Roads/Ivy Store • Darling Spring halt • Duck Pond halt • Esher • Ewarton • Fort George halt • Fort Stewart halt • Four Paths • Frankfield • Gordon’s halt • Grange Lane • Grays Inn halt • Greenvale • Greenwich Town halt • Gregory Park • Grove Place halt • Harewood halt • Hartlands halt • Highgate • Hope Bay • Horizon Park halt • Hunts Bay halt • Ipswich • Jacob’s Hut • Kendal • Kingston • Linstead • Longville halt • Maggotty • Marcus Garvey Drive halt • May Pen • Michleton halt • Montego Bay • Montpelier • Morgans • New Works • Norwich halt • Old Harbour • Orange Bay • Oxford halt • Passley Gardens halt • Port Antonio • Porus • Richmond • Riversdale • Robertson's halt • Rock halt • Saint Margaret's Bay • Scott’s Pass halt • Siloah halt • Snow Hill halt • Spanish Town • Spring Garden halt • St. John’s Road halt • Sterling Castle halt • Stonehenge • Suttons • Taja halt • Troja • Trout Hall • Williamsfield • Windsor Castle halt
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Bauxite lines |
Alcan Bodies to Port Esquiville (Alcan) • Woodside mines to Rocky Point Port (Alcoa) • Nain to Port Kaiser (Alpart) • Upper Saint Ann to Discovery Bay (Kaiser) • (Reynolds)
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Estate lines |
Appleton (sugar) • Bowden (bananas)
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Military lines |
Logans Junction to Fort Simmonds
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Notable personnel |
H R Fox • David Smith (railway promoter) • William Smith (railway promoter)
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Notable incidents |
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Locomotives |
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Rolling stock |
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