Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway
| Industry | Railways |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Indian Branch Railway Company |
| Successor | East Indian Railway Company |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Defunct | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Lucknow, India |
Area served | Northern India |
| Services | Rail transport |
The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway built an extensive railway network in the east-north direction, mostly north of the Ganges, starting from Varanasi and subsequently up to Delhi.
Formation
The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway was formed in 1872 with the assets of the Indian Branch Railway Company and the government guarantee. It had its headquarters at Lucknow.[1][2]
While the East Indian Railway Company operated on the southern side of the Ganges, the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway operated in the plains of northern India, mostly north of the river.[3]
Extension
It built lines from Lucknow to Hardoi, Lucknow to Barabanki and Moradabad to Chandausi in 1872 and extended the last to Bareilly in 1873 It built a line from Varanasi to Lucknow in 1874, with an extension to Fyzabad known as Fyzabad Loop.[2][4]
The 4 miles long Broad gauge line from Burhwal to Bahramghat was opened on 1 April 1872 opened as part of the Bahramghat branch of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway the line got closed around 1943.
The 17 miles long Burwhal-Barabanki metre gauge line was opened 1 April 1872 as part of the Bahramghat branch of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway. Upon conversion to mixed gauge, the Metre gauge track formed part of the Cawnpore-Burhwal Railway which was managed as part of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway. The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway was merged into the East Indian Railway on 1 July 1925 but this section of the Cawnpore-Burhwal Railway was worked by the Bengal and North Western Railway and was transferred to the Oudh and Tirhut Railway on 1 January 1943.
The 2 miles long metre gauge line from Benares Cant. to Benares City was opened between 15 March to 1 April 1899 as the Benares City branch of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway. The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway was absorbed by the East Indian Railway on 1 July 1925 but this line was worked by the Bengal and North Western Railway and its successors from opening and was transferred to the North Eastern Railway on 27 February 1953.
The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway built the Dufferin Brige in 1883 with Frederick Thomas Granville Walton as Chief Engineer, and its line was connected to East Indian Railway Company’s line at Mughalsarai.[2]
It extended its main line from Moradabad to Saharanpur in 1881-86 and a branch line was opened from Lakhsar to Haridwar in 1883. The Lucknow-Rae Bareilly extension was completed in 1893.[2]
The main line of Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway used to run from Varanasi to Saharanpur via Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Chandausi and Moradabad. With the opening of the Bareilly-Moradabad link via Rampur in 1894, the main line distance was shortened and the route via Chandausi came to be known as Chandausi chord. A branch line linked it to Aligarh.[2]
The Ghaziabad-Moradabad link was established in 1898. The Varanasi-Luknow link via Rae Bareilly shortened the main line further.[2]
Take over
In 1888, the Government of India took over the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway making it a state railway.[2] In 1925, it was merged with East Indian Railway Company.[5]
System mileage in 1905 was 1,910 km (1,187 mi) of 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide broad gauge 129 km (80 mi) of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) wide metre gauge.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway". fibis. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "The Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway". Management E-books6. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ Manning, Ian. "The Rohilkhand and Kumaon". IRFCA. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ "IR History: Early days II (1870=1889)". Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ "IR History: Part III (1900=1947)". IRFCA. Retrieved 30 May 2013.